Iberian Lynx, Alhambra and Raptor Bonanza
Tour Date:
April 20-25, 2025.
Tour Price (Per Person):
$2600. Single supplement $190. Guiding, entrance fees, lodging, food and transport included.
Tour Type:
Easy birding and wildlife, with moorish culture (Alhambra and Cordoba Mesquita) and a feel for Andalusian Spain.
Summary
New improved itinerary. The detailed itinerary below will be updated shortly.
Day 1: Airport Madrid via Toledo for some culture and Cuidad Real for Great Bustards to Sierras de Andujar Natural Park.
Day 2: Sierras de Andujar Natural Park. In the middle of the day we make a cultural visit to Cordoba.
Day 3: Sierras de Andujar Natural Park.
Day 4: The Natural Park of Sierra Magina. The realm of the Golden Eagle.
Day 5: Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas. Spain’s Largest National Park.
Day 6: Granada and the Alhambra and continue to Malaga for an evening flight. Near Malaga there is a good spot for Marbled Teal.
A touch of the classic Spain - The Magic of Andalucia
It is still possible to find the hidden white painted villages in the Sierras of Andalucia and get a feel of the real Spain with different tapas served with every beer or dry sherry (Jerez Fino) you drink and where you’ll a have refreshing cold tomato soup called Gazpacho. The Eagles and Vultures dominate the skies and the elusive Iberian Lynx has a good population here, so you have a good chance of seeing one.
As a birder, nature enthusiast, cultural and gastronomic traveler, there is no reason why a short tour to Spain should not be on your bucket list.
The region also boasts a large number of raptor species and is the last refuge of the Iberian Lynx one of the most endangered feline species in the world.
In addition to the natural wonders, you will experience a unique European culture and history that centuries ago saw the clash of Catholicism and Islam; and the celebrated Mediterranean cuisine. On the way to Andujar, you will visit the Mesquita of Cordoba. The tour ends in the city of Granada at the UNESCO world heritage site, the Alhambra fortress a lasting monument to the Moorish occupation of the Iberian peninsular.
DAY 1: Sierras de Andujar Natural Park
We meet at the airport in Madrid in the morning and continue to Toledo for a short walk in the historic center of the town. After a
DAY 1: Sierras de Andujar Natural Park
Meet at the airport before 9.00 AM, or the hotel where you checked in the previous evening.
On our way to Andujar, we shall have a guided tour of the magnificent Mesquite of Cordoba built in the late 8th century. We shall also make a stroll in the white painted old jewish quarters.
Once arrived in Andujar, we’ll make our first visit to one of the several viewing areas in the hope of finding an Iberian Lynx, One of the world’s most endangered cats. We might get lucky on our first attempt. So we’ll go in search of our target in one of the best areas for wildlife. This is also a great place to see the local territorial Spanish Imperial Eagle and other raptors like Griffon and Cinereous Vulture. Other species we hope to see are Eurasian Otter, Kingfisher, Yellow Wagtail, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Golden Oriole, Short-toed Treecreeper, Hawfinch, Great Cormorant and Grey heron. In the dusk, we’ll drive back to our hotel to relax after a long day, and get ready to enjoy the local cuisine.
DAY 2: Sierras de Andujar Natural Park
After an early breakfast, we’ll head on to the natural park. On the way to our viewpoints, we’ll cross a private estate where we can see fighting bulls next to the road. A little further ahead we’ll stop to look for the lynx, by scanning from vantage points overlooking the landscape.
At lunchtime, we’ll set up our picnic lunch just by the river, near a reservoir, a good spot which overlooks the gully. After lunch, we’ll continue to the main dam and then walk over the massive concrete bridge. Here we can find some interesting birds such as Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martin, Rock Bunting and Red-billed Chough. There is also a short tunnel at the end of the dam, where we hope to see some species of bats: Whiskered, Daubenton’s, Schreiber’s and Greater Mouse-eared Bats.
DAY 3: Sierras de Andujar Natural Park
After breakfast, we’ll drive back to one of the view points, with our focus always on getting the elusive cat. Our 3rd day will provide us the last chance to find the lynx again, although hopefully by then we will have had good views of this feline during the previous days. We may be flexible if we still have had no luck, and stay one more day,
Transfer to our next destination. We’ll head down to the valley of the Guadalquivir river for an afternoon and evening bird watching. Our base for the next two days will be the World Heritage town of Ubeda. Ubeda is known for great tapas bars, and true flamenco. You’ll get a feel for the real Andalucia.
DAY 4: THE NATURAL PARK OF SIERRA MAGINA: “THE REALM OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE”
Right to the heart of the Sierra and at an impressive 5,000 feet- the highest accessible point by vehicle, our route takes us to Caños de Aguadero, combining landscapes of dramatic mountain peaks and open highland meadows of exceptional botanical interest.
Rising dramatically out of myriad olive groves and lands of Mediterranean fruit trees such as almond, cherry and fig, is the immense rock face known as El Torcal. Here, traditional rural activity meets spectacular, rugged countryside.
We hope to see Bonelli’s Eagle, Golden Eagle, Goshawk, Crossbill, Rock Bunting, Bonelli’s Warbler, Iberian ibex…
DAY 5: Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas, Spain’s Largest Natural Park
Off and up to one of the highest vantage points in the Sierra Rambla Seca, in search of our target, the Lammergeyer a.k.a. Bearded Vulture. Our journey takes us through extensive pine forests and impressive limestone rock faces. We move on to Puerto de las Palomas, a good place to observe numerous birds of prey amidst majestic scenery.
The area is also very good for Spanish Ibex and Red Deer.
DAY 6: Granada and the Alhambra Fortress
Transfer to Granada and Alhambra. Its name derives from old Arabic and means the Red Fortress/Palace. It was was commissioned by the Moorish Emir Mohammed Ben Al-Ahmar, which was eventually turned into a royal palace by Yusuf I Sultan of Granada in the mid-14th century and was one of the last Moorish strongholds in Spain.
In the year 1492 the Emir of Granada surrendered the Emirate of Granada to the Catholic Kings of Spain, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, who made it the home of the Royal Court. Under Christian ownership the Alhambra underwent significant refurbishment and restructuring in accordance with the Renaissance style of the time.
With its intricate symmetrical architecture with many small patios with fountains, pools and lush gardens you will be able to roam and enjoy the cool of the shade amongst fragrant Jasmine, exotic flowers and orange trees. Later in the day we will make our way to the palacio of Carlos V down to the remparts and the lower parts of the Alhambra, where the views are spectacular for a 360 degree angle over Granada and to the possible accompaniment of Nightingales singing.
The magic of Alhambra can hardly be conveyed properly by just looking at pictures. It must be experienced. It contains serene beauty and is truly one of the most impressive wonders of the world, even if it did not make the vote to become one of the “new seven wonders of the world”.
We later return to Malaga for connecting evening flights or extensions.
Should you want to do additional birding in Southern Spain, such as the raptor migration of Tarifa, Coto Doñana reserve, the re-introduced Waldrapp population or other interesting sites, we are able to set up an extension for you. Do you have any particular species you want to see in Spain. Let us know.