Discover the remarkable wildlife of the Coto Doñana, including the birdlife teeming on the lagoon near our hotel
Spend a day in the enchanting city of Seville, including an evening flamenco performance
Look out for mammals including red deer and Egyptian mongoose in Arroyo de la Rocina
“Plenty of interest… relaxing pace, leaders accessible and helpful, fascinating location, all trips offered something new and special – good variety. A very special experience all round”
- ACE customer on a previous tours with Kevin Hand
The Coto Doñana is one of the most prolific birdwatching destinations in Europe. From our base, the small hermitage village of El Rocío, we will study the area’s birds, mammals and ecology, alongside the cultural delights of Seville and Huelva.
Our itinerary has been designed to make the most of this stunning natural environment and maximise our chances of seeing the wonderful birds and mammals that inhabit it.
The sandy tracks of the Boca del Lobo are perfect for spotting one of the Doñana’s great birds, the Spanish imperial eagle; while across the drier habitats of monte blanco scrub and umbrella pine woodland live the beautiful azure-winged magpie, hoopoe, egrets, warblers and other typical Mediterranean species. At the Odiel Marshes Natural Park, we will search for osprey, terns, spoonbills and waders.
As well as taking in the cultural highlights of Seville, we will tour Huelva, famed as the terminus a quo for the voyages of Columbus, and spend time in El Rocío. Here, the sandy streets are designed for the horses and wagons of the thousands of pilgrims who come to the village for the Whitsun Romería del Rocío.
Our final full day takes us into the Coto Doñana National Park for an exclusive guided tour, supported by local experts, to understand the complex ecology of the region and look out for rarer species.
We will stay at the Hotel La Malvasia in El Rocío, a traditional and welcoming establishment conveniently located for our visits and within walking distance of the Marismas del Rocío. This string of huge lagoons teems with birdlife: great flamingo flocks, ducks from northern Europe, storks, stilts, glossy ibis, purple gallinule and raptors such as kites and harriers.
This tour will be led by conservationist and environmental consultant Kevin Hand, MSc, MCIEEM. Kevin has a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism, and has led many projects linking nature and communities. He has also been President of the Cambridge Natural History Society, and was previously a Director of the Tree Council. Kevin looks forward to returning to the Coto Doñana with an ACE group in 2023.
8
£2695
CDS2-23
