Naturetrek wildlife holidays to Abruzzo National Park

Naturetrek and our hosts in Abruzzo, Geraldine and Marco, formed a winning partnership many years ago. The hotel’s perfect location, nestled just outside the quiet town of Pescasseroli, our hosts’ warm and engaging hospitality, coupled with excellent local cuisine really does make the Albergo Paradiso the perfect base. With our first group visiting back in 2002, we have since sent many clients to enjoy this special region, and Geraldine and Marco are always happy to host more!

Founded in 1922, Abruzzo National Park covers the majority of the Abruzzo region. It is just a two hour drive east of Rome, and forms part of the Apennine Mountain range known as ‘the spine’ of Italy. The most biodiverse national park in Italy, it is an ideal location for the all-round naturalist to visit. The reason for the park’s initial creation, and a real target during this holiday, is the distinctive and attractively marked Marsican subspecies of European Brown Bear, which was on the brink of extinction when the park was formed. Thanks to the protection the park affords it, the bear has survived, though it is still incredibly rare with a population of only about 50 individuals. Naturetrek groups over the years have had great success, however, in seeing this special animal, in particular during early morning and late evening scanning sessions from known vantage points. The endemic Apennine subspecies of Wolf is also possible, along with the more regularly seen Wild Boar, Red and Roe Deer, and Apennine subspecies of Chamois on the higher peaks.

Abruzzo’s wild flowers are stunning and one of the highlights of a visit during late spring/early summer. It is possible to find 25+ orchid species during a week’s stay in the park, from the striking Adriatic Lizard and exotic-looking Lady's Slipper Orchids to the more subtle, yet delightful, Coralroot Orchid. In the pristine alpine valleys, carpets of Elder-flowered Orchids may be seen at this time of year along with the endemic Marsican Iris and Trumpet Gentian. Butterflies are numerous and diverse, and we will look out for Turquoise, Chapman’s and Baton Blues over meadows, a variety of fritillaries and skippers, and abundant Scarce Swallowtails; Purple-shot Coppers are also possible for the vigilant. The birdlife, though lacking somewhat in diversity, certainly has some star species. Wryneck and Red-backed Shrike nest in the meadows just outside the hotel, while Alpine Accentor and Rock Thrush can be found on the higher slopes. Golden Eagles thrive in Abruzzo and can often be seen soaring overhead, Western Bonelli’s Warblers and Firecrests are common in the woodlands, and Collared Flycatchers are also found in the park. We will inspect streams for the endemic Italian Stream Frog and, each morning, those who wish can help record the findings in our moth-trap.

Our Abruzzo holidays are based at the delightful Albergo Paradiso, enjoying Geraldine’s fine home cooking and welcoming atmosphere and, from here, we have easy access to the sites we wish to explore, meaning travel time is limited. Delicious picnic lunches will be taken out in the field each day and, with multiple leaders, we have the luxury of offering a range of activities and walks of different duration to suit everyone’s needs. As well as the aforementioned wonderful wildlife, there is ample opportunity to explore the town of Pescasseroli with its narrow streets and alleys, 11th century abbey and tempting ice cream parlours!

With our explorations complete we will return to Rome for our onward flights home or, for those who wish to stay longer, we are more than happy to help with any extensions.

To find out more, or to book a place, follow the link below.