With photographic guidance from Sean Weekly and multiple sessions in purpose-built hides, we aim to capture an unrivalled array of imagery on this week-long wildlife photography holiday in Spain.
The trip is based entirely within the undulating hills and valleys of the Sierra Morena, including the Andujar Natural Park. This forest-clad landscape supports a wide variety of sought-after species and will hopefully provide us with excellent opportunities to build up an impressive portfolio of imagery.
Once the rarest species of big cat on the planet, the Iberian lynx is the undoubted star of any visit to this area and can now be seen with patience. They now number over 1,000 in the wild and are constantly expanding their range. The purpose-built hides allow us the opportunity to observe and photograph the lynx as they go about their business undisturbed. Notoriously shy, it's essential to put in the hours and be patient as we wait for these elusive felids to show themselves. Although there are never guarantees when it comes to wildlife photography, we have an excellent chance to capture images of this enigmatic species.
In addition to photographing lynx, there are opportunities to focus our efforts on a number of other species. A particular draw, is the dedicated raptor hide. Here it's possible to photograph the mighty Spanish imperial eagle, alongside other species such as goshawk, Bonelli’s eagle and even griffon vulture.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Fly to Malaga & transfer to Sierra Morena
On arrival in Malaga, we're met and transferred to our accommodation in the Sierra Morena to the north-east of Cordoba, close to Andujar Natural Park. This drive takes approximately two hours, so we should arrive in the afternoon. We have time to settle into our accommodation before dinner in the evening.
Accommodation: Hotel San Andres Adamuz, 7-nights
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Days 2-7
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Photography hide sessions in Sierra Morena
For the next six days, we have twice-daily photography sessions in a number of different hides across Sierra Morena. We hope to capture images of Bonelli's, golden and Spanish imperial eagle in addition to Iberian lynx. The hides have been specially-built for wildlife photography, taking into account lighting and composition to help you capture the most striking imagery possible. The hides should provide us with a range of photographic opportunities throughout our stay in Sierra Morena.
Our accommodation is located nearby, and we're transferred between, and to and from the hides throughout the itinerary as necessary. We typically visit the hides in the morning and afternoon on each full day of our stay, although this is flexible to allow us to respond to the sightings we have and how the different hides are performing over the course of the week. We may end up staying out all day on some occasions.
In between photographic sessions, and during the evenings when we return to our accommodation, Sean is on hand to provide tutorials on editing, post-processing and composition. These sessions are likely to be on an ad hoc basis and tailored to suit the group's needs.
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Day 8:
Return to Malaga & departure
After breakfast, it's time to depart and return to Malaga for our flights back home to the UK.
Please note: The itinerary is flexible and may change at short notice depending on the weather and wildlife sightings.
