Responsible Wolf Tracking in the French Alps

$950

  • Duration

    4 days
  • Departure Date

    Mar 29, 2025
  • Trip Style

    Small Group
  • Country

    France
  • Physical Rating

    Average

Overview

Follow the tracks of the elusive wolf on this rare, immersive responsible wolf-tracking experience in the French Alps.

With no phone or internet, you'll disconnect from modern life and experience breathtaking, untouched wilderness.

Guided by Bernard, a local expert with 20 years of experience, you'll explore the region's rich wildlife, including golden eagles, chamois, wild boar, and, if you're lucky, a wolf. You'll also learn how to differentiate between animal footprints and follow tracks, gaining valuable skills in wildlife tracking. Throughout the trip, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the animals and their habitat, learning to interpret signs left by different species.

The trip supports the local wolf network, contributing to the monitoring and research of wolf populations. Wolves, once wiped out from France, have returned from Italy, with the Southern Alps now home to the highest concentration in the country.

This trip is ideal for wildlife lovers, nature photographers, and anyone wanting to experience the wild beauty of the Alps while learning valuable skills in tracking and wildlife identification.

Highlights

  • Complete immersion in nature 
  • De-connect from modern distractions (no mobile phone connection, no internet)
  • Benefit from knowledgeable and experienced local guides for spotting and understanding wildlife
  • Visit breathtaking scenery and wild, untouched mountains
  • Small group, quality experience with a maximum of 8 guests
  • Opportunity to spot a wide range of animal and birdlife including golden eagles, black grouse, ptarmigan, chamois, deer, wild boar, foxes, and, if you are lucky, a wolf!
  • Contribute to the wolf network and management of wolves in the Alps

We've created a sample itinerary to give you an idea of what to expect during your wolf tracking adventure. However, this is flexible, and we will tailor it to suit the group.

The key thing to remember is that you’ll be tracking wild animals, so the itinerary will ultimately be guided by them!

Itinerary

Day 1 Marseille or Aix-en-Provence (France) [arrival day] - Set up refuge and first track!

We’ll pick you up from Marseille Airport at 10:30 AM or Aix-en-Provence TGV station at 11:00 AM. There are several early flights and TGV routes that arrive in time for this transfer, or you can opt to arrive the day before, stay overnight in Marseille, and meet us at the airport. When you book, we’ll ask for your flight and train details, and we’ll meet you at the arrivals area.

From there, we’ll drive to the trailhead (approximately a 2-hour drive), where we’ll have a picnic lunch (please bring this first meal with you) before walking into the refuge. Depending on snow conditions, it may be possible to take a 4x4 vehicle to the refuge, but if not, we’ll carry everything on foot and may need to make a few trips!

Once we arrive, we’ll unpack and set up the refuge while there’s still daylight. Afterward, we’ll head out for a walk around the area with Bernard, your high-mountain guide and tracker, to begin exploring and looking for signs and tracks of wolves and other wildlife, while getting to know the landscape.

After returning to the refuge, we’ll prepare dinner together and enjoy it by candlelight. We’ll then discuss our plans for the coming days, based on recent sightings, any evidence we’ve found, and local insights.

Accommodation: Church Refuge

Meals: Dinner

Day 2 Wolf Tracking

After enjoying a hot coffee and breakfast at the refuge, we’ll pack our bags and head out for the second day of our wolf-tracking adventure.

Our exact destination will depend on where the wolves are thought to be at the time, but expect to be walking 'off piste' through wild, all-terrain landscapes.

You’ll be on the lookout for signs of various animals—chamois, wild boar, mouflon, and deer—that share the wolves' territory. You’ll learn how to identify and interpret their tracks, whether they are fresh or old, running, walking, or ambling. Along the way, you’ll discover what they eat, where they like to hang out, where they drink, and where they make their dens—all crucial information for understanding the wolves and their environment.

If we come across fresh wolf tracks, our route will be adjusted to follow them. As we go, we’ll interpret their behavior: Do they separate to hunt? Are they running or slowly patrolling their territory? Are they playing, resting, or in search of food? Have they recently hunted or are they still looking for prey?

By the end of the day, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the wolves' behavior and the rhythms of mountain wildlife, from feeding to resting, mating, and surviving in a landscape shaped by predators.

At the end of the day, we’ll return to the refuge and prepare for the evening. Another night in the wilds of the Alps under the moon and stars awaits. We know there are animals out there, and we’ll hear them in the darkness—perhaps the wolves are watching us too... We’ll set up the camera again, possibly in a new spot, to capture what happens around the refuge at night!

Accommodation: Church Refuge

Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 Wolf Tracking

After a hot coffee and breakfast, we’ll pack our bags and head out for the third day of our wolf-tracking adventure.

By now, you'll have a strong understanding of the local wildlife and will know where to look for chamois and mouflon grazing, where roe deer spent the night, and where wild boar have roamed in search of food. You’ll also be able to distinguish between wolf and dog prints with ease.

We might explore a new area to track a different wolf pack, or we could remain in the same location, depending on what we’ve uncovered so far. From this refuge, there are two established wolf pack territories, though they can be dynamic and shift over time.

Who knows what today will bring, but one thing’s for sure—it will be an unforgettable wildlife adventure! We’ll stay alert for signs of wolf activity and may try howling to initiate communication with them. While it may feel strange to howl into the wilderness, the wolves do respond, and it’s an official method to learn if wolf packs have reproduced. By their replies, you can tell whether it's a young wolf or an adult!

We’ll finish the day with a final evening at the refuge—perhaps even a BBQ under the stars, weather permitting!

Accommodation: Church Refuge

Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 Wolf Tracking (before departure)

This morning, we’ll clean and tidy up the refuge, packing up all our belongings, gear, and any leftover food. Since we have privileged access to this refuge, it’s important that we leave it in as good a condition, or better, than we found it!

Depending on the time available, we’ll head out for one final track from the refuge or in a different area on the way to the airport, continuing to follow the signs of the wolves. This is our last chance to try and catch a glimpse of where they might be hiding, so we’ll take our time scanning the mountainsides with binoculars. We’ll also take some time to howl, hoping to initiate communication with the wolves.

By the end of your adventure, you'll be able to tell the difference between wolf and dog tracks, identify prints from chamois, deer, or wild boar, and know whether they were running or walking and in what direction. You’ll have discovered the animals' hiding spots and dens and experienced plenty of wildlife along the way. You might even have been lucky enough to spot the wolves in action or hear them howling! After that, we’ll head back to civilization.

We’ll take you back to the TGV station at Aix-en-Provence at 17:35 or Marseille Airport at 18:00, giving you plenty of time to catch your evening train or flight back home.

Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch

Customization

Contact us if you want to customize this itinerary or combine this trip with another French Alps adventure.

If you wish to extend your stay, booking an additional night in Marseille or Aix en Provence is possible if needed!

Departure Dates

  • Mar 29, 2025 - Apr 1, 2025

This is a guaranteed departure with only 4 spots remaining.

Seasonal Notes

The best time to track wolves is when there is a little bit of snow on the ground as it is easier to follow signs and tracks over long distances.

The optimal periods for a wolf tracking in the French Alps are from December to March/April.

Inclusions & Exclusions

  • 3 nights in a winter refuge

  • 3 x breakfasts, 3 x picnic lunches, 3 x evening meals (Food for included meals is provided but you will all prepare, cook, and wash up together.)

  • 4 days with 3 overnights with expert wolf tracker and high mountain guide

  • Snowshoes and poles if needed

  • Transport during the trip

  • Transfers to and from Marseille airport or Aix-en-Provence TGV train station

  • Your flight or train ticket

  • Camping mat and sleeping bag, for use at the refuge

  • Tips for the guide, which are at your discretion

Pricing

Prices exclude flights to/from the destination.

Prices are for double room occupancy unless indicated otherwise.

  • Deposit per person

    25% of the trip price

  • Price per person

    $950 The sleeping area is in a dormitory-style arrangement in a mezzanine area of the refuge. Therefore, no private rooms are available, nor is there a single supplement fee for joining this trip.

Sustainability

We are Travelife Certified and we plant a tree with our partner, Mossy Earth, for all our travelers as part of their rewilding program in Europe.

We operate a paperless office and all our communication with you and all your trip details will be given to you digitally via a smartphone app.

If you are traveling from Europe, we offer a 3% discount if you travel here by train rather than plane. To claim this please ask at booking. It is not accumulable with other discounts and the train journey needs to be international, eg Eurostar to France and then onward on local French TGV or trains.

Environmental Initiatives

To reduce our impact on the environment, we run this trip a maximum of twice a year and limit the group size to 8 people. The toilet is an outdoor dry toilet, and water, sourced from a nearby spring, is optimised for drinking, washing, and cooking. We use only biodegradable products for cleaning and washing, and all waste is carefully removed from the natural environment, with recyclables being recycled. Energy use is minimal, as there is no electricity at the accommodation—candles provide lighting, and wood is used for heating.

This wolf track in the French Alps is environmentally sustainable due to several key practices.

  • It is a really low-carbon activity in itself.
  • We encourage you to bring your own refillable water bottle and reusable lunch boxes so that we can minimize single-use plastic.
  • We follow local guidelines to protect the fragile fauna and use local guides, who are passionate about the environment, ensuring a respectful approach to nature. 

These measures collectively contribute to minimizing the environmental footprint while supporting local ecosystems and communities.

Economic Initiatives

This tour boosts economic sustainability by primarily using local guides, ensuring that the money spent by tourists goes directly back into the local economy. It also avoids economic leakage by being managed by a local destination company. The tour supports local communities further by utilizing locally owned accommodation and actively recommending local restaurants. This approach ensures that the benefits of tourism are directly felt by the community and help in sustaining the local economy.

Sociocultural Initiatives

The socio-cultural sustainability of this tour is underscored by its respect for and promotion of local cultures and traditions. By employing local guides and eating local eateries, the tour facilitates meaningful interactions between visitors and residents, fostering mutual understanding and respect. 

FAQs

What does the Physical Rating of "Average" mean?

This trip does not require any special physical preparation, but you should be comfortable clients should be comfortable doing a day of hiking in the mountains, a little over 6 miles (around 10 km), with 500m of ascent.

What are the accommodations like?

The accommodation is in a privately owned, renovated Alpine church located in a remote hamlet. It offers basic yet functional facilities, including a wood-burning stove, gas cooker, basic crockery, utensils, and furniture. There’s no electricity, and a washing-up station and dry toilet are located outside. While rustic, the church provides a comfortable and unique experience, perfect for those seeking a back-to-nature adventure. We are fortunate to have permission to use this site for our wolf tracking and nature trips.

Please note: In this refuge accommodation, there are not individual rooms; everyone sleeps together on a mezzanine platform, camping style. You should bring your own camping mat and sleeping bag with you.

Who will love this trip?

If you're seeking a wildlife holiday in the Alps with a focus on wolves and nature, this tracking adventure is perfect for you. Wildlife photographers will especially love it!

Please note that our fixed departure trips are based on a group size of 6 to 10 participants. We prefer keeping groups small (usually 6 or 7, with a maximum of 10) to reduce disruption and noise, ensuring a higher-quality experience. However, we can accommodate smaller or larger groups, including families. Contact us for a personalised quote.

The best time to track wolves is when there’s a light dusting of snow, as it makes following signs and tracks over long distances much easier.

You can also read an article by ecologist Pádraic Fogarty in the Irish Examiner, who joined one of our wolf tracking trips in 2024.

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Departure Dates

  • Mar 29, 2025 - Apr 1, 2025

Guaranteed departure!

Group Size

  • Min: 4
  • Max: 8

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