An Italian adventure holiday tracking wolves and bears – just 90 minutes from Rome

Sign up for Simon Calder’s free travel emails for expert advice and savings deals

Receive Simon Calder’s travel emails

“Oh my god. It’s a bear, I’m almost certain,” whispered wildlife guide Andrea De Angelis, handing me a thermal monocular and pointing to a spot on the adjacent hillside. . The morning is icy cold, and dawn still covers the Central Apennines in a subdued winter brown. We established ourselves on a treeless hillside a few miles from the farm. Somewhere in the distance, cows crouch in the lightning-like air. I take off my gloves, put the monocular over my eyes, and look out over the valley.

“It’s too big to be a wolf, and it doesn’t move like a deer. It will definitely hold up,” Andrea says confidently. I looked around and saw the ghostly white outline of a large animal in a black and white frame. Suddenly the animal stopped, turned to the side, and there appeared the characteristic outline of a Marsican brown bear.

I went on a wildlife viewing trip in central Italy with Wildlife Adventures, a travel agency that works closely with Rewilding Europe, an NGO that promotes rewilding efforts throughout Italy. The concept of rewilding is fairly new in the field of conservation. It is a non-traditional approach that focuses on managing nature in such a way that nature begins to move in its own direction, as natural processes reshape and repair degraded ecosystems and landscapes. .

The idea is that through rewilding, the earth’s natural rhythms create new wildness and new biodiversity habitats for themselves. Rewilding Apennines, a local branch of the NGO, is tasked with tracking and repopulating several endangered and endangered species that once roamed freely in central Italy. We work towards coexistence between humans and wildlife in rural areas.

read more italy travel:

The National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, where we stand, was established in 1923 and is home to the Apennine wolf, the Apennine semwa (a type of antelope), the griffon vulture, and the endemic Marsican brown bear, an endangered species of the Eurasian brown bear. Protected. They live in and around the park. We were lucky enough to find one. It is estimated that there are only 60 to 90 bears left in the Rewilding Apennines. They usually begin hibernating in December or earlier, but that habit is changing due to global warming.

Tourism is a powerful aid to rewilding efforts here. The presence of wildlife attracts tourists, who in turn stimulate the economy and provide new livelihoods for locals in rural, mountainous communities not often visited by tourists. Valerio Reale, Director of Apennine Rewilding Projects, has formed a small network of tourism providers such as local artisans, small businesses, breweries, cheese makers, and accommodation owners to rewild the country. He said that he is supporting these efforts and enriching the traveler’s experience. Small-batch cheese and beer pairings, a boutique B&B, Montepulciano vineyard tours (you might spot bear tracks), a market selling local honey, craft he cider, prized black truffles, and more. there is.

“One of the main strengths of this area is the combination of interesting products and coexistence with wildlife,” says Reale. “We are driven by the idea that there is more to this region than a ski destination. That is why we hold many community events and organize rewilding weeks and weekends. These are all tools that we, as an NGO, use to raise awareness about rewilding in Italy, to support the local economy, to support local employment and to raise awareness of our interesting products.”

Rewilding Apennines also hosts the Rewilding Experience. This is a weekend and week-long tour that includes experiential conservation science and education, along with wildlife viewing and visits to local artisans. Activities typically include checking camera traps, building electric fences, and tracking and cataloging wildlife movements.

Reale said he’s noticed more and more people wanting to get their hands into the dirt. “They don’t want to hear the story, they want to see the story,” he says. “There are a lot of people who want to spend time in the mountains doing things like removing barbed wire.” In Rewilding his Apennines, such experiences are only held a few times a year, and soon It is often sold out. It’s worth keeping an eye on the website for dates and registration.

Back on the hillside, I shiver as night begins to fall on a magenta patch of eastern horizon. The bear moved on, but Andrea noticed something else. This time, something smaller. Something wire-like with four legs. I came here to be a wild wolf.

He quickly points a spotting scope at the area while I monitor it with a thermal monocular. The wolf is moving up the hillside in search of higher ground.

“It was probably out hunting all night and looking for a place to rest,” Andrea said, and sure enough, a few minutes later the wolf stopped on some rocks. It takes some skill to use a scope, but Andrea eventually spots a wolf whose blood-colored hackles, stone-gray fur, and black-tipped tail blend perfectly into the Abruzza landscape.

I fall in love with this creature instantly. Its droopy ears and sweet, smiling nose are in stark contrast to the ideas society has instilled in us about wolves. In theory, I know that if I was attacked by this animal, I probably wouldn’t survive… Why do they look like friends when they’re not friends? In fact, wolves in this region pose little danger to humans and avoid humans, thanks to efforts by the National Parks and Rewilding Apennines to isolate wolf territory from hikers and hunters.

Andrea and I stand together and take turns looking through the scope to see the wolf’s den in the rocks, occasionally sniffing the air and standing and changing positions. Eventually, Andrea spotted two more wolves trotting down a distant hillside, and thought they were probably members of the same pack that roamed the ridge as its home.

The next day, we leave the herd’s territory for a short but steep hike up the spine of an adjacent mountain. We don’t see any wolves in this part of the park, but we do see a herd of red deer circling around us. Among them is a herd of majestic deer, swinging their huge antlers as they run through a thick pine forest. A griffon vulture and two golden eagles also circle silently overhead. At the top of the climb, in the saddle between the two peaks, we dump our backpacks on the ground, stare at the mountainside, and eat local bread, salami, and cheese in silence. All made within a few miles of here.

Sitting here, in a remote location with wild animals roaming freely, it’s hard to believe that Rome, one of Europe’s largest and most ancient cities, is only a 90-minute drive away. It seems like I can’t. And that’s the whole point of rewilding. We do not aim to restore arbitrary standards of the past, but rather to allow nature to become wild anew in its own way, together with humans, and to re-educate how to live together with humans. Wild animals too. The goal is a balanced ecosystem where community and nature can coexist in harmony. Spending time in this small area in the heart of Europe, where biodiversity is once again thriving, seems like a great way to start.

make it happen

Wildlife Adventures offers three-day, two-night trips for €240 (£206) per person, including self-catering accommodation in a historic house in Pescasseroli. We can also coordinate tailored trips such as visiting local artisans or trekking overnight in a mountain hut. Moderate physical strength is required for mountain climbing and early morning excursions.

For all-inclusive travel, Exodus Travels offers six-day extended trips designed in partnership with Rewilding Apennines. This includes a stay in a 4-star hotel, hearty meals at local restaurants, and a trekking guide.

From the UK, take the Eurostar and international trains to Rome, or fly to Rome Ciampino and rent a car.

For more information, best hotels in italy