Expedition participants will stay at Parque Biológico de Vinhais (PBV), an institutional partner of Iberian Wolf Scientific Expeditions. These public facilities are managed by Vinhais Municipality and are located inside Montesinho Natural Park, one of the most diverse biological areas in Portugal.
Main valences include:
- natural and cultural interpretation;
- nature conservation;
- ecotourism development.
Sleeping in Vinhais Biological Park is an exciting experience itself. With a varied offer, namely lovely Bungalows (T2, T3 and T4), charming capsules, or small wooden tents, the contact with Nature is undoubtedly the common denominator. Depending on the time of the year and the number of participants, there are two accommodation options: Rio de Fornos Mansion-House and PBV Bungalows. When the option is Rio de Fornos Mansion-House, a fully restored 18th century house, accommodation is in bunk-beds rooms. You may choose to stay in a double private room of this house, depending on the availability.
Vinhais Biological Park is located within Montesinho Natural Park and about 3km away from the Vinhais village. Free Wi-Fi access is available in the public areas. Featuring a shower, bathrooms also come with towels. At Vinhais Biological Park you will find barbecue facilities and a lovely terrace.
Inside the property, guests will find an equestrian center, an interpretation center of indigenous species and a mycological center. So, without leaving the Biological Park you will have the opportunity to see some emblematic native species of Montesinho mountains, such as deer (Cervus elaphus), European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), among others. Given its location, you may also have the opportunity to observe numerous bird species, reptiles and amphibians that live here. Here you can also learn more about the domestic cattle races that have lived together with people since ancient times, such as the Montesinho black goat (Capra aegagrus), the bísaro Pig (Sus domesticus), the Churra Galega Sheep (Ovis aries) and the Mirandês Dumb (Equus asinus).
Within the Biological Park, you can also observe a high diversity of habitats, namely the emblematic Pyrenean Oak (Quercus pyrenaica) or Chestnut (Castanea sativa) as well as some aromatic and medicinal plants. The surrounding area is dominated by Quercus pyrenaica woods, and there are also well preserved riparian galleries. On the slopes of the mountain there are also heather and gorse bushes, that each spring, provide a palette of colors of unique beauty. Genista thickets are prominent in the areas of deeper and more productive soils, once used as cultivation fields. The harmonious humanized landscape of this region is also gorgeous, with small traditional crops interspersed with the natural habitats described above. Another very special feature is the complex geology of the area, since it is located in the Bragança-Vinhais ultrabasic massif, which determines the occurrence of flora and vegetation characteristic of ultrabasic soils, namely some emblematic endemism’s (species that only exist here).
Finally, the Vinhais Biological Park also offers the possibility to discover the aquatic biodiversity of the region, with an outdoor biological pool, where you can dive and discover some of the most emblematic dragonflies, butterflies and some amphibians of the region. So, during summer (or during winter for the most adventurous) don’t forget to bring your bathing suit!
To know more about Vinhais Biological Park, click here.