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... The organisation was first class and the itinerary re-arranged to accommodate any changes in weather forecasts for the relevant planned activities.Individual interests and requests were met wherever possible and the knowledge of flora and fauna species by the leaders was amazing with any queries followed up the same evening. The leaders passion for their subjects was obvious from the start and their organisation was first class with all domestic or personal issues dealt with to everyone's satisfaction. Virtually all wildlife that was mentioned in the overall tour information was indeed seen with the one main exception being the wolf. To actually see a wolf would have been the icing on the cake but chances of achieving this are extremely rare, however, obvious signs of these creatures was present and a carcass of a recent red deer kill was discovered along with tell tale scats. Scenery was beautiful and the peace and quite of the countryside delightful. An amazing area of interest and lots to see and do.
A.D. Nottinghamshire, Aug 18
Tour Itinerary and Reports
- Itinerary
- Tour report - September 2023
- Tour report - September 2022
- Tour report - September 2020
- Tour report - September 2020
- Tour report - August 2019
- Tour report - August 2018
- Tour report - September 2017
- Tour report - August 2017
- Tour report - September 2016
- Tour report - September 2015
- Tour report - September 2015
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Abruzzo in Autumn
Tour Code: ITA14An 8-day wildlife holiday in search of Marsican Brown Bear, Apennine Wolf, Wild Boar, Abruzzo Chamois and other wildlife of Italy's Abruzzo National Park.
£1,995 (Inc flights)
£1,795
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
In mid-September, Abruzzo National Park is bursting with the fruitfulness of autumn, and our aim during this leisurely week-long holiday is to enjoy the area’s mammal and birdlife as it prepares for the coming winter as well as late-flowering plants. Setting out each day from our delightful family-run hotel base, we’ll select a scenic spot at which to break our daily walk with a delicious lunch made from local produce, and the opportunity to scan the mountain slopes around us for Red Deer, Chamois and Alpine Chough. In September the area’s Brown (‘Marsican’) Bears are fattening up on the seasonal glut of berries — in particular on Alpine Buckthorn berries — and we’ll look for these on an afternoon/evening excursion to Refugio d’Iorio followed by a candlelit supper. Traditional cuisine and aromatic local wines make this a thoroughly well-rounded Italian experience far from the tourist crowds!
- Afternoon/evening excursion to look for Marsican Brown Bear
- Enjoy a myriad of plants, butterflies and birds in the Apennines
- Watch birds of prey such as Golden Eagle, Peregrine & Griffon Vulture
- Woodpeckers (including the rare Lilford’s subspecies of White-backed)
- Fringed Gentian, Autumn Crocus & Ivy-leaved Sowbread among flora
- Butterflies include Great-banded & Tree Graylings
- Enjoy Marco and Geraldine’s friendly hotel … and their Italian-Scottish welcome
- Learn from our expert Naturetrek botanist and naturalist leaders
Grading
Grade B. All walks are optional day walks, some of them on quite steep and rocky terrain.
The Apennine Mountains stretch the length of Italy and provide a refuge for much of Italy’s most interesting natural history. The Abruzzo National Park, in the heart of the central Apennines, was created in 1923, in recognition of the wildlife importance of the area, where extensive Beech forests harbour healthy populations of Marsican Brown Bear and Apennine Wolf, along with Wild Boar, Red and Roe Deer, while Abruzzo Chamois inhabit the higher mountain slopes. Here, the limestone peaks tower above valleys with fast-flowing streams, and attractive medieval villages cling to the hillsides. It is a working rural landscape of traditional sheep and cattle farming, where the local indigenous Maremma sheepdogs still protect the flocks (often in the absence of shepherds).
This September holiday builds on the knowledge we have gleaned from our successful May tours to the Abruzzo National Park. This fascinating area and its wildlife will be our focus for this singlecentre holiday, based for seven nights at a quiet family-run hotel on the edge of the village of Pescasseroli, in the valley of the River Sangro. May and September are considered the best months for viewing mammals and, while wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, we will immerse ourselves in the beautiful surroundings, especially at dawn and dusk, to maximise our wildlife-viewing opportunities.
By September, the potential of spring has given way to the fruitfulness of autumn, and the mammals and birds will be feasting on nature’s bounty prior to the harsh winter season ahead. For the Marsican Brown Bears, Alpine Buckthorn (Rhamnus alpinus) is a particular treat, and in early September they seek out these bushes to gorge on the berries. A highlight of this tour will be an afternoon and evening excursion to the Rifugio d’Iorio, above Pescasseroli to look for Bears. Local guides will lead us on a walk above the tree-line, on paths closed to the general public. Walking a short distance along the ridge, we will make ourselves comfortable, and then scan the slopes for these secretive mammals until darkness falls. Following a candle-lit supper of local fare in the Rifugio, we descend by the light of the stars and our torches. We hope to repeat this memorable experience on a second evening during our stay.
The woods at this time of year are generally quiet, apart from vociferous Nuthatch families, and migrant species will be departing. Resident round the hotel, however, are Tree Sparrow, Italian Sparrow, Serin, Black Redstart and Firecrest, as well as the chocolate-brown Red Squirrels. Nearby forests hold Goshawk, Common Crossbill and the rare Lilford’s subspecies of White-backed Woodpecker, whilst the mountainous areas are home to Golden Eagle, Alpine Accentor and Red-billed Chough. On one day we will visit the Sirente-Velino Natural Park, where we will search for Rock Partridge and hope to see the reintroduced Griffon Vulture amongst a variety of other raptors. As well as the profusion of fruiting trees and shrubs here, a scattering of late-flowering plants may include Fringed Gentian (Gentiana ciliata), Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale) and Ivy-leaved Sowbread (Cyclamen hederifolium), and we shall look out for butterflies such as Great Banded and Tree Graylings, Sooty Copper and Clouded Yellow.
This holiday involves more walking than on our May visits to this area, as we will be ascending stony paths to enjoy the views across the mountains. We will walk through Camosciara, with its dramatic natural dolomitic amphitheatre, climbing to the Belvedere viewpoint above the river gorge. On another day, our climb will take us through the Val di Rose, above the treeline, to search for Abruzzo Chamois on the rocky slopes and alpine grassland. Another excursion, involving a little more driving, will take us to the ancient town of Scanno, with its narrow alleyways and little squares, where women still often wear traditional dress. We will also explore the spectacular Gole di Sagittario, a deep limestone gorge; we may be too early for Wallcreeper, which is commoner in winter, but we will scan the rock faces nevertheless. Peregrine, Rock Bunting and Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush are other possibilities, while Dippers and Grey Wagtails patrol the river.
We will be based for the duration of the tour at the comfortable Albergo Paradiso, a family-run hotel on the edge of Pescasseroli, where Geraldine and Marco offer the warmest of welcomes, and a blend of Scottish and Abruzzese hospitality. Traditional cuisine and aromatic local wines contribute to making this holiday a thoroughly well-rounded and enjoyable Italian experience with, we hope, sightings of some of Europe’s most sought-after mammals to boot!
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
A single-centre holiday based in a comfortable, family-run hotel; all rooms have private facilities.
- Food:
All included in the price.
Reviews
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The wildlife was wonderful and the mammals I wanted to see all put in appearances. The hotel was comfortable and the welcome very friendly. The food was good too. I liked the more active walking days best particularly the Val di Rose.
D.S. Hampshire -
Total relaxation. Perfect planning with excellent flexibility. The leaders understood our need to take things slowly to get to the top without upsetting the faster walkers.
A. & H.S. Leicestershire -
The 2 Naturetrek guides were very knowledgeable. Jessica more so with her experience of the area and all round knowledge of mammals, birds and plants. Both very friendly and easy to get on with.
A.B. Cumbria -
The climb up to see the Chamois was a good walk and we had great views. Bear and Wolf watches from Gioia Vecchio were exceptional. The hotel was a good base for local independent walks when we did not always want to be driven. The guides had good local knowledge, good spotting skills and took great care that everyone got to see as much as possible.
C.B. Cumbria
Dates & Prices
2025
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[description] => Botanical Tours – See Wild Flowers with our Expert Botanical Guides
There are few more pleasing sights in the natural world than a meadow filled with wildflowers. Seeing plants in their native habitat is always exciting and our flower tours offer you an incredible choice, from dazzling tropical blooms and the thrill of finding elusive orchids or delicate alpines, to seeing island endemics or British flora. Our tours range from week-long holidays focusing on the ‘Alpine flowers of the Swiss Alps’, the ‘Italian Dolomites’ and the ‘Alpine Flowers of Slovenia’s Julian Alps’, to orchid-hunting on Italy’s Gargano Peninsula and searching for the Autumn Plants of Greece’s Peloponnese. We also visit more remote areas of the world in search of plant-life, from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan where we look for wild tulips, to the rainforests and spiny deserts of Madagascar where over 80% of the flora is endemic.
Many of us want to know more about the plants we see around us. Whether inspired by an appreciation of the aesthetic appeal of flowers, or a more focused desire to identify individual species, everyone with an interest in botany will derive pleasure from joining one of Naturetrek’s flower tours.
Why choose Naturetrek’s botanical holidays?
- All our botanical holidays are led by expert botanist guides
- All levels of interest and expertise are catered for, from hobby gardeners and complete beginners to keen botanists who wish to explore a new area with the help of a knowledgeable leader
- We keep the overall focus on flora, though expert guidance is also given on other wildlife
What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek botanical holiday?
- Travel with a group of like-minded people
- Stay at a comfortable hotel or lodge, close to an area of outstanding botanical interest
- Enjoy a series of leisurely day excursions with ample time to appreciate the local flora
In addition to our dedicated flower tours, we also offer holidays with a wider theme to encompass birds, butterflies and other aspects of natural history as well as the flora. Our spring tours to 'Crete' and ‘The Island of Cyprus’ are both timed to allow us to enjoy the botanical highlights as well as the spring bird migration, whilst ‘Croatia and Slovenia – Spring in Istria’ also allows time to enjoy a little of the local culture. ‘Romania – the Wildlife of Transylvania’ combines an appreciation of the flora of the Carpathian Mountains with birding, butterflying and a trip to look for Brown Bears from a purpose built hide, and our holidays in both the ‘French Pyrenees’ and the ‘Spanish Pyrenees’ combine birds, butterflies and botany throughout the week.
Our specialist recommends...
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
Bear Watching Holidays – See Bears in their Wild Habitat
Bears are many people’s favourite mammal. They are immensely strong and have unpredictable temperaments, yet inspire great affection in most of us.
The Naturetrek programme includes a number of specially designed bear-watching holidays which employ local expertise to provide clients with wonderful opportunities to see their favourite mammals.
Naturetrek Bear-watching tours
Most species of bear are retiring in habit and rarely seen during the day. However, a prodigious appetite leads many species to gather seasonally in big numbers, which makes them far easier to watch!
Our bear tour groups are limited in size and accompanied by Naturetrek naturalist leaders, and also usually assisted by resident experts. Although focused on bear-watching, all Naturetrek bear tours offer many opportunities to observe the other wildlife of the area.
We also see bears on other Naturetrek tours such as Sloth Bears on Indian and Sri Lankan tours, and Brown Bears on many European tours.
Where can I see bears?
- Slovenia - Bears, Birds & Caves – a 6-day holiday to Slovenia, focusing on its Brown Bears, birdlife and other natural history highlights
- Canada: The West – stay on a floating wilderness lodge and explore Vancouver Island in search of Grizzly Bears
- Spitsbergen – Realm of the Polar Bear – a voyage into the high Arctic in search of Polar Bears and other wildlife (exclusive charter cruise)
- Brown Bears in Finland – photograph bears from a hide on the Russian border
- Romania – The Wildlife of Transylvania – go in search of foraging bears in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains
Is it possible to see bears on other Naturetrek tours?
Yes. While not specifically searching for bears, we regularly have sightings of Sloth Bears on Indian and Sri Lankan tours, and Brown Bears on our Kamchatka cruise and many European tours.
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Butterfly Watching Holidays Led by Expert Naturalists
Who can fail to be delighted by butterflies – the intensity and variety of their colours, their delicate beauty and fascinating life cycles? Our tours allow butterfly-watching enthusiasts to observe marvellous species all around the world. Sadly, butterflies are in decline in many regions. To help prevent the loss of these beautiful creatures, our butterfly holidays make a direct contribution to their conservation.
Naturetrek Butterfly Tours
- We offer an excellent range of dedicated butterfly holidays
- All tours are led by a Naturetrek butterfly-watching expert
- Although butterflies are the main focus of our butterfly tours, we also take time to observe other wildlife
- By booking one of our dedicated butterfly holidays you will automatically be making a contribution to their conservation.
Here’s a selection of our dedicated butterfly tours:
Although we include butterfly-watching in many of our holidays, we offer a wide selection of dedicated butterfly tours, including:
- The Cevennes – we look for butterflies in the Massif Central
- Butterflies in Normandy – we go in search of some of Normandy’s 160 species of butterfly
- Sweden's Butterflies & Dragonflies – Sweden is home to Large Blue, Apollo, Scarce Copper and many more species
- Butterflies of the Dolomites – we explore sheltered valleys and butterfly hot-spots in the Italian Dolomites
- Sri Lanka - A Butterfly Tour – seeking Sri Lanka’s dazzling tropical species
- Butterflies of Morocco's High Atlas Mountains – a search for the butterflies of the High Atlas Mountains, with a wealth of other wildlife and mountain walks in spectacular scenery.
Naturetrek & Butterfly Conservation
As a top category ‘Gold’ corporate sponsor of Butterfly Conservation (BC), we donate around £1,500 annually to the charity. As well as this, since 2002 we have donated 10% of all income generated by our annual programme of butterfly tours that we run in partnership with BC, and give BC membership to all non-members joining the tours.
Our specialist recommends...
Tom Brereton - Operations Manager
Mammal Watching Holidays
Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.
Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours
Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.
Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
Bargain mammal selection
We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Tour Reports
- Tour report - September 2023
- Tour report - September 2022
- Tour report - September 2020
- Tour report - September 2020
- Tour report - August 2019
- Tour report - August 2018
- Tour report - September 2017
- Tour report - August 2017
- Tour report - September 2016
- Tour report - September 2015
- Tour report - September 2015
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
