Our herping tour begins early. We will travel from our hotel to the Mariscal Sucre International Airport, located northwest of Ecuador’s capital, Quito.

In a flight of approximately 45 minutes, we will travel from Quito to the city of Coca (Francisco de Orellana), crossing the eastern section of the Andes.

In Coca, we will board comfortable covered canoes. We will navigate for less than two hours, enjoying the stunning views of the Napo River basin and occasional wildlife sightings. Then we’ll arrive at a smaller river where, after about 10 minutes, we’ll disembark at our home for the next few days: a beautiful and very comfortable lodge surrounded by the forest canopy and a nearby river. Upon arrival, visitors are warmly welcomed with a refreshing drink and a brief introduction before being guided to the comfort of their cabins.

After lunch, we’ll rest and enjoy our accommodation while familiarizing ourselves with the surroundings and discussing our goals for the days ahead.

After dinner, we’ll prepare our boots, flashlights, and cameras for the first night of herping. As we explore flooded areas, we’ll be searching for and photographing a wide variety of frogs, such as Monkey Frogs (Phyllomedusa vaillanti, Phyllomedusa tarsius), Milk Frogs (Sphaenorhynchus lacteus), and some Clown Frogs like Dendropsophus reticulatus. If we’re lucky, we might spot a Pipa pipa. Additionally, lizards like Anoles (Anolis spp.) or the Dwarf Iguana (Enyalioides laticeps) might be waiting for us on branches and leaves, while we keep an eye out for snakes such as the Rainbow Boa, Amazon Tree Boa, Coral Snakes (Micrurus surinamensis), or even an Amazonian Lancehead (Bothrops atrox) or a Green Pit Viper (Bothrops bilineatus).

During these days, we’ll engage in relaxed daytime activities such as visiting lagoons, walking through the jungle, canoeing, and birdwatching. These excursions may reveal monkeys, toucans, sloths, and various herp species, such as the Poison Frog (Ameerega bilinguis). Additionally, snakes like Chironius sp. often bask on trails, and Dracaena guianensis can be seen swimming or resting on branches by the water, especially on sunny days. Who knows? We might be lucky enough to see a Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) brightening one of our days as it appears near rivers and lagoons.

Our main efforts will focus on the night, where the life of reptiles and amphibians reaches its peak. As the daytime creatures rest, the night-dwelling beings emerge to enliven our walks. We hope to be fortunate enough to encounter the Amazon Leaf Frog (Cruziohyla craspedopus).

We will leave the lodge early, traveling for about 10 minutes to reach the Napo River. Within two hours, we’ll arrive at the port in Coca. The return flight from Coca to Quito will be announced according to the airline’s schedule.

Once in Quito, after a brief lunch stop, we’ll continue to the Jambatu Center for Amphibian Research and Conservation, where we will learn firsthand about the ongoing projects for Ecuador’s endangered species.

Afterward, it’s time to head back to the hotel with a heartfelt “see you soon,” as we trust we’ll share another adventure together.

Please verify flight times.