Start: 10th October 2025 | End: 19th October 2024 | Meeting location: Nan City, Thailand | Spaces available: 8
Included in the tour:
- Expert herpetologist guides.
- Transport throughout the tour.
- Accommodation.
- Meals & Drinks.
- Permit fees.
- Drinking water.
Unlike other Explore Herpetology expeditions, we stay at one location for the entirity of this herping trip. We will meet everyone in Nan City and drive together to our resort, on a scenic route through the mountains where we often road cruise live snakes if the conditions are good. Once we arrive, we will unpack, explore the resort garden (where we also often find live snakes) and have a delicious dinner in the resort's restaurant before we begin herping.
From here, we will have a total of 9 nights to explore the ultra-diverse uplands of remote Northern Thailand, focusing particularly on the highest elevations of the mountain (1200 - 1715 meters above sea level) where the two biggest "holy grail" snake targets of the trip can be found, the red river krait (Bungarus slowinskii) and black-striped green rat snake (Ptyas nigromarginata) - one of the most beautiful species of snake in the world. Also at the highest elevations of the mountain, we can find countless other unbelievably beautiful, interesting and rare species of snake. Slug snakes (Pareas sp.) are very common at the high elevations along with Gumprecht's pit viper (Trimeresurus gumprechti), while we will cross our fingers to also encounter the famous red bamboo ratsnake (Oreocryptophis porphyracea pulchra) and the bizarre Laotian bearded snake (Parafimbrios lao) - a close relative of the famous 'dragon snake'.
Black-striped green rat snake (Ptyas nigromarginata) - adult
Twin-spotted slug snake (Pareas geminatus)
Black-striped green rat snake (Ptyas nigromarginata) - juvenile
Gumprecht's pit viper (Trimeresurus gumprechti).
Laotian bearded snake (Parafimbrios lao)
Laotian bearded snake (Parafimbrios lao)
Yunnan red bamboo ratsnake (Oreocryptophis porphyracea pulchra)
Red river krait (Bungarus slowinskii)
Beyond the species mentioned above, there is a seemingly unlimited number of snakes we can see across the elevational ranges we will search during the expedition. One of the most notable pit vipers we will hope to encounter on this trip is the mountain pit viper (Ovophis cf. monticola) which hides under loose soil and leaf litter, coming out on trails and roads after extremely heavy rain. On top of the legendary red river krait, there are several other elapids we can see on the mountain, most notably the northern king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), recently-described brown-banded mountain cobra (Naja fuxi), vibrantly coloured Macclelland's coral snake (Sinomicrurus cf. macclellandi) and Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus). The colubrid diversity in Northern Thailand is some of the best in the world, with many different species of rat snake, cat snake, natricine and other interesting sub-families which could show up at any time. Featured below are just a small selection of the species we have seen on our trips to the area:
Yunnan red bamboo ratsnake (Oreocryptophis porphyracea pulchra).
Blue-eyed bamboo ratsnake (Gonyosoma coeruleum).
Many-banded green snake (Ptyas multicinctus).
Large-eyed false cobra (Pseudoxenodon macrops).
Yunnan beauty ratsnake (Elaphe taeniura yunnanensis).
Yunnan beauty ratsnake (Elaphe taeniura yunnanensis).
Gunther's smooth snake (Liopeltis frenata).
Radiated ratsnake (Coelognathus radiata)
Banded wolf snake (Lycodon fasciatus).
Eberhardt's kukri snake (Oligodon eberhardti)
Many-spotted cat snake (Boiga multomaculata)
King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
Brown-banded mountain cobra (Naja fuxi)
Macclelland's coral snake (Sinomicrurus macclellandi)
Mountain pit viper (Ovophis monticola).
Gumprecht's pit viper (Trimeresurus gumprechti).
Joynson's kukri snake (Oligodon joynsoni).
Fire-backed keelback (Hebius igneus)
Mountain slug snake (Pareas macularius)
Gumprecht's pit viper (Trimeresurus gumprechti).
Small-banded kukri snake (Oligodon cf. fasciolatus).
Yunnan mountain keelback (Trimerodytes yunnanensis)
Heller's red-necked keelback (Rhabdophis helleri)
Joynson's kukri snake (Oligodon joynsoni).
Chapa wolf snake (Lycodon chapaensis)
Black-barred keelback (Rhabdophis nigrocinctus).
Black-headed collared snake (Sibynophis collaris).
Spencer's stream snake (Opisthotropis spenceri)
Khasi keelback (Hebius khasiensis).
Assamese mountain snake (Plagiopholis nuchalis)
White-spotted slug snake (Pareas margaritophorus).
Mountain pit viper (Ovophis cf. monticola)
Large-eyed false cobra (Pseudoxenodon macrops)
Guo's pit viper (Trimeresurus guoi).
Beyond snakes, this area is home to one of the most incredible yet unknown lizards in the entire world, Harold Young's supple skink (Lygosoma haroldyoungi), as well as one of the rarest and most range-restricted amphibian species in the world, the Phu Kha crocodile salamander (Tylototriton phukhaensis). While our chances of encountering the salamander are very low, there is always a chance at this time of year. The giant flying frog (Zhangixalus feae) is also a major target at the upper elevations. We are guaranteed to see many colourful green horned dragons (Acanthosaura lepidogaster) with their 'clown makeup', as well as other tree frogs, Megophrids and smaller skinks.
Harold Young's supple skink (Lygosoma haroldyoungi).
Phu Kha crocodile salamander (Tylototriton phukhaensis).
Giant flying frog (Rhacophorus feae).
Burmese mountain agamid (Pseudocalotes khakienensis).
Phu Kha bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus phukhaensis).
Striped sticky frog (Kalophrynus interlineatus).
Scale-bellied horned dragon (Acanthosaura lepidogaster).
Yunnan bush frog (Gracixalus yunnanensis).
Rosy litter frog (Leptobrachella eos).
White-lipped horned frog (Megophrys major).
Thai stream skink (Tropidophorus thai).
The herping agenda for an average day on this expedition is breakfast at 8-9am, followed by road cruising and trail walking during the daytime, usually starting around 9-10am in the morning, with breaks in the afternoon for rest and dinner. Dinner is served at 5pm as we must be out at sunset to make the most of prime time. At night, we will road cruise during peak activity hours, supplementing the evening activities with stream walking, roadside shining and hiking on trails. Activity tends to slow down after 11pm, so we typically finish herping around midnight. We will be split into two or three separate groups on most days, and will share our best finds together. Covering as much ground as possible is essential for finding the most desirable species in this region.
Accommodation:
We will be staying at a very comfortable resort for the entirety of our stay, overlooking the river and forested hills with the opportunity for herping right outside our private bungalows. The beds and facilities are high-quality and extremely comfortable, with WiFi and 5G available throughout the property. The standard package for this expedition is a shared twin-bed bungalow, but we offer a single supplement package for those who want a private room.
Food:
We will eat both breakfast and dinner at the restaurant at our resort on most days, with selected evenings where we will eat at local restaurants for dinner. The food at the resort is a set menu with a theme for each night, so let us know if you have any dietary restrictions. There is a 7-Eleven within walking distance of the resort, where we can stock up on snacks for while we are in the field.
Environmental conditions & fitness:
On sunny days, the temperature in the lower elevations can rise to almost 30C with high humidity. However, at the higher elevations of the mountain, the temperature can drop as low as 15C at night. We highly recommend packing at least one sweater. This trip is scheduled during the later end of rainy season in Northern Thailand, so although we do not expect heavy downpours each day, you must bring waterproof clothing.
During this expedition, we will spend a lot of time driving and walking on roadsides, but we will host more challenging hikes on forest trails and rivers, so a minimum level of fitness must be met. We advise the ability to walk 10 kilometres per day on uneven terrain. Mosquitos, leeches and other biting/stinging animals are part of jungle life, so long trousers/pants, long sleeved shirts and long socks are strongly advised. We specifically recommend rubber boots and hiking boots as both will come in handy on this expedition.
Travel information:
All participants must arrive at the designated meeting point in Nan city by midday (12:00pm) on the 10th October 2025. We advise all guests to arrive the night before and get a good night’s sleep before the expedition begins, but morning flights from Bangkok are available on the 10th. Daily flights to/from Nan Nakhon Airport are available from Bangkok every day, but we recommend booking as far in advance as possible. At the end of the tour, we will drop everyone off at the airport or Nan City on the 19th October by midday (12:00pm).
It is the guests’ responsibility to meet all entry requirements needed to enter Thailand, including visa procedures. Explore Herpetology can help advise entry requirements. Guests travelling from most countries do not require a visa to visit Thailand for less than 30 days. Make sure to check the entry requirements for your country before booking. There are no mandatory vaccinations or COVID restrictions in place for travellers entering Thailand or joining our expeditions.
Habitats and scenery:
