Nestled in northern Portugal near the Spanish border, the Greater Côa Valley is a stunning yet underexplored region situated between the Douro River and the Malcata mountain ranges.
Defined by its dramatic river gorges, oak woodlands, rugged heathlands, and patchwork fields, this area is witnessing a remarkable resurgence of wild nature.
The widespread abandonment of land across the Greater Côa Valley has created an extraordinary opportunity for large-scale rewilding and wildlife recovery. Over 100,000 hectares have already been designated for conservation as Natura 2000 sites, featuring a rich mosaic of natural and semi-natural habitats.
The valley is increasingly home to wild herbivores such as wild boar, roe deer, and red deer, while its river gorges provide sanctuary for cliff-dwelling species like vultures and eagles. On the thin soils over granite bedrock, the landscape is dotted with tiny, centuries-old farmland plots, many of which are now being abandoned. Predators in the region include a small pack of Iberian wolves, while the Iberian lynx—though native to the area—has yet to make its return.
Featured Experiences
Rewilding Weekends
Portugal 🇮🇹 (2 days)
Spend two unforgettable days in the Rewilding mountains (incl. field activities, a scenic trek, tasting local products and stay in a mountain hut.
Rewilding Weekends >
Exodus Travels Tour
Italy 🇮🇹 (6 days)
6-days trips including a full day dedicated to Rewilding Apennines field activities. All profits will go to support the work of Rewilding Apennines.
ExodusTravels
Exodus Travels Tour >
Tourism Training
Italy 🇮🇹 (5 days)
Five days of training on nature-based tourism, conservation, rewilding and community engagement (two nights in mountain cabin).
Moyo Training
Moyo Tourism Training
The New Scientist
Italy 🇮🇹 (6 days)
A travel experience with a strong scientific approach. Including a full day dedicated to Rewilding Apennines' field activities.
The New Scientist
The New Scientist Tour >
Rewilding Weeks
Italy 🇮🇹 (5 days)
Five days dedicated to Rewilding Apennines field activities, discovering natural ecosystems and great local artisans.
Rewilding Apennines
Rewilding Week >
Rewilding Vision
The Central Apennines | Italy 🇮🇹
The Central Apennines have become a true biodiversity hotspot, offering real wilderness in the heart of bustling Italy, just 1.5 hours from Rome. This majestic mountain range, with limestone peaks soaring to nearly 3,000 meters, is a treasure trove of natural wonders.
Hidden within its dramatic landscapes are caves, deep canyons, some of Europe’s oldest beech forests, and diverse grasslands. These habitats are home to an incredible array of wildlife, including the Marsican brown bear, grey wolf, Apennine chamois, red deer, golden eagle, vultures, and a remarkable collection of endemic species.
The Central Apennines offer a unique opportunity to experience Mediterranean wilderness at its finest—a captivating blend of natural beauty and wildlife in Italy’s Wild Heart.
Journey through the ecological corridors
The Rewilding Experiences are set in the ecological corridors of the Central Apennines rewilding landscape.
Here, the team’s commitment focuses on nature restoration and more specific, monitoring and conservation of species and habitats. We cooperate with local institutions and communities in order to promote shared initiativesto spread the concept of human-wildlife coexistence. Bringing ecosystems back in balance and making people participate in the benefits derived from this, is one of the objectives we want to share with everyone who believes that this is a priority mission for our wellbeing and quality of life.
The ecological corridors where we work and that connect the main protected areas are defined as “coexistence corridors”. They are crucial areas for the survival and movement of species such as the Marsican brown bear , the Apennine wolf, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, wildcat, griffon vulture, golden eagle and many others.