This birdwatching Canary Islands tour offer the opportunity to explore three island from the archipelago, Tenerife, la Gomera and Fuerteventura, with a focus on the endemics, interesting subspecies and races, but we also pay attention to flora, reptiles, sea mammals and other wildlife from the island. The islands are all volcanic in origin and offer a spectacular landscape of volcanoes, lava fields and rocky coasts, but each island is quite different, with its own sparkling personality.
We spend the first half of this tour birding on Tenerife and take the Ferry for one day to La Gomera, A small island where the original laurel forest remains very well preserved. During the crossing, we have chances of seeing several species of seabirds.
We fly over to Fuerteventura, to maximize our time during this tour, and spend three days in Fuerteventura, Situated just 100km off of the Moroccan coast, it is the oldest canary island.
Tenerife South Airport(Google Map)
3 Hours Before Flight Time
Ricardo Montero. He was born in San Sebastian, and spent his early childhood in Catalonia before moving definitely to Extremadura, where he has been living for more than 20 years and has a deep knowledge of this region and its fauna. He is committed with the nature conservation, finding great satisfaction in sharing his knowledge of the natural heritage.
He was graduated from the University of Huelva as a Physical Education Teacher his passion is natural history, birds specially. He has been 15 years organizing trips and birding routes and has worked with the government of Extremadura and different conservation organizations such as Seo/Birdlife and ADENEX in various activities: Wintering Bird Atlas of Spain, FIO, Crane´s Festival, Cáceres Bird Festival, etc.
He is a very well experienced English speaking birding guide, and has a large experience as a tour leader for international groups. He has led in Portugal, Extremadura, Asturias, Andalusia, Pyrenees an others parts of Spain. His varied interests have taken him to France, UK, Portugal, Canary Islands, India, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia.
comfortable hotels ( 3 or 4 stars category)
Typical Spanish food to a very good standard, and with a wide choice.
Vegetarian and other diets are welcome.
Accommodation: comfortable hotels with all rooms en suite.
Food: Typical Spanish food to a very good standard, and with a wide choice. Vegetarian and other diets are welcome.
Walking: generally very easy, on roads, paths and tracks.
Weather: The Canaries can frequently be windy. Temperatures will range from 16 – 23ºC in the “heat” of the day.
Group size: is restricted to 8 clients maximum.
Flights: We are able to offer flight arrangements from any airport to Madrid Barajas or quote. Please contact us and we will be happy to arrange this. Also so you can make your own arrangements, we expect your arrival in Barajas between 1.30 pm and 3.00 pm. Please do check up with us before doing any flight booking.
Meet and colleting at TFS airport where Ricardo Montero our guide will be waiting for us. Transfer to Los realejos, for dinner and accommodation in our hotel.
Depending of the time available we will do one or two stops on route to watch the first species of birds. Our hotel is a strategic location and probably we will have the opportunity to enjoy the first specialities before dinner with good chances for Canary islands chiffchaff ( Phylloscopuscanariensis), Barbary falcon ( Falco peregrinoides) and Laurel pigeon ( Columba junoniae) and the well-known bird of the Canary islands Atlantic canary ( Serinuscanaria).
Night on Tenerife at LOS REALEJOS on Half Board.
After breakfast we will visit the Canary Island Pine (Pinus canariensis) woodland within the Corona Forestal Nature Reserve to find Tenerife Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla teydea) and the carnarian subspecies of great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocoposmaiorcanariensis). Later on during the day, go to Teide National Park and the Teide Volcano, the highest mountain in Spain (at 3,718 meters, but it’s rather a stretch considering we are not on the mainland!). We will be visiting centre of El portillo where there is also a botanical garden. There is a chance of seeing the local variety of Common Buzzard (subsp. insularum), Eurasian Kestrel (canariensis), Great Grey Shrike (Laniusexcubitorkoenigi), African Blue Tit (Cyanistesteneriffae), Berthelot’s Pipit (Anthusberthelotii), as well as, Plain Swift ( Apus unicolor), amongst other birds.
The landscape is so impressive so we will have a fantastic photo opportunity.
Night on Tenerife at LOS REALEJOS on Half Board.
We will take the earliest ferry from Los Cristianos (Tenerife) to San Sebastián de La Gomera. We hire a bus and drive on La Gomera to maximize our time there. Lunch at La Laguna Grande Visitor Center Restaurant.
During the crossing, we have chances of seeing several species of seabirds like Cory´s Shearwater and the Atlantic version of the Yellow-legged Gull (Larusmichahellisatlantis). We will be searching especially for Barolo (Macaronesian) Shearwater. Another possibility is to spot some marine mammals like Short-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephalamacrorhynchus) or other species of dolphins. La Gomera is a beautiful green island where we will visit Garajonay National Park. We will stop at the famous viewpoint of el El Rejo. We will drive to the laurel forest as this is the habitat of the Laurel Pigeon (Columba junoniae) and Bolle´s Pigeon (Columba bollii). Other species that we might see include the local subspecies of Eurasian Sparrowhawk (granti), Goldcrest (teneriffae) and Common Chaffinch (canariensis). In the afternoon, back on the Ferry to Tenerife.
Night on Tenerife at los Realejos on Half Board.
After breakfast, early in the morning, we head higher up toward the slope on the mountain where Chanajiga laurel forest is. This is an interesting area to walk throughout the pristine forest looking for the endemic species of pigeon of the island, Tenerife fire crest and plain swift inter alia interesting species.
After that we will head to western tip of Tenerife “Punta del Teno” area with beautiful scenery and impressive cliffs. Park at the lighthouse and take a walk. The area is good for petrels and Barbary falcons and with some luck we also may see Barbary partridge.
On the way back we stop at the pools of Erjos surrounded by a mist forest. This is one of the hotspots of the island.
Night on Tenerife at LOS REALEJOS on Half Board.
After breakfast, drive to the airport to take the first flight to Fuerteventura.
After landing we will get the new minivan and drive to “Barranco del riocabras” a regular place of the canary subspecies of Egyptian vulture( Neophron percnopterusmajorensis) who finds its last refuge on the island, in the area there is also Fuerteventura stonechat ( Saxicola dacotidae) and trumpeter finch (Bucanetesgithagineus).
Night on Fuerteventura at Puerto del Rosario.
The island of Fuerteventura is the only place where you can see Fuerteventura Stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae). Fuerteventura is also very good for the observation of desert birds like Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotisundulatafuertaventurae), Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorius cursorexsul), Stone Curlew (Burhinusoedicnemusinsularum), Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pteroclesorientalis) and Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetesgithagineusamantum). Furthermore, there is a good population of the local subspecies of Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterusmajorensis) and Raven (Corvuscoraxcanariensis). The Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculusdacotiae) and African Blue Tit (Cyanistesteneriffaeultramarinus) belong to a different subspecies than those present on Tenerife and La Gomera. In addition to these birds, a chance to see Barbary Ground Squirrel (Atlantoxerusgetulus). We spend this morning birding in the semi-desert of Tindaya and the remaining afternoon searching for other avian specialties.
Night on Fuerteventura on Half Board.
This morning we go to Betancuria historical village, which was the capital of the island. The scattered threes in the surroundings are a good place for African blue tit (Cyanistesteneriffaeultramarinus) and canary (Serinuscanaria) with opportunity for rarities like Yellow-browed warbler (Philoscopusinornatus).
After that we will head to the south of the island to visit Jandia Natural Park. The area of “el cofete” is very well hidden and fortunately there have been no urban development, which allows us to enjoy an area of virgin beaches between the mountain and the ocean. In this area there are vegetal formations of Euphoria handiensis strictly endemic with only two known locations within the protected area of the “Parque Natural de Jandía” and the area of occupancy is only about 12 km².This is also a good place for the local species of Grey northern shrike ( Laniusexcubitorkoenigi) and Fuerteventura stone chat ( Saxicola dacotiae).
Night on Fuerteventura on Half Board.
Departure day, but we still have some time to say goodbye to the magnificent nature of Fuerteventura and we’ll spend the early morning birding in the surroundings of the hotel before depart.
Please note: Actual holiday content may vary according to the judgement of your leader, and elements beyond our control (e.g. weather)
