The Orihuela Tourism Department presents an innovative proposal for the month of July with a series of night tours that highlight the rich biodiversity and natural landscapes of Orihuela.
“We have prepared some truly refreshing routes for the month of July,” said Orihuela Tourism Councillor, Gonzalo Montoya. These tourist tours aim to promote nature tourism during summer nights, offering an alternative to high daytime temperatures.”
Orihuela, known for its biological diversity and valuable natural landscapes, offers the perfect setting for the development of tourist activities that allow visitors to explore and enjoy its environmental wealth. “We have dedicated the July routes to nature, to the flora and fauna of our municipality, a tourist aspect of our land that we have wanted to highlight,” said the Councillor. Among the places of interest, the Protected Landscape of Sierra Escalona, the Palmeral of Orihuela and the underwater Posidonia meadows in Cabo Roig stand out, which together form a mosaic of unique ecosystems.
Each route will be guided by a local biodiversity expert who will use specialised tools, such as ultrasonic bat detectors and thermal cameras, to offer detailed and respectful observation of wildlife.
Among the night routes scheduled for July is “El Río Nacimiento and the Mystery of the Nightingale”. This is a guided tour of the Albufera de la Glea on Thursday, 4th July, where participants will be able to discover the secrets of the nightingale, a melodic bird that sings both day and night after his arrival from Africa in April.
Continuing with the night routes is “La Sierra del Búho Real es en Orihue-la”, on Thursday, 11th July in Sierra Escalona, which will offer a close encounter with the majestic eagle owl, the largest nocturnal bird of prey in Europe. Participants will begin the night with the “in situ” dissection of a pellet, discovering the varied diet of the eagle owl. Thanks to technology, they will have digital access to the nest of these impressive animals. The route will also include the observation of other fascinating species, as well as the opportunity to discover the secret life of foxes through their tracks and distinctive nocturnal howls.
On Friday, 19th July “The Wild Nights of the Orihuela Palmeral” will take place, an excursion through the Orihuela Palmeral, an oasis of biodiversity where you can observe bats, hedgehogs and owls, among other species, in their nocturnal habitat. The activity will take place in one of the most emblematic places in the city, offering a unique experience of coexistence with nature during the night.
Thursday, 25th July, is the route “The Okavango Oriolano: The Magic of the Herons and the Sunset”. On this tour, participants will be able to enjoy an impressive natural spectacle at the Orihuela Mill, where cattle egrets, egrets and other birds return to roost and feed their chicks at dusk. The tour will be guided by an ornithologist who will provide binoculars and telescopes for detailed observation, becoming passionate ornithologists for a night.
The last week of July the route “Desamparados, the Oriolan Otter Refuge” will take place on Friday, 26th July. This activity will focus on the fauna of the Segura River, where the otter has regained its habitat after the improvement of the river’s condition.
Completing the night routes, a cultural visit has been scheduled on Saturday, 27th July with “Night at the Museum”, which will take place at the Orihuela Museum of Sacred Art, offering a cultural experience in a nighttime environment for the first time.
The July routes also include excursions to trails on the Orihuela Costa, such as “Pink Sunsets: The Flamenco Route along the Orihuela Coast”, on Thursday, 18th July, which will allow visitors to observe flamingos and other seabirds at sunset, offering photographic opportunities in a natural setting full of life and colour. On Sunday, 21st July, the route “Las Dunas de Orihuela, Last Bastion of Protected Flora” will take place, which will take participants to explore the dunes of Campoamor, learning about the diversity of protected plants and the importance of their conservation for future generations.
Cultural routes
Among the cultural routes, “Tras las Huellas de Miguel” and “Los Rincones de Miguel” stand out on Thursday, 4th July and Saturday, 13th July, respectively, dedicated to the figure of the Oriolano poet Miguel Hernández. Themed tours will also be carried out during the week of the festivities of the Reconquista of Moors and Christians, such as “Las Santas y la Leyenda” on Tuesday, 16th July and “Santiago, Patron Saint of Spain” on Thursday, 25th July, which will offer visitors an immersion in the rich history of Orihuela.
Everyone is invited to delve into the rich and surprising natural environment that Orihuela offers. For more information or to book your place, visit the website: www.orihuelaturistica.es or contact via WhatsApp at 673 836 386 385.