Doñana – El Rocío Route
Doñana, World Heritage Site
Doñana National Park is a territory of great beauty and high ecological value. Doñana is the most important protected area in Spain and one of the largest nature reserves in Europe. It covers an area of almost 300 thousand hectares, most of which belong to the province of Huelva. What was once a hunting ground for Spanish royalty was declared a National Park in 1969. It is home to some 365 species of birds, many of which are endangered, and is the wintering ground for more than 500,000 birds every year. Doñana is also home to 21 species of reptiles, 11 species of amphibians, 20 species of freshwater fish, 37 species of non-marine mammals (including the Iberian lynx) and some 900 species of plants. Doñana can be accessed from two of the urban enclaves in the municipality of Almonte, such as El Rocío (to the north) and Matalascañas beach (to the south). From an environmental point of view, this space has three ecosystems: one humid (or marsh), another dry (or scrubland) and a third of mobile dunes.
We must not forget that the surroundings of the Natural Park, which surrounds the National Park in a discontinuous manner and is of a similar size, has fewer restrictions and can be visited more freely. The coincidence of certain landscapes and ecosystems make the Natural Park a habitat or place of passage for numerous species, such as the elusive Iberian lynx. In the park there are such unique spaces as the Hinojos marshes, the Ribetehilos marsh complex or the Abalario lagoons.
Another recommended visit is the spectacular Asperillo dunes, which can be crossed by a 1.2 kilometer wooden walkway called “Cuesta de Maneli”. This is a delightful walk flanked by pine forests and dense shrub vegetation that crosses the only fossil dunes preserved in Doñana, ending at a cliff that offers us a view of the Atlantic Ocean.
El Rocío is a pilgrimage centre (at Pentecost) and a place of devotion to the Virgin Mary throughout the year. It is a small, typically Andalusian village, with white houses (one or two stories) and sandy streets, where the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Rocío stands out.
With a tradition dating back to the 18th century, today there are numerous brotherhoods that make the pilgrimage to El Rocío at Pentecost (May-June), flooding the village on these dates with hundreds of thousands of people. The rest of the year you can visit the sanctuary and enjoy the surroundings, which include the beaches of Matalascañas and the Doñana Natural Park.
Type of Routes
– Walking routes
– 4×4 routes
– Horseback riding routes
– Agreed visits with or without a guide
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