Birding Holiday Packages and Bird Tours.

Your stay in Portugal is hosted at Monte Horizonte, a small 6 houses self catering family-run eco-resort on the hills 5 kilometers south of Santiago do Cacém.  The lodge is in the middle of nowhere, very peaceful, surrounded by its own gardens and, with a complete absence of any traffic noise at all, is a real break from the hustle and bustle with a friendly, helpful atmosphere.  For the active, swimming, bicycling and walking are always on offer and the beach is only 15 minutes away. We offer several Bird Tours in the region and below are two examples.  Of course we can also plan tours according to your wishes and duration.

Bird Tours:

Bird tour 1: We offer half day and full day tours to the Lagoa de Santo André.

We will make a round tour and stay at several spots near the Lagoa de Santo André for 3 hours. The full day tour does include lunch and has a duration of 8 hours of which we will spent 6 hours at the Lagoa de Santo André.

Best season: All year

List of Special Birds:

Purple Heron ( Ardea purpurea ), Flamingo ( Phoenicopterus roseus ), Gadwall ( Anas strepera ), Garganey ( Anas querquedula ), Red-Chrested Pochard ( Netta rufina ), Pochard ( Aythya ferina ), Osprey ( Pandion haliaetus ), Hobby ( Falco subbuteo ), Little Tern ( Sterna albifrons ), Great Reed Warbler ( Acrocephalus scirpaceus ), Savi´s Warbler ( Locustella luscinioides ), Purple Swamhen ( Porphyrio porphyrio ), Squacco Heron ( Ardeola ralloides ). 

List of Other Birds:

Little Greb ( Tachybaptus ruficollis ), Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo ), Glossy Ibis ( Plegadis falcinellus ), Teal ( Anas crecca ), Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ), Marsh Herrier ( Circus aeruginosus ), Coot ( Fulica atra ), Moorhen ( Gallinula chloropus ), Black-winged Stilt ( Himantopus himantopus ), Kentish Plover ( Charadrius alexandrinus ), Snipe ( Gallinago gallinago ), Black-tailed Godwit ( Limosa limosa ), Yello-legged Gull ( Larus michahellis ), Green Woodpecker ( Picus viridis ), Great Spotted Woodpecker ( Dendrocopos major ), Great Reed Warbler ( Acrocephalus arundinaceus ), Nuthatch ( Sitta europaea ), Short-toed Treecreeper ( Certhia brachydactyla ), Azure-winged Magpie ( Cyanopica cyanus )

List of Rare Birds:

Black-throated Loon ( Gavia arctica ), White Pelican ( Pelecanus onocrotalus ), Barnacle Goose ( Branta leucopsis ), Brent Goose ( Branta bernicla ), Blue-winged Teal ( Anas discors ), Marbled Duck ( Marmaronetta angustirostris ),
Green-winged Teal ( Anas carolinensis ), Ruddy Duck ( Oxyura jamaicensis ), Ferruginious Duck ( Aythya nyroca ), 
Ring-necked Duck ( Aythya collaris ), Red-knobbed Coot ( Fulica cristata ), Cream-coloured Courser ( Cursorius cursor ), Pectora Sandpiper ( Calidris melanotos ), Red-necked Phalarope ( Phalaropus lobatus ), Slender-billed Gull ( Larus genei ), Ring-billed Gull ( Larus delawarensis ), White-winged Tern ( Chlidonias leucopterus ), Richard´s Pipit ( Anthus richardi ), Red-throated Pipit ( Anthus cervinus ), Citrine Wagtail ( Motacilla citreola ), Paddyfield Warbler ( Acrocephalus agricola ), Aquatic Warbler ( Acrocephalus paludicola ), Moustached Warbler ( Acrocephalus melanopogon ), Little Bunting ( Emberiza pusilla ), Pallas´s Reed Bunting ( Emberiza pallasi )

Prices:
Half Day Private Tour
1 person – 70 €
2 persons – 110 €
3 persons – 150 €
4 persons – 190 €

Full Day Private Tour  (including lunch)
1 person – 120 €
2 persons – 160 €
3 persons – 210 €
4 persons – 240 €

Bird tour 2: We offer full day tours ( 8 hours) to the Alentejo Plains (inland) including lunch.

During our tour we will visit the Special Protection Area Castro Verde area famous of it´s Great Bustards.

This SPA also holds important populations of Black-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis), Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra), Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) and Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus) and, furthermore, it is a breeding area for the Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) as well as the main breeding area of the European Roller (Coracias garrulus) in Portugal.

During the winter we can find important densities of Cranes (Grus grus), Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus), Golden plovers (Pluvialis apricaria) and Skylarks (Alauda arvensis). There is a regular presence of winter birds of prey such as the Red Kite (Milvus milvus) and the Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus). The fallow lands and pastures are important feed zones for the Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus), the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), the Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) and the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetus). 

Full Day Private Tour  (including lunch)
1 person – 160 €
2 persons – 200 €
3 persons – 240 €
4 persons – 280 €

Bookings: The months July, August and September at least five nights.

Pricelist 2012, VAT included

Price per Night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night
January	60	60	60	80	80	90	160
Februari	60	60	60	80	80	90	160
March	65	65	65	85	85	95	170
April	70	70	70	90	90	100	180
May	75	75	75	95	95	105	190
June	80	80	80	100	100	110	200
July	90	90	90	125	125	135	250
August	110	110	110	150	150	170	300
September	90	90	90	125	125	135	250
Oktober	70	70	70	90	90	100	180
November	60	60	60	80	80	90	160
December	60	60	60	80	80	90	160

The Christmas holidays, Carnival and Easter are considered peak season with the same price as the month of July.

Eco resort Monte Horizonte is a licensed rural tourism by Turismo de Portugal and located in the wonderful Alentejo region of Portugal at only 15 kms from the beach and just five kms to the historic city Santiago do Cacém. It is run completely on solar and wind energy.

Birdwatching in Portugal, Birdwatching in the Alentejo.