Amboli – Day Trail

Amboli is a Hill station, located in Sahyadri Hills of Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra. Amboli is at an altitude of 690m above the sea level & covered with lush green but dense forest. Amboli is all time destination but tourists mostly visit in Monsoon season because of beautiful nature & waterfalls. Rainfall is heavy and for most of the monsoon, it’s cold and foggy here. It’s also very rare to see sunlight during this season.

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Unlike most of the tourists, our interest for visiting Amboli was it’s “Biodiversity & Wildlife”. Amboli is also an attraction for wildlife lovers and Photographers. It’s mainly popular for Reptiles & Amphibians.

Nestled in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, Amboli is a charming hill station near Pune that offers a refreshing escape from city life. Renowned for its lush green landscapes, misty weather, and stunning viewpoints, Amboli is a paradise for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike. Visitors can explore its beautiful waterfalls, dense forests, and diverse wildlife, making it an ideal destination for trekking and bird-watching. With its cool climate and picturesque scenery, Amboli provides a perfect retreat for those seeking tranquility and a connection with nature.

We have split this tour in 2 parts: DAY TRAIL & NIGHT TRAIL

Amboli S.T. Stand in Monsoon

We reached at Amboli S.T. Stand around 7.00 AM and as you can see, that was the first visual. We, then reached out to our hotel(Home Stay) Durvankur to prepare for our next journey. Getting ready for our morning and afternoon nature trails with proper coverings and our photography weapons 😉

All Set to Embark on a Nature Trail

BUT… WAIT…
Frogs gives you calls at night but TUMMY started giving calls first :D. Maalvani food is a popular type of food in Amboli. Our hotel had tasty snack options like Misal Pav, Amboli (Kinda Uttapa), Omlette etc. Your trails may stretch longer in distance as well as time so you better fill your tummy first and of-course Tea/Coffee after breakfast.

Early morning breakfast with coffee in Amboli. There was a good small shop near the amboli bus stand.

Amboli is a heavy raining place and so it can be a problem for your uttermost excitement. So you have to be very careful with your gears(Camera Lenses). Also cover yourself as much as you can to avoid spoiling your trip ( Check the list of things to carry on Amboli trip HERE ). Then we met to our friendly & knowledgeable guide Kedar Jadhav. Moving further we started our trail on Chaukul Road, mainly for Green Vine Snake.

After long search and walking, finally we found this little Green BEAUTY:

Green Vine Snake (Ahaetulla nasuta)

A green vine snake curled up on a delicate tree branch, its vibrant scales almost perfectly camouflaged. Its subtle presence blended seamlessly with the foliage, revealing nature’s intricate artistry.

As soon as we arrived near the branch of a tree, this vine snake started to flick it’s tongue to inspect the arrival of something…

Turning onto Chaukul Road, we immediately spotted a stunning green vine snake coiled on a roadside tree branch. Its vibrant presence added a touch of wild elegance to our journey.

The moment we approached this small fragile beauty, it became alert!

As we drew near to this delicate beauty, it instantly became aware of our presence. Its fragility turned into an alert grace.

The green vine snake emerged from its camouflage, its head poised in the open as if striking a perfect pose for the camera. Its striking colors and poised stance made it an unexpected, yet captivating model.

The Rising 😉 Photo By: Mangesh Deshpande

After photographing that green beauty, we moved further to explore more wildlife and we found this fellow crossing the main road.

You might see regular crabs as well as PURPLE colored crabs in this area.

See the royal walk Photo By: Mangesh Deshpande

Closeup – Orange Crab

Commonly found Crab

SSSShhhhh… Now here’s the scary‚ Malabar Pit Wiper, Green Morph.

Malabar Pit Viper is a venomous snake but not deadly to adult humans if treated in few hours. Its venom causes moderate pain and swelling to humans (Source: Wikipedia). It can be seen in Green, Brown as well as Orange Morphs. We found Brown Morph during our Night Trail (Amboli – Night Trail).

Malabar Pit Viper, Green Morph (Trimeresurus Malabaricus)

Closeup – Malabar Pit Viper

One of the quite but otherwise active places in Amboli Forest

The Forest-scape of Amboli

Here is another MAIN ATTRACTION of Amboli: Malabar Gliding Frog (In Sleeping Mode)

The Malabar gliding frog is a colorful amphibian found in the Western Ghats of India. It’s known for its bright green and orange skin, which helps it blend into the leaves and branches of its forest home. This frog has webbed feet that let it glide from branch to branch, making it an excellent climber. At night, it often rests on plant branches, where it looks almost like a tiny, sleeping gem nestled among the leaves. Its vibrant colors and unique ability to glide make it a fascinating and beautiful part of its habitat.

Malabar Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus Malabaricus)

They sleep during the day and are very much active at night. You can hear their calls pretty loudly during the night. And they are in good numbers out there.
Hey! Heyy! HOOMANS… I’m trying to sleep here… some privacy please! 😀

It woke up by heavy rains not US… Honestly! 😉

The Malabar gliding frog settled onto a plant branch, its bright colors blending with the leaves. It looked peaceful, ready to drift off to sleep in its cozy spot.

See…who is hiding there? Photo By: Mangesh Deshpande

See those colors…isn’t it a BEAUTY? Photo By: Mangesh Deshpande

Here comes the Bush Frog’s Eggs with Closeup shots. Some captures to show you “the life” taking shape in these tiny shells.

Bush Frog’s Egg (Pseudophilautus amboli)

Closeup – Bush Frog’s egg

Closeup – Bush Frog’s egg

Wrinkled Frog’s Eggs

These are the Tadpoles.

Tadpole

Tadpole

Oriental Garden Lizard

Thank you Mangesh Deshpande for a good company on this tour as well as sharing your CAPTURES.

Check out Night Trail Here

Amboli – Night Trail

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