Tandayapa Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Here we have a very distinctive hummingbird - the Collared Inca. In most lighting they appear all black with a white chest. but if you get them out in some direct light you can make out the blue/violet cap and the green throat. Make sure you hire a birding guide for your visit to the valley. In addition to locating and identifying the birds, a guide is the only way you'll find this amazing hummingbird garden. It's hidden among some dense vegetation, with the only marker being an overgrown footpath leading from the road.
Here we have a very distinctive hummingbird - the Collared Inca. In most lighting they appear all black with a white chest. but if you get them out in some direct light you can make out the blue/violet cap and the green throat. Make sure you hire a birding guide for your visit to the valley. In addition to locating and identifying the birds, a guide is the only way you'll find this amazing hummingbird garden. It's hidden among some dense vegetation, with the only marker being an overgrown footpath leading from the road.
Yesterday I posted a female Violet-tailed Sylph, and today we have the much showier male. It's a wonder that they can fly with such long tail feathers, but clearly the reproductive advantage outweighs any such inconvenience.
The Tandayapa Valley is a birder's paradise. The rugged slopes of this pristine cloud forest offer a spectacle of exotic birds like few places on earth. The mountain roads themselves are great avenues to hunt out mixed flocks, but for a truly amazing experience you need to visit Tony Nunnery's hummingbird garden at Parador Pacha Quindi. Tony grew up in the US but has spent the last fifteen years in a small cottage he and his wife built on 70 hectares in the Tandayapa Valley. They have been reforesting the former pasture and have established a phenomenal hummingbird garden right outside their house. The sight and sound of a hundred hummingbirds whizzing about is something you won't soon forget. It also makes for great photo opportunities, so much so that professionals will even shoot here with their shade umbrellas and strobe arrays. I didn't have anything that fancy, and you'd do quite well here with a 200mm lens and large flash. BTW, I believe that this here is a Speckled Hummingbird.
Here we have a female Violet-tailed Sylph. How do I know it's a female? Because the male has a long blue tail that extends twice his body length. We spotted this beautiful girl at Tony Nunnery's hummingbird garden in the Tandayapa Valley. I love hummingbirds and always hunt down the best places to see and photograph them, and Tony's garden is world class. Hundreds of hummingbirds from at least a dozen species flitted around us in the short couple of hours that we were there. A place you must visit if you ever find yourself in Ecuador.
Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve & Lodge

Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve & Lodge

2.5 out of 5
Km 52 Ruta Antigua Quito - Nanegalito Mindo Pichincha
The price is Rp2.199.775 per night from 13 Feb to 14 Feb
Rp2.199.775
Rp3.426.540 total
13 Feb - 14 Feb
Stay at this lodge in Mindo. Enjoy free breakfast, free parking and an airport shuttle (surcharge). Popular attractions Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve and Maquipucuna ...
9.8/10 Exceptional! (10 reviews)
A birders paradise
One of the most magical places we have ever visited offering unparalleled access to the cloud forests. Exceptional attention to detail, very friendly and helpful staff, delicious and fresh meals. Seriously heaven on earth and a birders paradise.

Reviewed on 12 Aug 2025

Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve & Lodge
JW Marriott Quito

JW Marriott Quito

4.5 out of 5
Avenida Orellana 1172 Y Avenida Amazonas Quito Pichincha
The price is Rp2.541.823 per night from 15 Feb to 16 Feb
Rp2.541.823
Rp2.842.236 total
15 Feb - 16 Feb
Stay at this spa hotel in Quito. Enjoy a full-service spa, 4 restaurants and 2 hot tubs. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (745 reviews)
Beautiful hotel and location!

Reviewed on 6 Feb 2026

JW Marriott Quito
Le Parc Hotel, Beyond Stars

Le Parc Hotel, Beyond Stars

4.5 out of 5
República de El Salvador Quito Quito
Stay at this luxury hotel in Quito. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (943 reviews)
From the beginning, the rooms were amazing. The front entrance was spotless. The breakfast was awesome. The location can’t be any better.

Reviewed on 3 Feb 2026

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Le Parc Hotel, Beyond Stars
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Harmony Luxury Apartments

Harmony Luxury Apartments

4.5 out of 5
Av. República de El Salvador 34-127 Quito Pichincha
Stay at this luxury apartment in Quito. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and a sauna. Popular attractions Botanical Garden of Quito and Parque La Carolina ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (24 reviews)
Nice building clean apt. It would have been nice if there were shades on the kitchen windows or a curtain between the bedroom and kitchen. The bed frame is too large for the space and makes it difficult to move around in the bedroom.

Reviewed on 16 Jan 2026

Harmony Luxury Apartments
Old Town Quito Suites, Apartments & Boutique hotel

Old Town Quito Suites, Apartments & Boutique hotel

4 out of 5
José de Antepara E3-61 y Vicente Léon Quito Pichincha
Stay at this family-friendly aparthotel in Quito. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the property ...
10/10 Exceptional! (172 reviews)
Our two bedroom, two bathroom apartment was perfect for our family’s week stay in Quito. Very clean and comfortably furnished. The staff were friendly and always helpful. Breakfast was perfect, so convenient to have in our apartment.

Reviewed on 1 Feb 2026

Old Town Quito Suites, Apartments & Boutique hotel
Edificio Tofino

Edificio Tofino

3 out of 5
Av. Naciones Unidas Quito Pichincha
Stay at this aparthotel in Quito. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and parking (surcharge). Popular attractions Naciones Unidas Boulevard and Iñaquito ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (29 reviews)
Good breakfast.

Reviewed on 22 Nov 2025

Edificio Tofino
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Here we have a very distinctive hummingbird - the Collared Inca. In most lighting they appear all black with a white chest. but if you get them out in some direct light you can make out the blue/violet cap and the green throat. Make sure you hire a birding guide for your visit to the valley. In addition to locating and identifying the birds, a guide is the only way you'll find this amazing hummingbird garden. It's hidden among some dense vegetation, with the only marker being an overgrown footpath leading from the road.

Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve

Explore the great outdoors at Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, a lovely green space in Tandayapa. While you're in the area, wander around the parks.

Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve

Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve

Explore the great outdoors at Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve, a lovely green space in Nanegalito. While you're in the area, wander around the forests.

Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve

Things to do

Mindo Adventure.

Mindo: Bird watching, Chocolate, Waterfall and Adventure

Rp1.261.500
per adult
100% of travellers recommend
Mindo: Bird watching, Chocolate, Waterfall and Adventure
Mindo Ziplines Tour, offers a 10-wire tour through the cloud forest where you can enjoy adventure, nature, adrenaline.

Mindo Ziplines Tours / Canopy Tour / Zip Line

Rp345.146
per adult
Mindo Ziplines Tours / Canopy Tour / Zip Line
Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Ecuador

Mindo Cloud Forest Private Tour: Birdwatching, Birds & Nature

Rp1.513.800
per adult
Mindo Cloud Forest Private Tour: Birdwatching, Birds & Nature
Andean Cock Watching tour in mindo

Andean Cock Watching tour in mindo with hummingbird and breakfast

Rp1.177.400
per adult
Andean Cock Watching tour in mindo with hummingbird and breakfast
Mindo from Quito - Private Tours

Full day Mindo from Quito - Private Tours

Rp2.691.200
per adult
Full day Mindo from Quito - Private Tours
Women with horses and green mountains in the background in Quito

Private Full-Day Pululahua Volcano Horseback Ride & Mitad del Mundo Tour

Rp3.010.780
per traveller
100% of travellers recommend
Private Full-Day Pululahua Volcano Horseback Ride & Mitad del Mundo Tour
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