This wildlife trip has been specially arranged for those who want first to discover a large range of birds, while crossing the widest desert in Europe.
All through this bird-watching trip, by 4×4 and on foot, you will stay six days in the desert steppe of Monegros, discovering a succession of incredible landscapes and birds which you will approach very carefully or in hides. As regards your free time, we will be able to take you to visit some places with traces of the Civil war, Roman ruins, a pre-Iberian village, or even watch a horse show… while enjoying the local gastronomy, of course!
| Destination: | Steppe of Monegros |
| Dates: | April |
| Available places per trip: | 10 persons (minimum 4 persons) |
| Duration: | 6 days (5 nights) |
| Place of arrival and departure: | Contact us |
| Price of trip: | 850 € |
The organisation has the right to change the order of the initial programme. This possibility, which could occur principally in case of bad weather forecast, would be applied in order to insure you the complete success of your trip.
Day 1:
We will pick you up at Barcelona airport (or elsewhere) and drive you to the Monegros area (280 km). You will accommodate in a comfortable and well situated country house. Briefing about the trip. Evening meal.
Jour 2 :
We will get up very early (around 6 .00 a.m.) and drive by 4X4 to the bustards’ favourite area. On the way we will stop for breakfast as well as watch other species. After a typical local lunch, we will visit the trenches and fortifications where the famous English writer George Orwell, enlisted in the International Brigades, fought during the Civil war. Later, after tea time, we will wander in the steppe looking for nesting birds. We will get back to our place to rest and have an evening meal.
Day 3:
We will get up at dawn (the Dupont’s lark doesn’t wait!) and drive to the Planerón, a large area of steppe and cultivated lands managed by SEO Birdlife. Breakfast on the spot and walk to watch a few species. After lunch in a local restaurant, we will visit the Roman town of Julia Excelsa, fortified by Jules Caesar in 50 B.C., or the Iberian town of Cabezo de Alcalà. At the end of the afternoon until dusk we will hide to watch some groups of birds when they are drinking in the scarce ponds of this desert. Dinner.
Day 4:
Our getting up will depends on the remaining species we would like to see. We will follow a track that goes across a spectacular landscape scattered with fairy chimneys, cliffs and barrancos (dry torrents), designed after centuries of erosion. Then we will focus on the raptos. Lesser kestrel, golden eagle, sparrow hawk, goshawk, griffon vulture … we will spend the day birding. In the afternoon we will have the opportunity to visit an Iberian settlement.
Day 5:
Same protocol of the previous day, this time, we will focus on seeing or repeating new species, we will adapt the day to whatever is necessary depending on how the previous ones have gone.
Day 6:
After breakfast (about 8 in the morning) we will take the car and we will go to the airport of Barcelona. Arrival around 6pm.
