Abruzzo National Park

This trip to Abruzzo National Park was a super last minute arrangement.

I woke up Saturday morning with an urge to be outdoors as the weather has  just been gorgeous lately. The urge was also probably due to the need to work off the food marathon I had with my sister while she was in town.

However, the challenge was deciding where we could go as it maybe difficult to find accommodation. Here in Italy, May 1st is a holiday and many people have taken Monday off to have a nice long weekend.

We often try to avoid travel during peak periods but decided if we leave for either a day trip or an overnight stay coming back on Sunday, there won’t be much traffic on the road.

We had mentioned Pescasseroli and the Abruzzo National Park a few days earlier but it was only on Saturday morning that we checked on guided tours for this past weekend in the Park.

We called Ecotur and were told they had a guided walk which was rated as easy on Sunday morning at 9am.  Easy was what we wanted to hear as we really didn’t want to overestimate our own abilities and at €10 per person, it was very reasonable.

After discussing what time we would need to leave Rome to get there at 9am, we felt it would make more sense to stay overnight at Pescasseroli where we had to meet up.

We called the first B&B and was surprised they had a room available.  From the website, it wasn’t impressive but basically, it was just a place to sleep.  What is important for us is a clean place.

While we met the guide at their office in the centre of Pescasseroli, we still had to drive to Camosciara which was about a 20-minute drive. Parking fees at La Camosciara are €4 per car and there, we saw they also organized horseback rides which my niece, who loves horses, would surely enjoy.

Before we started the walk, the guide briefed us on the area and gave us some background information on the camoscio (chamois), cervo (deers) and wolves (lupo) that can be found in the park. He also mentioned the serious situation of the Marsciano bears as there are only about 40 remaining.

He said we won’t likely see of these animals as our hike is an easy one and will not get us to their whereabouts. However, a few minutes into the walk, he asked us to gather around something which looked like excrement. In my mind, I was thinking, this better be good because it’s just excrement!

The guide explained that this a wolf’s excrement and when a wolf attacks, it first eats the external parts like skin before going for the organs.  If it has time, the wolf then eats the rest of the animal.  The reason the guide brought this up was because a little boy with his parents on the tour were interested in wolves.

From this excrement, the guide said that the wolf had attacked a sheep from the white color of the skin in excrement and if it was a deer, it would be brown.

Ok let’s move on the more pleasant things.  If you decide to come to La Camosciara on your own, just take the asphalt path which will lead you to the waterfalls.

As for us, the guide also took us through the woods which I was surprised to see was nicely “manicured”. We also walked a good part on the asphalt path but I preferred walking through the woods as it was also much cooler and felt more like a walk in the park.

Overall, it was a “walk in the park” and although we brought bottles of water and some fruits, they weren’t really necessary as there was a bar at top.  Apart from snacks, it also sells souvenirs, has a restroom and tables and benches outdoors.

While some participants were taking a short break, the guide shared with us about the antlers of the deer.  He says deers shed their antlers annually and you can tell the age by the number of protrusions. So, if you see antlers on the walls of a rooms, it doesn’t necessarily mean the deer is dead.

This isn’t the case with chamois which has permanent horns and when you see them on a wall, that means the chamois is dead.

From the bar, we made our way to the waterfalls which is less than a 10-minute walk up some steps.

The second waterfall Ninfe is only a few steps away and less impressive.  You won’t miss it as it’s the end of the path and you would need to turn back.

Overall, the waterfalls weren’t that impressive but I thoroughly enjoyed this walk with the guide.  As I have mentioned in the past, you get more out of a walk or tour when you have a guide.  They bring to light and share information you wouldn’t get if you just went on your own.

It was great to be outdoors and which such perfect weather, I appreciate the  beauty and incredible creation that nature has to offer.

If walking is not your thing, there are some alternative transportation that can take you to the bar.  There you would still have to walk up to the waterfalls.

We saw a lot of people taking the wagons and the train but I didn’t get a chance to find out the cost.

I had a very positive experience with Ecotur and even though the tour was in Italian, I was able to understand most of it. The guide was clearly knowledgeable and I walked away not only having enjoyed a few hours in nature but more about this reserve.

I plan to be back to the Abruzzo National Park either with another hike, maybe one that is rated easy/medium difficulty or joining a group on a horseback ride.