Barnacle Geese
Few sights are as breathtaking as thousands of geese lifting up against the winter sun and few places as good as the Netherlands to witness this spectacle at its best.
Vast flat landscapes punctuated with windmills form an atmospheric backdrop to the holiday during which we will circumnavigate the Ijsselmeer, starting and finishing our tour at Amsterdam. En route we will spend time at selected reserves which offer some of the best birdwatching in the Netherlands, including De Putten, Lauwersmeer and Oostvaardersplassen where lagoons, scrub-lined dykes and reedbeds provide a wealth of wildfowl, waders and raptors. The low-lying fields are the grazing ground for many thousands of White-fronted, Barnacle and Brent Geese with the occasional scarce species such as Lesser White-fronted and Red-breasted Goose. Goshawk, Rough-legged Buzzard and White-tailed Eagle are regularly seen and we will look out for Black Woodpecker and Crested Tits in the forests, Great Grey Shrike and Hen Harriers on the heaths and Long-eared Owls in cemetries!. Cosy hotels and excellent Dutch hospitality including the legendary stops for hot chocolate and ‘snert’ (Dutch split pea and ham soup) provide the ideal complement to this popular winter holiday.
Contact The Ultimate Travel Company 0207 386 4682 to make a reservation.
Economy class flights, accommodation with private facilities, full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner), transport by private minibuses, tips and services of Wild Insights leaders.
Travel insurance and items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry and phone calls.
Our journey circumnavigates the Ijsselmeer and takes in some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Netherlands with low-lying fields and dykes full of geese.
Wild Insights overseas tours are part of a wider programme of Ultimate Travel Company holidays worldwide, and their terms and conditions apply. The Ultimate Travel Company is fully licensed and bonded with ABTA and IATA and all their overseas tours are fully protected by their Civil Aviation Authority ATOL Licence, number 5111.