Wolf Tracking Adventure
A once in a lifetime wilderness adventure following the tracks of one of the most elusive predators of the Alps, the wolf.
Thursday 8th December - Saturday 10th December 2011 - PLACES AVAILABLE
Thursday 5th April - Saturday 7th April 2012 - PLACES AVAILABLE
Other Dates: We can also arrange private trips at other dates. Please contact us for a quote.
Learn the art of tracking and discover an insight into the life of the elusive wolf with an expert tracker.
Wolves were officially hunted out of France at the beginning of the 20th century. However, there has always been a population in Italy and eastern Europe. Gradually over the years, the wolves have migrated back into the French Alps.
The Southern Alps, with its wild and unspoilt mountains rich in chamois, mouflon, wild boar, deer and other prey is a perfect habitat.
It is estimated that there is at least one large pack and several solitary wolves living here and the presence of a lynx is also confirmed by by rare sightings and animal attacks.
Your high mountain guide and tracker has been following the colonisation of the wolves in the area for 20 years. With a wealth of local knowledge and access to a network of other local wolf and lynx enthusiasts, you won't get a much better insight into these rare animals.
He will take you on an authentic tracking adventure following tracks and signs of wolf activity in the area.
The area is very wild and still relatively untouched, so you will need to be prepared for walking through woods and undergrowth and on steep ground.
0845 009 8501 |
Itinerary / Highlights
In order to minimise the level of disruption to wildlife and provide a high quality trip, we limit the groups to a maximum of six people.DAY 1:
We start tracking on the first day as have found that many people choose to travel to Gap on the night train from Paris so we pick everyone up at 7 in the morning, have breakfast and go through the trip together before heading off. It is possible to travel down the night before and stay in a hotel if you prefer.
First day tracking. A full day out with your high mountain guide and expert tracker following the signs and prints of wolves. The actual destination will depend on where the wolves are thought to be at the time, but walking is likely to be ‘off piste' in a wild all terrain environment. You will get a really good insight into the behaviour of the wolves and mountain wildlife; chamois, wild boar, mouflon and deer, as they eat sleep, mate and carry out their lives under the threat of their biggest predators, the wolf and lynx.
For the April trip, we will be staying out in the refuge tonight. For the December trip, you will be staying in a hotel for the first night as the days are shorter.
DAY 2:
Depending on results from yesterday and other local knowledge, your guide will take you further into the mountains in search of the wolves and you'll stay overnight in a winter refuge (your second night in a refuge if on the April trip) - a real tracking adventure. The wolves are often active at dawn and dusk so sleeping out in the mountains is a really good opportunity to get a decent glimpse. You will need to share the weight of food and drink in your rucksacks for the night but we do try to limit the amount of time walking with heavy sacks and do a drop off at the refuge as early as possible!
DAY 3: Walk back from the refuge, again following signs of the wolves, ultimately heading back in the direction of the bed and breakfast or vehicle shuttle (if you have gone in a different direction following the wolves) where you will enjoy a hearty evening meal and a luxury bed for the night!
At the end of your trip, you'll be able to tell the difference between a dog print and wolf print, a chamois, deer or wild boar print, and whether it was running or walking and in what direction! You'll discover the hiding places and dens of the animals and see plenty of wildlife as well as hopefully catching a glimpse of the wolves in action.
At the end of the day there is the possibility to have a shower before heading back to Gap for the night train back. or if you prefer we can arrange a night in a hotel for you so you can relax a bit before traveling back!
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