From Beech Forests to Marshes: Ecotourism in Gorbeia and Urdaibai

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From Beech Forests to Marshes: Ecotourism in Gorbeia and Urdaibai

Immerse yourself in the natural and cultural beauty of the Basque Country, from the Gorbeia Mountains to the Urdaibai coast.

Description

This tour delves into two protected nature reserves in Álava and Bizkaia, promising an unforgettable experience. The adventure begins in the village of Untza, with a reception at Ulle Gorri. Here, visitors will discover an innovative permaculture and bird-friendly forest project designed to reduce the carbon footprint of tourism. The first day concludes with an introductory talk on birdwatching and a guided tour to learn about local traditions.

The second day focuses on birdwatching in the foothills of Gorbeia Natural Park, specifically in the Sierra de Gibijo, a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA). Accompanied by a local ornithologist, participants will explore mountainous landscapes and the Nervión River canyon. The route offers the opportunity to spot a wide variety of rock, forest, and mountain birds, such as griffon vultures, peregrine falcons, and red kites. After a mountain lunch, the afternoon offers free time to connect with nature, with the option of forest bathing or birdwatching from the glass-enclosed porch of Ulle Gorri Baserria, where travelers will spend the night. The third day will be dedicated to an interpretive route in the extensive Gorbeia Natural Park, exploring its trails, flora, and the rich culture of its inhabitants.

The experience in detail

Price per person
Sale for closed groups of family or friends
Possibility of sale space by space to be discussed.
Price per person in a double room: €990 (net price not commissionable)
Supplement for an English-speaking birdwatching guide: +18€
Cancellation policy:
0% cancellation within 30 days, except for bank charges, if any.
30% cancellation from 30 to 15 days.
50% cancellation from 14 to 7 days.
100% cancellation with 7 days or less.
Payment:
30% with reservation
Balance 30 days before the start of the itinerary

Activities

Interpretation route of culture and rural world: 2 h
2 Birdwatching routes in Gorbeialdea and Urdaibai: 4 h
Nature and cultural heritage interpretation route of the Gorbea Natural Park: 4 hours
1 Optional forest bathing (2 hours). These will take place in the Ulle Gorri Forest, which is currently being created and will be completed by June 2025, or in nearby forests if the Ulle Gorri Forest is not yet suitable for this purpose.
Guided tour of the Ortube Ship in Bermeo
Guided tour of Gernika and Bermeo
Visit and tasting of 4 wines, 3 pintxos, and Idiazabal cheese at the Itsasmendi Txakoli Winery

Program

Day 1: Arrival and discovery of the village of Untza

Afternoon: Reception at Ulle Gorri and presentation of the permaculture and edible forest project for birds. Learn how this initiative reduces travelers' carbon footprint. (Expected completion: June 2025). Chat with our ornithologist to learn about the following day's birdwatching plan. Guided tour of the surroundings of Ullegorri and the village of Untza. Discover local traditions, the bolera (Álava bowling game), and the "txoko" (Basque gastronomic and social space). Approximate duration: 2 hours. Dinner and overnight stay in Ulle Gorri Baserria.

Day 2: Birdwatching in the Gorbea foothills

Breakfast in Ulle Gorri Baserria. Departure with our local ornithologist to one of the richest birdlife areas in the foothills of Gorbea Natural Park. Approximate duration: 4 hours. The Sierra de Gibijo, a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA), will amaze you with its mountainous landscapes, the incredible canyon carved by the Nervión River (home to the highest waterfall in the Iberian Peninsula), and its wide variety of birds. After heavy rains and during the thaw, you can see the Nervión waterfall, but even if it doesn't carry water during the rest of the year, the views are just as spectacular. On this route, we can observe rock birds such as griffon vultures, peregrine falcons, Egyptian vultures, red-billed choughs, and alpine swifts. We can also see forest birds around the Ulle Gorri hamlet, such as the red kite, kestrel, and buzzard. At the forest edges and in the mountain meadows, you'll find small birds such as fieldfare, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and pipits. A hamaiketako (mountain lunch) will be brought along for the ride. Return to Ulle Gorri Baserria. Optional: Forest bathing to connect with nature (approximate duration: 2 hours). Free time to enjoy the surrounding rural surroundings, relax at the farmhouse, and enjoy an afternoon in the hide (glassed porch) to spot birds that may come close to the forest. Dinner and overnight stay in Ulle Gorri Baserria.

Day 3: Nature Interpretation in Gorbea Natural Park

Breakfast at Ulle Gorri Baserria and check-out. Guided interpretive tour of Gorbea Natural Park, the largest in the Basque Country. Discover a treasure trove of nature and culture through a network of trails that will allow you to admire beautiful landscapes, observe the park's flora, and learn about the traditions and culture of the people who inhabited and still inhabit this territory. (Approximate time: 4 hours) Check-out of the Ulle Gorri Baserria accommodation. You will receive a hamaiketako (mountain lunch) to eat on the route. Transfer to the Urdaibai Basque Reserve, located on the Bizkaia coast, where the second part of our program's adventure takes place, on the most spectacular Basque coast of all. After checking in at the Gametxo Hotel-Spa, you can enjoy spectacular views of the coast. To enjoy the experience, you can enjoy the hotel spa (not included in the price) or, if there's still daylight, take a self-guided tour to Laga Beach, one of our favorites in the Basque Country for its beauty and magnificent state of preservation. Dinner and overnight stay at the Gametxo Hotel-Spa.

Day 4: The marshes and their birds, a gastronomic experience and a historical and cultural visit to Gernika

Breakfast at the hotel. Immerse yourself in nature with a guided birdwatching route in the Urdaibai marshes, home to 250 species. On this route, we can observe different bird species depending on the season, such as typical coastal and wetland birds such as the European shag, great loon, grey plover, dunlin, curlew, common redshank, and turnstone. We can also observe peregrine falcons, darter, sardinian warbler, red-backed shrike, and bullfinch (Duration: 4 hours). After the route, you will delve into the world of winemaking with a visit to the Itsasmedi Winery, where you will discover the secrets of Txakoli, the quintessential Basque wine. You will enjoy a food and wine experience, visiting the vineyards and enjoying a marinated Txakoli and pintxos tasting that you will love. In the afternoon, you'll take a private guided tour of Gernika, home to one of Europe's oldest parliaments and a symbol of peace and historic rights. Dinner and overnight stay at the Gametxo Hotel-Spa.

Day 5: Seafaring stories and food and wine experiences

Breakfast at the hotel. Start your day with a self-guided hike from the hotel through the Cantabrian holm oak forest to Akorda, where you can enjoy stunning views of the Urdaibai Basque Reserve (2 hours and 15 minutes). https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-senderismo/gametxo-san-pedro-de-atxarre-akorda-38764516 After checking out, we'll head to Bermeo, a charming fishing village, where you'll enjoy free time to sample pintxos at the local bars. We'll recommend the best places to savor these exquisite culinary miniatures (the cost of the pintxos is not included in the package). Continue your day with a private guided tour aboard the Ortube, the last wooden boat built in Bermeo, built in 1978. Discover the history and present of Bermeo's sailors through the local guide's narration. After exploring the picturesque town of Bermeo on a guided tour, captivating you with its rich maritime history, we'll head to Bilbao to conclude the trip, arriving in the city around 19:00 PM.

Included services

Ulle Gorri Rural House. Sustainable accommodation belonging to the exclusive Club Rusticae of charming accommodations. It is a beautiful traditional farmhouse renovated with antique materials with 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. The lower area is open-plan and includes a living room with a fireplace, an edible forest for birds outside, and a glass-enclosed porch for breakfast and a bird-watching area with spectacular views. It is located in a privileged rural and natural setting, surrounded by three Natura 3 bird protection areas.

Gametxo Boutique Spa Hotel Located in Ibarrangelu (Bizkaia), in one of the most spectacular spots on the Basque coast of the Urdaibai Basque Reserve. The Spa and Relaxation area is one of Hotel Gametxo's signature features, with a sauna, private jacuzzi, Turkish bath, sensation showers, and a heated lounge bench (service not included).

Guides

Specialist guide in Ornithology
Specialist guide in the interpretation of nature and cultural heritage
Forest Bathing Guide Certified by the Forest Therapy Hub
Local guide for the visit to the Ortube ship

Lunch time

4 breakfasts, 2 mountain lunches (hamaiketako), 1 tasting meal pairing at the winery with 3 km0 pintxos + Idiazabal cheese and Txakoli at the Itsasmendi Winery, 2 dinners at the farmhouse or Txoko (drinks not included) and 2 dinners at the Gametxo Hotel Spa (drinks not included).
Dinners at the Ulle Gorri farmhouse are held in a family setting with the hosts and guides and are served on the glass-enclosed porch. They are prepared with local, organic produce and with the support of nearby restaurants. Vegan and vegetarian diets are available upon prior notice.
Dinner at the Txoko in Untza. If the Txoko is available, you can enjoy a traditional dinner at the Txoko, a Basque social space where friends gather to share a table and conversation. Dinner is prepared jointly by the travelers, who share the cost of drinks.
Barbecue. Depending on the group's food needs and the weather forecast, a barbecue with local produce can be arranged.

Inland transport

With a Mercedes Evoto Tourer electric van for 9 people

Others:

Basic Schengen travel insurance

Additional Services

Information on municipal public transport routes and management is included to access the hamlet sustainably by public transport.
From Bilbao city center by train to Orduña (47 min) and with a shared municipal taxi service with bus fares to the village (10 min)
From Vitoria by bus to Izarra (25 min) and with a shared municipal taxi service with bus fares to the hamlet (10 min)
Option: Book a taxi from Bilbao Airport/Vitoria Train Station to the farmhouse. (Not included in the price)

Ecotourism Commitment

During the first phase of the trip we delved into the project Ulle Gorri Birding, qIt is a unique and sustainable initiative that seeks to offer a unique tourist experience to travelers interested in birdwatching, while promoting biodiversity conservation and generating a positive impact on the economy and the local community.

The creation of the bird sanctuary forest, which began in 2024, is a complex agroforestry system that imitates the architectural and functional structure of a natural forest. It will not only offer a unique experience to travelers interested in bird watching, but also enhance biodiversity and regenerate soils, with all the benefits that this entails.

This design was developed following the ecological design principles of permaculture, a natural systems-based ecological design methodology to achieve regenerative solutions. It focuses on three core ethics (care for the earth, care for people, and fair distribution of surpluses) and uses universal design principles aligned with the SDGs of the 3 Agenda.

Based on these ethics and using several of their design principles, we ensure that our decisions are aligned with the SDGs determined in the 2030 Agenda, to design:

– Ecological, sustainable, and regenerative systems that are easy to maintain and have a significant impact on reducing the carbon footprint and creating heat island shelters.

– Systems that integrate plants, animals, buildings, people and community.

– Diverse, inclusive systems that respect the natural environment and people,

In the second part of the journey, in the Urdaibai Basque Reserve, We work with companies that belong to the group CETS Urdaibai. Ulle Gorri Travel is in the process of becoming certified as a CETS company in 2024.

The Urdaibai Basque Reserve was the first destination in the Basque Country to join the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in 2020.

This initiative represents, for those spaces that have this accreditation, a commitment to applying sustainable tourism principles in Europe's protected areas.

This is geared both to the destination itself and to the tourism companies located in the natural setting that decide to join, as is the case with all the companies participating in the itinerary.

Sustainable tourism

The stay at the Ulle Gorri Rural House in Baserria is an active commitment to contributing to nature conservation. We obtained the European Union Ecolabel Certification in 2019, which demonstrates to our guests and travelers that our accommodation meets strict ecological criteria. We have also obtained SICTED certification since 2018, the Basque Country Tourism Code of Ethics since 2020, and we have belonged to the Spanish Ecotourism Association since 2021. The accommodation is part of the Association of Agrotourism and Rural Houses of the Basque Country and the Rusticae Charming Accommodation Club. The farmhouse has electric chargers powered by solar panels installed in the farmhouse and renewable energy biomass and aerothermal energy.

The bird sanctuary forest The project to be created represents a great opportunity as a carbon dioxide sink and an important tool for adaptation and combating climate change. It allows us to offset the carbon footprint that travelers and guests leave when they visit us and to participate in ecotourism activities with us. The project is expected to be completed by June 2025. Initially, it will be a small, newborn forest that will gradually become the soul of the Ulle Gorri Birding project.

The Ulle Gorri Birding project, has the mission of generating a positive impact on the local community and the region's economy. By working with local ornithologists and ecotourism experts, we are supporting the local economy and promoting biodiversity conservation in the area.

In addition, we will offer environmental education workshops and activities for travelers, which can help raise awareness about the importance of conservation and sustainable tourism in the region.

La Ulle Gorri Travel Agency, was conceived to complete our commitment to conservation and sustainability. We use an electric van A long Mercedes Evoto tourer, with capacity for 9 people, is used for our trips around the area. All our itineraries are based on a commitment to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. We belong to the Spanish Ecotourism Association and the Association of Incoming Travel Agencies of the Basque Country. We were certified with the SICTED quality system until 2018, when it was replaced by the Basque Government's Code of Ethics for Tourism. We are in the process of obtaining certification for the Urdaibai CETS (Certification System for the Recognition of Sustainability in Nature Tourism) and in the process of recruiting companies to the Natura 2000 Network for the Valderejo, Izki, and Gorbeia Natural Parks.

Organic and local foods They are prepared and served by the hosts and guides in a family-friendly setting on the glass-enclosed porch. Buying local products has a positive impact on nearby businesses and producers.

Lbird watching routes and interpretation of the natural and rural environment The activities we offer in both the foothills of Gorbea and Urdaibai are focused on nature conservation and raising awareness about its protection.. We educate our guests about the importance of biodiversity and provide them with tools so they can enjoy the environment responsibly.

Forest baths, led by an FTHub-certified guide, not only benefit us individually but also contribute to the sustainability of the planet. We appreciate the biodiversity they harbor and understand their fundamental role in climate regulation and oxygen production. By becoming aware of the value of the forest, we become active stewards of this ecosystem. We commit to caring for and protecting the green spaces around us, both on our travels and in our daily lives.

All companies included in the second part of the Urdaibai Basque Reserve program are members of the Urdaibai CETS and are committed to applying sustainable criteria in their activities.