8 days from £1,595
(Inc flights)
Land only price from £1,445
The Straits of Gibraltar are 14 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, but they represent a significant barrier for birds that are on migration, crossing from Europe to Africa, or vice versa, each year. On this new tour we will view this spectacular migration at its narrowest points from both Spain and Morocco. We begin on the Spanish side of the Straits and, from our comfortable eco-resort base, we’ll look for raptors and a host of other birds as they arrive from Africa. We will also head out onto the water ourselves to look for some of the cetaceans that are present in the Straits. Next we cross by ferry to Morocco, and visit a variety of key sites both inland and on the coast to look for passage raptors such as Black Kite and Short-toed Eagle, warblers, seabirds and other birds. After looking for the Barbary Macaques that live in the Forest of Bouhachem, we will catch the return ferry to Algeciras in Spain, where we will continue our birding in the wetlands of La Janda, and other sites, for two more full days before it is time to make our own passage home.
- Shearwaters, petrels, dolphins & pilot whales all possible on boat excursion in the Straits
- Based in a quiet eco-resort near Tarifa & comfortable hotels in Morocco
- Boat excursion out on the Straits to look for cetaceans & seabirds
- Migration watching from Europe & African sides of the Straits
- Key sites include the ‘blue’ town of Chefchaouen & the Rif Mountains
- An estimated 250,000 raptors pass over during spring migration!
- Enjoy a dusk excursion in Morocco to look for Marsh Owls at roost site
- Red-knobbed Coots, Marbled Duck & Bald Ibis among bird highlights
- Black-shouldered Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Honey Buzzard & Booted Eagles among raptors
- Visit the Forest of Bouhachem to look for Barbary Macaques
Can I help you?
Highlights
Andy Tucker
Andy is an Aquatic Biology graduate (Aberystwyth) and worked in fisheries consultancy for a year after graduation before travelling to south-east Peru to work as a guide in the Amazon rainforest. During his year there he balanced guiding with his fisheries research and, after a brief spell back in England, returned to a full-time guiding post at Sacha Lodge in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Andy has travelled widely in Central and South America and his fluent Spanish is a huge advantage during our tours both across the Atlantic and in Spain. Andy has birdwatched for as long as he can remember and counts himself lucky to have seen so many fantastic bird and wildlife spectacles around the globe. He joined the Naturetrek team in 1998 and, while now kept busy as General Manager, is involved in the operations of a wide variety of tours in Latin America, Western Europe and North Africa.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Gibraltar or Malaga; transfer Tarifa
Day 2
Birding and whale-watch excursions from Tarifa
Day 3
Ferry to Tangier; transfer Larache
Day 4
Talassemtane National Park; overnight Chefchaouen
Day 5
Forest of Bouhachem. Return ferry to Algeciras and overnight Huerta Grande, Tarifa
Day 6/7
Birding from Tarifa, Spain
Day 8
Fly UK
Excellent guides; went to many different habitats so saw lots of birds; great value for money as this could not have been achieved by an individual planning it. The hotels were very good and food throughout including picnics was delicious. This was an energetic trip but accomplished a great deal - the short break to Morocco I particularly enjoyed as it gave a brief view of the people and places there as well as birds.
P.Q. Leicestershire
Food & Accommodation
All food included in the price.
A quiet eco-resort near Tarifa and comfortable hotels in Morocco; all rooms have private facilities.
Tour leaders
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Simon Tonkin Tour leader -
Niki Williamson Tour leader
Simon Tonkin
Simon was raised in Plymouth and his early Birding habitats were rubbish tips, sewage outfalls and fish factories. It all started when, at nine years old, his enthralment with the natural world led him to sneak out with his father's massive binoculars at first light, returning home many hours after dark covered in estuarine mud and other indescribable detritus, to face the music! Fulfilling a boyhood dream, Simon worked for the RSPB full-time for fifteen years; the first projects he was involved in were to protect breeding Hen Harriers and Bee-eaters in the North of England. Simon has lectured in ornithology, specialising in a variety of subjects including bird ethology, migration and bird populations. He has worked in farmland bird conservation for the most of his RSPB career and recently worked at the RSPB's headquarters in Sandy. Simon has conducted research on Corn Bunting crop nest site selection and on the seed palatability of farmland granivores. He also co-launched Operation Turtle Dove, co-ordinating efforts in the UK and internationally to save the species from extirpation. Simon has worked as the Conservation Manager for Conservation Grade, working on ground-breaking and exciting conservation projects in Spain, Portugal, Central America, Morocco, Senegal and the Gambia and is widely travelled in these countries, being particularly familiar with their avifauna, lepidoptera and mammalian species. Simon now lives in the epi-centre of migration at The Straits of Gibraltar working on a variety of conservation projects, and tour leading throughout the year for Naturetrek.
Niki Williamson
Niki was given a YOC membership for her 6th birthday, and has loved nature ever since. She worked and volunteered for the RSPB for 12 years, managing habitats, brandishing power tools with varying levels of success, and honing her birding skills in some of the best wetland, upland and coastal habitats in the UK. She was part of the Eastern England Farmland Advisory team for eight years, working with nature-friendly farmers to make the countryside a better place for wildlife, eventually heading up the team. Niki is particularly passionate about the plight of the turtle dove and was part of Operation Turtle Dove, working to ensure a future for this desperately declining bird. As well as the UK, this work took her to West Africa, where she worked closely with Conservation Grade to survey migratory and resident farmland bird species and their habitat needs, to see how local growers could produce peanuts in a way that is Fair to Nature and benefits wintering migrants. Niki now lives in Andalusia, where she works full time as a wildlife guide, showing people the wondrous migration spectacle of the Straits of Gibraltar as well as all the other stunning wildlife Spain and North Africa have to offer.
Andy Tucker
Andy is an Aquatic Biology graduate (Aberystwyth) and worked in fisheries consultancy for a year after graduation before travelling to south-east Peru to work as a guide in the Amazon rainforest. During his year there he balanced guiding with his fisheries research and, after a brief spell back in England, returned to a full-time guiding post at Sacha Lodge in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Andy has travelled widely in Central and South America and his fluent Spanish is a huge advantage during our tours both across the Atlantic and in Spain. Andy has birdwatched for as long as he can remember and counts himself lucky to have seen so many fantastic bird and wildlife spectacles around the globe. He joined the Naturetrek team in 1998 and, while now kept busy as General Manager, is involved in the operations of a wide variety of tours in Latin America, Western Europe and North Africa.
