Advice for Iberian lynx watching in October 2026 in Sierra de Andújar
My husband and I are traveling to Andulucia in mid-October. We’re planning to spend ~4 nights around the Sierra de Andújar to photograph the Iberian lynx. I recognize this isn’t peak lynx activity time, but we’re hopeful to see them. In my research, it’s seems like the park is public, but most of the surrounding lands are private. Questions for the group:
- Are 3-4 days/nights enough time to see lynx in October?
- Do we need a guide and if so, for the park itself and/or for access to private reserves adjacent to the park?
- How recommended are the hides for better photography and are there specific recommended locations?
Thank you for any insights!
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8 Comments
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Fred Hood
I have gone to Spain for Iberian lynx in February 2024,2025,2026. I also went first time to Sierra Andujar in September 2010 and saw one pre-dawn crossing the dam, which was unbelievable as the numbers were low then. February (or winter in general) is best time because they are more active during the day, but they are there year-round.
There are now four lynx-watching hides I know of, but only one near Sierra de Andujar Park, which is Gato Clavo. I have used this one last three years and used another one down the road this year (Penalejo) and have looked online at the other two (one farther north to the west of Toledo and one farther southeast above Cordoba). I also spent one day in Donana in 2025 (no sighting) and three days in 2026 (one sighting).
In my opinion, Gato Clavo hide is the best of the bunch and is certainly the most comfortable. I would highly recommend it (just do an internet search for Gato Clavo). In 2024 I used a guide and saw one in the public road by the cattle ranches on both mornings, but saw none with the same guide company in 2025 and did not try in 2026 (though area had severe flooding then). That company does not have access to private estates, so I would look for one that does if you hire a guide.
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Mario de Freitas
Hi Rebecca,
I passed by Andujar with my wife in late March on a tight schedule. We booked one day at a hide in Finca Los Chopos, run by Tirso Perez, a nature photographer (+34 638 15 8409). The hide is about a 30-40 minutes drive from Andujar. It’s a one-way glass cabin that fits 3 people comfortably. There are 3 holes at the bottom that allow unobstructed views and ground level photos. The hide is very well located, surrounded by the natural environment of the Sierra de Andujar, with trees, rocky outcrops and wildflowers. In March it was quite cold inside the hide in the morning, I reckon October should be nice. We did NOT see any Lynx the entire day! Tirso was sympathetic and offered us another visit for free, so we adjusted our plans and came by 3 days later. In less than 2 hours we saw a female lynx incredibly at ease, looking for rabbit holes and walking past the hide less than 2 meters away! I recommend Tirso (180 Euro pp full day (with lunch stop); as my wife is not a photographer, he charged 50%).
So to your questions>
1+2. 3-4 days is more than enough if you go to a hide. I think it is quite hard to spot a lynx in the public areas of the Sierra de Andujar on your own. I can’t recommend a guide and don’t know how much your odds improve; In spite of having large public areas, probably the best spots are in private lands that are now aware of conservation and charge for entrance. Los Chopos is a farm covering 2,500 acres.
3. Hides are certainly easier for photography, I did not have the time to scout for good locations outside Los Chopos. Before booking with Tirso I tried to book at Penalasco_Aprisco further north, run by WildWatching Spain, but they took ages to reply so I changed to Los Chopos and do not regret it.Andujar is a nice town with good hotels and restaurants. We stayed at a wonderful little hotel (Oleum) that is really an art gallery. Some people prefer to stay in a couple of rural places closer to the hide.
Hope this may be of help.Best,
Mario de Freitas
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Sebastian Kennerknecht
Hi Rebecca,
Good questions!I think the answers to your questions differ somewhat significantly if you want to “just” see the lynx, versus get good photographs of it. The ladder requires more time and knowledge about the best specific places where one can get good photographs. You are right the roads through the park are public, most of the land on either side of the road is private, and mostly fenced off (you can easily photograph through the fence).
To answer your questions
1. I think you have about a 35% chance of seeing an Iberian lynx in four days in October. Like you mentioned its not the best time for them that month, but make sure you are out at sunrise and especially sunset, when the cats will be most active. Increasing the number of days to six probably bumps you to around 60%.2. You don’t need a guide to see the lynx on the public road. It will be helpful to have one though. They know they micro spots where its more likely to see one and will have up-to-date local knowledge about recent sightings. You will definitely need one to access the private properties (in my experience there isn’t more of a chance to see a lynx on private versus public property).
3. Some of the hides definitely increase your chances of better photography, but I would not recommend them for ethical reasons. The ones in which you can get better photos, as far as I know, do something to attract the lynx, whether that is through scent, or direct live or dead baiting (which is illegal) — often despite saying otherwise.
My advice would be spend a week on the public road, in the La Lancha area and hope that a lynx comes close to the road.
If you ever have time in January, we offer tours for Iberian lynx with great success for good photography sightings.
Hope this helps,
Sebastian
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Miles Foster
Hi, Rebecca,
1. I would give it a week. Even if you have a fantastic sighting the first day there are other things worth seeing in the area.
2. It’s a good idea. We hired a guide to the public areas for the first day and arranged to visit one private area later in the week.
3. I haven’t used them but a friend had a very good experience with a hide and even found a lynx sheltering from the heat in one! Though not in October….
As for precise locations, it is always a good idea to scour the recent trip reports – there should be a helpful map in at least one of them. There are also otters below the dam, Spanish ibex and fallow deer in the dehesa, mouflon (introduced), black vultures and Imperial eagles in the hills and the azure-winged magpies are not to be missed.
If you have time and inclination, there is an El Greco in Santa María la Mayor in Andujar and a Roman bridge below the town, still in use and best seen from the E5/A4. The nearby city of Ubeda is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and well worth an afternoon’s visit.
Have a great rip.
Miles Foster