The tour for Lammergeier in Andalucia
This tour is designed to enjoy Lammergeier, Spanish sought-after birds and some mammals in a set of mountains of a extreme beauty. Among the sites: the sierras near Cazorla, Andújar and central Andalucía. The spring comes late to these peaks, so this would be the perfect timing for wildlife and landscape photography.
Day 1: Málaga airport - Cazorla
Meet and welcome near Málaga airport. Transfer towards the province of Jaén, with some birding on route. Dinner and accomodation in Cazorla, where we'll be based for 3 nights.
Days 2-3: "Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas" Natural Park
Welcome to the biggest Natural Park in the south of Spain, home to large mediterranean forests and dramatic peaks the Bearded Vultures have decided to live in. On these journeys we will be checking stunning viewpoints along tracks, but also enjoy some walks to access impressive cliffs. Besides Lammergeyer, we can find birds such as Red-billed Chough, Griffon Vulture, Booted Eagle, Alpine Swift, Crag Martin and Western Bonelli's Warbler. There will be excellent chances to see Red Deer, Fallow Deer and Mouflon. As for plants, we will discover some Cazorla endemisms such as Viola Cazorlensis.
Day 4: Sierra Morena - Antequera
After an early breakfast we will head towards another mighty spot for wildlife in Spain: the Sierra de Andújar. This Natural Park is renown for being the main stronghold of Iberian Lynx*. But this is also great for spanish bird endemisms such as Spanish Imperial Eagle, Iberian Magpie and Iberian Green Woodpecker. After lunch we will go on a 2 h transfer to Antequera.
* Please note we will not be looking for the Lynx on this tour. To join a lynx tour please have a look at our other lynx tours here and here.
Days 5: Steppe birds
A day to to look for steppic birds across the olive groves and farmlands of central Andalusia. Great Bustard, Little Bustard and Roller are considered the jewel of the crown of this IBA. Good chances to find Hoopoe, Fan-tailed Warbler and Lesser Kestrel. We'll also keep our ears to hear Stone-curlew and Calandra Lark. After relaxing on our hotel during the late afternoon, we will enjoy sightseeing the historic centre of Antequera. Álvaro has spent 1 year living there and enjoys showing it -but almost as much as showing birds-.
Day 6: Fuente de Piedra - Torcal
A day to visit the biggest Greater Flamingo breeding colony in Spain, where we can also find White-headed Duck, Gull-billed Tern, Black-winged Stilt and Avocet. Then we will pass back through Antequera and head to El Torcal de Antequera Natural Site, an unparalleled laberynth of Jurassic limestone, where we will see fossils and enjoy excellent chances to photograph Iberian Ibex at a reasonable distance. If the group agrees, we can follow a track into the highest hills to look for the scarce Rufuous Rock Thrush and the beautiful Black-eared Wheatear. Other common birds in El Torcal are Rock Sparrow, Melodious Warbler, Black Redstart and Rock Bunting.
Day 7: Antequera - Málaga airport
Our last day of this tour -and if flight schedules allow- we will do some birding before getting to Málaga airport, where the tour ends.
Although the big star of this tour is the Bearded Vulture, looking at the tour itinerary one can easily imagine how rewarding this tour is in terms of habitats and bird species. Overwhelming limestone mountains, magnificent examples of mediterranean forest, steppes and rolling hills, this tour covers it all. Away from the gross of other birding tours seeking the lammergeier in the Pyrenees, Andorra or Picos de Europa, we propose the wonders of Andalucia to see Lammergeier in Spain . To enjoy this magnificent tour just drop us a line here!
You put the dates! Best in: May and June
Prices
Rates per person sharing: € 1400 / £ 1250
* Pounds Sterling is given as an estimate. All prices have to be paid in Euros
Single supplement: € 170 / £ 150
Tour party
Min. 4 - Max. 6 fellow travellers
Tour leader: Álvaro Peral
What it is included
- Transfers from/to Málaga airport
- 6 nights accommodation in nice quality hotels
- Transport in a modern vehicle
- All meals except lunch on the first day and dinner on the last
- Services of professional birding guide fluent in English
- Travel insurance
- Daily bird checklist
- Tour Souvenir
What it is not included
- Flights. Several companies operate daily flights to Sevilla from several UK airports
- Extra drinks and personal costs
Tour pace
This is a fairly relaxed tour: leisurely walking, occasionally over moderately rough terrain is the only physical requirement. On most days, we will have breakfast before heading out for the day. Lunch is often a leisurely picnic or tapas in a local bar en route to our next birding site. There are plenty of stops for coffee, tea or cold drinks. We usually return to the hotel at around 6.00 pm. Dinner is served late in Spain, generally not before 8:30pm. The walking is fairly easy and on good paths or tracks. Most of the bird watching is done within a short distance of our vehicle.
Trip report
Target wildlife on this tour
Birds: Bearded Vulture, Alpine Swift, Griffon Vulture, Blue Rock Thrush, Flamingo, Common Kestrel, Short-toed Eagle, White-headed Duck, Golden Oriole, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Iberian Magpie, Calandra Lark, Great Bustar, Little Bustar, Lesser Kestrel, Booted Eagle, Zitting Zisticole, Woodchat Shrike, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Gull-billed Tern, Jackdaw
Mammals: Mouflon, Spanish Ibex, Red Deer, Fallow Deer, Red Fox, Wild Boar
Plants: several endemisms in Cazorla, including Viola cazorlensis
Wild Andalucía guides this wildlife tour by means of Andalucía Slow Tours, S.L., a local travel agency accredited by the Spanish Tourist Board with number CIAN 297083-2.