Cabaneros National Park

Cabaneros covers about four hundred square kilometres of the Montes de Toledo, and it exists because of a campaign: in the 1980s the defence ministry planned to use it as a bombing range, and public opposition led instead to national park status in 1995. The landscape is Mediterranean forest on the ridges and, on the flat rana between them, open dehesa of holm oak and grass grazed by red and fallow deer, which is often compared to African savanna and looks it in the right light. Wildlife includes one of the better Spanish imperial eagle populations, black vultures, black storks and Iberian lynx presence. The autumn deer rut is the main wildlife event. Access to the rana is by guided vehicle trip only.

What you actually see

• The dehesa plain - open holm oak savanna grazed by deer.
• The autumn rut - red deer roaring across the rana in September.
• The imperial eagles - one of Spain's stronger populations.
• The guided 4x4 trips - the only access to the core plain.

When to go

September and October for the deer rut, which is the highlight, and April to June for flowers and breeding birds; summer is very hot with fire restrictions. Guided trips must be booked and fill during the rut.

Honest expectations

The rana can only be entered on a booked guided vehicle trip run by the park, with limited daily places. Marked walking routes are on the periphery. Facilities in the surrounding villages are minimal.

Nearby

Toledo lies north; Ciudad Real and the Tablas de Daimiel are south.