In Wolf Country

This half-day wildlife tour goes through Parque Natural de Montesinho — a rare place in Western Europe where you walk through active wolf territory. The route varies with the season, but the structure is the same: travel by 4x4 with António to areas chosen for their wildlife potential, then walk slowly with binoculars and field guides, learning to read the landscape for what it holds. You learn the ecology of the region — from butterflies and birds to Iberian wolf, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, and fox — and how to identify their signs: footprints in soft ground, scat on trails, marks on tree bark, paths worn through vegetation. With patience and luck, you may observe deer at clearings, wild boar in the undergrowth, and golden eagles overhead. Wolf sightings are rare — they're elusive and crepuscular — but you may see fresh tracks, hear about recent sightings, and walk through ground they crossed the night before. The day ends with lunch at a mountain village restaurant.

Together with the adjacent Sierra de la Culebra in Spain, Montesinho holds one of the highest densities of Iberian Wolf — Canis lupus signatus — on the continent, and uniquely in Portugal, the Montesinho wolves rely almost entirely on wild prey rather than livestock. A 2019 study found roe deer, red deer, and wild boar most of their diet, an indicator of the area's exceptionally intact wild ecosystem. The park holds 80% of Portugal's mammal species and over 150 bird species. It is the perfect spot to watch both bird species that come from Africa and wintering species that arrive here from northern Europe. From September through November, the red deer rut turns dawn and dusk into bellowing matches that carry across the valleys. António has lived inside Montesinho since 2010 and works as a photographer and naturalist. He knows the region intimately and takes you to areas with the highest likelihood for seeing deer and wild boar, and knows which trails are most frequented.

António Sá is a freelance photographer and journalist, working across travel, ethnography and nature with hundreds of articles published in the Portuguese and international press. His assignments have taken him to Borneo, Alaska, Iceland, Mongolia, China, Namibia, and across Portugal. In 2007 he led the National Geographic Channel project Portugal in Focus, a documentary on Portugal's UNESCO World Heritage sites. António also teaches photography workshops and leads photo tours.  Since 2010 António has lived in Lagomar, inside Parque Natural de Montesinho. He is a naturalist whose deep knowledge of the region's landscapes, ecology, and human communities has built relationships that give visitors access to places and people most travelers never reach on their own. In his own words: "I see this more than a business — it's a purpose. I want to share these things so people become more aware of the planet, the cultures, the landscape, the environment."

Wear clothing suitable for the season — Montesinho weather can change quickly, and wildlife observation often involves standing still for extended periods, so layers help. Hiking boots are essential; some areas involve walking on uneven ground. Bring water and any snacks you might want during the experience. If you have your own binoculars and a camera with a telephoto lens, bring them. ** António provides binoculars and field guides for everyone.