Pokémon Snap Guide: Where To Find Pokémon In The Lental Region

New Pokémon Snap is now available, and you're probably wondering where you can find your favorite Pokémon across the Lental region's diverse biomes. As you may have seen in our other guide, which lists all the Pokémon in the game, New Pokémon Snap features a huge collection of your favorite monsters to find and photograph.

The Lental region charges you with scouring 12 diverse biomes across different research levels and times of day. As you might expect, different Pokémon live in different areas and conditions, while various species are also more active during the night, while others are energetic and visible only during the day.

Where To Find Pokémon In New Pokémon Snap

As you head into the below images and descriptions, keep in mind this guide contains spoilers for which Pokémon appear where. Also remember that different Pokémon appear at different research levels, so if you see something on our maps but not in your game, keep leveling that area and the Pokémon will appear eventually!

Florio

Florio Nature Park

The opening area of New Pokémon Snap eases you into the action, but that doesn't mean there aren't a ton of opportunities to discover and photograph iconic Pokémon in this wildlife park. Florio Nature Park lives up to its name, delivering a sprawling greenspace for Pokémon to congregate. Along the way, you can spot Dodrio prancing around, Bidoof building a dam, Swanna leading its Ducklett, and Bouffalant grazing. Come back at night for a chance to spot Scorbunny running amok, a showdown between Pinsir and Heracross, and some great opportunities with Combee and Vespiquen.

As you wrap up the mainline part of Florio Nature Park, you'll open up the Illumina Spot, which features Meganium. Keep the giant grass Pokémon glowing for the best photo opportunities. As you continue on repeated playthroughs, Eevee appears, but the focus remains on Meganium.

Research Camp

One of the pleasant surprises of your New Pokémon Snap journey is the ability to photograph the myriad monsters that wander around the grounds of Professor Mirror's Research Camp. Not only does this enable you to get up close with Pokémon who are used to the presence of humans, but there are some monsters that are only present at the Research Camp. This location offers outstanding opportunities for photographing Meowth, Starly, Audino, and Stoutland, while the sharp-eyed researcher can find Cutiefly and Bunnelby just off the beaten path. Of course, it wouldn't be a fully populated camp without two of the most popular Pokémon: Pikachu and Eevee.

Belusylva

Founja Jungle

After completing enough research in Florio Nature Park, you're able to jump to Belusylva and ride through the Founja Jungle. Liepard, Beautifly, and Bounsweet can get right in your face, but you might have to work a bit to attract the attention of Pikipek and Quagsire. Come back at night for a wider spread of critters, including Ariados, Ledian, Toucannon, Morelull, Yanmega, and others. You can also encounter Mew during the night, but the process is a little complicated. Head here to learn how to get Mew to appear.

Elsewhere Forest

The most mysterious of all areas, Elsewhere Forest carries an eerie feeling throughout your entire journey, giving us serious Lost-Woods-from-Zelda vibes. As you push through the disjointed course, you end each segment getting consumed by fog, only to emerge in seemingly disparate clearings filled to the brim with Pokémon like Bulbasaur, Trevenant, Espurr, and even Celebi. Depending on how you interact with the Espeon that appears, you open different paths through the woods that lead to areas experiencing different seasons.

Once you unlock the Illumina Spot of Elsewhere Forest, you can engage in an encounter with Milotic. Tracking the slippery water type can be tricky, but it gives you plenty to shoot while it swims all around you. On repeated playthroughs, Milotic is joined by creatures like Lotad, Magikarp, Serperior, and Espeon.

Maricopia

Blushing Beach

The gorgeous Blushing Beach gives us a taste of the tropical life of Maricopia and surrounds you with Pokémon to match the theme. Whether you're talking the walking palm tree that is Exeggutor or the surfing Alolan Raichu, the luau theme is in full effect – especially if you play some music for the Bellossom. Machamp may be using the beach as an opportunity to workout and show off his muscles, but Blastoise is taking it easy along the shore. Come back at night and you can witness a battle between Seviper and Zangoose, or be an audience member as Primarina sings a song. You can also toss an apple at the red shovels on the beach to pull Sandygast out of hiding (and scare Octillery half to death in the process).

Maricopia Reef

The beach is great, but what about the big game you can only spot further out at sea? Reefs are always wildlife hotspots, and the Maricopia Reef in New Pokémon Snap is no different. From aggressive Sharpedo that will not hesitate to snap right back at you if you hit them with a fluffruit to Squirtle chilling on the rocks, you have plenty of water types to shoot. As you navigate around a swirling whirlpool, you'll be able to spot several nautical flying types like Wingull and Pelipper, plus a Wailord that you couldn't miss even if you tried your hardest. Depending on the research level and time of day, you end the the stage with Pelipper, Corsola, Mareanie, Lapras, Vaporeon, and Pyukumyuku. Toss some fluffruit and Illumina orbs into the giant whirlpool to get Blastoise to rocket out of it, or hit the two Crystabloom plants at the start of the stage to get Manaphy to pop up by the Wailord in later research stages.

Lental Seafloor

Perhaps the densest area of Maricopia, the seafloor gives you two completely different routes to explore once you unlock the Illumina Orb and can encourage the Clawitzer to blast away the rocks. While seeing Pelipper swimming beneath the water is cool, I was more fascinated by the interactions between Wailmer and other Pokémon like Octillery and Qwilfish. Later in the stage, you can get some great shots of two Clawitzer battling, as well as plenty of shots of Tentacruel as you head towards the surface. Once you unlock the cavern area of the Lental Seafloor, you have access to a few new Pokémon like Lanturn and Golisopod. If you give a Lanturn being harassed by Frillish a hand by tossing an Illumina orb at it, it'll thank you by leading to Lugia's secret lair.

The Illumina Spot of the Lental Seafloor gives you a run in with Wishiwashi in both Solo and School forms. Watching the monstrous School form swirl around you is almost terrifying in the dark depths. Not a ton of other Pokémon travel that deep, but on repeated journeys through the deep seas, Wailmer and Wailord showed up, but Wishiwashi's School form remained the star.

Voluca

Sweltering Sands

If you're tired of water and water types, fear not, as it's off to the dry desert! Sweltering Sands, despite being a barren landscape, features a pretty strong selection of Pokémon. It's hard to miss Cacnea rolling down the dunes or Mandibuzz circling overhead, but repeated playthroughs yield encounters with Pokémon like Tyranitar, Lycanroc, and more. If you come back at night, Lycanroc's Mightnight form comes out to cause mischief, while other Pokémon like Silicobra, Sandshrew, and Kangaskhan stretch their legs. If you find yourself stuck on how to stop the tornado during the day, try lighting up all three Crystabloom plants by the one on the right to reveal Flygon.

Fireflow Volcano

If the desert wasn't hot enough for you, how about an active volcano? Altaria and Archeops glide and lounge all around you, while majestic Luxray observe to make sure you don't pull any funny business. As you descend into the volcano itself, you'll spot all kinds of rock and fire types, including Monferno, Charmander, Aerodactyl, and Tyrantrum. Once you unlock higher research levels, you can take the right path to see a gathering of Flareon, Charmander, Slugma, and Torkoal, or go left and witness a showdown between Charizard and Tyrantrum. Keep your eyes open for Ho-oh on the right during the first area, then hit the three rainbow feathers on the alternate route with an Illumina orb to get a more up-close opportunity with the Legendary bird.

The Illumnia Spot of Fireflow Volcano is probably the most difficult, but it's still pretty straightforward. The two Volcarona surrounds itself with flames, rendering Illumina Orbs useless. Toss some fluffruit their way and the fire will dissipate temporarily, allowing you to snap them in all their glory. On return visits to the spot, you can see additional Pokémon like Monferno, Talonflame, and Archeops, but you have better opportunity with them in the main Fireflow Volcano course.

Durice

Shiver Snowfields

Up next, it's out of the frying pan and into the ... frozen tundra? The Shiver Snowfields deliver plenty of ice types for you to photograph. Beartic and Swinub are pretty easy to spot, as is Mamoswine, but don't miss the Skarmory off in the distance. Nighttime visitors will have a shot at Delibird, Jynx, Vanilluxe, and Mightyena. Don't miss your chance to lure out an Alolan Sandslash when you see its well-camouflaged quills sticking out from the snow.

Outaway Cave

Outaway Cave gives you lots of shots at Gengar, though few of them are truly great opportunities. The best way to get the ghastly ghost type on camera is to toss Illumina orbs into any swirling portals you see on walls or the floor. Always be on the lookout for bat Pokémon like Crobat and Noibat, as they're a pretty steady presence. As you descend deeper, keep an eye out for Croagunk singing their tunes.

The Illumina Spot features a massive Steelix bursting through tunnels and leaping all around you. Simply snapping photos of it won't do you any good; you need to light it up with several Illumina Orbs before Professor Mirror will accept your shots. Come back after you accomplish your mission and you'll also spot Noibat, Carbink, and Sableye on the path. 

Aurus

Ruins of Remembrance

The final area of the main campaign is the Ruins of Remembrance. Here, your research culminates as you learn more about the Illumina phenomenon. Houndoom prowl as if to guard what lurks beneath the ground, while Salandit and Noivern welcome you to the subterranean setting. Once you enter the main room of the ruins, you can spot plenty of creatures, ranging from Chandelure and Natu to Sigilyph and Golurk. You can also encounter Absol, but your main focus is to light up all of the Crystabloom plants to progress the story – try nudging the Natu that's asleep on the Golurk's shoulders if you can't figure out how to get that last one to light up. Also, Jirachi is easy to miss, but it appears on top of one of the Illumina statues at higher research levels.

The final Illumina Spot lets you chase down the grand prize: Xerneas. The Legendary Pokémon from Pokémon X teleports all around you as you do your best to snap photos of it. Hit the glowing orb with your Illumina orbs to get Xerneas to emerge. When you come back to the spot, Xerneas is joined by Pokémon like Woobat, Umbreon, Sigilyph, and more.

For more on New Pokémon Snap, be sure to read our full review here and see our list of every Pokémon we've encountered (so far) here.