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About | Tourism | Photography | Education | Conservation | Contact |  |
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Colombia herping tour
Is this tour for you?
Join this tour if you want to photograph the greatest percentage of Colombia's 617 reptiles and 742 amphibians in the least amount of time. In 14 nights, you will visit the main regions of the country and see close to a 100 species.
Tour details
Main tour (9 nights): $5,950. $665 in single room.
Extension (+5 nights): +$4,790.
Starting date: August 25, 2021.
Group size: 4–7 people.
Reviews: 5/5 (2 reviews)
| Start | Bogotá |
| Nights 1–3 | Llanos |
| Nights 4–5 | Sierra Nevada |
| Night 6 | Medellín |
| Nights 7–9 | Chocó |
| Nights 10–14 | Amazon (extension) |
| End | Bogotá |
or call +1-786-753-7899
How to reserve your spot?
1. Read our cancellation policy below.
2. Complete our contact form in the next step to let us know about your interests and so we can check availability and give you further information about the tour.
3. Review and approve the itinerary, invoice, and release of liability form we will send you.
4. Make payment to confirm your booking.
Cancellation policy If you are unable to attend the tour, you are welcome to send someone in your place, apply to another Tropical Herping event, or request a refund less a handling fee of 5% or $100, whichever is more. However, because we pre-pay all local services we can only accept credit or refund requests no less than 60 business days prior to the start of the event.
Important! Read the rules and recommendations
What to bring? Check out our suggested packing list.
What is included?
Package based on two people sharing a room.
All meals and accommodation.
All river and road transfers.
Guides and tour leaders.
Park entrance fees.
What is not included?
Additional nights due to flight cancellations.
Alcoholic beverages, bottled water and snacks.
Health insurance.
International and domestic airfares.
Laundry.
Phone calls or messages.
Photo equipment.
Visa fees.
or call +1-786-753-7899
Booking form
Experts on this tour
Jose Vieira
Biologist, photographer, tour leader
Duvan Zambrano
Biologist
Why join?
Where you'll be |
Main tour
The main part of this herping tour will take place over a period of 10 days in three of the most iconic regions of Colombia. First, you will visit the Llanos, an endless seasonally flooded savannah with palm-dominated oases; land of giant anacondas, caimans, and rattlesnakes. The second region you will explore is the iconic Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, an isolated mountain chain famous for its high peaks and endemic amphibians and reptiles. Finally, you will visit the Chocó, a paradise in the Pacific coast of Colombia where you can relax at the beach side during the day and explore the incredibly biodiversity of the rainforest at night.
Where you'll stay |
My photography expedition to the Colombian Chocó exceeded my already high expectations. My guide Jose Vieira was an expert in spotting animals of all kinds and generously gave me pro tips to improve my photography. My friends can’t believe I actually took these photos. Andrew Gottscho, Smithsonian Institution, United States |
I did the Colombian Herping Tour and I loved it! The Tropical Herping crew is really professional and everything was planed carefully and worked great. Jose Vieira was incredible for spotting animals and knows A LOT about them. He was very kind and helpful assisting me with photography too. Thomas Andlauer, nature photographer, France |
Frequently asked questions |
Am I supposed to pay the tour price at once? You can confirm your booking by making a 50% deposit and pay the remaining balance at least 60 days before departure. |
Can I make a reservation for this tour but on 2022? Yes, you can confirm your booking now by making a 20% deposit and pay the remaining balance at least 60 days before departure. |
Does the tour take place during the nights? The tour includes both diurnal and nocturnal activities. |
How do I book my spot? The first thing you need to do to reserve your spot in this tour is contact us using our booking form. Second, you will need to review and approve the itinerary, invoice, and release of liability we will send you. Finally, you will have to make a deposit to confirm your booking. |
Can you get rubber boots for me? We suggest you bring your own rubber boots as you should test whether they fit comfortably before arriving in Colombia, where you will used them every night. |
Is it possible to join for only part of the trip? Yes, you can. Just make sure to let us know in advance which parts of the tour are you interested in. |
Is there any chance to rent a snake hook? Yes, we can provide you with a snake hook that you can use during the tour. Just make sure to request the snake hook in advance. |
Is there a chance to arrange a private tour? Yes, most of the tours we offer are private. |
Will the tour be cancelled if one or more participants are unable to join? This tour will run with as few as two participants. If one of two participants makes a reservation and then cancels, it would affect the tour if no payment has been made to lodges, transports, and guides (which usually cannot be refunded). |
Which domestic flights should I purchase? You will receive specific instructions about which domestic flights to buy and how. This information is included in the detailed itinerary we will send you. |
What herping gear do you recommend? We recommend that you bring a durable waterproof headlamp, a rain poncho, and a DSLR camera, ideally one with a macro lens and off-camera flash. |
What if there is no other participant willing to share a room? If you are willing to share the room, you do not have to pay the single supplement fee, regardless of whether you end up sharing the room or not. |
What is the meeting point on the starting day? Our team will pick you up at your hotel of choice. |
What kind of trouser is needed? You can bring any durable but lightweight trousers that are easy to dry. |
Which vaccination certificates do I need? The three most important vaccines to get before visiting the tropics are against yellow fever, tetanus, and hepatitis. However, you do not need a vaccination certificate to access any reserve or national park during this tour. |
Will the guides catch the animals for the participants to take close-up pictures? Whenever possible, all photography by participants will be done in-situ. Animals will only be handled if they are the focus of a research or conservation project. |
Will there be laundry service, electricity, and wifi at all sites? Yes, there will be. |
Will you pick us up at the airport upon arrival? This tour starts very early on August 25. We will pick you up this day at your hotel of choice, not at the airport. We recommend you arrive in Bogotá at least a day before the tour starts. |