Mindo (also known as the Mindo Valley) is a mountainous
watershed in the western slopes of the
Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
, where two of the most
biologically diverse ecoregions in the world meet: the
Chocoan lowlands and the
Tropical Andes. In this transitional area — which covers an area of and ranges from
above sea level — three rivers (
Mindo
MINDO, or Modified Intermediate Neglect of Differential Overlap is a semi-empirical method for the quantum calculation of molecular electronic structure in computational chemistry. It is based on the Intermediate Neglect of Differential Overlap ( ...
,
Saloya and
Cinto) and hundreds of streams irrigate the landscape, which is a patchwork of
cloud forests,
secondary forests, agricultural land, and human settlements.
Politically, Mindo is a collection of rural parishes (Gualea, Nanegal, Nanegalito, Pacto) that make up the Noroccidental Administrative Zone of
Quito Canton
Quito, officially the Metropolitan District of Quito ( es, Distrito Metropolitano de Quito), is a canton in the province of Pichincha, Ecuador.
Governance
The canton is governed by the same mayor and city council that govern the city of Quito. ...
, and parts of
Los Bancos Canton
San Miguel de los Bancos, or simply Los Bancos, is a canton in the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. The long name of the town refers to dedication of the area to the archangel Michael. Local tradition attributes the "Los Bancos" part of the name ...
within
Pichincha Province
Pichincha () is a province of Ecuador located in the northern Sierra region; its capital and largest city is Quito. It is bordered by Imbabura and Esmeraldas to the north, Cotopaxi and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas to the south, Napo and ...
in the northern sierra region of
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
.
Tourism
The Mindo Valley is among the most heavily visited tourist locations in Ecuador. Mindo was recently named the Ruta de Cacao by The Ecuadorian Ministerio de Turismo.
Nearly 200,000 tourists visit the area annually to enjoy activities such as
rafting
Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...
,
tubing, trekking, mountain biking,
canyoning
Canyoning (canyoneering in the United States, kloofing in South Africa) is a type of mountaineering that involves travelling in canyons using a variety of techniques that may include other outdoor activities such as walking, scrambling, climbin ...
, horseback riding,
birdwatching
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...
, Chocolate Making and
herping
Herping is the act of searching for amphibians or reptiles. The term, often used by professional and amateur herpetologists, comes from the word "herp", which comes from the same Greek root as herpetology, ''herpet-'', meaning "creeping". The t ...
. Besides its well-developed tourism infrastructure, it offers several private reserves and lodges known for their montane forests, waterfalls and unique cloud forest biodiversity. Much of the land is privately protected, and an additional falls within the
Mindo-Nambillo Ecological Reserve ( es, Bosque Protector Mindo Nambillo).
File:Mindo-Cloud-Forest-05.jpg, Landscape in Mindo
Image:Tubing in South America.JPG, Tubing in Mindo
Image:Zip lining in Mindo, Ecuador.JPG, Zip lining
Image:Ecuador_Mindo_Bamboo_house.jpg, A bamboo and palm thatch house in Mindo
Image:Waterfall in Mindo.JPG, Waterfall in the Mindo-Nambillo
References
External links
*
Parishes of Ecuador
Geography of Pichincha Province
Tourist attractions in Pichincha Province
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