Iberian Lynx Hides
in Peñalajo-Aprisco
Probably the best hides for Iberian lynx photography in the world.
About our Peñalajo Iberian Lynx Photography Hide
Finca Peñalajo in Ciudad Real, and the nearby Finca del Aprisco have been offering for years the possibility of enjoying what is, without any doubt, the best service in the world for photographing Iberian lynxes in the wild. This has turned our Iberian lynx photographic hides into a meeting point that, season after season, brings together hundreds of nature photographers from all over the world. A real pride for all of us who work in this exciting project.
The extraordinary success of our photographic services has led us to expand the photographic domain available. We have recently added to our portfolio the NAVARREDONDA estate of more than 1000ha of extension, located in the municipality of Almuradiel, very close to PEÑALAJO.
NAVARREDONDA has two breeding nuclei of Iberian lynx, and an extraordinary Mediterranean ecosystem that will provide the project with new photographic possibilities.
Season
Iberian lynxes are relatively sedentary animals that permanently occupy their territories throughout the year. However, like all territorial carnivores, they engage in a dynamic of dispersal of their young and disputes over territory can and do happen between adult males. In our domain we have 7 breeding nuclei, so throughout the year there is a good chance of success in the photographic hides.
SUMMER from July to the end of September is suitable for photographing lynx cubs at the waterholes, but on the other hand the temperatures in the estate are high and it is necessary to work only in the early and late hours of the day.
SPRING and AUTUMN offer softer lighting and pleasant temperatures to extend the days in the hides, which is why they are the preferred time of year for many professional photographers. WINTER is also a good time to try lynx photography as it coincides with the rutting season and the daytime activity of both males and females is usually at its peak.
Iberian Lynx Photographic hides season 2024
The photographic domain of PEÑALAJO (Peñalajo, Aprisco and Navarredonda) comprises a sector of almost 4000ha with a uniquely high density of lynx, mainly due to the great availability of food and a suitable and little altered habitat. In this area there are more or less constant presence of 7 Iberian lynx breeding nuclei, with specimens of fine, intermediate and large spotted lynx.
They are absolutely wild and unpredictable animals, and some days they will be nowhere to be seen, and other days they will offer you an unforgettable experience. Patience and silence are the best qualities to obtain good results.
For the 2024 season we will have 14 Iberian lynx photographic hides, all placed at waterholes, which are carefully tended and refilled daily with fresh, clean water.
The hides are mostly buried in the ground, with a waterhole in front of them where the lynx come to drink. The photographic distance is around 7 metres at these points and 300 or 400mm telephoto lenses are suitable.
Our office staff will inform you in detail about the meeting point and pick up time and our guides in the field will take you to the photographic hides early in the morning informing you about the daily working hours and the rules in force.
We recommend our clients to book well in advance as there are times of the year when the hides operate at full capacity.
Prices and 2024 photo Workshops
The daily rate for the Iberian lynx hide service with the accompaniment of aguide in a 4WD vehicle will be €195/person per day in the 2024 season.
If a client is not successful in their visit to our hides, they will be given the option of repeating an additional day for €30. We cannot guarantee that the repetition can be carried out the day after the client’s visit due to the occupation of the infrastructure. However, we will evaluate the particular circumstances of each case, and we will do our best to satisfy the client.
ADVANCE OF CONDITIONS FOR THE 2025 SEASON
In the 2025 season we are going to divide the year into HIGH season and LOW season.
The HIGH season will take place in the months of January, July, August, September, October and December. The price these months will continue to be €195/person per day.
The LOW season will take place in the months of February, March, April, May, June and November. The price these months will be €160/person per day.
IBERIAN LYNX PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKSHOPS 2024
In addition to our single day hides, we offer multi day workshops with multilingual guides. Unfortunately the brochures are not yet translated into English on the webpage but you can request them in our office in the email info@wildwatchingspain.com
• IBERIAN LYNX PHOTO WORKSHOP from july 12th to 15th see tour
• IBERIAN LYNX PHOTO WORKSHOP I from july 15th to 18th see tour
• IBERIAN LYNX PHOTO WORKSHOP II from july 18th to 21st see tour
• IBERIAN LYNX PHOTO WORKSHOP III from Aug 8th to 11st see tour
• IBERIAN LYNX EXTENDED PHOTO TOUR from Aug 12th to 18th see tour
• IBERIAN LYNX PHOTO TOUR IV from Aug 18th to 21st see tour
• IBERIAN LYNX WINTER PHOTO TOUR from Dec 20th to 23th see tour
Equipment and Services
Lenses around 400mm are ideal for this activity, 300mm and 500mm are equally suitable, shorter or longer lenses may cause problems with framing.
It is necessary to use tripods in the hides, and it is advisable as far as possible not to bring the parasols too close to the glass.
The Iberian lynx photo hides have artificial grass carpeting and office chairs with wheels for mobility and comfort.
The rules of behaviour inside the hides must be observed at all times during your stay in the photographic hides. This is for the good of the lynxes and the rest of the clients.
Our guides will pick you up at the entrance of the farm at the indicated time with 4×4 vehicles and will distribute you in batches in the different photographic hides. They will tell you in detail the pick-up times and will be in permanent contact with you while you wait for the arrival of the lynx.
SUMMER from July to the end of September is suitable for photographing lynx cubs at the waterholes, but on the other hand the temperatures in the estate are high and it is necessary to work only in the early and late hours of the day.
SPRING and AUTUMN offer softer lighting and pleasant temperatures to extend the days in the hides, which is why they are the preferred time of year for many professional photographers. WINTER is also a good time to try lynx photography as it coincides with the rutting season and the daytime activity of both males and females is usually at its peak.
Enjoy some pictures taken in our Iberian Lynx photo hide in Peñalajo.
The estate
PEÑALAJO is an estate of 2,260 hectares located between the municipalities of Santa Cruz de Mudela and Almuradiel in Ciudad Real, very close to the northernmost foothills of Sierra Morena.
It is bordered to the west by the Autovía del Sur motorway, and in fact has its own motorway exit for this estate, number 227, which attests to the historical importance of this place.
PEÑALAJO has always been famous for its high density of partridges and wild rabbits, and more recently for its cheese and olive oil. A meeting point for the European aristocracy in the past, it is nowadays a point of reference and of great economic importance for the area.
The estate still conserves some of its traditional uses and has gradually relegated others, but it has always considered the conservation of Mediterranean habitats, pastures and dry land as one of its essential identities.
They have been indispensable collaborators in recent times for the reintroduction of the Iberian lynx in Ciudad Real, working together with the different local and regional administrations and organisations such as WWF, to improve the habitat of the Iberian lynx and to improve the local wild rabbit population. It was awarded the Iberlince prize for its contribution to the recovery of the Iberian Lynx within the framework of the European LIFE programme.
The result, several years later, is that PEÑALAJO and its geographical surroundings have one of the highest densities of Iberian lynx in the Iberian Peninsula, with 2 breeding cores, located inside the estate and another one in an adjoining estate, which partially occupies PEÑALAJO’s land, with continuous animal passage between both sectors.
Its geographical position is excellent, just over 2 hours and 15 minutes from Madrid Adolfo Suarez Airport.
Adjacent to the north is the 600ha FINCA EL APRISCO with a breeding nucleus of Iberian lynx and an excellent habitat for steppe birds.
At APRISCO, as well as good sessions of lynx, there are extraordinary sessions of little bustard during the spring.
Finally, adjoining PEÑALAJO to the south is the FINCA DE NAVARREDONDA in the municipality of Almuradiel.
This beautiful estate has about 1000ha of land and three Iberian lynx breeding nuclei. It is an estate with a more open forest structure and a rougher terrain that favours observation, excellent for photographic safaris, perfectly complementing the services offered by the other two estates.
How to get there?
PEÑALAJO is located next to the Autovia del Sur A4, between the towns of Santa Cruz de Mudela and Almuradiel, 15 minutes from Valdepeñas.
Motorway exit 227.
It is about 2 hours and 15 minutes south of Madrid airport. If flying from abroad we recommend renting a car at the airport.
There are train options from Madrid to Santa Cruz de Mudela.
Acomodation
For proximity and service we recommend the HOTEL ECOLÓGICO TOTAL, in Santa Cruz de Mudela.
An equally economical option is HOTEL EL COTO in the town of Almuradiel.
Our reservations staff will help and advise you with your accommodation.
Take a piece of dehesa to your home and collaborate in the conservation of these estates
The conservation of the Iberian lynx involves maintaining healthy habitats and ecosystems, and exploiting activities compatible with its conservation.
PEÑALAJO has been committed to organic agriculture and livestock farming for decades, and its products, especially its ORGANIC SHEEP CHEESE and EXTRA VIRGIN ECOLOGICAL OLIVE OIL are a good example of this.
If you want to collaborate with these farms and help them so that they can continue to maintain this model of exploitation, you have the opportunity to buy their products at the farm’s cheese factory or you can buy them online through the website www.quesospeñalajo.com.
