Spain - Extremadura in Winter

Tour Code: ESP23

A 7-day winter exploration of the bird-rich steppes of Extremadura, based in a delightful country house a short distance from the beautiful medieval town of Trujillo.

7 days from
£1,795
Land only price from
£1,645
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

A birding visit to Extremadura in the crystal-clear light and relatively mild temperatures of winter has its own particular, very special, charm. For all six nights we will be based in a country house a short distance from the beautiful medieval town of Trujillo. The location is perfect with easy access to the steppes and Monfrague, peace all around and an incredibly dark night sky. The welcome is warm and the cooking tasty and rustic Extremaduran fare. From an exquisite foraging Bluethroat or flocks of Great Bustards, to a soaring Spanish Imperial Eagle or Black Vulture, this tour is likely to be full of highlights!

  • Enjoy winter flocks of both Great & Little Bustards
  • Watch roosting Common Cranes in flocks of 10,000+
  • Superb raptor-viewing, with a day (or more!) at Monfragüe a highlight!
  • Magnificent far-reaching winter vistas
  • Delightful accommodation, with first class hospitality
  • Expertly guided by a Naturetrek ornithologist

Traditionally, most birders visit the magnificent rolling steppes, rugged sierras and Cork Oak woodland of Extremadura in April and May, when the countryside is besieged by migrants, and Great Bustards are in full display. A birding visit in the crystal-clear light and relatively mild temperatures of winter, though, has its own particular, very special, merit.

We begin this holiday with a flight to Madrid, from where we head south-west through rolling hills, olive groves and woodland to the central plateau of Extremadura, where we find extensive sheep-grazed grasslands and the Cork Oak forests known locally as ‘dehesa’. For all six nights we will be based in a delightful country house a short distance from the beautiful medieval town of Trujillo. With a warm Spanish welcome and an enviable garden bird list, this is an ideal locality from which to explore the adjacent steppes and Monfragüe National Park.

Due in part to the shorter grass at this time of year and the absence of any heat haze, Extremadura’s many attractive resident birds are much easier to see in winter than at any other season. Stately Great Bustards (the world’s heaviest flying bird) congregate in flocks in their winter quarters, the males busily exercising their wings in readiness for the annual springtime battle for a mate. Little Bustards, too, congregate and, as we scan the fallow steppes for bustards, we may find Blackbellied or Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, and flocks of larks. Great Spotted Cuckoos, too, may be seen, for they return from Africa as early as mid-January, while Stone Curlews, Calandra and Thekla Larks, Corn Buntings, Southern Grey Shrikes, Little Owls, Hoopoes, Spotless Starlings, Spanish Sparrows, Woodlarks, White Wagtails and magnificent far-reaching winter vistas complete the picture out on the plains.

We will also enjoy watching the unforgettable evening spectacle of Common Cranes, in flocks of 10,000- strong, as they fly in to their night-time roosts. The sight of these Cranes coming in at dusk as the winter light slips beneath the horizon will be a highlight of the tour. Elsewhere, the region’s lakes should hold large numbers of wildfowl, Purple Gallinule, Black-necked and other Grebes, plus Cattle, Little and a few Great White Egrets. Water Rails, Cetti’s Warblers and the occasional exquisite Bluethroat emerge to forage at the fringes of the wetlands and in damp channels, all so much easier to see than ever they are in Britain! Patches of woodland and scrub hold Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Iberian Magpies, Blackcaps, Sardinian and Dartford Warblers, Firecrests, Short-toed Treecreepers, Crested and Iberian Longtailed Tits, Serins, Siskins, Hawfinches and Cirl Buntings. In fact many of these species may be seen within a stone’s throw of our accommodation! On the higher ground Alpine Accentors overwinter, while Chough, Black Redstart, Raven, Rock Sparrow, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting and Black Wheatear are all on the cards along with the resident and omnipresent Crag Martins.

No mention of birding in Extremadura, however, can be made without reference to the magnificent raptor-watching opportunities. The onset of winter sees the Black Kite being replaced by the Red, and by January Spanish Imperial Eagles are displaying over their nest sites — a breathtaking sight. Although the Short-toed and Booted Eagles will not return from Africa until early March, there is still plenty of variety, with Golden Eagles starting to nest and airborne Griffon and Black Vultures drawing our attention to any carrion in the area. Bonelli’s Eagles soar in bonding pairs, with Buzzards having arrived for the winter by the thousand from elsewhere in Europe. Other residents include Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine and, of course, the stunning and much sought-after Black-shouldered Kite, another species with a tendency to form winter groups. Eagle Owls have mated by late December, with the female usually incubating by January, calling for the male at dusk to bring her food. We hope that a late afternoon visit to a special site will provide a fitting climax to our holiday.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Fly to Madrid, drive Extremadura
Day 2/6
Daily programme of birding excursions from our base near Trujillo
Day 7
Fly London
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What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    For this holiday we will be based at Casa Rural Las Canteras near Trujillo in Extremadura. This rustic and welcoming guesthouse is situated in a beautiful, quiet rural landscape with easy access to excellent birding areas. Free Wi-Fi is available in the reception area at Las Canteras.

  • Food:

    All included in the price.

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Wed 11th Feb – Tue 17th Feb FULL £1,795
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,645
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£175
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Keith Hamilton
Keith-Hamilton.jpg

Tour Leader: Keith Hamilton

Keith grew up in the north-west of Cumbria, close to the sea, spending much of his youth exploring the countryside and becoming a lover of nature from a very young age. He received his first book on birds, Coward & Barnes ‘Birds of the British Isles’, aged 11, and still treasures it to this day! Over the years, birdwatching took Keith all over the UK, though the sea and the Lake District fells remained closest to home. He has been a council member of the Cumbria Bird Club and active member of the Carlisle Natural History Society. Butterflies are also a passion, and as a member of Butterfly Conservation Keith volunteered on the very successful Cumbrian Marsh Fritillary re-introduction scheme and Small Blue regeneration projects. 

It was a birding trip to Extremadura in the early 2010s that changed Keith's life, not only for the astonishing birdlife or the amazing butterflies; it was a place to feel comfortable. Around eight years later, after many visits to different regions of Spain, Keith and his wife made the move to the Sierra de Gredos where they love to explore the rich diversity of species to be found there. Keith is an active member of the local butterfly and natural history groups, and, being a member of the butterfly conservation organisation ‘Zerynthia’, he has the necessary permissions to record butterflies and moths. Since moving to Spain he has enjoyed guiding guests around various areas on the peninsula, always finding it a pleasure to show his clients something new and interesting.

Wed 11th Nov – Tue 17th Nov SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,645
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£175
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Keith Hamilton
Keith-Hamilton.jpg

Tour Leader: Keith Hamilton

Keith grew up in the north-west of Cumbria, close to the sea, spending much of his youth exploring the countryside and becoming a lover of nature from a very young age. He received his first book on birds, Coward & Barnes ‘Birds of the British Isles’, aged 11, and still treasures it to this day! Over the years, birdwatching took Keith all over the UK, though the sea and the Lake District fells remained closest to home. He has been a council member of the Cumbria Bird Club and active member of the Carlisle Natural History Society. Butterflies are also a passion, and as a member of Butterfly Conservation Keith volunteered on the very successful Cumbrian Marsh Fritillary re-introduction scheme and Small Blue regeneration projects. 

It was a birding trip to Extremadura in the early 2010s that changed Keith's life, not only for the astonishing birdlife or the amazing butterflies; it was a place to feel comfortable. Around eight years later, after many visits to different regions of Spain, Keith and his wife made the move to the Sierra de Gredos where they love to explore the rich diversity of species to be found there. Keith is an active member of the local butterfly and natural history groups, and, being a member of the butterfly conservation organisation ‘Zerynthia’, he has the necessary permissions to record butterflies and moths. Since moving to Spain he has enjoyed guiding guests around various areas on the peninsula, always finding it a pleasure to show his clients something new and interesting.

2027

Departures Availability Cost
Sun 7th Feb – Sat 13th Feb SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,645
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£170
Sun 14th Nov – Sat 20th Nov SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,645
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£170

Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!

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