Day 1
On this first day we reach the village of el Rocío, from where you leave some of the itineraries allow us to visit the National Park and the Natural Park of Doñana.Depending on the time of year, you may choose different itineraries offered by the northern area of Doñana.Accompanied by our guides, visit the interpretive itineraries of la Rocina and the Acebron, a wetland that originates the la Rocina stream, forming the lagoon known as the pond of the Acebrón. In them and the fantastic forest of Bank accompanying them, find their habitat many species of forest birds and otters (Lutra lutra).
Visit walking some forests of cork oak (Quercus suber) and ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) in which feeding the Lynx; pine forests overflowing of ponds where fishing shy black stork. In their highest and remote trees of this old real hunting ground, the imperial Eagle nests.
MEALS: Breakfast and dinner
Day 2
On the second day of our tour, we will visit the southern area of Doñana. In 4 x 4 vehicles we will travel the wild beaches and the impressive dune system that separates the preserves and marshes of the sea, which extends for more than 40 km, to the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. In the sand dunes, the wildlife leaves registered their daily activity. Deer, wild boars, wild cats, genets and Mongoose, leave their printed traces in the sand. From the top of the dunes we can observe the vast marshland populated with waterfowl and looking towards the sky we can surprise in flight of the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus) or the imperial Eagle. We will visit the famous preserves in the area, such as the own Doñana, which has finished giving name to the region and the Marismillas. We will visit one of the last villages traditional marshland huts, still inhabited, on the banks of the Guadalquivir River.
Free food.
In the afternoon we will make a bidwatching in the observatories near the village of El Rocío.
MEALS: breakfast
Day 3
On the third day of the tour, our expedition takes us through the vast marshes of Hinojos with ornithological wildlife associated to the different seasons of the year. We will enjoy of this changing landscape, which may take the form of a desert steppe or a shallow sea, depending on the time of year. Bargains (Pterocles alchata) and summer larks give way to the geese and ducks in the winter. The ornithological wealth of these wetlands is unmatched during all times of the year. Storks, many species of birds of prey, waders, herons, morito or spatulas fill the sky and the water of the marsh of Hinojos.
We complet the day by the Coto del Rey areas not covered yet, seeking to have an encounter with the most endangered cat in the world, the Iberian lynx.
MEALS: Breakfast and lunch
CHAPMAN & BUCK ROUTE - 7 days / 6 nights
Doñana National Park: Rocío, Acebrón, Guadalquivir estuary, Hinojos marsh, Coto del Rey - Extremadura, Serena, Monfragüe, Gredos
Tours starts on a regular basis from several cities.
You can go on your own to the meeting point of every tour.
WILDLIFE SPAIN follows the footsteps of Abel Chapman and Walter J. Buck, two British naturalists, pioneers and lovers of the landscapes and wildlife in Spain of the end of the 19th century.
They developed in Spain much of his professional activity as diplomats and vintners, which allowed them to enjoy uniquely Coto of Doñana, and some of the best natural areas of the Iberian Peninsula. They marched through rugged mountains, snow-capped peaks and vast and desolate marshes of what they called the Wild Spain, watching and inventoried fauna. The result of their travels and studies resulted in two books, WILD SPAIN and UNEXPLORED SPAIN.
On this tour we travel the paths of these English birdwatchers by the landscapes that they toured in his expeditions. The great Iberian wildlife they observed still lives in the greater paradise of biodiversity in Europe. Bobcats, deer, eagles, vultures, and Bustards will appear in front of our binoculars on this journey by the most varied fauna of the continent. Enjoying in exclusion of the nature, gastronomy and Spanish wines, and exclusive accommodations full of charm. Wildlife Spain offers a unique nature experience.
ITINERARY
P.V.P.: 1.030€*/pax
*4 pax group, double room
*Single Extra Fee 120 €/pax
P.V.P.: 825€*/pax
*8 pax group, double room
*Single Extra Fee 120 €/pax
INCLUDED :
-
Transfer from/to airport in Seville
-
Accommodation at hotels and bed and breakfast included
-
Three dinners and two lunches
-
Naturalist guide companion in English and Spanish
-
Basic Travel insurance
NOT INCLUDED:
-
Personal expenses as tips, beverages, etc
-
Airplane tickets to / from Seville
-
Any other service not detailed as included
Recommendations :
- Rain coat
- Mountain shoes
- Camera
- Binoculars
- ...
Day 4
We leave Andalusia and we go to Extremadura, where some of the most rugged and best preserved in Spain landscapes are preserved. Our itineraries lead us in the footsteps of Chapman and Buck by the West of Spain. We expect the steppes, Mediterranean mountains and high mountains. There we can see geese, large birds of prey and Iberian Ibex (Capra Pyrenean victoriae) that fascinated the two British naturalists.
On this day we walk one of the best steppe areas of the Iberian Peninsula, the plains of la Serena. In the la Serena region we find the most extensive grasslands of Western Europe. This is an area of low altitude, about 400 m. above the level of the sea, mild climate and rain virtually uninhabited (about 25000 inhabitants in 1000 km.2). These magnificent pastures, nearly treeless, maintain a large livestock, with the largest national concentration of Merino sheep.We travel itineraries for this shrine of the European steppe birds. In the breeding season, there are thousands of birds like crested larks, Calenders, larks, trigueros, bargain, Black-bellied sandgrouse, several colonies of women with baskets, Montagu's Harriers, stone curlews, partridges, little Bustards (20% of the world population) and the Queens of the Iberian steppes, great Bustards.
Day 5
We continue our tour by Extremadura in the National Park of Monfragüe, confluence of the Tietar and Tajo rivers. The Park make it a series of mountain ranges of low altitude (approximately 600 m) surrounded by meadows of cork oak and Holm oak. The rivers are embedded in steep canyons, giving rise to cut River, here called "jumps" or "portholes". In these stony cliffs is where the ornithological wealth of the National Park manifests. Mediterranean biological jewwls nest in its walls and trees, such as the Spanish imperial Eagle, Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus), with its greater population, and the little black stork (Ciconia nigra). Abundance and unmatched variety of rupicolous birds of prey and forest is, short-toed Eagles, goshawk, Peregrine Falcon, real and Bonelli's Eagle or eagle owl.We will visit private properties that allow us to access the restricted heart of the Park, forests, riverbanks and meadows.
MEALS: Breakfast and dinner
The Serena has about 20000 copies of great bustard, the third part of the Iberian population of this species.In winter numerous winter visitors such as lapwings, plovers, red kites, merlins and thousands of cranes join these species
MEALS: breakfast
Day 6
At this stage of the tour, we have the high mountains that Chapman and Buck tracked the great Iberian mountain goat. It should be attributed to them a very important role in the conservation of this species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, encouraging the protection of their last few copies and avoiding their extermination.
Today, this mountain range located in the center of La Meseta is protected by the Regional Park of hunting figures; Area of special protection for birds, among others. Our route by these high mountains (peak of Moro Almanzor) will observe and interpret the rich biodiversity of the area with four endemic faunal species and 14 species of unique flora of Gredos. The mountain goat will be our emblematic goal at this late stage, not to mention birds among which is the beautiful and concealing Nightingale Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica).
MEALS: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 7
This last day we used it to return to our starting point. Hike through the National Park of Monfragüe is possible depending on schedules.
