FOUR locations, TEN days, raw wilderness.
The Sierra Madre Occidental region of Sonora (pictured here) is home to endemic species found nowhere on else on the planet, such as the Tarahumara tiger salamander (Ambystoma rosaceum).
Our SONORA Team
OSCAR LEONARDO CHAVEZ TORRES
Naturalist, Herpetologist, & Taxonomist
Oscar is a Hermosillo native, and a lover of all things part of the natural world. He is a local expert regarding not only herpetofauna, but also birds, flowers, trees, many insects, arachnids, as well as the general ecology and geology of the region. He works as a researcher and taxonomist with “Project Obscurus”, as well as many other independent projects. Oscar is also an avid photographer, documenting the flora and fauna of Sonora, Baja, and the Sea of Cortez.
IAN SKYE BRELAND
Serpentine Co-Founder, Expedition GuideIan is secondary to Oscar/Leo, as Leo is one of our many local experts- and he knows his sh**. Ian will be supporting the team by leading logistics, photo workshops, transport, and spearheading our side-quests along the way. He also has extensive experience across Sonora, Chihuahua, Jalisco, Yucatán, Campeche, Baja, and Guanajuato.
THE ITINERARY:
AUGUST 10: ARRIVAL TO HERMOSILLO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, DEPART FOR THE SIERRA MADRE MOUNTAINS.
The expedition will begin and end in Sonora’s capital city of Hermosillo. We’ll pick you up, grab lunch, and head for the mountains. Our drive will be around 5 hours total, and we certainly have a shot at spotting reptiles crossing for the majority of it.
The town we’ll be staying in first is Yécora, a cozy and tiny community nestled into a valley at 1,576 meters (5,171 feet) above sea level. This will be our base of operations for the next 3 nights.
After dinner on the 10th, we will hop right to it, easing in with some road cruising as darkness falls. This expedition incorporates plenty of hiking, though we do utilize cruising as a very common tactic as well.
AUGUST 10-13: THE SEARCH FOR HIGH-ALTITUDE MONTANE SPECIES & CRUISING THE FOOTHILLS.
The next 3 days will be spent trekking, driving, trudging, and possibly some falling through the many microhabitats and elevation gradients offered by the rugged Sierras.
We will be systematically targeting herps such as the Chihuahuan ridgenose rattlesnake, banded rock rattlesnake, twin-spotted rattlesnake, mexican blacktail rattlesnake, the Tarahumara tiger salamander, the newly described banded blacksnake (T. repleta), and keeping our eyes out for any of the other dozens of species that inhabit the winding valleys leading down from Yécora.
Lodging here is rustic, but efficient. We’ll be staying at “Hotel y Restaurant michel”. This does include A/C and hot water, however Yécora does experience frequent power outages.
AUGUST 13-17: TRANSFER TO Álamos, EXPLORE SINALOAN THORNSCRUB & tropical deciduous forest.
On the morning of the 13th, we’ll pack up and prepare to leave after breakfast for Álamos. Possible hike before we head out if we still need to locate some species that have eluded us thus far and may not be present at lower altitudes.
The drive to Álamos must one of the most gorgeous routes in the country. Our team will watch as high, winding mountain passes give way to tropical deciduous forest dappled with palm oases and steep canyons overflowing with monsoon-induced waterfalls. High chance of spotting herps on the way. Our drive is approx. 4.5 hours.
In Álamos, we will stay at a very upscale homestay. This is the primary segment of the expedition. We will utilize hiking and cruising to target hundreds of species over the course of 5 days, though some of our top targets are: The Mexican cantil, Mexican west coast rattlesnake, beaded lizard, 2 coral snake species, the West Mexican boa, the Mexican indigo snake, the Mexican leaf frog, the Mexican short-tailed snake, file-tailed ground snake, Pacific parrot snake, and the saddled leaf-nosed snake.
THE ITINERARY (continued):
AUGUST 17-20: TRANSFER TO GUAYMAS, ENTERING DRY AND COASTAL SONORAN DESERT.
Following our misadventures in Álamos, we’ll depart for the blue seas and coastal breeze of Guaymas. The town is situated on the Sea of Cortez, a hotpsot for marine life.
Often referred to as "The Aquarium of the World", the waters host sea lion colonies, dolphins, sea turtles, seahorses, moray eels, mobula rays, and colorful reef fish. If you’re a diver, we can arrange for a day of dives (not included in price of expedition).
Our primary targets here include the Mexican rosy boa, tiger rattlesnake, spotted leaf-nosed snake, the blacktail rattlesnake (not the montane subspecies), the gila monster, the Sonoran sidewinder, Sonoran shovelnose snake, the banded sand snake, Sonoran coral snake, and some colubrids which do not occur elsewhere on our itinerary.
We will also have access to the beach and will spend the heat of the day resting and swimming. Lodging here will be at Hotel Armida.
August 20: airport transfer and goodbyes.
On our final morning of the expedition, we will depart from Guaymas as early as necessary to make the first person’s flight. The drive from our hotel to the airport is approximately 1.5 hours.
Airport drop-off will occur, where we say our apprehensive goodbyes and see-ya-laters. We hope to see you out there!
WHAT WE COVER, WHAT WE DON’T, & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
INCLUDED:
All transport between Aug. 10-20
x3 Meals per day + snacks
Lodging from Aug. 10-20
x2 24/7 guides and drivers
comprehensive photo workshops in field and studio settings
support field data collection on specific species, learn field technicques for tissue/blood sampling
not INCLUDED:
internal or external flights
visa or entry requirements if applicable
additional activites (such as scuba diving) not listed
souvenirs/alcoholic drinks
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE AIRPORT: Hermosillo International Airport (HMO)
ROOMS ARE SHARED UNLESS YOU CHOOSE “PRIVATE ROOM” AT CHECKOUT.
THE SECURITY SITUATION IN MEXICO IS EVER-EVOLVING, FLUID, AND COMPLEX. WE VET ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS FOR SAFETY ABOVE ALL ELSE ALONGSIDE LOCAL RESEARCHERS LEADING UP TO AND DURING OUR DECISIONS IN THE FIELD.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
help us create a lasting impact.
On this expedition, you will likely have the chance to help support an ongoing study evaluating the morphological and genetic variation between populations of different montane rattlesnake species.
This includes hands-on training following industry standards in blood and tissue sampling of venomous snakes, as well as basic data collection methods in the field. By simply joining this trip, you are supporting and enabling the project, and therefore increasing our understanding of and ability to protect some of Sonora’s most unique species.
OUR HOMESTAY IN Álamos
Nestled into the edge of town and backing up to prime habitat for nearly all of our main targets, Maria’s homestay is a place we can never get enough of.
Often, we run into snakes in the pool or hiding under tables in the main living areas. Endemic Sonoran spiny-tailed iguanas call the property home, out sunning each morning. This will be our base of operations for the primary segment of the trip.
SCROLL DOWN TO EXPLORE SOME MOMENTS AND HERPETOFAUNA ENCOUNTERS FROM YEARS PRIOR.
