When you think of Spain, you probably first think of beautiful cities and beaches. But Spain is also the country in Europe with the highest biodiversity! Nowhere else is it easier to get close to one of the most fascinating hunting animals in Europe: the Lynx!

The journey to lynx, vultures and owls takes us from Malaga, on the south coast of Spain, 2 - 3 hours north into the Sierra de Andujar and the Sierra de Cazorla. Over 6 days we go in search of the fascinating local wildlife. Whether on safari from the car or from the hides, we always try to catch the best views of the animals and create opportunities for great photos. The first 4 days we focus on the Iberian lynx in the morning and from the late afternoon onwards, and at the end we go in search of the large birds of prey. During the week we are accommodated in 2 different places in beautiful small, partly family-run hotels. We use a spacious people carrier as our means of transportation, which also takes us to remote areas.

The aim of this trip is to encounter the Iberian lynx. In May, we have a good chance of observing both lynx mothers with their offspring and individual animals. We usually experience lynx sightings from various vantage points in the hills or from special hides. These are small cabins that serve as hiding places. The hides are particularly suitable for photographers. The encounters with these elegant cats are very impressive. They suddenly appear silently out of nowhere and observe their surroundings in search of rabbits. They often sit just meters away from our hides.

In the lynx region, we also see little owls, Iberian ibex, red foxes and various large birds of prey.

We focus on the large birds of prey on the last day of the tour, in the Sierra de Cazorla. We head to perhaps the best spot in the world for observing and photographing griffon vultures. The giants of the skies glide past at eye level just a few meters away from us. We also have the chance to spot bearded vultures and golden eagles.

We spend the first part of the tour in the Sierra de Andujar. Here we stay in a small, beautiful family-run hotel. The rooms are modern and well equipped. We are served local dishes every day in the hotel's own restaurant.
The owners are real animal lovers. There are not only donkeys, horses, dogs and tortoises on the premises, but also their own bird hides.

We spend the last two nights in a pleasant hotel with spacious rooms in the small but very interesting town of Ubeda.

In the Sierra de Andujar, in the lynx area, the days start early in the morning after a hearty breakfast. For about 5-6 hours we set off in search of the lynx and other animals. We are back at the accommodation around 1 pm. After lunch, we have a few hours to rest a little, typically Spanish! At around 4:30pm we go out stalking again for more sightings. We are back at the hotel at 10 pm, where we round off the day with a glass of wine and a good meal.

In the Sierra de Cazorla, the days don't start quite so early, but we are out and about all day.

Normally, we enjoy pleasant temperatures of around 23 degrees and sunshine throughout the day. In the evening and at night, however, it cools down noticeably, so warmer clothing should not be missing. Good sports or trekking shoes are also suitable, hiking boots are not necessary.

For photographers, we recommend larger lenses (from 300mm), but in the hides you can also take great photos with smaller lenses and even cell phones. A tripod is also very practical, especially the ball head. There are fixtures for these in the hides.