Discover Sardinia’s wonderful flora and fauna across a variety of habitats, including coastal lagoons, cork oak woodland and karstic mountain landscapes
Marvel at the beautiful lagoons of Mari e Pauli and Sale Porcus, resplendent with uncommon water birds
Examine the island’s Bronze Age civilisation through its characteristic circular towers – Nuraghi
“Lovely mixture of knowledge and enthusiasm and with a 'nothing is too much trouble' approach”
– ACE customer on a previous tour with Peter Exley
Based in the lakeside town of Cabras, where local fishermen still set out to sea in traditional reed boats, and Cala Gonone, bordering one of the most scenic stretches of the Mediterranean, this tour takes in Sardinia’s coastal waters and rugged interior on an exploration of its natural history and archaeology.
Wild & Ancient
This tour is part of ACE’s ‘Wild & Ancient’ series, unique products designed to showcase the many interwoven aspects of the landscapes we visit. These tours usually focus on natural history (particularly flora and fauna, but often also geology and insect life), interpreting the landscapes, their ecology and their conservation. As part of this wider exploration, they also shed light on an array of fascinating historical sites, from the Bronze Age Nuraghi of Sardinia to the Neolithic monuments of Orkney. On some tours, the archaeological and historical content is provided by an additional Tour Director or local guide. Please read the advertised itinerary carefully and if you would like further information about a specific tour, contact the ACE office.
The natural sites offer ideal opportunities to discuss interesting interactions between fauna and flora, and adaptations to unusual habitats, as well as Sardinia’s complex geology. At the lagoons of Marina di Torre Grande, we are likely to see flamingos, stilts and ospreys; while our visit to Mari e Pauli and Sale Porcus often provide glimpses of water birds like the purple gallinule, great white egret and red-crested pochard. On the high basalt plateau of Gesturi, we will meander through forests of cork oaks looking for Mediterranean spring flowers and survey the bountiful streams and pools for migrant birds. We also hope to find a variety of orchids, explore the island’s fascinating insect life and enjoy encounters with its wild ponies.
While this tour primarily concentrates on Sardinia’s natural history, it also incorporates some of the island’s fascinating archaeological remains. The most striking remnants of the indigenous Bronze Age Nuraghic civilisation that once existed here are the circular stone towers – Nuraghi – that are dotted across the landscape. We will incorporate several of these atmospheric sites, interwoven with natural wonders. We will also discover the substantial Punic and Roman ruins at Tharros, standing high above the Mediterranean, and the UNESCO-protected complex at Su Nuraxi di Barumini, comprising a defensive stronghold and surrounding village – an unparalleled survival from the ancient world.
In Cabras we will stay at the three-star Villa Canu, a small and simple family-run hotel, and in Cala Gonone at the four-star Hotel Costa Dorada, which enjoys an excellent seafront location alongside a relaxing, Sardinian atmosphere.
Wildlife in 2025
Our 2025 group saw or heard collectively 89 bird species, four species of mammal (otter, bottlenose dolphin, pilot whale, wild ponies), three species of reptile (Tyrrhenian wall lizard, Moorish gecko, western whip snake), multiple butterfly species (including long-tailed blue and Corsican swallowtail), and an array of excellent flora, including Mediterranean spring flowers. At the Marina di Torre Grande lagoons we enjoyed brilliant views of stone curlews, slender-billed gulls, osprey feeding and distant flamingos; while in the Supramonte mountains we heard a scops owl call - a very unusual sound. The Giant’s tomb enchanted us with its quiet beauty including abundant wild flowers and singing woodlark, while on the way home from Su Nuraxi, an otter suddenly appeared on the road ahead, causing great excitement!
– Tour Director Peter Exley
Peter Exley
Peter worked for the RSPB for over 27 years, contributing to a project in Somerset reintroducing cranes to the area and saving seabirds on Lundy and the Isles of Scilly,
This tour will be led by Peter Exley, BSc, an ornithologist and conservationist who worked for the RSPB for over 27 years, including projects reintroducing cranes to Somerset, saving seabirds on Lundy and the Isles of Scilly, as well as with BirdLife International in South Korea and the Albatross Task Force in South Africa. Peter has led and managed many ACE tours in the United Kingdom and abroad.
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£3495
SARD-26
