Spring Flowers of Western Andalucia

We spent 7 days exploring the flora in the mountainous region of Southern Spain. We were taken to different areas every day by our group leader and found so many beautiful and often rare wild flowers, including orchids and tiny daffodils, sometimes just being left to grow by the side of the road. Despite the rain it was a joy for me to get up each day wondering what treasures we would see that day. We were a small group which helped us get on well but it was our group leader whose infectious love and vast knowledge of botany in particular but the natural world in general made the holiday very special. Having never been on a group holiday before I was a bit nervous but even before I went the tour manager set my mind at rest about some concerns I had. The fact that everything was organised for me was brilliant and it was clear Naturetrek had spent years of research in the area finding places where the rare wild flowers still proliferate. Our group leader was incredible - so happy to impart her vast knowledge not only about botany but geology and other aspects of the natural world. She was our chauffeuse and organised our meals too.

This holiday in Western Andalucia, Spain, had it all - the main focus was botany and we saw some beautiful wild orchids, Narcissi and other flowers despite the warm, dry conditions. There was plenty of other wildlife to be enjoy too, from elegant Greater Flamingos to jewel-like Spanish Festoon butterflies. We stayed near the astonishing fortress-like medieval city of Ronda and were able to explore its many historic delights via the steep cobbled streets and cliff-top vantage points for which the town is justly famous. The holiday was an all-round feast of natural history and culture which will live long in the memory. Naturetrek delivered the goods as always. A fantastic expert guide, friendly group of fellow travellers, accommodation at a delightful country hotel, well-planned excursions to beautiful and wildlife-rich habitats, delicious picnic lunches and evening meals at local restaurants.

One week spent looking at wild flowers in the mountains of Andalucia while keeping our eyes open for birds, butterflies, mammals and reptiles. We passed through white mountain top villages stopping at reserves, embalses and on occasion roadside verges. In the evening we returned to the hotel for a debrief and then sampled Pablo's fabulous food. There was something for every interest and every level of prior knowledge thanks to two impossibly knowledgeable but humble hosts. While it was not primarily an instructional holiday you could not help learning lots about the flora and fauna of Andalucia - in my case starting from a low baseline.

It was good to visit local eating places to get a taste of Spain and Spanish life. The last two nights we ate at the finca, which was a great, relaxing way to end the week. Sophie was excellent, and a good driver, staying calm even when coaches were bearing down on us on tiny mountain roads - 10 out of 10! And, as promised, we got to see Ibex!

A really excellent trip and though the weather was not perfect this hardly spoiled the enjoyment at all. We cannot praise him [David Tattersfield] enough for his energy and ability to turn what might have been a slightly dismal (in weather terms only) scene into a really memorable holiday.

David T. was all a tour leader should be - knowledgeable, courteous, helpful, patient, considerate to all our whims and fancies, and a pleasure to be with. Although we didn't keep exactly to the daily programme, it was always to our advantage.

I’m glad I went and am very grateful to David and Sophie for their patience. Sophie was delightful (make her a permanency!) - a lovely personality, genuinely charming and unobtrusively observant as to when help might be needed. The very early flight did prove an advantage as we had a good long afternoon to explore. The finca was delightful - attractively furnished, comfortable, and with an excellent selection of books, CDs and DVDs. Each day had its own focus of interest and the general itinerary was varied in pace and botanical offerings. The fine weather was a blessing. I would love to travel with Naturetrek again. I love the format, love the exploration, and love the discovery of treasures in their true habitat.

Every aspect of this holiday was very well organized so we could just get on with having a great time appreciating the beauty of Andulacia and the Spring Flowers. Our Tour Leader, Paul Harmes, had just right blend of special botanic knowledge and humour so he was great fun to be with, and the salads he provided for the picnic lunch each day were superb! We really liked staying in the rural Finca la Guzmana run by Peter, who was very welcoming, a great host and a fabulous cook.

Paul coped with all our queries and was an excellent driver and guide. Accommodation was comfortable and food superb. An ideal informal base for our small group.

The meals provided by the owner for the Naturetrek party were nothing short of inspired! I would go back just for the food! Having travelled with Paul Harmes previously we were not disappointed by his endless patience, encyclopaedic knowledge, good humour and organisational abilities – plus he has a great hat!

Paul was a super leader – he took great trouble to ensure we all had a chance to view the rarer plants and birds when located. The picnics were excellent, living up to the expected high standards!!

Paul did a great job. Excellent on botany, birds etc but also took good care of his party in a friendly sociable way.

Accomodation: ...absolutely first rate in terms of comfort and facilities. Particular pleasures were the excellent meals reflecting accomplished cooking of locally sourced ingredients - and the very high standard of room cleaning and servicing. General content/interest of trip: We came away feeling that we had been given a comprehensive picture of the natural history of the area, alongside a number of insights into the human and social history too - the visit to see the Cueva de la Pileta Palaeolithic wall paintings was well worthwhile. Trip Leader: Paul's (Harmes) botanical knowledge is outstanding, impressive in both scale and depth...All of this learning and skill he shared with genuine enthusiasm and great good humour throughout the trip, always happy to answer questions, however often repeated. We also noticed the lengths to which he went to accommodate the particular interests and abilities of each member of our small but diverse group, taking care to ensure that each was engaged and involved. Paul's ability to combine deep learning with lightness of touch backed by quietly efficient organisation made the trip an enjoyable and very rewarding experience.

We thoroughly recommend the trip, guide and accommodation. A huge thank you to Paul Harmes and the staff at Naturetrek.

As usual, Paul (Harmes) went out of his way to make sure everyone felt included, whatever their level of expertise, not always easy in a small group. Peter, our host at the finca, was also exceptionally friendly and obliging - and an excellent cook, even producing special dishes for a lone vegetarian.