Over the following 9 days, we will herp and explore Chebera National Park, Maze National Park, Arbaminch (a Nile crocodile, hippo & python hotspot), Omo Valley, and Turmi. While this is an extremely herping-intensive expedition, you will also have the opportunity to visit multiple tribes and remote communities- many of whom will be assisting us in our efforts to locate as many reptiles & amphibians as possible.
Ethiopia remains one of Africa’s biggest blanks on the herpetological map, and this expedition is designed specifically to work that gap. This is especially exciting as Ethiopia sits at a biogeographic crossroads (Ethiopian Highlands ↔ East African savanna ↔ Congo influence). Our primary target is Bitis parviocula, a high-elevation viper with a miniscule and little-understood confirmed range along with very few documented field encounters. Bitis parviocula was described by Wolfgang Böhme in 1977 from specimens collected in southwestern Ethiopia, with the first known specimen being a road‑kill near the Doki River, and was distinguished from other Bitis species by its small eyes, unique scalation, and body proportions. We’ll be operating in montane forest and escarpment systems where the species has been reliably recorded, focusing on elevation bands, slope aspect, and nocturnal activity windows that matter for actually finding it—not just hoping.
The species list goes well beyond parviocula. Ethiopia supports a suite of poorly known endemics and near-endemics, including other localized Bitis, highland Causus, unique Platyceps, and several undescribed or taxonomically messy skinks, geckos, and agamids tied to isolated massifs. Amphibian diversity is similarly underappreciated, with multiple submontan and montane genera showing strong micro-endemism. This is a technically focused herping expedition aimed at serious field time, careful habitat work, and documenting animals that are still genuinely underrepresented in the wild and in conservation planning.
Our expedition will be a calculated 13-day speed run through a mixture of Ethiopia’s highest areas for herp endemism (typically lower densities, however) and the country’s highest areas of snake density (lower diversity). Besides the primary target (Bitis parviocula), you can hope to encounter the: black mamba, red spitting cobra, forest cobra, African rock python, puff adder, boomslang, striped Ethiopian mountain snake (endemic), Böhme's Ethiopian snake (endemic), Ethiopian house snake (endemic), Ethiopian mountain chameleon (endemic), Two-horned chameleon, and FAR too many others to list. Herping here is not easy, and total success is never guaranteed. This truly pioneering expedition will be largely a learning opportunity for all involved, and we invite you to be a part of it.
EXPLoRE THE FULL ITINERARY BELOW.
One of our top targets, one with a very healthy population throughout Ethiopia. The infamous black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis).
Another elapid target in the lowlands, one with a strong presence in Omo Valley. The red spitting cobra (Naja pallida).
The reason we’re all here, the incredible Ethiopian mountain viper (Bitis parviocula). Our team has previously located them in the area we’ll be targeting.