Highlights of this trip
Our journey through the Central Apennines rewilding area takes us across thousands of hectares of beautiful rugged mountains, deep valleys and extensive beech forest. This region of Italy is a biodiversity hotspot with abundant populations of iconic species such as Marsican brown bears, wolves, deer, wild boars and the endemic Apennine chamois. Little villages still characterized by the traditional lifestyle of the people who live there provide a special mix of culture and nature that makes this area unique in Europe. During the trip we explore the wilderness and learn how to connect with and get closer to nature and it’s wildlife.
Together with a nature guide you will explore the Park’s wilderness, following the tracks of the large animals and learning how to move in the field, and correctly approach the wildlife. In particular, we will focus our efforts on bears and wolves, while we will have good chances to see chamois, deer and wild boar. The long days in the field will be concluded with tasty meals from the world-famous Italian cuisine, a bottle of good wine in the friendly atmosphere of a very comfortable hotel.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- An exclusive adventure guided by expert wildlife trackers
- Ramble through mountainous valleys and beech forests on the lookout for brown bears, wolves, wild boar, chamois and golden eagles
- Long days in the wilderness with classic Italian food and tasty local wines in genuine mountain villages
Photogallery
what does this journey look like?
DAY 1 – The protection of natural heritage in Italy
You are greeted by our staff at Avezzano Terminal Bus. At 2pm transfer to the area of Abruzzo National Park. Once you arrive you can check into your rooms before we sit down for an introduction and get to know each other a bit. We will have a short walk to introduce you the oldest park of Italy. Dinner with local products and overnight stay.
DAY 2 – Sights, smells, and sounds in our forests
At sunrise departure for a wildlife watching session. After a hearty breakfast we will make a delightful walk through an old-growth forest UNESCO heritage. We learn about the inhabitants of our beech woods ecosystem. We may not see wildlife, but your guide will show many interesting signs of them. Bears, wolves, pine martin they are all here, and we are humble visitors in their home. We return to the hotel late at evening.
DAY 3 – Wolf-howling at dusk
Last night’s adventure ended late, but wolves move very early at the morning. After a coffee we will move along the southern slope of a mountain, a very panoramic territory and pasture area of deers and other wild ungulates. Historically, this area has been frequented from wolves. When the sun is shining transfer to Civitella Alfedena, visit to the Apennine Wolf Museum. We will be free for lunch and there will be the opportunity to rest in the hotel before the evening walk. Dinner based on local products and overnight stay.
DAY 4 – New rewilding areas
After breakfast we will move to the north and we will reach the Sirente Velino Regional Reserve. Central Apennines is characterized by steep or undulating limestone mountains, vast karst plateaus, and valleys with deciduous forests on the slopes and mosaic landscapes shaped by livestock grazing at the bottom. The mixture of mountains and valleys with semi-open landscapes and natural forests is creating very attractive sceneries for willdife. This land has become a centre for wildlife with excellent opportunities to experience species such golden eagle, griffon vulture, peregrine falcon, lanner falcon. In the evening return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 5 – Time to say our goodbyes
After breakfast and at the end of five truly fascinating days together with your guide and fellow nature lovers it’s time to say goodbye. At 10am Transfer from Pescasseroli to Avezzano Terminal Bus.
Practical information
Dates & Availability
- 13 -17 May 2026
- 24 – 28 June 2026
- 8 -12 July 2026
- 2 – 6 September 2026
- 14 – 18 October 2026
- 12 – 16 May 2027
- 16 – 20 June 2027
- 7 – 11 July 2027
- 8 – 12 September 2027
- 6 – 10 October 2027
This trip can also be booked as a private tour for 2 or more people. Ask us for the options.
Costs (Included & Excluded)
€790 per person
Included:
- Expert local Naturalist Guide
- 4 nights accommodation in a small hotel, in a shared room
- Dinner and breakfast
- Internal transfers
- Personal binoculars (Nikon 8×42)
- Headlamp
Excluded:
- Travel to/from Avezzano Trainstation (or Pescasseroli if you come by car)
- Lunches
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
Logistics / Transport
The tour includes a series of internal transfers, starting from the Avezzano bus station, where our guide will pick you up at 2 pm. If you are coming from Rome, please consult the timetables of the Prontobus and LineaRoma companies, which provide connections from Rome Fiumicino and Rome Ciampino airports or from Rome Tiburtina railway station to Avezzano railway station. For any assistance in organising your trip, please contact us.
For those who want to travel independently, you can go directly to Pescasseroli.
Due to possible adverse weather conditions during this travel day, we ask that you DO NOT book train or bus out of Avezzano Terminal Bus any earlier than 3 pm.
Accommodation
Accommodation is pre-arranged by our tour leader in a small, charming, family-run hotel, in shared double rooms. These tours are usually made up of singles, couples and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, most of whom are between 25 and 50 years old. These adventures are suitable for solo travellers and attract people with a common mindset: a love of nature, a desire to go further and meet like-minded people.
Food
Lunch is not included, you will buy packed lunches each morning from the guesthouse or local shops and bakeries to take with you. For dinner you’ll enjoy traditional Italian dishes such as maccheroni alla chitarra – a special kind of spaghetti, soup with orapi (wild spinach) and beans, gnocchetti and grilled meat. The region has a strong sheep-farming culture, so there are many local dairy products such as pecorino, ricotta, caciocavallo and a rare goat’s cheese called marzolina.
Requests for vegetarian, vegan and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for: please do not forget to advise us of these preferences at the time of booking.
Health & Safety
In Italy, wildlife is particularly elusive: spotting animals requires respect, silence, and patience. Most species are active at dawn or dusk, when human disturbance is at its lowest. It’s essential to adapt to early starts, changing weather conditions, and long periods of silent waiting.
Some species require a more active approach, with several hours of hiking needed to reach the best observation areas. Carefully following your guide’s instructions is key—not only for safety, but also to increase your chances of a meaningful encounter. Moving quietly, keeping your distance, and leaving no trace allows for a truly authentic and respectful experience, with minimal impact on the environment and the animals.
We are working with Rewilding Apennines to ensure that this journey achieves net zero emissions by supporting their programmes and ensuring the protection and restoration of natural environments outside protected areas.
Testimonials
Local team & guide
Valeria Roselli
Since she was a child, Valeria walked along the paths through the forest of the mountains where she was born. Her curiosity led her to explore and get to know the territory. Her love of nature and for the Abruzzo mountain’s became her passion, which then became her profession. She is now a nature guide, environmental interpreter and international mountain leader, and one of the most expert guides in the Italian Apennines.
Umberto Esposito
Since his childhood Umberto has lived in the historical area of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise. After graduating, he began his career as a nature guide, combining two great passions in one profession: nature and photography. In 2009 he founded a small tour operator whose mission is to bring people closer to nature. Umberto is also a vital part of several multi media projects in the Central Apennines.