CATALONIA IN SPRING
CATALONIA IN SPRING
Pyrenees, Steppes & Ebro Valley
Optional Ebro Delta extension
A 5-day Bird Photography Tour led by Rafael Armada.
Trip Overview
Spring in Catalonia is one of the most concentrated bird photography seasons in Western Europe. Migrant birds are arriving, resident birds are on territory, and the light across the Pyrenees, the Ebro steppe and the Mediterranean coast is at its most varied and interesting.
This route follows a circular journey from Barcelona with an itinerary that combines specialised photography hides, field sessions and safari-style days adapted to weather, light and bird activity. Five days in the field, moving through landscapes that change completely from one zone to the next.
Rafael Armada will be with you throughout, working alongside you on your images. Composition, light, settings, the decision to wait or move on. The kind of attention that only works in very small groups and with enough time to do things properly.
Where and when?
The journey begins in the Catalan Pyrenees, where spring brings the first migrants back to the mountain slopes and resident raptors are at their most active around the nest.
Further south, the steppe opens up into a completely different photographic setting, flat, full of colors and full of species that are almost impossible to find anywhere else in Western Europe at this time of year.
The final days move through the lower Ebro Valley, where wetlands and Mediterranean scrub host a distinctive mix of breeding and passing species.
The trip runs from April to May, when longer days and warm light create some of the most productive conditions of the year for bird photography across all three zones.
Optional tour extension: For those who want to push further, the tour can be extended by one or more days with safari sessions in the Ebro Delta, one of the most important wetland systems in the western Mediterranean and an exceptional location for waterbird photography in spring.
Prices and options
Trip price:
From 2.450 € per person
Single supplement: 150 €
Deposit: 500 €
Optional Ebro Delta extension (+1 day): +400€
*Prices shown include 21% VAT
Group size: 2-3 participants
Tour Leader: Rafael Armada
Season: April to Jun
What’s included
4 nights accommodation
All ground transport throughout the itinerary
Barcelona airport/hotel pick-up and drop-off
All meals (including catering service during the Pyrenees stay, snacks and soft drinks)
5 days of guiding with Rafael Armada
On-location photographic workshop throughout the programme
Personal photographic guidance
All hide sessions included in the itinerary
All Ebro Delta photo safaris and field photography sessions
What’s not included
Flights to/from Barcelona
Alcoholic drinks unless specifically included as part of the wine tasting experience
Optional Wine tasting experience in Ebro Valley
Optional Olive oil tasting experience in Ebro Valley
Optional Ebro Delta extension (+1 day): +400€
Travel and cancellation insurance
Personal expenses
Anything not specified
Tour Itinerary
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The journey begins in Barcelona, where you will be met at the airport, your hotel or other accommodation.
From Barcelona, we travel to the Catalan Pyrenees, a journey of approximately four hours. Comfort stops are made along the way, and lunch will be taken en route.
By early afternoon, we will arrive at our private mountain accommodation.
During the afternoon, we begin our first photography session, focusing on Red Deer.
After dinner, we head to a dedicated hide for a night photography session targeting Stone Marten.
Accommodation: Private mountain house reserved exclusively for our group.
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At 09:00, we begin our first hide session of the day, focusing on Bearded Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, Egyptian Vulture and Red-billed Chough.
After lunch, we continue with an afternoon session from an open hide, offering opportunities to photograph Bearded Vultures, Cinereous Vultures and Griffon Vultures in flight. Later, we move for wide-angle photography of Griffon Vultures.
After these sessions, we leave the Pyrenees and travel south towards the steppes. The drive takes approximately three hours
Accommodation: Hotel in Lleida
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Depending on the activity we may start with a morning hide session for Little Bustard courtship display, followed by an afternoon hide session targeting European Rollers and Eurasian Bee-eaters.
Accommodation: Hotel in the historic centre of a traditional Ebro Valley village.
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The morning and afternoon sessions across these two days are drawn from a set of hides in the area, chosen on site depending on bird activity and conditions.
Option 1 — Black Wheatear hide. Other species regularly photographed here include Black-eared Wheatear, Red-rumped Swallow, Rock Sparrow, Sardinian Warbler, Dartford’s Warbler, Thekla Lark and European Serin.
Option 2 — Bonelli's Eagle hide.
Option 3 — Blue Rock Thrush hide. Other species regularly photographed here include Sardinian Warbler, Western Subalpine Warbler, Melodious Warbler and a variety of Mediterranean passerines.
Option 4 — Wetland hide. Species regularly photographed include Water Rail, White Stork, Great White Egret, Spotless Starling, Iberian Yellow Wagtail, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Hoopoe and others.
Acommodation:
Day 4 - Hotel within the Ebro Valley.On the afternoon of the Day 5 - Transfer back to Barcelona airport or hotel.
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The tour can be extended with one or more days in the Ebro Delta, one of the most important wetland systems in the western Mediterranean and an exceptional location for waterbird photography in spring and birding with camera.
Additional cost: +400€ per day.
Acommodation: Hotel inside the Ebro Delta
Accommodation
Interested in this tour?
This itinerary can be added to a longer tailor-made tour in Spain.
You can fill in the form below, or simply write to us at warblertours@gmail.com to plan your trip.
