During any week day, visitors can come to the Vale do Gonçalinho estate and enjoy its duly signalized network of interpretative trails existing outside the CEAVG.

Offering linear and circular trails, all information panels have images and comments on common plants and animals (particularly birds) in the surroundings.

NOTES:
1 - If you are thinking of visiting the trails in an organized group, we ask that you contact us before your visit to ensure that it takes place without any difficulty.
2 – If you wish to be accompanied by a CEAVG guide, please contact us beforehand to be informed of the conditions.

TRAIL 1 – Trail of the Avifauna “Vale Gonçalinho – Pereiras”
Beginning and ending in Vale do Gonçalinho, near the CEAVG, this is an excellent trail to watch the steppe birds, particularly between March and June. By this time of the year it is possible to watch great bustards, lesser kestrels, little bustards, Montagu’s harriers, rollers, calandra larks and bee-eaters.

During the winter, large flocks of Northern lapwings and European golden plovers, as well as red kites or hen harriers.

Along with the great bustard, the little owl, the black-bellied sandgrouse and the calandra lark are the birds easily seen throughout the year. The Eurasian stone-curlew and the barn owl are more easily seen or heard by dusk.

Trail duration: 2h (or more, depending on the number and duration of stops)
Difficulty: easy (3km)
Best season of the year: the whole year except from July to September because of the heat. From November to April the crossing of the Barranco das Nogueiras may be difficult because of the rain.

Interactive Map

TRAIL 2 – Trail of Biodiversity “Vegetable Garden and Barranco Nogueiras”
Beginning at the ancient vegetable garden of the Vale do Gonçalinho estate, near the CEAVG, and crossing the Barranco das Nogueiras, this linear route invites you to discover the biodiversity – flora and fauna – of this “oasis” in the middle of the plain.

Trail duration: 30min (or more, depending on the number and duration of stops)
Difficulty: easy (500m, round trip)
Best season of the year: the whole year except from July to September because of the heat. From November to April the crossing of the Barranco das Nogueiras may be difficult because of the rain.

Interactive Map

TRAIL 3 – Trail Biodiversity Station
The Biodiversity Stations (BS) are short public trails located in areas with high biological and landscape value. Beginning in the CEAVG, the Vale do Gonçalinho BS allows you to k now insects and plants which are easy to see during the year and populate areas as the Barranco das Nogueiras, the old Vegetable Garden of the Monte das Pereiras and the wide cereal plain.
Trail duration: 1h (or more, depending on the number and duration of stops)
Difficulty: easy (2km, round trip)
Best season of the year: the whole year except from July to September because of the heat. From November to April the crossing of the Barranco das Nogueiras may be difficult because of the rain.

Interactive Map

TRAIL 4 – Mini Route through the Steppe
The Mini Route through the Cereal Steppe is a circular trail near the CEAVG. With a set of natural size bird replicas, this small route leads us to the discovery of some of the more emblematic steppe birds that can be seen in the Castro Verde cereal steppe.
Trail duration: 10min (or more, depending on the number and duration of stops)
Difficulty: easy (200m)
Best season of the year: the whole year except from July to September because of the heat.

Interactive Map