Themed routes
Bearded vultures gliding along the cliffs, chamois on the scree, marmots whistling in the meadows and thousands of birds in the coastal wetlands. These routes bring you close to the wildlife of Catalonia and its neighbours, with advice on watching it without disturbance.
Wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk, exactly when hotel guests have not yet arrived or have already left. With a motorhome you can sleep on a nearby campsite or aire and be at the viewpoint first thing, coffee made and binoculars ready. From the Segimon Rental base in Granollers, both the Ebro Delta and the Pyrenees are just over two hours away.
The golden rule is distance: keep away from nests and young animals, stay on marked paths, never feed wildlife and keep dogs on a lead. Leave the drone at home, as drones are banned in many protected areas. Spring and autumn are best for migrating birds; summer for high-mountain wildlife. No sighting is ever guaranteed, but with patience and a bit of luck the reward usually comes.
The Pyrenees hold the largest population of bearded vultures in Western Europe. You can see them all year, gliding along cliffs and ridges with their diamond-shaped tails. During the winter breeding season, keep well away from the crags where they nest.
See route: Pyrenees wildlife
The Pyrenean chamois, known locally as isard, roams the scree and alpine meadows of the park. Early in the morning, with binoculars, you will often spot them around Sant Maurici and the Encantats. In summer they move high up; in winter they come down into the forest.
See route: Pallars and Montsec
From June to September, marmots bask beside their burrows in meadows above roughly 1,600 metres. A sharp whistle is their alarm call: stand still and wait. They hibernate roughly from October to April.
See route: Pyrenees wildlife
The walls of the Mont-rebei gorge and the Montsec range host colonies of griffon vultures, often seen soaring above the gorge. In spring and summer, with luck, you may also see Egyptian vultures. Walk the path slowly and quietly.
See route: Pallars and Montsec
Flamingos live in the Delta all year and are often seen on the Encanyissada and Tancada lagoons, alongside herons and terns. Use the viewing towers and hides and stay on the tracks. You can also see them in the Camargue on our southern France route.
See route: Ebro Delta
Thanks to a reintroduction programme begun in the 1980s, white storks nest again in the Empordà. Trails with bird hides over the lagoons start from the El Cortalet visitor centre. March to May and August to October bring the migration.
See route: Aiguamolls & Empordà
In the Pyrenees, especially in the Pallars, Alt Urgell, the Val d'Aran and around Aigüestortes. Look along cliffs and ridges on clear days and bring binoculars. They can be seen all year round, though never guaranteed.
Flamingos are there all year, but spring and autumn are usually the best times to see many bird species together. Early morning and sunset give the best light and the most activity.
The rut usually runs from mid-September to mid-October. One of the best-known places is the Serra de Boumort in the Pallars Jussà. Listen from tracks and viewpoints, quietly and without powerful torches.
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