The latest harvest of lucky winners in our rapidly growing Travel Club were drawn on June 3rd at the Campanarios lodge in the Western Iberia rewilding area, during the Rewilding Europe Supervisory board meeting. The winners were drawn by Odíle Rodriguez de la Fuente, Frans Schepers, Wiet de Bruijn, Henrique Pereira, Carlota Pérez and Carlos Sánchez.
All winners will be contacted by Rewilding Europe staff. In order to thereafter claim the prizes, they will then have to contact the respective tour provider and together with them set all local arrangements. Arrangements at the destination, as described above, are included in the prize, whereas the transportation to the destination is at the winners own discretion.
Warm congratulations to the winners, and best of luck all Travel Club members, new and old, in the next draw!
Winners in the June 3, 2013 draw:
Layla Hover, Romania
Bearwatching in Sweden
Deep in the boreal forests of Hälsingland, Håkan and Eva Vargas have created an experience that offers a fascinating insight into the world of the European Brown Bear. Here, in this sparsely populated landscape of central Sweden Brown bears and other large carnivores have come back. Your chances of observing an individual or family of these magnificent creatures are very high but of course never guaranteed. Two-day safari for one person, at Vargas Wilderness Lodge.
Peter Maris, The Netherlands
Bear, wolverine and wolfwatching in Finland
The wild lands of the Finnish-Russian border zone are patrolled not only by the border guards on both sides, but also by wolves, bears and wolverines, golden eagles, white-tailed sea eagles and a lot of other wildlife. Lassi Rautiainen has worked with carnivore-watching safaris around here for almost 30 years and this is probably the best place in Europe to see wolves and bears, also interacting with each other, in the bright summer nights of this northern forest area. Lassi has more than 10 different hides in the terrain here, with different backdrops and views. And with more predators passing by than almost any other place in Europe. On offer is a three-night wildlife safari in the famous hides of Articmedia in Kuikka, Kuhmo, Finland.
Doris Voneschen, Switzerland
Farm stay at the Larsbo Gård, Sweden
Deep in the woods of Hälsingland, Åsa and Lasse Frick manage not only to preserve but to bring alive a part of Sweden´s ancient cultural heritage, offering a peaceful, fun, informative and personal stay on the farm. Tranquility, nature, grey-headed woodpeckers, the history of the countryside and the farm’s own animals take center stage. And you can throw an eye at the nearby brook’s rare freshwater-pearl mussels.The farm’s meadows are mowed in the old-fashioned way with a horse-drawn haymaking device. Gute sheep are bred here, a vegetable garden supplies the kitchen and old hay meadows and pastures are preserved. Two splendid work horses are part of the small holding and they pull carts and sleighs on guided tours of the forest.
Nils van Kessel, The Netherlands
A sweet birding break in northeast Spain with Birding in Spain
Enjoy a 4-day, 3-night winter birding break in northeast Spain, organized and led by an expert local guide. Short and sweet birding that will take you straight to the birding hotspots, but will also allow you to enjoy some of the best scenery the region has to offer. Choose between the popular number 3 “Plains and Cranes” or the number 8 “Winter Wonderland” itineraries between November and March. Enjoy the Spanish weather, landscapes and a great variety of birds. There is no corner cutting in terms of quality with these trips: the price you pay will include all that you should need,including airport pickup and drop-off, all transport in private vehicle driven by your expert guide, all meals, accommodation in en-suite twinbedded room in a quality medium-grade hotel, apartment or rural guest house near the birding sites (single supplement applicable), all guiding, fuel and tolls.
Gartze Mentxaka, Spain
Wall creeper birding safari in Bulgaria
With Neophron tours to Bulgaria’s magnificent Trigrad Gorge – probably the most reliable place in Europe to find and enjoy this exciting bird. A 4-day/3 night tour that will take you to southern Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains with their rounded, pine-clad hills, occasionally cut by streams and rivers winding through deep gorges. One of them is the magnificent Trigrad Gorge – the realm of the Wallcreeper. These lovely birds can be easily seen constantly flicking their crimson-and-black wings while investigating the rocky nooks for food. The gorge resounds with the shrill calls of the Peregrine Falcons. The Rock Bunting could be seen singing on almost every rocky place. Every now and then Dippers, Grey and White Wagtails dart over the translucent Trigrad river. Also exploring the steppe grasslands and cliffs in the foot of the mountain looking for Short-toed Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Booted Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard etc. Other wildlife to look for includes the Souslik, standing sentinel in front of a hole or scurrying around in the low grassy steppe areas in the mountain foothills.
Sasa Mesec, Slovenia
Sea eagle adventure, in North Tröndelag, Norway
If you can fancy to see and photograph white-tailed eagles, many of them and at close range, day after day – this is the place to go. And Ole-Martin Dahle,”The Eagle Man”, is the right man to do it with. An unforgettable experience in the stunningly beautiful Norwegian west coast setting of Flatanger, Trøndelag. Ole Martin has spent time with 12 pairs of local eagles for some 20 years now. The know each other pretty well. In the summer season you see them by boat, and in the winter season from purpose-built hides on the hillside, in a mountain area nearby. In both cases at maybe 15 metre’s distance! By the hides, you also get golden eagles coming, very regularly. If you are here during April, Ole Martin can show you great capercallie leks and black grouse leks. In winter also goshawks up close from special hides. And moose and roe deer… The offer this time is a 5 night stay at his lodge ”Örneredet”, together with 4 days with The Eagleman and his Eagles at sea. No food included, but the lodge has a great kitchen and the village a great shop.