The 13th edition of the biggest natural event in Portugal is coming up. As usual, Sagres Birdwatching and Nature Activities Festival will take place in the first days of October this year from the 1st to the 5th.
Despite its primary focus on birdwatching, with field trips, bird ringing sessions and boat birding tours, this natural festival has much more than bird-related activities. The range of other nature activities is incredibly vast. There, among many different options, you will find boat tours, dolphin-watching, talks and environmental education activities, hikes or photography courses.
The festival is in charge of the Municipality of Vila do Bispo, Almargem Association and the Portuguese Organisation for the Study of Birds (SPEA). And more than 90 partners from local businesses, companies, organisations and individual collaborators contribute to the diversity of activities of the festival.
Main photo of the website of the event. Photo credits of Tiago Guerreiro.
How to get to the Festival?
The 5-day festival will happen mainly in the Peninsula of Sagres, the southwestern corner of the Algarve, in Vila do Bispo county. The best way to get there is by car, using highway A22 until Lagos, then the national road N125 to connect to the Vila do Bispo, and finally, the national road N268 until Sagres. The directions are pretty easy to follow.
How can I participate, and how much do I need to pay?
To participate in most of the activities, due to the demand and high interest, you must register in advance through the festival website. Registration is open from the 1st of September. So, we invite you to have a lot on the festival program here and book your place in the activities you like as soon as possible.
For some activities, you can only register at the event reception, which will be in the Beliche Fortress, between the village of Sagres and the São Vicente Lighthouse.
The best part of the festival is that the majority of the activities are free. As long as you register, you won’t need to pay, apart from specific activities most associated with water experiences, such as boat tours, dolphin-watching, or boat birding tours.
Though, you need to know that, before any activity, you try to attempt, whether or not you registered yourself, you must first visit the festival reception and get your Festival Bracelet.
What bird-related activities shouldn’t I miss?
The variety of activities is such that choosing an activity can be overwhelming. So, although it will depend on the number of days you manage to stay, we believe you should try some of the unique opportunities you have there. For example, you should consider the bird ringing sessions, the free birding tours with experienced guides, or even the boat birding tours.
If you aren’t sure which ones you would like to do, you can visit the event, check which activities are still available, and decide whether or not to join them.
On the other hand, if you are a beginner in birdwatching, you can decide on introductory activities to this hobby. Here’s where we will offer tips and advice for people who want to start developing their birdwatching skills. Look for the “Field Records for Birdwatching” activity, and we will be happy to receive you at your sessions.
For any additional questions or curiosity about the festival, we encourage you to visit the Information page on the event’s website, here.
We hope to see you there!