7 Days/6 Nights Programme

Given the fact that Portugal possesses a fantastic diversity of habitats and consequently of birds in a relatively small area, the week birding programme designed by Birds & Nature provides for visits to several rich areas without the necessity of travelling long distances.
In practical terms, only 20 to 30 minutes from Lisbon's city centre and its International Airport, lies respectively the Tagus and the Sado estuaries, two remarkable protected wetlands with extensive bird lists that include species like Greater Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Squacco and Purple Herons, Black-shouldered Kite, Little Bustard, Spotless Starling, ducks, waders, gulls and terns, among others.
A further 90 minute drive takes us to other complementary biotopes and consequently new bird species, in the Alentejo; here, we shall visit both rolling plains (the home of Great Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Montagu's Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Roller, Calandra Lark, Black-eared Wheatear, etc...) and bluffs and hills associated with the Guadiana valley, noted for species like Spanish Imperial, Golden and Bonelli's Eagles, Black, Egyptian and Griffon Vultures, Black Stork, Eagle Owl, Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting and White-rumped Swift.
After exploring these Alentejo biotopes, a further 45 minute drive takes us to the Algarve, a Portuguese region rich in protected wetland areas situated on a major fly-way for migrants from Africa and notable, in particular, for waders and passerines. Some of the places visited are unique in Portugal as sites for rare and highly localized species, like Audouin’s and Slender-billed Gulls and Lesser Short-toed Lark. Other places visited here are excellent spots for obtaining close views of scarce species like Purple Swamp-hen and Little Bittern; species like Azure-winged Magpie, Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Red-necked Nightjar and Spectacled Warbler are particularly abundant.

The BBC’s Natural World programme recently focused on the wealth of natural wildlife to be found among the cork oak woods of Portugal, which not only produce much of the world's commercial cork, but also support a flourishing ecosystem.
 Come for a week-long birding trip and visit this bird-rich biotope, which we combine with other interesting birding habitats!

Itinerary
Day 1 – Transfer from Lisbon Airport. Travel to the Hotel Rural Barroca d’Alva, in the heart of the Tagus estuary (about 20 minutes). Visit several areas and a variety of habitats within this huge nature reserve, including the Barroca d’Alva rice fields and pastures, the salt pans of Ribeira das Enguias, the inter-tidal mudflats and salt marshes of Hortas and the cork oak woodlands of Pancas. Overnight at the Hotel Rural Barroca d’Alva.
Day 2 – Visit to other interesting sites of the Tagus estuary, including the open fields, rice fields, salt marshes and inter-tidal mudflats of the Ponta da Erva area. During the breeding season, we shall visit an heronry in the Tagus river (about 20 minutes). Overnight at the Hotel Rural Barroca d’Alva.
Day 3 – Travel to the Sado estuary area (about 30 minutes), to explore some of the most interesting sites in this protected area: Zambujal, Gâmbia, Monte Novo de Palma, Batalha, Carrasqueira and Comporta (inter-tidal mudflats, salt marshes, salt pans, rice fields, reed beds, cork oak and pine woodlands). Overnight at the Hotel Rural Barroca d’Alva.
Day 4 – Travel to the Alentejo region (about 90 minutes). Visit the great Castro Verde plains and the Pulo do Lobo area (rolling plains and bluffs and hills associated with the Guadiana valley). Overnight at the Hotel Vila Galé Clube de Campo.
Day 5 – Visit other special sites of interest in this part of the Alentejo region, including Mértola, Pomarão and Mina de São Domingos. Overnight at the Hotel Vila Galé Clube de Campo.
Day 6 – Travel to the Algarve region (about 45 minutes). Visit the complex of canals, saline flats and salt pans of the Castro Marim area. Overnight at the Hotel Vila Galé Albacora.
Day 7 – Visit several habitats such as dunes, open water, inter-tidal mudflats, salt marshes, salt pans, reed beds, lagoons and pine woods of the Ria Formosa area. Return to Lisbon (about two and a half hour) and transfer to the Lisbon Airport for return flight.

Price
1.200 euros per person. Price includes bird guide, transfer from/to Lisbon Airport, ground transport (including fuel and tolls), accommodation for 6 nights (including breakfast) based on two people sharing in excellent quality hotels, use of optical equipment (quality binoculars and telescopes) and field guides, entrance fee in private or protected areas, participant’s accident insurance and VAT.
 Not included: flights, meals and items of a personal nature.

Note: the price is guaranteed for a minimum of 2 persons.


The Allied Hotels
Hotel Rural Barroca d’Alva – Hotel Site: http://www.barrocadalva.com/
Hotel Vila Galé Clube de Campo – Hotel Site: http://www.vilagale.pt/pages/hoteis/?hotel=14
Hotel Vila Galé Albacora – Hotel Site: http://www.vilagale.pt/pages/hoteis/?hotel=4

The above itinerary assumes an arrival/departure to/from Lisbon, but please note that it’s possible to adjust the itinerary to a different starting/departing point, namely from/to Faro, in the Algarve. It’s also possible to combine an arrival at one city and a departure from another (between Lisbon and Faro).
Dates for weekly tours can be adjusted to start and end one day earlier or later.

For tailor-made itineraries, please contact us. It is possible to combine in the itinerary excellent places in Spain close to the Portuguese border, namely Doñana or Monfrague.

Contact us now for reservations or further details.
To contact us  (click here)

Birds & Nature Tours is a registered tourism company (RNAAT nº 25/2008 - Turismo de Portugal I.P.)