Boat Trip: Birdwatching in Ria Formosa (2,5h)

Birdwatching Boat Trip in Ria Formosa . Olhão . Algarve

Enjoy a 2,5-h birdwatching boat trip from Olhão & discover the birds of Ria Formosa

Come along on a fantastic boat trip and have fun birdwatching in the Algarve. Considered the second most important wetland for aquatic birds in Portugal, Ria Formosa is one of the places to visit if you enjoy birding.

Join us on a 2.5-hour boat trip from Olhão for birdwatching in Ria Formosa and discover the birds that inhabit this beautiful Nature Park. On this boat tour we sail on secondary and shallow channels, allowing us excellent views of birds at short distances without disturbing them.

Ria Formosa is recognized for its biodiversity and ecological significance and is considered an IBA (Important Bird Area), being one of the most important wetlands for aquatic birds in Portugal. It’s an extraordinary birdwatching site in the Algarve, sheltering rare and threatened bird species. It’s also an important wintering ground for birds from northern and central Europe and an strategic stop-over point in the migration between Europe and Africa.

Duration

• 2h 30min

Prices

• Adult: 40, 00 €
• Child (until 8 years): 30, 00 €
• Minimum: 4 adults

Departures

• 11:30 a.m.
• Available everyday all year

Meeting Point

More info about the boat trip Birdwatching in Ria Formosa

On this 2.5-hour boat trip from Olhão we go birdwatching in Ria Formosa. 

As we pass by the clam farms and oyster beds good sightings of many species of waders are possible. The lagoon holds 20 000 or more wintering waterbirds on a regular basis making it well worthy of a visit. During this tour on board a very comfortable boat, you will have excellent views of species like the Spoonbill, Black and Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Whimbrel, Grey Plover and many other waders.

The boat trip continues to Culatra Island, where you can visit this beautiful island and enjoy one of the most important fishing communities of the area. The sandbanks of the islands are an important reproduction area for the Little Tern and Kentish Plover.  This is also an area of almost untouched nature where during wintertime we often observe the Sandwich Tern and Caspian Tern.

More than 200 bird species have been identified in Ria Formosa so the following are some that can be observed as your boat trip heads back towards Olhão:

• Pied Avocet,
• Eurasian Curlew,
• Grey Plover,
• Eurasian Spoonbill,
• Greater Flamingo,
• White Stork,
• Kentish Plover,
• Grey Heron,
• Little Egret,
• Audouin´s Gull,
• Little Tern,
• Caspian tern.

What’s Included:

• 2.5-hour boat trip
• Disembark: Culatra Island
• Skipper
• Guidance by an experienced birding tour guide
• Binoculars
• Maps and field guides

What’s Not Included:

• Transfer
• Pick-up

We recommend:

• Casual clothes and comfortable shoes suitable for a boat trip,
• A wind-stopper and a waterproof coat, especially during autumn and winter,
• A bathing suit and a towel, especially during spring and summer,
• A rucksack or backpack to carry a small snack, sunglasses, hat, camera, and a good sun cream,
• Plenty of water to drink to avoid dehydration.

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