UNESCO Chocó-Andino Biosphere Reserve
Mindo, Ecuador.
A small cloud forest village two hours from Quito, and one of the most biodiverse places on earth. This is the world Casa Verde calls home.
A village in the clouds.
Mindo sits in a valley on the western slope of the Andes, roughly 79 kilometers northwest of Quito. At around 1,250 meters above sea level, mist drifts through the canopy most mornings — giving the cloud forest its name and its particular, dreamlike light.
The town itself is small and unassuming: a handful of streets, a central square, a scattering of cafes and craft-beer bars. Its real draw lies in what surrounds it — more than 100 square miles of cloud forest, home to over 450 recorded bird species, hundreds of butterfly varieties, and waterfalls at nearly every turn.
Mindo is popular with Ecuadorian weekenders and international travelers alike, though it remains far quieter than Baños or other better-known Ecuadorian destinations. Casa Verde sits four miles outside the village centre, at the end of a quiet forest road, inside the protected biosphere itself.
Biosphere Reserve
Mindo lies within the Chocó-Andino de Pichincha Biosphere Reserve, designated by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme in 2018. The reserve spans 286,806 hectares of the western Andean cordillera, extending from the outer foothills down toward the Pacific lowlands.
Around 10,000 plant species have been recorded here, some 2,500 of them endemic. The reserve shelters 270 mammal species, 210 reptiles, 200+ birds, and 130 amphibians — including the spectacled bear, the Ecuadorian mantled howler monkey, and the endemic Chocó toucan. Together with the Amazon and Galápagos, this corridor is part of what makes Ecuador one of the most biodiverse countries on earth, despite its small size.
Casa Verde’s five private trails connect directly into this protected terrain.
UNESCO official designation →Beyond the retreat.
Birdwatching
Mindo is one of the world’s great birding destinations — over 450 recorded species, including the endemic Chocó toucan and the striking Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. Dawn outings are best.
Waterfall Hiking
The Santuario de Cascadas waterfall circuit leads hikers past seven separate falls via a cable car (tarabita) over the canopy. A full morning’s adventure, or turn back after the first two.
Chocolate & Coffee
Several small producers around Mindo offer cacao-to-bar tours, and coffee tours covering harvesting and roasting. Tastings are usually included and cost around $10.
Ziplining
Several operators run zipline circuits over the cloud forest canopy — a quick adrenaline rush between contemplative days. Best paired with an early hike.
Butterfly Farms
Mariposas de Mindo and similar farms host thousands of butterflies across multiple endemic species, with elevated walkways for close viewing. Roughly 2 km from the village.
Mindo Village
A compact centre with restaurants, craft beer bars, and chocolate shops. A relaxed afternoon stop between forest excursions, 15 minutes from Casa Verde by taxi.
From Quito to the cloud forest.
Fly into Quito (UIO) — Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre. Most international flights arrive in the evening; an airport-area hotel for the first night is common.
Travel by road — by private taxi, rental car, or local bus. The drive takes 2–3 hours, descending from the high Andean plateau into cloud forest along a winding, scenic route.
Arrive in Mindo village, or continue directly to Casa Verde, 4 miles further along a quiet forest road within the biosphere reserve.
Stay inside the biosphere.
Most visitors to Mindo stay in town or at one of the eco-lodges scattered through the surrounding hills. Casa Verde sits apart from both — a private five-acre property four miles outside the village, backing directly onto protected cloud forest.
Guests come for a yoga retreat, not a hotel stay: private instruction, garden-to-table meals, and daily access to trails and waterfalls most visitors never reach.
Come see the cloud forest.
Retreats at Casa Verde are year-round and ongoing. Choose your dates and Wendy will confirm availability personally.
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