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Extremely well thought out tour. Balance between all three areas of interest was spot on, including the choice of restaurants, menus and wines in the evenings, quality of the picnic spots, vineyards and comfort breaks. Very obvious there had been a lot of care of attention to every detail and amount of time applied to put this new tour together. Both Keith and Pete could not do enough to ensure everyone spotted the key bird species on tour. Their driving was excellent and local knowledge flawless.
C.O., Cheshire, Mar 25
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The Birds, Wines & History of Extremadura
Tour Code: ESP66An 8-day holiday to sample the rich mixture of birdlife, wines and history in the land of the conquistadors.
8 days
from
£2,395
£2,395
Land only price
from
£2,245
£2,245
Highlights
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Summary
This holiday is designed to appeal to those who enjoy their birdwatching, but also appreciate some diversity to their holiday. Based in the historic Parador in Trujillo (the birthplace of Francisco Pizarro, one of the conquistadors of Peru, whose statue stands in the Plaza Major), this holiday promises to be a popular choice for those wishing to have an insight into the history of the area, to sample some local produce (especially wines), and of course to see some fabulous birds.
Central Spain is known the world over for its fabulous birdwatching, with Extremadura arguably being the jewel in the crown. The region is dominated by rolling grasslands, rocky hillsides, endless dehesa woodlands and overflying raptors, and is intersected by two great rivers, the Tagus and the Guadiana. Although Extremadura experiences long hot summers, this region stores one third of all the fresh water in Spain, in reservoirs such as the Embalses de Valdecañas and the Sierra Brava.
Extremadura has a fabulously rich and complicated history, having been occupied by Celtic tribes, the Romans and the Moors. This mix of cultures has left its legacy in the form of diverse architecture and culture, and wonderful local produce, including the internationally famous Jamon de Bellota, rich cheeses and superb regional wines.
With direct flights to and from Madrid, the tour will encompass all the different aspects of this part of Extremadura, combining culture and good food with wonderful birdlife, with the raptors and bustards being particular highlights.
- Single-centre tour based at the Parador in the beautiful medieval town of Trujillo
- Explore steppe & forested hills of Monfragüe National Park
- Flocks of Lesser Kestrels plus Black Storks & Pallid Swifts, Trujillo
- Watch Great Bustards & Little Bustards displaying
- Pin-tailed & Black-bellied Sandgrouse among grassland birds
- 16 species of raptor present in this area
- Enjoy a walking tour of Trujillo, and visits to two wineries
- Led by expert naturalist guide
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Madrid and transfer to Extremadura
Day 2
Embalse de Alcollarín / Bodega Habla
Day 3
Monfragüe
Day 4
Campo Lugar/ Madrigalejo / Trujillo
Day 5
Guadalupe / Bodega Ruiz Torres
Day 6
Santa Marta de Magasca / steppes
Day 7
Arrocampo
Day 8
Fly Madrid to London
Reviews
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Two outstanding leaders. Their local knowledge was invaluable, and their enthusiasm infectious. The pace of the holiday was well judged with coffee and comfort breaks when needed. The holiday was filled with many highlights. We enjoyed seeing the black storks and blue rock thrushes at Montfrague. The castle and tour of Trujillo were excellent. The lesser kestrels in Trujillo were marvellous. The vulture feeding experience gave photographers an outstanding opportunity for close views of kites and vultures.
M.P., Norfolk, Mar 25 -
Both guides were very good indeed with superb spotting skills. Keith had taken great care with the itinerary and had put a lot of time and effort into arranging the bodega visits, the history tour and the restaurants. The lunches they provided were excellent, too. The wine tastings and history tour provided variety which I greatly appreciated. The birding was excellent, of course, and it was good to get better views of some species that I had only glimpsed previously. We couldn't have asked for more.
B.C., North Yorkshire, Mar 25
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 10th Oct – Fri 17th Oct
SPACES
£2,395
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
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,245
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£375
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 6th Mar – Fri 13th Mar
SPACES
£2,395
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
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,245
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£375
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
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.
Fri 20th Mar – Fri 27th Mar
SPACES
£2,395
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
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,245
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£375
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
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.
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
Tour Reports
Why Naturetrek?
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