Wolf Tracking Itinerary
Lone wolf tracks in characteristically straight line
We have put together an example itinerary for you so you can get an idea of what to expect on your wolf tracking adventure.
But it is not set in stone and we will adapt it to suit the group.
The main thing to remember is that you will be following wild animals so it is really they who will be dictating the itinerary!
A mother chamois with her baby
We will either collect you from Gap train station or meet you directly at the accommodation if you have made your own way there.
Once everyone has arrived we will have a welcome drink and go through the next few days. It's a good opportunity to ask any questions before settling down to a good hearty meal and a good night's sleep in preparation for tomorrow's adventure!
Taking in the view of wolf territory
First day tracking.
This is a full day out with Bernard, your high mountain guide and tracker following the signs and prints of wolves and other wildlife. The actual destination will depend on where the wolves are thought to be at the time, but walking is likely to be ‘off piste’ in a wild, all terrain environment.
You will be looking at the signs of all the different animals; chamois, wild boar, mouflon and deer, living in the wolves' territory. You will learn how to identify and interpret their prints - whether they are fresh or old, running, walking or ambling, you'll see what food they eat, discover their favourite places, where they drink, their dens..... all useful information to help locate and understand the wolves.
If we find fresh wolf prints our route will be determined and we'll follow their tracks and interpret their behaviour along the way... do they separate to hunt, are they running or slowly patrolling their territory, do they play or rest, what are they looking for and where are they going? Have they recently hunted and eaten or are they hungry in search of prey.... ?
By the end of the day you will have a really good insight into the behaviour of the wolves and mountain wildlife as they eat, sleep, mate and carry out their lives under the threat of their biggest predators.
After a good day out in the mountains we'll take you back to your accommodation to summarise the days events and create a plan of action for tomorrow.
Then it's warm shower and a well deserved meal before getting in a decent night's sleep in preparation for the overnight expedition!!
On the ridge of wolf territory
Howling to get a wolf response
One of the winter refuges
Depending on results from yesterday and other local knowledge, we will choose where to go for our overnight expedition. There are several winter refuges to choose from so we'll decide which one is closest to where we think the wolves are going to be.
The wolves are often active at dawn and dusk and overnight so sleeping out in the mountains is a really good opportunity to get a decent glimpse or hear the wolves howling.
As we will be in the wild, a long way from civilisation, it is very important to make sure everyone is suitably kitted out. We will also have the food, cooking equipment, sleeping bags and torches to share out. So the first job of the morning is to pack sacks!!
After that we will set out on our mission to find more evidence of the wolves. The array of animal prints in the snow will be starting to make more sense now and you'll be able to picture the lives and activity of the animals living all around you and you'll know where to look with your binoculars to see them!
Again our exact route will be determined by what we find but ultimately we will aim to get to the refuge in good time to set up and prepare for the evening.
After making sure we have enough water and firewood for the night we'll patrol around the refuge to see if we can see any signs - the evening is also the time of day for wild boar to start moving about.
Throughout the evening we'll go out to see if any visitors have passed by and also to try and get a response from the wolves by howling.
Being in the wilds of the Alps under the stars and moonlight listening to the sounds of wildlife at night is a truly special experience. If you are lucky enough to hear the wolves howling, it is a sound that you will never ever forget!
We'll cook dinner together and warm ourselves by the fire before settling into our sleeping bags - it's a fun evening! If you have never staying in a winter refuge in the Alps before it is likely to be an experience you'll keep in your memory bank for life!
Bernard will also place an infrared, movement triggered camera overnight so you can see who came to visit you whilst you were fast asleep - as long as it isn't too cold! We have recently discovered (after a night out in temperatures of -13) that it doesn't work in very cold temperatures!
A wild boar eaten by a wolf
Photo of wild wolf taken by local enthusiast
After a hot coffee and breakfast, we'll pack our (much lighter after having eaten all the food) sacks and set off for the last day of our wolf tracking adventure.
We'll head back from the refuge, again following signs of the wolves, ultimately in the direction of the bed and breakfast or vehicle shuttle (if we have gone in a different direction following the wolves).
It's the last chance we'll have to see if we can catch a glimpse of where they are hiding so we'll take our time scanning the mountainsides with our binoculars! We'll also spend some time howling to see if we can elicit some communication with the wolves.
At the end of the day, we'll take you back to your bed and breakfast for a good evening meal and night in 'luxury' with hot water and clean sheets!
At the end of your adventure, you should be able to tell the difference between a dog print and wolf print, a chamois, deer or wild boar print, and whether it was running or walking and in what direction, you’ll have discovered the hiding places and dens of the animals and seen and heard plenty of wildlife. You may even have been lucky enough to have caught a glimpse of the wolves in action or heard them howling!
This is the last day where we will say goodbye.
If we haven't already had a chance to download the night pictures and time permits we'll have a leisurely coffee over the computer and find out what all the strange noises were in the night!
Otherwise, we'll send you the pictures via internet for when you get home
We'll also fill out the forms to send in records of all the wolf activity we have seen to the wolf network and forest guards. This is all recorded and contributes to the knowledge database of wolf activity in the area and ultimately the environmental management of the region.
We'll give you a lift back to Gap train station.
