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Top things to do in the Ecuadorian Cloud forest
Off the beaten path sites to visit in Ecuador
May 1, 2018
Galapagos Islands Human History
May 8, 2018Choosing the top things to do in the cloud forest is challenging. That’s because there are so many different possibilities to select between. Indeed, when looking for the best things to do in the cloud forest, there is no shortage of possibilities. There are also cloud forest activities to suit diverse types of tourists with varied preferences. Cloud forest activities include walks, active pursuits and bird and animal spotting, among others. Here are some of the top things to do in the cloud forest region of Ecuador.
One of the main reasons that people visit the cloud forest in Ecuador is to go birdwatching, and with very good reason. This is one of the best things to do in the cloud forest due to the massive range of bird species that can be found there. Experts suggest that in Ecuador as a whole, approximately 1,600 species have been recorded, however, 550 or more of these can be found in the cloud forest region. Even for those that do not necessarily see birdwatching as one of their preferred cloud forest activities, spending half an hour at bird feeders watching the massive array of different hummingbirds come by can be very enjoyable. Meanwhile others with more of a passion for birding may enjoy the opportunity to take an early morning walk to hear the dawn chorus and spot cloud forest native species such as toucans.
Among the best things to do in the cloud forest are those that induce a little adrenalin. The cloud forest is not short of exhilarating activities to keep visitors entertained. Among the most exciting are opportunities to hook up to a zip wire and fly through the air across massive canyons, observing the canopy below while zooming past at high speed. This activity is very enjoyable for those with the nerve for it, and a very fun couple of hours can be spent ziplining. Other visitors might enjoy the tubing activities that are available. With this activity you will be given a life jacket, a helmet and an oar, and you will climb aboard a bunch of inflated inner tubes that are tied together, and your guide will take you down the river on this contraption. As cloud forest activities go, this one is certainly a little different.
For those that like hiking, there are also opportunities to enjoy this type of pursuit in the cloud forest region of Ecuador. Walks can be combined with opportunities for bird or butterfly spotting, or to visit delightful waterfalls. Some of the lodges in the cloud forest have built their own trails, which they have graded from easy to hard, or have given approximations for of time taken to complete them. This makes hiking in the cloud forest particularly easy.
Another gentler walking activity which is also very enjoyable, is simply walking around the town in which you are staying as well (usually Mindo) as this can provide an interesting insight to the local community. Walking can be combined with cable cars and swimming in some places, and this must be considered one of the best things to do in the cloud forest. With this option it is possible to take the tarabita (cable car) across the canyon, and then it is possible to walk to a variety of waterfalls with an opportunity for swimming at some of them.
As you can see the best things to do in the cloud forest vary a lot between very exciting pursuits for those that want to test their boundaries, through to a wide variety of cloud forest activities around bird and animal observation, and also other outdoorsy activities such as hiking to waterfalls. Whatever it is you are looking to do in the cloud forest, at Ecuador and Galapagos Insiders, we can help you plan your trip, so you make sure you do everything you want to. We even have a one-day Mindo trip already planned out, if you want to see a lot in a day.
