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Ancient caves, human origins: Northern Spain

Contact an expert to book or discuss this tour.

Email us to book or discuss

Phone +44 (0)203 3089 917

18 June 2024 – 7 days for £3250

27 August 2024 – SOLD OUT

10 September 2024 – 7 days for £3350

Discover some of the world's oldest known cave paintings in this idyllic part of Spain. Travel back 40,000 years to explore how our ancestors lived, played and worked. 

Experience the wonders of several renowned caves full of art from before the dawn of civilisation, including El Castillo, Las Monedas, La Peña, El Pindal and Tito Bustillo in small groups by torchlight. Plus, visit the stunning replica of Altamira, the Museo de la Evolución Humana and the Archaeological Museum of Santander.

Each of the tour departures will be accompanied by an expert in their respective fields, who will give insights into the dawn of human culture and civilisation. In June and September, the expert will be former New Scientist editor-in-chief Emily Wilson.

In August, the expert will be Rob Dinnis. His talks will cover the following topics:

  • A broad human evolution "Becoming Human"-type lecture that includes discussion of several of the Atapuerca sites.
  • A "Life in Pleistocene Europe"-type lecture that discusses about how people lived through ice ages, their challenges and their innovations. 
  • A cave art lecture with a discussion around the caves and art seen during the tour.

In addition to the above experts, you will be joined by local archaeological experts and cave custodians, allowing you to enjoy specialist talks and walking seminars along the way. You will also be joined by a tour manager throughout who will give insights into Spain's history and culture.

You will also discover local cuisine and explore the beautiful towns and cities of Santander, Santillana del Mar, Oviedo and Bilbao, including a visit to the famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

In partnership with Intrepid Travel.


DAY 1: ARRIVAL INTO BILBAO AND MEET THE GROUP AND TOUR LEADER

After checking in to the Hotel Mercure Jardines de Albia in central Bilbao, meet with your tour leader, accompanying expert and fellow guests for a tour briefing.

You will then be led on an exploration of the pedestrianised Old Quarter and enjoy a tapas meal with other guests. The Old Quarter is the original city from the year 1300 and contains stunning examples of churches and monuments, as well as a lively culinary scene.

DAY 2: MUSEUM OF HUMAN EVOLUTION IN BURGOS AND THE FIRST EVENING TALK

After breakfast, you will travel to Burgos to visit the Museo de la Evolución Humana. The museum covers the archaeological and palaeontological history of the surrounding Atapuerca mountains, the many stages of human evolution and the story of Charles Darwin's exploration around the world that led to the theory of evolution. You will then have some free time in the town before checking in to the four-star Hotel NH Collection Palacio de Burgos.

As well as highly knowledgeable local guides and a dedicated tour leader, between days 1 and 6 of the tour, your tour expert will give presentations and walking briefings on advances in the wider world of archaeology, as well as what we are learning about the dawn of civilisation and culture. Tonight, you will enjoy the first talk, followed by dinner together.

DAY 3: EL PINDAL AND TITO BUSTILLO CAVES, THEN OVIDEO AND A CIDER HOUSE

In the morning, you will visit the caves of El Pindal, containing the first palaeolithic cave paintings discovered in the region, the most notable of which is of a woolly mammoth.

Some of the smaller caves you will visit are well off the tourist trail, have irregular opening hours and are managed by local custodians without the usual tourist infrastructure. Therefore, there may have to be changes in the itinerary as the tour progresses. Your tour leader will keep you informed and a flexible attitude will help you get the best out of the tour. During some of the visits, the tour leader will be translating on your behalf if the local custodian doesn't speak English.

After exploring the charming coastal town of Ribadesella, you will visit the Tito Bustillo cave. Due to a landslide at the entrance, the cave was sealed thousands of years ago, thus preserving its contents of tools and paintings, the oldest dating back 33,000 years. 

In the late afternoon, you will check into the Gran Hotel España and then have time at leisure to explore the charming town of Oviedo, with its historic quarter and gothic cathedral.

The evening dinner will be in a traditional Spanish cider house.

DAY 4: LA PEÑA CAVE AND SANTILLANA DEL MAR

After breakfast, transfer to Candamos and visit the La Peña. It is a large cave with rooms leading off it and contains several different panels of art, which date back 18,000 years and cover several species.

You will continue on to Santillana del Mar, where you will visit the old city and check into a traditional-style hotel. There is an old saying that Santillana del Mar is "the town of three lies", since it isn't saintly (santo), flat (ilana) or by the sea (del mar), as implied by its name. But it does have many historic buildings, which provide a fascinating backdrop to exploring this town. In the evening, there will be a second talk followed by dinner.

DAY 5: LAS MONEDAS AND EL CASTILLO CAVES, THEN THE ALTAMIRA CAVE REPLICA

To start the day, you will enjoy a private visit to the caves of Las Monedas and El Castillo to see paintings up close. El Castillo contains one of the oldest known cave paintings, dated as more than 40,000 years old.  Located in Puente Viesgo, it is situated in a limestone hill, which hides an intricate labyrinth of caves frequented by prehistoric humans.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to the replica of the Cave of Altamira. During the 1970s, the original cave paintings were damaged by the presence of a large number of visitors. A replica and museum opened in 2001, reproducing the cave and its art to excellent effect. Aside from the quality of the art found here, it was one of the first European cave paintings found that suggested prehistoric origin.

Afterwards, you will return to Santillana del Mar for a third talk and a group dinner.

DAY 6: ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF SANTANDER AND THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO

After breakfast, travel east to Santander to visit the Archaeological Museum, which houses an array of artifacts, interactive guides and vivid interpretations of Stone Age life. 

You will then journey back along the coast to Bilbao. On arrival, you will visit the world-famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to view modern and contemporary art in this stunning Frank Gehry-designed building, an awe-inspiring example of modernist architecture.

After checking back into the Hotel Mercure Jardines de Albia, there will be a farewell evening meal together.

DAY 7: DEPART BILBAO

After breakfast, there will be a group transfer to the airport. Alternatively, we can arrange for you to stay on for a few more nights to enjoy Bilbao.

Contact an expert to book or discuss this tour.

Email us to book or discuss

Phone +44 (0)203 3089 917

Contact an expert to book or discuss this tour.

Email us to book or discuss

Phone +44 (0)203 3089 917

Highlights

  • Visit historically important caves, including Las Monedas, El Castillo, El Pindal, Tito Bustillo and La Peña.
  • Explore the Museo de Altamira and its exact replica of the nearby Altamira caves.
  • Accompanied by local archaeological experts and cave custodians offering insights into the dawn of human culture and civilisation.
  • Discover local cuisine and explore the beautiful towns and cities of Santander, Oviedo and Bilbao.
  • Visit Bilbao's Old Quarter for tapas, a traditional cider house and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
  • Museo de la Evolución Humana.
  • Archaeological Museum of Santander.

Meet the expert

New Scientist Default Image

Emily Wilson (June and September departure)

Emily is a former editor-in-chief of New Scientist magazine. Previously, she worked at The Guardian, where she served as features editor, website editor and editor-in-chief of the newspaper’s Australian edition, as well as running the paper’s science, technology, health and environment coverage. Her first novel, Inanna, was published in August 2023 and is set in ancient Sumer, the world’s first known civilisation. 

Alongside her journalism career, she has always had a deep interest in prehistory and the earliest days of recorded history. She has attended digs, including one of a Bronze Age city in the east of Crete. She lives in Cerne Abbas, where, in her spare time, she explores the Dorset countryside hunting for prehistoric stone tools.

Dr Rob Dinnis profile picture, tour expert for Spain caves and human origins tour

Rob Dinnis (August departure – SOLD OUT)

Rob Dinnis is an expert on the Palaeolithic, especially the archaeology of the last Ice Age. Over the past 10 years, he has led several research projects across Europe focused primarily on early Homo sapiens. He has also directed fieldwork at numerous Neanderthal and early Homo sapiens sites, including the exciting new site of Wogan Cavern in Pembroke, UK. Rob has published widely in academic journals on human dispersals, Palaeolithic material culture and the last glacial period. He also feels passionately that prehistory should be approachable for all. Thanks to its accessibility, his book Britain: One million years of the human story has become a bestseller.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • Entry to all sites and attractions.
  • English-speaking tour leader throughout.
  • Talks and walking seminars from accompanying experts.
  • All accommodation and internal transport.
  • All breakfasts and dinners.
  • 24-hour support.
  • Arrival/departure group airport transfers for those on the suggested group flights.

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

  • International arrival/departure flights.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Gratuities for local guides, drivers and porters.
  • Private airport transfers. 
  • Single supplement – £410.

HOW TO GET THERE

This tour begins and ends in Bilbao. Please speak to Intrepid Travel, who can offer advice and book flights for those travelling from the UK. 

If you would prefer not to fly, Intrepid Travel can look into Eurostar/TGV train journey options for you. There is also the option to take the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao.

PACE & PHYSICALITY

While this isn’t a hiking expedition, this tour isn't suitable for guests with mobility challenges. Because of the remote location and nature of some of the caves, we would strongly recommend sturdy footwear and that you also consider walking poles. There will be walking off-road and on cobbled streets. You need to be comfortable ascending and descending on trails. One of the caves has more than 300 steps and can be slippy, while in another you will be walking 250 metres on uneven flooring. 

SOLO TRAVELLERS

All of our tours, cruises, expeditions and weekenders are perfect for solo travellers. If you want your own room, you will need to pay a solo supplement of £410 for this tour. However, if you are happy to share a room with a fellow guest of the same sex, we will do all we can to match you with another guest so you don't have to pay the solo room supplement.

Accommodation

Hotel Mercure Jardines de Albia, Bilbao

New Scientist Default Image

A contemporary four-star hotel close to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao with elegant rooms and a great street-level bar from which to watch the world go by.

Hotel NH Collection Palacio de Burgos, Burgos

New Scientist Default Image

A 500-year-old historic building with gothic cloisters that has been converted into an attractive four-star hotel. Centrally located near the UNESCO-listed Burgos Cathedral. 

Hotel Colonial de Santillana, Santillana del Mar

New Scientist Default Image

A recently renovated historic building that is now a family-run hotel with just 15 rooms and lots of character. Located in the middle of the historic quarter of the medieval town of Santillana del Mar, which has been declared a national monument and is only open to pedestrians. 

Gran Hotel España, Oviedo

New Scientist Default Image

A four-star hotel set within a 19th-century building close to Oviedo Cathedral. The modern decor retains some of the original building's charm, including its wooden floors.