The Bird Watching Tour of Greece
Suggested itinerary for this private tour.
Only members of the group you’ll form will participate.
Birds in Greece. Bird-watching Tour of Greece
A bird watching tour of Greece is a lifetime experience for birders due to its geographical location in southeastern Europe and being the crossroads of 3 different continents, Greece is very rich in bird life and and apart its own fauna it’s the passage for migrants on their way from and to the south & the north.
Vikings Navita has organized this birding tour of Greece with the support of Chris Vlachos, wildlife photographer, editor-in-chief of the magazine “Oionos” published by the Hellenic Ornithological Society. Chris has cooperated with magazines such as the the Greek edition of National Geographic and is currently sponsored by Canon.
The large number of islands and mountains and the endless coastline of this amazing country is the reason of numerous bird sites. More than 196 important bird areas are located near lakes, lagoons and on islands including seabirds and Falcons.
Spring is like a bird paradise in Greece. Bird enthusiasts prefer visiting among other places, the lakes of Mikri Prespa and Kerkini, the Dadia forest, the coastal lagoons of northeast Greece and the islands of Lesvos and Crete.
The Bird Watching Tour of Greece due to migration, offers different species of birds during the winter moths and different during the summer ones.
A hobby or a job, birding is a very serious and difficult thing as some of the species know how to hide very well and only experienced local guides can bring the bird lovers close to them.
If you decide to come on your Bird Watching Trip Of Greece between January and February, you will be lucky as during 3 whole weeks, the temperature can reach 22 degrees Celsius in the Central part of the country.
According to the myth, Alkyonides, the 7 daughters of Alkyoneus, were transformed into birds and the Gods gave them beautiful days in the centre of the winter to lay their eggs. These days are called Alkyonides days, ” Kingfishers‘ Days” in English and you can watch the beautifully colored birds mating on the Alkyonides island in the Corinthian Gulf.
Because of various reasons some birds that had never been seen before in Greece, are permanently living in the Greek peninsula for the past few years. An example is the Green Parrot that birders can be now observe in many places in Athens and especially near parks, around the Athens National Archaeological Museum etc.
The Bird Watching Tour Of Greece is what every bird enthusiast will love. From the tiny humble local sparrow to the pink Flamingos of lake Kerkini, the storks of Northern Greece, the birds of pray and the mythical kingfisher, the birder will have a variety of species to observe and to learn about their life and evolution.
Our carefully designed birding itineraries is the perfect way of bird watching in this country that is full of diversities and surprises.
We’ll be happy to create with you, your tailor made birding tour to perfectly fit your needs.
Suggested Bird Watching Tour itinerary for 2024
1st day: Athens
2nd day: National Park of Schinia – Cape Sounion
Possible Species: Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, Short-toed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Chukar, Yellow Wagtail, Hoopoe, waders.
3rd day: Acropolis – Herodion – Agora – Parthenon
Possible Species: Swift, Alpine Swift, Sardinian Warbler, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Rose-ringed Rarakeet, Rock Nuthatch, Blue Rock Thrush.
4th day: Delphi – Lake Karla
Possible Species: Dalmatian Pelican, White Stork, Black Stork, herons, waders, plovers, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Stone-curlew, Black-winged Stilt.
5th day: Meteora
Possible Species: White Stork, Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Bee-eater, Roller, Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Cirl Bunting.
6th day: Litochoro (Mt. Olumpus) – Thessaloniki
7th day: Galikos, Axios, Loudias and Aliakmonas rivers – Lake Kerkini
Possible Species: Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, White Stork, Shelduck, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Wood Sandpiper, Redshank, Curlew, Ruff, Little Tern, Common Tern, Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike.
8th day: Lake Kerkini
Possible Species: Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, White Stork, Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike.
9th day: Soufli – Dadias Forest
Possible Species: Griffon Vulture, Black Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, White Stork, Black Stork, Bee-eater, Roller, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike.
10th day: Dadias Forest – Delta of river Evros
Possible Species: Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, White-tailed Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Levant Sparrowhawk, White Stork, Black Stork, Bee-eater, Roller, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Black-headed Bunting.
11h day: Alexandroupolis – Athens
12th day: Athens
map
1st day: Athens
Today you will arrive at the Athens International Airport and you will be transported to the Herodion Hotel. There is a Welcome dinner at the ‘Mani-Mani’ restaurant. You will spend your first night in Athens.
2nd day: National Park of Schinia – Cape Sounion
At 06.30 in the morning, you will leave for the National Park of Schinia for bird watching where breakfast will be distributed in boxes. Following, you will visit the Archaeological site of the Temple of Poseidon in cape Sounion where you can also spot and take pictures of birds and not only.
Then you will be driven along the Athenian Riviera and stop for food at Glyfada. Afterwards you will visit the stream of Pikrodaphne for bird-watching till sunset. You will spend your second night in Athens at the Herodion Hotel.
Possible Species: Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, Short-toed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Chukar, Yellow Wagtail, Hoopoe, waders.
courtesy of Chris Vlachos
3rd day: Acropolis – Herodion – Agora – Parthenon
In the morning, from 9:00 to 13:00, you will go on a Walking Tour of the Acropolis Museum, the Herodion Theatre, the Agora, the Parthenon and the surrounded area, escorted by a licensed guide .
At 14:00 you will depart by private coach for Northern Greece.
You will arrive at 17:30 at Delphi after covering 185 kilometers in approximately 3,5 hours. Bird Watching till sunset . Dinner and overnight at Hotel Amalia.
Possible Species: Swift, Alpine Swift, Sardinian Warbler, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Rose-ringed Rarakeet, Rock Nuthatch, Blue Rock Thrush.
4th day: Delphi – Lake Karla
After breakfast, you will visit the Archaeological site and the Museum escorted by a local guide. At 12:00 you will leave Delphi for lake Karla where you will arrive early in the evening after covering 200 kilometers in approximately 2 hours.
Bird Watching till sun set. You will spend the night in Volos.
Possible Species: Dalmatian Pelican, White Stork, Black Stork, herons, waders, plovers, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Stone-curlew, Black-winged Stilt.
courtesy of Chris Vlachos
5th day: Meteora
You will leave at 08:00 for Meteora, covering 120 kilometers in approximately 2 hours. This day is dedicated for Bird Watching. There is an optional visit to a monastery. We continue our bird watching tour of Greece with dinner and overnight at Hotel Amalia in Kalambaka.
Possible Species: White Stork, Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Bee-eater, Roller, Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Cirl Bunting.
6th day: Litochoro (Mt. Olumpus) – Thessaloniki
You will leave Kalambaka to visit Litochoro, on Olympus mountain after 3 hours. Lunch will be served at ‘Gastrodromio’. You will continue for Thessaloniki covering 100 kilometers in 1 hour. Overnight at Hotel Mediterranean Palace.
7th day: Galikos, Axios, Loudias and Aliakmonas rivers – Lake Kerkini
You will leave very early in the morning with breakfast boxes on your excursion to visit the 4 rivers of Thessaloniki for Bird Watching: Galikos, Axios, Loudias and Aliakmonas.
Afterwards, you will leave for lake Kerkini early in the evening, covering 100 kilometers in 1,5 hour. You will get transported to your hotel and then the whole evening will be dedicated to Bird Watching till sunset. Dinner and return to your hotel.
Possible Species: Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, White Stork, Shelduck, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Wood Sandpiper, Redshank, Curlew, Ruff, Little Tern, Common Tern, Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike.
8th day: Lake Kerkini
The whole day is dedicated to Bird Watching at lake Kerkini with a morning boat trip. You will return to your hotel to spend the night .
Possible Species: Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, White Stork, Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike.
courtesy of Chris Vlachos
9th day: Soufli – Dadias Forest
You will leave early in the morning for Soufli and Dadias Forest covering 350 kilometers in approximately 5 hours with a possible stop. You will arrive at your hotel at 14:00.
The whole evening will be dedicated to Bird Watching. Dinner and Overnight.
Possible Species: Griffon Vulture, Black Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, White Stork, Black Stork, Bee-eater, Roller, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike.
10th day: Dadias Forest – Delta of river Evros
The whole day will be dedicated to Bird Watching in the Dadias Forest and even better on the Delta of river Evros. You will also visit the fossilized forest. Overnight.
Possible Species: Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, White-tailed Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Levant Sparrowhawk, White Stork, Black Stork, Bee-eater, Roller, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Black-headed Bunting.
11h day: Alexandroupolis – Athens
Yοu will leave for Alexandroupolis‘ airport in the morning for your flight back to Athens. You will be transported from the Athens International Airport to Hotel Herodion by coach. There is a farewell dinner at Plaka followed by your last overnight in Greece.
12th day: Athens
In the morning you will be transported to the Athens International Airport for your flight back to America. End of the bird watching tour of Greece.
click picture for more…
Departures:
Dates 2024 – 2025:
- Upon request, all year round.
- Dates for the The Bird Watching Tour of Greece are flexible. From April to October.
- Next best date: September 2024
Included:
- 12 days Bird Watching Tour of Greece
- Hotel, 11 nights
- 8 Meals -lunch or dinners
- Tour by private coach
- Transfers as per program
- Experienced Birders’ Field Guide, Chris Vlachos and/or cooperator (depending availability).
- Chris is a wildlife photographer, editor-in-chief of the magazine “Oionos” published by the Hellenic Ornithological Society. He has cooperated with magazines such as the Greek edition of National Geographic and is currently sponsored by Canon read more…
Price:
- Upon request depending mainly on number of participants, destination and period of the year.
- Rates for the Bird watching Tour of Greece start from € 3.965 per person.
Not-Included:
- City hotel tax
- Air flights
- Porterage
- Tips
- Admission fees to Museums and Archaeological sites
- All items not mentioned
Remarks:
- This is a private tour and is intended for groups only. Only the group you formed will participate.
- Requires a minimum of 14 participants
- Itineraries can be changed at the discretion of the company in case of adverse weather conditions or in case of other extraordinary conditions.
Interesting
Links
Greece:
Hellenic Ornithological Society
Birdwatching in Northen Greece
USA:
American Birding Association
UK:
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Australia:
New Zealand:
The Ornithological Society of New Zealand
Canada:
Society of Canadian Onrithologists – Societe des ornithologistes du Canada
Bird Studies – Etudes d’oiseaux
Other Cruises & Tours in Greece
you might be interested in
The Grand Botanical Tour of Greece or the Antiquity to Byzantium 8-Day Cruise