Bearwatching in Abruzzo a complete bear experience in the Apennines

The Marsican brown bear, a subspecies endemic to the region, whose core is found mainly in the narrow confines of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park and its surroundings, is undoubtedly the most charismatic and famous inhabitant of the forests of the Central Apennines.

There is no route in nature that can guarantee a bear encounter. However, joining a guided tour will increase your chances of seeing one. Bears normally hibernate during the winter season. April to September is the best time to see them: in the spring they'll move downstream in search of sprouts and ants. July and August is when they find fruit and food at high altitudes, it can be easier than other times to see bears, take photos and enjoy the silence of the sunset.

Highlights

Small groups for more genuine experiences: maximum 8 participants per guide ensuring an intimate experience respecting environment and wildlife.
We aim for our clients to offer an exclusive experience searching for and learning about keystone species such as bear.
A concrete help to preserve the marsican bear: 5% trip cost goes directly to Salviamo l’Orso a no profit local association working on a series of initiatives aimed at protecting the bear as an umbrella species.

Costs

from 35,00 €

What's included

Local nature guide
Binocular Nikon Prostaff 8×42
Headlamp

What is excluded

Any transports
Packed dinner
Personal travel insurance

On a typical bear-watching tour, we hike for approximately two hours before reaching the observation area. Participants must be able to walk comfortably on medium-difficulty trails and remain silent while waiting and observing wildlife.

Bears are usually hibernating during the winter months. The best time to see them is from April to August. In spring, bears move downstream in search of sprouts and ants. During July and August, they head to higher altitudes in search of fruits and other food sources. Although sightings can’t be guaranteed, this is often the best time to spot bears and take photos—especially while enjoying the peaceful silence of a mountain sunset.

Booking available on selected dates: each tuesday, friday, saturday starting from April to August. See booking calendar for available dates.

What to bring

When going on a Bearwatching excursion in Abruzzo, it is important to be prepared for a lot of physical activity. This means it is advisable to dress in layers so that you can lighten your clothing during the day. Even in high summer, warm and windproof clothing is required at sunset. Waterproof hiking boots are mandatory and you will not be allowed to join the excursion if you do not have them. Only use odourless insect repellent spray and sunscreen.

Mountain backpack (25–35 litres).
Waterproof jacket
Down jacket
Fleece or sweatshirt
Spare T-shirt
Long hiking trousers
Hiking boots
Beret
Light gloves
Water (at least 1 litre).
Packed dinner

Whether you are going on a day hike or a multi-day trip, it is essential to prepare properly to ensure your safety and enjoyment. See our guidelines on how to equip yourself for each season.

Reviews

Great trip

July 28, 2024

Well organised activity. We were delighted to observe a bear on an opposite slope as he meticulously searched for food beneath the rocks. I can definitely recommend this to everybody.

colm corcoran

Großartiges Naturerlebnis

June 16, 2024

Wir haben tatsächlich einen Bären gesehen - ein einmaliges Erlebnis.

Ines Weißenbrunner

Wild walk

May 7, 2024

A great walk with Andrea. No Bear this time but a wonderful location and a lot of wildlife.

charley

fantastic, very professional and sensitive

September 11, 2024

very good

Lars Henrik Gass

Abruzzo Wildlife

May 19, 2025

I truly enjoyed the excursion into the wild with knowledgeable guides. It is quite unique as well as picturesque at the same time. In addition, I enjoyed “hiding out” in the terrain. I highly recommend this particular tour for wilderness enthusiasts.

Bernhard Stachelberger

Fantastic Experience | Fantastisk Oplevelse

June 4, 2024

My 15 year old son and I travelled from Denmark to spend a few days trekking and mountain biking in the area, which we planned around bear watching. Unfortunately, the weather forecast anticipated rain on the afternoon/evening of the bear watching tour. The team at Wildlife Adventures reached out in advance and made suggestions for other dates or other activities. None worked schedule-wise so I asked whether we could do a trip in the morning. Whilst these are not scheduled, the team offered a... private trip instead. We woke up at 4am on Monday morning, met our guide at 4.40 and started the treck up the mountains at 4.45. It was fantastic to go up in the dark. After a couple of hours of waiting patiently, there it was, a beautiful Marsican Brown Bear right infront of us. The scenery was spectacular and we were lucky enough to experience this critically endangered bear in the wild. Our guide was fantastic, highly educated in forestry management and was able to go into details on the ecology, conservation activities, human-wildlife conflict and all other aspects of the great work being done in the region to hopefully link parks to allow for better connectivity and movement of wildlife. It was a great experience and we are now planning on a multi-day adventure to see some wolves in the mountains of Abruzzo. We highly recommend Wildlife Adventures. ---------- Min 15-årige søn og jeg rejste fra Danmark for at tilbringe nogle dage med trekking og mountainbiking i området, som vi planlagde omkring bjørneobservation. Desværre forudsagde vejrudsigten regn om eftermiddagen/aftenen på bjørneobservationsturen. Holdet fra Wildlife Adventures tog kontakt på forhånd og kom med forslag til andre datoer eller andre aktiviteter. Ingen af dem passede tidsplanen, så jeg spurgte, om vi kunne tage på en tur om morgenen. Selvom disse ture ikke er planlagt, tilbød holdet en privat tur i stedet. Vi vågnede kl. 4 om morgenen mandag, mødte vores guide kl. 4.40 og begyndte vandreturen op ad bjergene kl. 4.45. Det var fantastisk at gå op i mørket. Efter et par timers tålmodig venten var den der, en smuk Marsican Brown Bear lige foran os. Landskabet var spektakulært, og vi var heldige nok at opleve denne kritisk truede bjørn i det fri. Vores guide var fantastisk, højt uddannet inden for skovbrugsforvaltning og kunne gå i detaljer om økologi, bevaringsaktiviteter, konflikter mellem mennesker og dyreliv samt alle andre aspekter af det store arbejde, der udføres i regionen for forhåbentlig at forbinde parker og muliggøre bedre sammenhæng og bevægelse af dyrelivet. Det var en fantastisk oplevelse, og nu planlægger vi et flerdages eventyr for at se nogle ulve i Abruzzo-bjergene. Vi kan varmt anbefale Wildlife Adventures.

AV Caro

No Bears but still satisfied

May 28, 2024

What I did not like, the weather ;). And the transport to the watching location, a van would be better, but that could rise the price of the activity, make it more expensive... So good price/quality ratio The experience itself was satisfying. We saw plenty of wildlife, but no bears or wolves. If I would recommend this trip > YES The...

Hans De Dobbelaere

FAQ

Of course, a good percentage of the participants to the Bearwatching in Abruzzo are single travellers.

Our tours are usually made up of singles, couples and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, most of whom are between 25 and 50 years old. These adventures are suitable for solo travellers and attract people with a common mindset: a love of nature, a desire to go further and meet like-minded people.

The recommended minimum age for the Bearwatching in Abruzzo is 12. We often stay out until late in the evening, especially in spring and summer. It is also necessary to remain silent for a long time in order to fully enjoy the experience and not compromise the success of the activity.

We regret that we cannot accept dogs at the Bearwatching in Abruzzo. If you love your dog, you certainly love wild animals. To protect them and not to disturb them, certain precautions are necessary. For this reason, in the National Parks of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise and in many other protected areas, there are paths and areas of integral reserve where our pets cannot accompany us.

Refreshment point and toilet services are not available during this hike, you will eat your packed dinner and you may go in the forest… looking for your private toilet.

Outdoor activities are weather dependent. If we are forced to cancel an activity due to extreme weather conditions, an alternative date, gift card or full refund will be provided. Please note that changes may occur at a short notice, even on the same day.

We can confirm most of the scheduled events due to our intimate knowledge of the area. Remember to bring all the necessary equipment and recommended clothing.

Ask for a private bearwatching tour if you need an exclusive experience. Whether you are a wildlife lover, photography enthusiast or simply in search of moments of peace and contemplation, our tailor-made itineraries will allow you to discover hidden corners and breathtaking landscapes in a unique and unforgettable experience.

We are a fully licensed tour operator, and all our guides are qualified professionals with professional indemnity insurance. It is easy and quick to take out additional travel insurance with major insurance companies. In addition to medical, baggage, and personal accident cover, you can also add cancellation cover travel insurance. Contact us for more information.

We understand that life can sometimes be unpredictable and we are here to help you in any way we can. We strongly recommend that you take out an additional insurance policy that includes a cancellation option. This can also be requested at the time of booking.

Day Tours
- Cancellation is free up to 48 hours prior to departure. Cancellations made after this time will incur a 100% cancellation fee and will not be refunded.

Multi day tours
- Up to 30 days prior to arrival, no charge.
- 29 to 15 days prior to arrival, 50% cancellation fee.
- Less than 14 days before arrival or no show, 100% cancellation fee.

Pescasseroli is the most important village of Abruzzo National Park, the oldest Italian protected area. It has guaranteed a life in harmony with nature for almost a century. You can easily reach it by car through three access points. FROM ROME (Highway A24 Rome – L’Aquila): from Rome highway A24 until Pescina exit, proceed on SR83 or on SP17 until Pescasseroli. FROM PESCARA (Highway A25 Roma – Pescara): from Pescara highway A25 until Pescina exit, go on towards SR83 or towards SP17 until Pescasseroli. FROM NAPLES (Highway A1 Naples – Rome): from Naples highway A1 until Caianello exit, enter SS85 towards Venafro and then proceed on SR83 until Pescasseroli.

You can arrive by bus thanks to daily connections from Castel di Sangro and Avezzano. Check the timetable on Tuabruzzo. Connections by train are only until Avezzano station. For those who come from Rome it is possible to check the timetable of LineaRoma or Prontobus company that connects Roma and Ciampino airports to Avezzano.