Portugal: Birding, Culture and Wine in Europe’s Far West

Portugal: Birding, Culture and Wine in Europe's Far West

Explore Portugal's historical cities, diverse biotopes, and culinary delights

Portugal, western-most country on the European continent. Wedged between the Atlantic Ocean and the Spanish highlands, this breath-taking country is home to a wide variety of biotopes, from river estuaries to hilltops, from woodlands to marshland. And because of its small size, Portugal never makes you sit in the car long! Come and join us in our exploration, and enjoy the birding, the ancient cities (some of the oldest in the world!), and of course: the wine. We’ll have lunch and dinner at local restaurant, including quality wine at dinner. And we’ll also have a proper wine tasting at a wine cellar. What could be better?

Included

All transport in-country
All accommodations
All meals from evening day 1 to morning day 13
All entry fees
All paid activities
Use of optical equipment and field guides
Guide fees
Bottled water during tour
Contribution of $ 65 to our Conservation Project in the Guadiana Valley Natural Park

Excluded

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Tagus Estuary

Once you arrive in Lisbon, we'll pick you up from the airport (or your Lisbon hotel, if you arrived earlier), and we head straight to Alcochete, right across the Tagus river. We'll visit several areas and a variety of habitats within the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve, including the inter-tidal mudflats and salt marshes of Hortas, the salt pans of Atalaya, Ribeira das Enguias and Samouco and the Barroca d’Alva rice fields and pastures.
Day 2: Tagus Estuary & Wine Tasting

Today we'll continue our exploration of the Estuary, with interesting sites and habitats such as the open fields, rice fields, reed beds, lagoons, inter-tidal mudflats and salt marshes of the Ponta da Erva area. And of course, we need to sample some of Portugal's finest pleasures: we'll have a wine tasting at Companhia das Lezírias. What could be better?
Day 3: Tagus Northern Bank Woodlands

Time for another habitat, with the Cork Oak woodlands of Pancas. We'll also pay a visit to the Sado Estuary Natural Reserve on the northern bank of the Tagus River and explore, the salt pans, inter-tidal mudflats and salt marshes of Mitrena, Mourisca and Zambujal.
Day 4: Évora World Heritage Site

Today we travel back in time, to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Évora. This walled medieval city was once founded by the Celts, went through Roman rule, conquest and reconquest, and thrived in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance as a center of humanism. A qualified historian will guide us through the remarkably well-preserved city center, and we'll discover the megalithic complex of Almendres Cromlech.
Day 5: Guadiana Valley NP

We'll spend the day visiting the bluffs and hills of the Guadiana Valley Natural Park, including the Mértola, Mina de São Domingos and Alcaria Ruiva areas. This area is noted for species like Black Stork, Iberian (Spanish) Imperial, Golden and Bonelli's Eagles, Cinereous and Griffon Vultures, European Turtle Dove, Eurasian Eagle Owl, White-rumped Swift, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Black-eared Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Spanish Sparrow, Hawfinch, and Rock Bunting.
Day 6: Castro Verde Rolling Plains

We'll explore the Alentejo biotope of the great Castro Verde rolling plains, home of Great and Little bustards, Red Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Eurasian Stone-curlew, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Great Spotted Cuckoo, European Roller, Calandra Lark, Tawny Pipit, etc.
Day 7: Mértola

Today we visit the town of Mértola, near the Spanish border, including the main museums and archaeological sites. The city dates back to the Iron Age and has seen many conquerors come and go, all of whom have left their mark. We will see the conservation efforts with critical species like Lesser Kestrel and Montagu’s Harrier. This will include helping the park staff to count the number of breeding pairs of these species.
Day 8: Down to the Algarve

Today we drive to Tavira, in the Algarve region. Barely a 45 minute drive, but the biotope changes dramatically. We'll visit the complex of canals, saline flats and salt pans of the Castro Marim Natural Reserve and of the Tavira area (Ria Formosa Natural Park). These sites are unique in Portugal because of their rare and highly localised species, like Audouin’s and Slender-billed Gulls and Lesser Short-toed Lark. These are also excellent spots for getting close views of scarce species like Little Bittern and Western Swamphen. Little Owl, Red-necked Nightjar, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, Sardinian and Spectacled Warblers. Iberian Magpie are particularly abundant here.
Day 9: Algarve

We'll explore several habitats including dunes, open water, inter-tidal mudflats, salt marshes, salt pans, reed beds, lagoons, and pine woods in other areas of the Ria Formosa Natural Park (Olhão, Quinta do Lago and Ludo).
Day 10: Cape St. Vincent & Salgados

Some seaside and cliff-side birding today, in the Sagres and the Cape St. Vincent regions. During the migration period, this area offers abundant opportunities to observe migrating birds. We'll visit the local fortress as well as the Salgados Lagoon, which has been classified an Important Bird Area (IBA) and hosts an estimated 60 species of water fowl, including Purple Gallinule, Purple Heron and the Ferruginous Duck, which nests here.
Day 11: Back to Lisbon

We return to Lisbon, visiting the inter-tidal mudflats, salt marshes and rice fields of Comporta and Carrasqueira (Sado Estuary Natural Reserve) on the way.
Day 12: Lisbon, City of the Seven Hills

No, we're not getting Lisbon confused with Rome! You'll be encountering those hills soon enough. One of the oldest cities in the world -- it was inhabited before even the Celts made it to the Iberian Peninsula -- the legend goes that it was founded by the Greek king Odysseus (or Ulysses, in its latinized form). Modern Lisbon carries the traces of its history, from the Roman era through imperial times to the modern day. A historical guide will show us the sights, including the main squares and avenues, the Baixa (downtown area), some of the hilltop districts, the Castle of São Jorge, the cathedral and, in Belém (the historic area from which the Portuguese caravels departed to discover the world), the Monument to the Discoveries and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the beautiful Tower of Belém and the Jerónimos Monastery.
Day 13: Departure

All good things must come to an end. Today, after breakfast, we say our goodbyes and we'll take you back to the airport, to return home filled with memories of this uniquely breathtaking country.

$TBC

/ person sharing*

Single supplement: TBC