Spain

Palentine Mountains

Wolves, Bears & Wildlife of Northern Spain

Set in the heart of the Palentine Mountain Natural Park in northern Spain, this tour offers an extraordinary opportunity to search for some of Europe’s most iconic and elusive wildlife. Flying from London to Bilbao, we transfer to our base in the tiny village of San Martín de Perapertu, where a family-run rural hotel provides a tranquil retreat amid oak forests and green meadows.

Each day begins before dawn, when we take up vantage points across the park’s forests and mountains to scan for Iberian Wolves and Cantabrian Brown Bears — one of the most thrilling wildlife experiences the continent has to offer. As the day unfolds, we explore a variety of ecosystems, searching for Wildcat, Water Vole and a rich diversity of bird species, including Middle Spotted Woodpecker and Rock Bunting.

Picnic lunches are taken in scenic spots using fresh local produce, and the pace throughout is relaxed and leisurely, with no requirement for a high level of physical fitness. Spending four nights in the natural park, with early-morning watches each day, this is a deeply immersive experience in one of Spain’s most spectacular and wildlife-rich mountain landscapes.

Tour Highlights

Iberian Wolves are tracked from pre-dawn vantage points with sweeping views across forests, mountains and meadows, deep within restricted reserves accessed with special permits.
Cantabrian Brown Bears are searched for across their territories, building up a picture of their hunting grounds, habits and the signs they leave behind.
Wildcats are watched as they hunt Water Vole across the lush green meadows of the natural park.
Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Iberian Green Woodpecker and Rock Bunting are among the special bird species encountered within the rich ecosystems where two great biogeographical regions converge.

Outline Itinerary

Arrive Bilbao. Transfer to hotel
WIldlife watching in the Palentine Mountain Natural Park
A last morning of wildlife watching. Transfer to Bilbao for flight to UK.

Overview

Itinerary

Trip Info

Few corners of western Europe can rival the Palentine Mountain Natural Park for raw, unspoilt wilderness — and fewer still offer the chance to search for wolves and bears in landscapes of such dramatic, sweeping beauty. This tour, based in the tiny village of San Martín de Perapertu in the heart of the natural park, is designed to make the very most of this exceptional destination, combining dedicated wildlife watching with the simple pleasures of good food, fresh mountain air and spectacular scenery.

The journey begins with a flight from London to Bilbao on Spain’s Cantabrian coast, followed by a road transfer south that crosses the full breadth of the Cantabrian Range — a journey that offers a magnificent foretaste of the landscapes to come. Our base for the week is a small, family-run rural hotel set amid centuries-old oak forests and lush green meadows, home to just 14 inhabitants. It is a haven of peace and tranquillity, and the ideal place from which to explore the surrounding natural park.

The rhythm of each day is shaped entirely by the wildlife we have come to find. Breakfast is served as early as 05:30, with our 4×4 vehicles departing at 06:15 to reach strategic vantage points before first light. Here, with telescopes and binoculars trained across forests, mountains and meadows, we spend the early-morning hours scanning for Iberian Wolves and Cantabrian Brown Bears — two of Europe’s most iconic and elusive predators. As the light gradually improves and the landscape comes to life around us, the experience is nothing short of unforgettable.

The Iberian Wolf is one of the most secretive and fascinating animals in Europe, and the Palentine Mountains represent one of the finest places on the continent to observe it in the wild. The Cantabrian Brown Bear, meanwhile, is a subspecies found only in this corner of northern Spain, making any sighting a genuinely rare and privileged experience. Our guides hold all necessary permits to access protected reserves and restricted-use areas within the park, giving us the very best possible chance of encountering these magnificent animals in their natural habitat.

Beyond the large carnivores, the park supports a wonderfully rich and varied community of wildlife. Wildcat may be seen hunting across open meadows, where the elusive Water Vole is also a possibility. The convergence of two great biogeographical regions within the park creates the conditions for a notably diverse bird community, and we shall enjoy searching for species including Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Iberian Green Woodpecker and Rock Bunting throughout our time here. Each day brings fresh possibilities and new discoveries.

Picnic lunches are an unhurried and thoroughly enjoyable part of each day, taken in scenic spots with views across the park and prepared entirely from fresh local and traditional produce — perhaps a classic Spanish omelette, or a hearty chickpea and vegetable stew. In the evenings, dinner at the hotel continues in the same spirit, with every meal reflecting the culinary traditions and seasonal ingredients of this remarkable region.

Despite the early starts and the high altitudes — we shall be exploring at between 1,500 and 1,900 metres — the pace of the tour is relaxed and accessible. The 4×4 vehicles bring us close to the best observation points, and any walking follows straightforward paths at a leisurely pace. Warm clothing is recommended, particularly for the dawn watches, which can be cool regardless of the season.

This is, above all, a deeply immersive journey into one of Spain’s finest and most unspoilt natural landscapes — a place where the wild still holds sway, and where the rewards for those who rise before dawn are quite simply extraordinary.

DAY 1 FLY LONDON–BILBAO, TRANSFER TO PALENTINE MOUNTAINS

Our wildlife tour to the Palentine Mountains begins with a scheduled flight from London to Bilbao on the Cantabrian coast. On arrival, we transfer south by road, crossing the full breadth of the Cantabrian Range — a journey that offers a wonderful foretaste of the dramatic landscapes we have come to explore. We make for our base for the week: a small, family-run rural hotel in the tiny village of San Martín de Perapertu, deep within the Palentine Mountain Natural Park. Set amid centuries-old oak forests and lush green meadows, and home to just 14 inhabitants, it is a haven of peace and tranquillity — the perfect place to return to after each day’s excursions.

Depending on our flight arrival time, we may already venture into the natural park on this first afternoon in search of Wildcat, and to enjoy our first encounters with some of the area’s special birds: Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Iberian Green Woodpecker and Rock Bunting are all possible. We aim to be back at the hotel by around 17:00, with dinner at 19:00, always prepared using fresh local and traditional produce. These timings — morning departures, late-afternoon returns and evening dinners — will apply throughout the tour. 4 nights San Martín de Perapertu, Palentine Mountain Natural Park

DAYS 2–4 PALENTINE MOUNTAIN NATURAL PARK — WOLVES, BEARS & WILDLIFE

These are our three full days of exploration, all spent within the Palentine Mountain Natural Park, and each day follows a wonderfully productive rhythm. An early rise is required — breakfast is served between 05:30 and 05:45, with departure in our 4×4 vehicles at 06:15. We head deep into the heart of the park, accessing protected reserves and restricted-use areas for which we hold all necessary permits. The experience of searching for Iberian Wolves and Cantabrian Brown Bears begins before dawn: we take up a strategic vantage point with a sweeping view across forests, mountains and meadows, and spend around two hours scanning the landscape with telescopes and binoculars as the light gradually improves — a truly spectacular setting and an unforgettable experience.

After the early-morning watch, we continue to explore different ecosystems within the park, building up a picture of wolf and bear territories — their hunting grounds, their habits, the signs they leave behind. We also keep a close eye on the meadows, where Wildcats may be seen hunting the elusive Water Vole. With two great biogeographical regions converging here, the Palentine Mountain Natural Park supports a notably rich community of bird species, and we shall enjoy searching for these too throughout each day.

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of each day will be our picnic lunch, enjoyed in scenic spots with views across the natural park — an entirely relaxed and convivial affair, with everything prepared from local and traditional produce: perhaps a classic Spanish omelette, or a hearty chickpea and vegetable stew. After lunch, we resume our route, continuing to focus on the large carnivores and other wildlife, as well as birdwatching opportunities, before returning to the hotel in the late afternoon.

A high level of physical fitness is not required. The 4×4 vehicles will bring us close to the best observation points, and any walks through the park follow paths with no particular difficulty, following the wildlife at a leisurely pace. We shall be at altitudes of between 1,500 and 1,900 metres, so warm clothing is advisable — especially for the early-morning vigils at dawn, which can be quite cold whatever the season.

DAY 5 PALENTINE MOUNTAIN NATURAL PARK, FLY BILBAO–LONDON

Depending on the departure time of our return flight from Santander, we have the opportunity to carry out one final early-morning watch in the natural park — another chance for wolves, bears and the wide array of wildlife that has made this such a memorable tour. We also enjoy a last picnic lunch in the field before making our way north, crossing back over the Cantabrian Range to Santander airport and our flight home, where our Palentine Mountains tour concludes.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker © Carl Downing

Group Size

Maximum of ten participants and one WildWings leader.

Accommodation

Four nights accommodation in Spain, staying in small, rural hotel.

We spend the first 6 nights in the mountains of Northern Spain (spending three nights at two different rural hotels). From there, we travel to La Mancha for a 2-night stay, before concluding with three nights near Andujar.

All rooms have private facilities.

Meals

All main meals are included in the tour price, commencing with a light lunch on Day 1 (subject to flight times) and concluding with breakfast on Day 5.

Breakfasts and evening meals will be at the hotels. Lunches are likely to be picnics.

Walking

Our walks will be mixed with some short (eg when watching for targets from various viewpoints).

Wear comfortable walking shoes or lightweight boots, with sturdy corrugated soles for grip.

Weather

The weather in the north of Spain is likely to be pleasant but if we go high into the mountains it is likely to be cool and there are chances of rain so it will be important to bring some warm and weatherproof clothing.

Ground Transport

By 4×4.