I had only one day in Quito and contacted this company to see if I could coordinate to see the various places I wanted to see. Richard bent over backwards to get me to see everything on my list. It was a very full day, but it was amazing and well worth the price. I appreciated Richard's communication with me to confirm all of the activities beforehand and his expert's eye at spotting birds and wildlife. I thought the Bellavista reserve was an amazing place, and I enjoyed going to the various spots around Mindo Town. All in all, a great experience and I highly recommend booking with Richard and this company! .
Date of the experience:April/2013

We scheduled a bird watching trip with Richard Hernandez for a lay over day after a cruise to the Galapagos. Our trip to Ecuador would not have been as wonderful if we had not taken the trip to the Mindo Cloud Forest. Richard emailed and asked if we wanted to see the "Cock of the Rock" and if we did we would have to get up and be ready to go at 4:00AM from our hotel in Quito. The group of 4 said we would be ready. Richard was on time and off we went on the adventure of a life time. We though nothing could top our cruise. Although getting to the ranch where the birds are was not for the faint of heart(rains had washed out the bridge and we fordged the stream) and then hiked for about a half hour into the jungle, only to find out the a group of world travelers from Europe had already made it before us. I might add this was in complete darkness, so bring a flashlight. At the lookout we were rewarded with a view of the birds putting on a show at dawn and on the hike back added another 10-15 birds to our life lists. For breakfast we went to a lodge where we added 18 different hummingbirds and many other birds that came right up to the table. The birds were amazing. It was like being in a movie for public television. We visited the Butterfly Garden which was very well done and then lunch at another location that had feeders covered with new hummingbirds. Richard knew all the names of the birds we saw and had local stories about all the flora and fauna. We all agreed that our trip to Ecuador would not have been as wonderful as it was if we had not spent the day with Richard in Cloud Forest. I want to add that the average age of our group of four was 73 and although it was a little rough hike in the morning we all made it and Richard made sure that we were all safe and well taken care of throughout the day. Cynthia B..
Date of the experience:March/2014

Richard Hernandez picked us up from our hotel in Quito and drove us to the Pululuhua crater to take some pictures of the houses and farms inside the crater and then a quick trip through the shops. Our next stop was in the Mindo cloud forest where we hiked for about an hour to a waterfall and then back. Along the way, Richard kept us informed of all the flora and fauna, observed hummingbirds and two tiny frogs (can't remember the names). We traveled on a national holiday so traffic was pretty bad and we skipped lunch in Mindo and ate at the start of the hiking trail. Instead of Mindo, he took us to Bellavista high up in the mountains to see toucans in the cloud forest trails. Our last stop was the Hummingbird Paradise which was amazing to see so many species of hummingbirds and other indigenous birds within arms reach. It's a little more expensive than some of the other tours we saw, but Richard is worth every penny and I would highly recommend this tour to any bird lover.
Date of the experience:October/2015

We saw 30 different humming birds, and numerous other birds. Richard Hernandez was very knowledgeable and knew were to find the birds, His English was excellent. I would highly recommend him for your bird watching tour. We took the Choco Birding day tour His price was very reasonable.
Date of the experience:March/2016

While preparing our trip we found lots of excellent reviews about Mindo Cloud Forest tours with Richard Hernadez and decided not only to book a Mindo tour but also the Old Town Quito tour. Since there's no separate page to write the Old City tour we want to "copy" the five "star" rating for the Mindo tour to the City tour. Our first day we were picked up at the hotel for a short drive to the old city where Richard parked the car near the Basilica and took us on a walking tour along the different sights. After driving up to El Panecillo it was time to visit the equator with a choice of the main monument, El Mitad del Mundo, or "the real equator". Since it's a private, flexible tour we chose the 'real' one (which is also a bit 'off'). Later than expected we were back at our hotel, time flies when your having fun. Richard was an excellent guide to show us Quito and we looked forward to the following day. Day two, was a longer drive to Mindo with a first stop at the Pululuhua crater. Next was the Orchid Reserve where we did a hike while getting information on the different plants and birds (sorry Richard, that much information needs time to sink in, next time we'll pass your test). We even saw a Cock of the Rock nesting that we would have never noticed without a guide. Richard then took us to a few different places to see the hummingbirds because each area has it's own species. It was great to see so many and go so close. At each place we were alone giving us great freedom to move around. At the restaurant Richard took us to for lunch we discovered unexpected food, first there was "cow foot soup" and later banana chips. Later during our trip we would have more bananachips. With another visit to a hummingbird sanctuary a fantastic day ended. We really enjoyed the two trips with Richard and will recommend him to any traveler to Quito. Besides the info on the history of the Quito buildings and plants and wildlife in Mindo forest we had nice talks about everyday life in Ecuador while comparing things with home.
Date of the experience:Nov./2017

We just spent the day with Richard doing a hiking and birding day in the Mindo Cloud Forest and we cannot recommend this highly enough. I called Richard very last-minute and he was graciously able to fit us in and accompanied us for the day. We were so lucky! Richard is very knowledgeable about the forest and also very passionate about conservation and eco-tourism. He knows where excellent private reserves are in the forest and took us to three spots where we saw an amazing array of hummingbirds, toucans and tanagers. We also enjoyed a beautiful hike into a huge waterfall where we saw many orchids, bromeliads and lilies. Richard is so friendly, open and warm and we thoroughly enjoyed our conversations with him throughout the day. I couldn't imagine coming to the Mindo cloud forest with anyone else, and we're already planning how we can get back to do more exploring here. Definitely visit the Mindo cloud forest when you're in Quito.
Date of the experience:July/2018

My wife and I had an excellent two day tour with Richard Hernández. He collected us from our hotel in Quito and then over the next 36 hours took us to a range of places where we saw and photographed all sort of wildlife including hummingbirds and tanagers, whilst Richard enthusiastically shared with us his great knowledge of the birds, plants and animals. In our tour we had two walking expeditions including one to a small waterfall via a zip line, and another to a 100 metre high cascade following a climbing trek through the woods and forests. On both walks we were given full explanations of all the plants and sights that we saw. Our overnight stay was at BellaVIsta Reserve, which was beautifully sited and met all our expectations. The second day had an early start to sight the magnificent Cock of the Rock bird in the depths of the forest. The tour was a wonderful time for us both. Richard Hernández is a tremendous guide and is passionate about the beauty and wonders of the Cloud Forest. Thoroughly recommended.
Date of the experience:March/2018

We'd gone with Richard Hernandez on a day trip and were happy to book 2 days and an overnight with this - now I have to say - friend. His enthusiasm for nature and for the accomplighments of the people in Mindo sold us. He designed the trip to accommodate our requests but was flexible and added good suggestions. btw for a great overight, if you like frogs, book Mindo Lago.Mostrar menos
Date of the experience:January/2018

Our day trip tour with Richard Hernandez was excellent. Richard is extremely knowledgeable naturalist. The whole day was enjoyable. My favorite part was visiting the hummingbird sanctuary. Since this was a private tour, Richard was very accommodating to our needs. Richard loves what he does and it shows in his enthusiasm on the tour. Another highlight of the tour, was a detour that we took when some locals found a rare snake in the forest and we went to view it. Such an amazing experience! Thanks Richard.
Date of the experience:Nov/2017

Richard is super-knowledgeable and accommodating. He genuinely enjoys his work and his enthusiasm for it shines through. He began my tour by asking my preferences, and then he customized each aspect of the day to best suit my interests. He spent time on the right things and made sure that everything was to my liking as we went along. He is a pleasure to talk to and has broad interests and expertise. This tour was the highlight of my visit, and I plan to take a different tour with him when I return to Ecuador
Date of the experience:Dec./2019

Richard is an experienced, knowledgeable tour guide that enjoys sharing his passion for the flora and fauna of Ecuador. He has a great sense of humour, and had us laughing during the whole excursion. We learned so much about birds and plants- our hike in the El Pahuma Orchid Reserve was so much fun. Our included meal at the bird lodge was delicious, and after mentioning we wanted to visit the Equator line, he was happy to transport us there, arrange a tour guide for us at the museum, and bring us back to our hotel. We have beautiful pictures of the Mindo cloud forest and hummingbirds from our excursion. If you are genuinely interested in Ecuador's ecology and are looking for a kind, intelligent guide then you won't be disappointed!
Date of the experience:Dec./2018

We had such an amazing time under Richard's guidance. He took care of everything and was not bothered by our change in plans
Date of the experience:Jan./2020

Richard is a great guide and very interesting to talk with. I really appreciated that he customized the tour for me. Highly recommended for a day away from Quito.
Date of the experience:Dec./2021

We decided to take a last minute day trip to the cloud forests in Mindo and Richard was very helpful and flexible to make our tour as wonderful as possible! Thanks to Richard, we were able to go waterfall rappelling with a guide and visit a hummingbird garden as well as some beautiful hiking. He is extremely knowledgeable and friendly, which made for an enjoyable day trip in the cloud forests in/around Mindo. Definitely recommend for anyone willing to learn and adventure around the mountains with an excellent guide.
Date of the experience:November/2021

I enjoyed the hike and seeing all the different plants and flowers that I have not seen before. The guide was very knowledgeable!
Date of the experience:Oct./2021