13-day eco-tour: discover Spain's wild beauty

Upon arrival at Madrid's international airport, meet your local host and transfer to your hotel, where you'll find out the details of the trip you are about to start.

At noon, enjoy a bike ride through the parks of Madrid. Start at the Matadero cultural center and cycle to one of the nearby Cercanías stations to board the regional train, taking you to the north end of the city to start your tour.

You will follow the ‘green ring’, a bike path that surrounds the city center, cycling through the suburbs and along the bank that later becomes the Manzanares river. Enter the Casa de Campo, a former hunting ground for kings, before ending up in the the city's newest park: Madrid Río. To regain strength during the tour, you will enjoy a picnic of local products in one of the city's green parks.

After breakfast you will head into the heart of La Mancha, journeying towards Daimiel and its national park by electric car.

Combining travels by car and on foot, today's route is designed to make your visit of the national park more comfortable and complete. You will traverse centenary oak forests and explore some of the most unknown places of the park, accessing restricted areas that are kept in very good condition.

Continue along the southern shore of the Tablas to walk along the Isla del Pan route, which connects islands via famous wooden walkways. In the afternoon, you'll return to Daimiel National Park to regain strength and explore the town on your own.

After a comfortable sleep and delectable breakfast, it's time for you to continue your adventure in Spain! Leave for Cabañeros National Park, the Spanish Serengeti, where you will spend a wonderful day relaxing in nature and discovering a great biodiversity with your local ecotourism guide. Take the time to watch the sunset over this stunning natural landscape, before heading back to your eco-lodge for a night's rest.

After breakfast, you will depart for Sierra Nevada National Park to meet your local guide. Together you'll discover the natural, cultural, and historical wealth of the highest mountain range in the Iberian Peninsula.

In the afternoon you will enjoy a local bread workshop on an organic farm, where you will also visit their ancient oil mill to savor a superb olive oil tasting. Once finished, check into your rustic accommodation in a unique environment, and relax in the comfort of your room.

Leave your accommodation this morning after breakfast, to begin the drive towards the Alpujarras region with your local guide.

Together you will visit a jarapas workshop and test your weaving skills at a traditional loom. Then, pay a visit to a local home to experience the day-to-day way of life.

Your hotel in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, surrounded by mountains, is the perfect place to end the day. Raise a glass to the night sky and the wonderful experiences you’ve had thus far!

After breakfast you will head to Doñana, a complex mosaic of landscapes that form a flat, clean horizon. This is a paradise for birds and the most important wetland of the entire European continent.

You will have the opportunity to visit the last section of the Guadiamar Green Corridor and the Sevillian Doñana marshes. Enjoy the beauty of the largest rice paddy in Europe on Isla Mayor, the Dehesa de Abajo lagoon, and the Guadiamar river. You may encounter concentrations of several thousand waterfowl, with a chance to observe up to more than 100 different species.

Return to the visitor center through the pine forest - one of the few places in the world where the Iberian lynx lives, and where you can track its prints and signs of activity. Afterwards, head back to your accommodation to relax and explore the local town at your own pace.

This morning, make your journey towards Guadalupe, a small but charming World Heritage town. Meet your local guide to explore the Villuercas Ibores Jara Geopark, and in the afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of Guadalupe and its fantastic monastery. You'll spend the night in town, before setting off to continue your exploration of this very special region.

After breakfast, depart to Monfragüe to climb to Monfragüe Castle, where you'll enjoy stunning views across this protected natural space.

As part of today's adventures, stop at the Salto del Gitano for birdwatching with binoculars and a telescope. You'll also settle down for a picnic in the hamlet of Villarreal de San Carlos, feasting on typical regional produce.

Continue down the popular Arroyo de Malvecino - Cerro Gimio walking trail, followed by free time at your disposal to visit the historic town of Trujillo and enjoy some local cuisine for dinner.

Upon arrival at the town of Puebla de Sanabria, meet a local guide to begin a unique activity - a wolf-tracking excursion.

You will be immersed into the local shepherd culture, which arose due to the presence of wolves in this region. Take time to learn about the various protective collars worn by mastiff dogs - unique pieces made during the 20th century by blacksmiths from northwestern Zamora.

At sunset, head to an observation point for a chance to watch the wolves at their most active; these beautiful creatures hide away during the day and emerge when the sun goes down. Spot them with the help of telescopes and your local guide, and soak up the tranquility of nature and the fully clear sky at dusk.

At dawn, the mountain may appear very calm, yet the local wildlife is very active! With the help of telescopes and accompanied by an experienced guide, you will begin to scrutinize every corner of the local wolf population's habitat, as you try to spot them. This experience lasts around three hours and also allows the observation of deer, foxes, wild pigs, and other fauna of the Sierra de la Culebra. Your guide will be invaluable as you seek to find out more about these animals and their habits.

After a coffee break to regain your strength, you'll receive a hands-on explanation of various traces left behind by the local fauna - a great way to gain insight into their unique habits. Study the remains of fur, excrement, and other traces left by wolves, wildcats, martens, and squirrels; you'll even study a wolf skull and hide. Finally, in the afternoon, you will head to Picos de Europa.

Today’s route makes its first stop at the viewpoint of the Pozo de la Oración, within the Cabrales council. There, you'll get to admire the beauty of Picos de Europa's alpine landscape and its icon, the Picu Urriellu (Naranjo de Bulnes).

Journey through the Arenas de Cabrales before continuing towards the villages of Tielve and Sotres, where you will visit a traditional cheese factory and a natural aging cave before tasting the product. The cheese’s creamy texture, complex color, and slightly spicy flavor depend mainly on the types of milk used, the handling process within the factory, and the aging time in the natural cave.

After breakfast, begin one final outdoor adventure in Spain! Continue exploring the area of Picos de Europa, by heading to the Lakes of Covadonga - an extraordinarily beautiful area that hides many secrets.

You'll soon be impressed by the natural splendor that surrounds you. Your excursion into this unique terrain includes some travel via special vehicle adapted for restricted-access tracks, as well as short walks to explore hidden corners and enjoy incredible views.

This morning you’ll begin the journey back to Madrid via Santander. Depending on when your flight is, you may have some extra time to explore, or you may need to head straight to the airport for your onward travels. Have a safe flight home!