Description:
This trip starts out with a spectacular mountain bike ride near the Pichincha Volcano. From there, travel to the cloud forests in Mindo where there is excellent hiking and bird watching. Day three is an all-day rafting trip down the Río Blanco.
Activites:
Mountain Biking, Rafting, Hiking
Itinerary:
Day 1: Mountain Biking to Mindo
Start biking near the town of Nono on the road behind the Guagua Pichincha volcano on a smooth uphill incline up to 3,300 m above sea level. Next, a thrilling descent into the cloud forest lasting approximately 3 or 4 hours takes us to our lodge near the Mindo cloudforest reserve. Spend the evening enjoying the night sounds of the forest.
Day 2: Cloud Forest Trek
Explore the Mindo cloudforest reserve and the nearby valleys filled with over 450 species of birds including the exotic cock of the rock. Visit waterfalls, stunning primary cloud forest with a variety of orchids and butterflies. Return to the lodge in the afternoon for a relaxing evening in our forest cabins.
Day 3: Rafting on the Blanco River
Day three starts off on the Blanco River (White River). The river gets its name from the continuous flow of white rapids. After a safety briefing we will navigate 30 km of Class III - III+ rapids and waves, admiring the breathtaking cloud forest and abundant bird life, possibly encountering the southern river otter. In the afternoon we return to Quito.