Description: An Amazon natural history expedition that will appeal to a wide range of interests. Led by Devon Graham (plants, birds, fish) and Christoph Meyer (herps, photography birds) this expedition visits two field stations in the Peruvian Amazon.
Join us for 1 night in Iquitos, Peru, (with a herping excursion to Nauta), and 8 nights in the Amazon jungle at the Santa Cruz Forest Reserve and the Madre Selva Biological Station on a tour designed for nature lovers and photographers. Every trip brings new surprises, from fantastic insects (the butterflies and dragonflies are incredibly diverse), spectacular birds, and rare herps, possibly including rarities like the Emerald Tree Boa (Corallus batesii), the Amazon Harlequin Toad (Atelopus spumarius - regular at Madre Selva) and many others. l. The birding is fantastic, the vegetation is incomparably diverse, and with both pink and gray river dolphins, marmosets, many other small mammals (bigger ones are there too, but hard to spot! - check out the “All Creatures” blog), and fantastic butterflies and other insects, there is no time to be bored. Where else can you find a spiny devil conehead?
Participants have the opportunity to hike or kayak on your own, or with a guide, both day and night. We prioritize immediate access to great habitats at the field stations. Hear a weird frog call at 4 AM? Get up and look for it!. Want to hit the trails at 6 AM for early morning birding? Fresh coffee will already be prepared.
IMPORTANT: This trip is limited to 10 participants. Trips can fill fast, so don’t delay in sending in a reservation and deposit.
Cost: $2150 (1st time adult rate). This includes airport reception and drop-off, 1 night hotel in Iquitos (at beginning), all meals, lodging and fees at field stations, river and ground transportation, field station fees, guides and crew services. Repeat client rate is $1950 (adult). Discounted rates are available for teens (ages 13-18 [75% of adult rate]) and pre-teens (age 12 and under [50% of adult rate}.
Itinerary: Includes the Madre Selva Biological Station (Orosa River, south bank tributary of the Amazon), and the Santa Cruz Forest Reserve (Mazan River-north of the Amazon and west of the the Napo River). The two sites are separated by a major biogeographical barrier (the Amazon River) which adds considerable additional diversity of wildlife over what would be seen at just one site.
4 December 2025 (Thu) - Participants should arrive in Iquitos by 2 PM if possible. Overnight in Iquitos in a standard hotel room (w A/C and hot water). For those that arrive in time, there will be an excursion on the Iquitos-Nauta road to look for herps in some specialty locations. Included will be dinner at a polleria (roast-chicken restaurant [vegetarian options are available]) in Nauta, followed by some night-time road-herping on the way back to Iquitos.
5 December 2025 (Fri) - Breakfast on the Plaza de Armas (8 AM), followed by transfer to the port of Iquitos at 9 AM for travel via speedboat to Madre Selva Biological Station (3.5 to 4 hours travel time, but with a mid-way stop). Nights of 5-8 Dec spent at Madre Selva. If necessary due to flight schedules, late arrivals can arrive on one of the early flights to Iquitos (0600 to 0630 hours) on 5 December and still join the group for travel to Madre Selva.
9 December 2025 (Tue) - AM travel from Madre Selva Biological Station to the Santa Cruz Forest Reserve (~4 hours). Overnight at Santa Cruz
13 December 2025 (Sat) - Light breakfast at Santa Cruz, followed by travel back to Iquitos (~2 hours) with arrival by ~11 AM. Early good-bye lunch on the Iquitos waterfront, with participants free to depart Iquitos for onward destinations from ~4 PM onward.
Leader(s) & Contact:
Devon Graham (MTAE - logistics, booking, payments)
Christoph Meyer - local herp expert