The leaders and the guests were super and along with learning and spotting so many birds, it is up there with one of the best holiday I have ever had. One highlight was seeing Balearic Warblers on the last day at a view point just before the heavens opened and we ran back to the minivan just in time! I also loved the day we went down to the sea and saw a variety of seabirds in a very beautiful habitat. And we saw a tortoise strolling across the path. The buffet food with nightly themes was excellent. We also enjoyed the pool. The hotel backs onto a wildlife park and so was very accessible to look at birds etc anytime.
F.S. Herefordshire, Sept '22
Tour Itinerary and Reports
- Itinerary
- View Autumn Itinerary
- Tour report - September 2024
- Tour report - April 2024
- Tour report - April 2024
- Tour report - September 2023
- Tour report - April 2023
- Tour report - September 2022
- Tour report - September 2022
- Tour report - April 2022
- Tour report - September 2021
- Tour report - September 2021
- Tour report - September 2019
- Tour report - April 2019
- Tour report - April 2019
- Tour report - September 2018
- Tour report - April 2018
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Go Slow in Mallorca
Tour Code: ESP49A relaxed 8-day birdwatching tour of Mallorca's finest sites, concentrating mainly on the spectacular north-east.
£1,995 (Inc flights)
£1,795
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
- Itinerary
- View Autumn Itinerary
- Tour report - September 2024
- Tour report - April 2024
- Tour report - April 2024
- Tour report - September 2023
- Tour report - April 2023
- Tour report - September 2022
- Tour report - September 2022
- Tour report - April 2022
- Tour report - September 2021
- Tour report - September 2021
- Tour report - September 2019
- Tour report - April 2019
- Tour report - April 2019
- Tour report - September 2018
- Tour report - April 2018
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Can I help you?
Quick Enquiry
Summary
Following a direct flight from the UK to Palma on Mallorca (Majorca) (regional flights usually available) we will drive north-east to our excellent 4-star hotel, the Pollentia Club Resort, close to the town of Puerto Pollensa. We will be based here for the whole week, exploring the area’s wide range of habitats at a leisurely pace. The hotel even has its own private hide overlooking the S’Albufereta Marsh which we will visit in search of species such as Osprey, Western Marsh Harrier, Greater Flamingo and Kentish Plover, amongst others. We’ll visit the Bocquer Valley in search of Booted Eagle and Blue Rock Thrush amongst other species; the vast Albufera Marsh is home to egrets, herons, and Great Reed Warbler, and in the Salinas de Levante we’ll look for species such as Thekla Lark and Audouin’s Gull.
- Leisurely single-centre holiday with direct flights
- Stay at a 4-star hotel with indoor & outdoor swimming pools, spa & sauna
- Enjoy Hoopoe, Bee-eater & Nightingale plus migrating waders, swallows & martins
- Look for Black-winged Stilt, Sardinian & Cetti’s Warblers, S’Albufereta Marsh
- Balearic Woodchat Shrike, Balearic Warbler & Wryneck possible, Bocquer Valley
- Griffon & Cinereous (Black) Vultures seen regularly at the Cuber Reservoir
- Visit the Formentor Peninsula in search of Scopoli’s & Balearic Shearwaters
- Western Swamphen, Marbled Duck & Pied Avocet among highlights, Albufera Marsh
- Led by an expert naturalist guide
Grading
Grade A. Easy walking.
The popularity of Mallorca as a holiday destination is well known and is derived from its great natural beauty characterised by mountains, extensive marshes, woodlands, craggy coastlines and sandy beaches. Its main geographical feature is the Tramuntana Mountain range which runs from south-west to north-east along the north coast, sheltering the remainder of the island from colder northerly weather. It is a superb destination for seeing birds of the western Mediterranean with species such as Hoopoe, Bee-eater and Nightingale joined by migrating waders, swallows and martins, with perhaps the odd vagrant or two.
Following a direct flight from Gatwick to Palma we will drive to our excellent 4-star hotel, the Pollentia Club Resort, in the peaceful north-east of the island close to the town of Puerto Pollensa. We will be based here for the whole week, exploring the area’s wide range of habitats at a leisurely pace. The relaxed pace will also allow plenty of time to enjoy the hotel’s extensive range of facilities which include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa and sauna. Breakfast and dinners at the hotel are buffet-style and we will take picnic lunches with us on our daily excursions. The hotel even has its own private hide overlooking the S’Albufereta Marsh which we will visit in search of species such as Osprey, Western Marsh Harrier, Black-winged Stilt, Greater Flamingo, Kentish Plover, and Sardinian and Cetti’s Warblers, amongst others.
During the week we will visit the quiet Bocquer Valley where we may find Booted Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush, Balearic Woodchat Shrike, Balearic Warbler and Wryneck; the Cuber Reservoir where, with luck, we may find both Griffon and Cinereous (Black) Vultures; the rocky Formentor Peninsula where we should see Scopoli’s and Balearic Shearwaters off the point; the vast Albufera Marsh home to egrets, herons, Western Swamphen, Marbled Duck, Avocet and Great Reed Warbler, and the Salinas de Levante in the south of the island where we may find Thekla Lark and Audouin’s Gull.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
Comfortable hotel near Puerto Pollensa, with private facilities and swimming pool.
- Food:
All included in the price.
Reviews
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The holiday was packed with interesting wildlife sightings accompanied by a wealth of information from the tour leaders. The venue was excellent with a good range of facilities and a new culinary experience every night. This is our fifth excursion with Naturetrek and once again we were not disappointed. The holiday was twice postponed because of the Covid pandemic and the tour operator was very supportive throughout. The office staff and tour leaders were all very knowledgeable and helpful as usual.
P.B. Pembrokeshire, Sept 22 -
The leaders were highly knowledgeable, skilled and professional. The whole week was run very smoothly and much attention given to ensure we all had maximum sightings of birds and flowers wherever we were. This was an excellent holiday, I enjoyed it immensely.
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The time of year was good, in the middle of the migration and with so many flowers filling our vision with colour. Our two Leaders were very knowledgeable and nothing too much trouble for them. Thank you for a great trip.
A.D. West Sussex, Apr 19
Dates & Prices
2025
Tour Leader: David Jackson
Dave has been fascinated by the natural world from an early age when his dad used to take him fishing at a local lake in Hertfordshire, however, he didn’t have the concentration to sit still for long unless trying to encourage a Robin to feed from his hand!
In adult life, he has been a long-serving committee member of the local RSPB Members’ Group and took part in the charity’s fund-raising bike rides from London to Oxford, ‘Pedal for Puffins’ and ‘Pedal for Parrots’.
Dave is also a serving committee member of the Northamptonshire Bird Club and, although birds are his first love, he has an interest in all natural history and gives illustrated talks to groups and societies from his travels to Iceland, New Zealand, Panama, South Africa, The Gambia and more.
After a career in financial services, David took early retirement and finally found “his true vocation” - leading for Naturetrek. He has now led multiple tours to countries including Iceland, Scotland, St. Lucia and The Gambia. He also leads tours in our portfolio of Vegetarian and Vegan Wildlife Holidays.
When not touring, he volunteers for Wildlife Trust BCN at Pitsford Nature Reserve SSSI where he is involved in many aspects of conservation, maintenance and survey work.
He also runs Naturetrek’s 'Introduction to Macro Photography at Pitsford SSSI' Day Trip, where a number of Dave’s photos are displayed to commemorate the Trust’s 50-year anniversary and he is always pleased to assist those on his tours in improving their photography skills
A selection of Dave’s images (including his Eurasian Sparrowhawk voted Birdguides Photo of the Year 2022) can be viewed here: Birdguides Portfolio.
Tour Leader: David Jackson
Dave has been fascinated by the natural world from an early age when his dad used to take him fishing at a local lake in Hertfordshire, however, he didn’t have the concentration to sit still for long unless trying to encourage a Robin to feed from his hand!
In adult life, he has been a long-serving committee member of the local RSPB Members’ Group and took part in the charity’s fund-raising bike rides from London to Oxford, ‘Pedal for Puffins’ and ‘Pedal for Parrots’.
Dave is also a serving committee member of the Northamptonshire Bird Club and, although birds are his first love, he has an interest in all natural history and gives illustrated talks to groups and societies from his travels to Iceland, New Zealand, Panama, South Africa, The Gambia and more.
After a career in financial services, David took early retirement and finally found “his true vocation” - leading for Naturetrek. He has now led multiple tours to countries including Iceland, Scotland, St. Lucia and The Gambia. He also leads tours in our portfolio of Vegetarian and Vegan Wildlife Holidays.
When not touring, he volunteers for Wildlife Trust BCN at Pitsford Nature Reserve SSSI where he is involved in many aspects of conservation, maintenance and survey work.
He also runs Naturetrek’s 'Introduction to Macro Photography at Pitsford SSSI' Day Trip, where a number of Dave’s photos are displayed to commemorate the Trust’s 50-year anniversary and he is always pleased to assist those on his tours in improving their photography skills
A selection of Dave’s images (including his Eurasian Sparrowhawk voted Birdguides Photo of the Year 2022) can be viewed here: Birdguides Portfolio.
2026
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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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Relaxed Wildlife Holidays
Our programme of Go Slow wildlife holidays allows guests to enjoy the natural world at a more leisurely pace than on one of our conventional wildlife holidays. There will be more time to relax, more time to potter, excursions will be optional and we hope you will return, not only having enjoyed a fascinating mix of birds, plants and other wildlife, but also feeling refreshed and relaxed!
Our Go Slow tours range from week-long holidays that offer warm spring sunshine and gentle natural history excursions in Portugal, the Camargue and Mallorca, to tours which take on a more cultural air each afternoon, such as Go Slow … in Istria in Autumn and Go Slow … in Southern Spain. Our Go Slow holidays in the Swiss Alps and Cyprus both combine the best of the region’s botany and birdlife, or, if you would like to travel a little further afield, why not join us for a leisurely-paced exploration of India’s Tiger Country, Kenya’s Masai Mara, or South Africa’s Western Cape?
What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek Go Slow holiday?
On each Go Slow holiday we aim to offer as many of the following as possible:
- A single-centre holiday
- Direct flights with sociable timings
- Comfortable hotel of high quality (with swimming pool if possible), serving meals of a high standard
- Leisurely paced walks on gentle terrain
- Expert leaders, as ever, with more time for interpretation & explanation
- A maximum of 6 hours in the field each day (9.30am-3.30pm with picnic lunch or two 3-hour excursions)
- Morning and afternoon toilet/comfort stops
- Minimal long drives
- Back in time for afternoon tea
- All excursions optional
- All-inclusive cost (except bar drinks & laundry)
- Time to relax, read, paint, potter, swim or enjoy anything else that you might wish to do!
Our specialist recommends...
Andy Tucker - Operations Manager
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
EnquireTour Reports
- Tour report - September 2024
- Tour report - April 2024
- Tour report - April 2024
- Tour report - September 2023
- Tour report - April 2023
- Tour report - September 2022
- Tour report - September 2022
- Tour report - April 2022
- Tour report - September 2021
- Tour report - September 2021
- Tour report - September 2019
- Tour report - April 2019
- Tour report - April 2019
- Tour report - September 2018
- Tour report - April 2018
CLICK TO SEE MOREClick to see less
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!