Tour Information
Note: The information presented below has been extracted from our formal General Information for this tour. It covers topics we feel potential registrants may wish to consider before booking space. The complete General Information for this tour will be sent to all tour registrants and of course supplemental information, if needed, is available from the WINGS office.
ENTERING SPAIN: U.S. citizens will need a passport valid for at least three months beyond your scheduled date of departure from the country, and with at least one blank page for an entry stamp. A visa is not required for stays of fewer than 90 days. Citizens of other nations should contact the nearest Spanish Consulate for entry requirements.
COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can review the U.S. Department of State Country Specific Travel Information at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Spain.html
PACE OF THE TOUR: This is a fairly relaxed tour: leisurely walking, only occasionally over moderately rough or steep terrain, is the only physical requirement. Despite covering a relatively large area of Spain we do not anticipate any especially long drives – the longest stretch being about 2 hours. However, there will be early starts on one or two days. On most days, we will have breakfast before heading out for the day with an optional pre-breakfast walk in some locations. Lunch is either a leisurely picnic or sometimes in a café en route to our next birding location. There are normally daily morning stops for tea, coffee or a cold drink. We usually return to the hotel at around 7:30 p.m. Breakfasts and dinners are usually taken late in Spain with several of our hotels not serving dinner before 8:30 p.m.
Virtually all the walking is fairly easy and on good paths or tracks. There are a couple of longer walks of about 1.5 miles each. Most of the birdwatching is done within a short distance of our vehicle.
We will also be undertaking two pelagic trips on this tour so please bear this in mind. If you suffer with sea sickness, please ensure you have the correct medication with you.
HEALTH: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all travelers be up to date on routine vaccinations. These include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.
They further recommend that most travelers have protection against Hepatitis A.
The most current information about travelers’ health recommendations can be found on the CDC’s Travel Health website at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/spain.
Smoking: Smoking and vaping is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a nonsmoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail.
Miscellaneous: Day flying mosquitoes can be a problem in some areas, so bring an insect repellent. We recommend using insect repellents with a high concentration of DEET.
Tap water is safe to drink.
CLIMATE: Temperatures on this tour will vary due to the range of habitats we will cover. Low lying inland areas will see temperatures reach up to 95°F (35°C), however we will not be in these areas for much of the tour. Most of the tour will see us visit coastal areas where temperatures of 78°F (26°C) will be more typical. However, strong winds can occur in these coastal areas which will reduce the temperature by a few degrees, despite the fierceness of the sun in early September. This reduction in temperature also applies to the mountainous areas we will visit later in the tour. Sunshine should be plentiful and retains high intensity in early September so please remember sunblock for this tour. September is typically a dry month in this part of Spain, and we shouldn’t see any significant rainfall. For the pelagic trips a warmer layer is recommended as while the sun will be intense, the wind can be quite cooling.
ACCOMMODATION: The tour stays at a number of hotels all of which have private bathroom facilities. Some have balconies and many have good views of the Spanish countryside with birdwatching right on the doorstep.
FOOD: Breakfasts are quite varied but with the usual staple items e.g. coffee, tea, juice and toast or pastries found at most of the hotels. The further inland we travel the more local delicacies such as cheese and smoked meats appear on the breakfast menu. Lunch will often be a picnic, (provided by our guide/s), which will include a selection of fresh bread, fruit and vegetables, cheese, cold meats, olives, etc. Alternatively we have tapas-style lunches at local bars. Evening meals are taken late in Spain (usually 8.30-9.00pm) which allows us to make the most of the daylight hours for birding.
Drinks: Bottled water and/or a soft drink, beer or wine is provided at lunch and dinner, as is coffee or tea. All other drinks or ‘personal’ drinking water for use in your room etc. is the responsibility of the individual. We will keep bottled water on the minibus for use during the day.
TRANSPORTATION: Transportation will be by minibus driven by the leader. The leader will arrange a seating rotation. Participants should be willing and able to ride in any seat in tour vehicles.
Updated: 05 January 2024