Mindo (also known as the Mindo Valley) is a mountainous watershed in the
western slopes of the Andes,
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 268 square kilometers
(103 sq mi) and ranges from 960–3,440 metres
(3,150–11,290 ft) above
sea level — three rivers (Mindo, 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,
within Pichincha
Province in the northern sierra region of Ecuador.
Tourism
The Mindo Valley is among the most heavily visited tourist locations
in Ecuador. Nearly 200,000 tourists visit the area annually to enjoy activities
such as rafting, tubing, trekking, mountain biking, canyoning, horseback riding, birdwatching, and herping. 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 86 square kilometers
(33 sq mi) falls within the Mindo-Nambillo Ecological Reserve (Spanish: Bosque
Protector Mindo Nambillo).