Italian Apennines: Walks & Wildlife

Italian Apennines: Walks & Wildlife

6 Days Starting and ending in Rome

Visiting: Italy

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

TIR

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

4 - 8

Physical rating:

Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus

Tour operated in:

English
From: $2550

NB: Prices correct on 05-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Embark on a walking adventure in the Abruzzo mountains, joining expert nature guides from our partners Rewilding Apennines to learn about the essential conservation work they do here. During this six-day experience, we witness the intimate relationship between humans and animals, visiting bear corridors, waking before sunrise to track wolves, and spending a night in a remote mountain refuge. The expert insight of the nature guides, plus a chance to explore one of the more remote regions of Italy, will undoubtedly leave you with a deep connection to the rugged landscapes and extraordinary wildlife of the wild Apennines.



This trip visits the area that is being rewilding in partnership with Rewilding Apennines, through our Nature and Carbon Corridors project. All profits from the sale of this trip will go to Rewilding Apennine’s vital biodiversity restoration work.

Highlights

  • Join experts from conservation group Rewilding Apennines to see their crucial work in action

  • Combine hiking and wildlife tracking with walks in the Abruzzo mountains

  • Visit bear corridors to see how they have dramatically reduced animal-human conflict

  • Rise before the sun to track wolves and other wildlife in the valley

  • Stargaze and feast on local cuisine during our stay in a remote mountain refuge

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Travel To Pescasseroli

Meals Included: Dinner

After arriving in Rome, transfer (three hours) to Pescasseroli, a quaint mountain town in the Abruzzo mountains. Here is our home for the adventure: the four-star Villino Quintiliani Hotel.



After settling into our rooms, enjoy a special presentation on rewilding in the area by the Team Leader of Rewilding Apennines, Mario Cipollone. His passion for wildlife and expertise on the local nature (and particularly the Marsican brown bear) make him the ideal person to kickstart our trip. We are also introduced to our Nature Guide for the adventure, Valeria Roselli or Andrea De Angelis, and go on a short hike in the area to get to know each other and the region a little better.



Accommodation: Villino Quintiliani Hotel (or similar)

Day 2 : Visit Bear Smart Community

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is dedicated to an icon of the Abruzzo mountains: the critically endangered Marsican brown bear. It’s thought there are only around 60 left in the wild, and today we learn about the vital work Rewilding Apennines is doing here to protect their numbers.



Our adventure takes us to one of the Bear-Smart Corridors, part of a network of ‘coexistance corridors’ in which the local communities, businesses and individuals are educated on reducing human-bear conflict.



We get a chance to visit one of these communities, where we see some of the excellent work that was already been done, including the installation of about 100 electric fences, along with the deployment of bear-proof waste bins. We also see how and why these corridors are vital to the protection of the local community as much as the bears themselves.



Accommodation: Villino Quintiliani Hotel (or similar)

Day 3 : Sunrise Wolf And Wildlife Tracking; Hike To The Mountain Refuge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Before sunrise (and after a coffee), we head onto the mountain slopes with our Nature Guide to search for wolves and other wildlife. This particularly scenic part of the Apennines is also home to wild boar, red deer and chamois, plus there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about human-wildlife conflict, before returning to the hotel around mid-morning for a hearty breakfast.



(Three-hour walk; 3mi/5km; ascent: 985ft/300m; descent: 985ft/300m)



Refreshed, we head back into the wilderness, walking to the Terraegna Mountain Refuge, where we stay tonight. Our journey takes us through a forest of beautiful beech trees, with mosses and lichens, and along a wild valley where we can spot the wild fauna.



We get to the shelter in the evening, arriving under a starry night sky and hopefully seeing dancing fireflies in the woods.



Dinner is a showcase of regional cuisine. Local dishes include: maccheroni alla chitarra, which is made with a tool that resembles a stringed musical instrument; orapi (wild spinach) and bean soup; gnocchetti with wild spinaches; barbecued meat; and local cheeses, such as pecorino, sheep's milk ricotta, cow's milk caciocavallo, and a rare goat's milk cheese called marzolina.



(Two-hour walk; 5mi/8km; ascent: 1,310ft/400m)



Accommodation: Terraegna Mountain Refuge

Day 4 : Mountain Experience And Wildlife Tracking

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Wake up surrounded by the rugged peaks of the Apennines and enjoy an early morning mountain experience: hiking and wildlife tracking. We have breakfast back at the refuge before we leave for a midday hike and remote picnic lunch. There are always beautiful views and if there are good weather conditions you can see the peaks of Gran Sasso d’Italia, Monte Velino and the Majella Massif. During the walk, we hear tales from local history going back 1,000 years. Arriving back in Pescasseroli, enjoy a late afternoon coffee and time to explore. In the evening, it’s normally possible to enjoy a short wildlife-watching session near the village.



Accommodation: Villino Quintiliani Hotel (or similar)

Day 5 : Wildlife Tracking

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we go on a hike that offers sensational national park landscapes, with rocky walls, deep glacial valleys and beech forests. Walking silently and respectfully, we are likely to see one of the most important populations of Apennine chamois grazing between pastures and rocky walls. After a packed lunch, we return to the hotel for time to relax. In the evening, we have our last wildlife-watching session, heading to a panoramic terrace at sunset when the bears and wolves are most active. After, we have a delicious dinner at a local restaurant, an excellent chance to relive our adventures together.



Accommodation: Villino Quintiliani Hotel (or similar)

Day 6 : End Rome

Meals Included: Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, and perhaps one last Italian coffee at the village square in Pescasseroli, before we transfer back to Rome. We have two drop-off points today. If you have time before your flight, you can get out at Roma Termini rail station, where you can store your baggage (additional cost) and explore the Eternal City a little more. Alternatively, we can take you to the airport for your onward flight home.

What's Included

  • All breakfasts, four lunches, and five dinners

  • All accommodation

  • Tour leader throughout

  • All transport and listed activities

  • Group arrival and departure transfers available

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Single accommodation (available on request for hotel only)

  • Visas and vaccinations

Food

Each morning, enjoy a hearty breakfast of cakes, biscuits, cereals, fresh bread and jams, plus eggs and cheese for extra energy on the mountains.



Packed lunches (sandwiches with local breads or focaccia, vegetable, fruit, snack) from the guesthouse or local shops and bakeries are provided each morning to take with you on the day’s adventure.



Each evening, tuck into traditional Italian dishes including maccheroni alla chitarra – a special type of spaghetti, soup with orapi (wild spinach) and beans, gnocchetti, and grilled meat. The region has a strong sheep-rearing culture, so plenty of local dairy products are available such as pecorino, ricotta, caciocavallo and a rare goat’s cheese called marzolina. Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for.

Accommodation

Pescasseroli: Villino Quintiliani Hotel (nights 1-2 and 4-5) 







Occupying a 1920s mansion, this four-star hotel is just outside the centre of Pescasseroli and in the heart of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. It has an art nouveau style, including in the 11 bedrooms, and a peaceful location, away from the touristy areas and close to the national park visitor centre. The village itself is surrounded by ancient woodland and soaring mountains, while the old town is a picturesque combination of traditional stone buildings.



In the mountains: Terraegna Mountain Refuge (night 3)







Stay in the wilds of Italy, a land shared with bears, wolves and wild boars, but with a few home comforts. The refuge is high in the peaks, on the saddle between Pescasseroli and Bisegna, and has a wood-burning stove for heating and cooking, electricity supplied by solar power, and a communal seating space for meals. Accommodation is in a comfortable dorm with bunkbeds for eight people and shared bathroom facilities.



Worth knowing



Single supplement is available on request for the hotel only.

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Check out our Q&As

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes, our local guides are English speaking.

  • Who is Exodus Travels?

    At Exodus Travels, we've been exploring the world for nearly 50 years. From Walking and Trekking, Cultural and Cycling, Responsible Wildlife, to Polar and our new Premium Adventures, we are proud to offer award-winning small group and self-guided tours to 100+ countries worldwide.

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    The minimum age for this tour is 16 years old.

  • Are flights included in this tour?

    International flights are not included with this tour.

  • Is there a supplement for solo travellers?

    If you would like to be paired with a tour member of the same gender, there is no additional charge. A single supplement can be requested if you would like your own room.

  • Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?

    We are happy to assist with pre and post tour accommodation. Please enquire for detailed information.

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Magical and life affirming trip in wild Italy

This trip on Rewilding the Apennines took us on incredible walks to magnificent views that made us feel we were the only people on earth. We had the opportunity to walk within an European old growth forest and see wolves, chamois, deer, a golden eagle and other wild animals (a bear in action on a camera-trap but not real life, unfortunately!). The walks were just the right amount of challenging and we trekked through stunning wilderness with our incredibly knowledgeable guide, Andrea - a former forester, who enhanced our experience with deep knowledge of the trees, animals and forest ecology. One of the days spent with the Rewilding Apennines team helped give an extra level of expertise about the challenges of nature preservation and community education. The meals on this trip were always freshly cooked and delicious!

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  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

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