Some of the highest mountains in Northern Spain are located in Picos de Europa National park with peaks of more than 2500 m above sea level. The combination of meadows, low vegetation, and barren rocks at such a high altitude makes it the perfect place to spot alpine birds, which is the goal of this tour.
The tour starts at the ‘Teleférico de Fuente Dé ‘, or Fuente Dé cable car. The cable car brings you in four minutes to a height of more than 1800 m above sea level, right into the habitat of the Picos’ alpine birds.
The most sought-after alpine species here in the Picos de Europa are Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria), Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis) and Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris). Our experienced birding guide knows their nesting and foraging places. Hence, there is a high chance to spot them during the relatively easy walk.
Other species that we may encounter are Yellow and Red-Billed chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus and Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata), ravens (Corvus corax) and Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta). The walk also leads through the habitat of the Cantabrian Chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva).
A local licensed and experienced birding guide, fluent in both English and Spanish, leads this tour.
Interested to search for Alpine Birds in Picos de Europa with us?
Send us a message via the form below or contact us via info@intoasturias.com indicating the preferred tour date(s), the group size, and any other important detail.
You can also book this tour via the booking form on our website*.
*Although we do our best to update the availability on our website regularly, before booking we recommend you to send us a message. This can be done via the inquiry form below or info@intoasturias.com. Indicate the desired tour date, number of persons (adults and/or children), and whether you need transportation or not. We’ll then check the real-time availability of our guides and come back to you within 48 hours to confirm the tour date or propose another date, in case our guides are not available.
And… if you want to see more birds or other wildlife in Asturias and Cantabria, have a look at all our Wildlife Tours!
Overview
The tour starts at the Fuente Dé cable car. From here, you walk a few kilometers at a slow pace and stop regularly to observe the alpine birds. The whole route is fully accessible for anyone with a basic physical condition.
This tour is available in May, June, September, and possibly October (depending on the weather).
