# A Saturday of the deer rut in the Sierra de la Culebra and lunch in Puebla de Sanabria The castle and old town of Puebla de Sanabria in the morning, habones and veal in the Plaza Mayor and, as evening falls, rutting stags with a Culebra guide. An hour and a quarter from Zamora. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/sanabria-lake/itineraries/saturday-of-the-rut-and-lunch-in-puebla · Revisado: 2026-11-12 ## El día - 10:00 · Salida: 1 h 15 by car (from Zamora via the A-66 and the A-52, exit 79) - 11:15 · Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria (castle and keep · 40 min · €4) - 2 min on foot - 12:00 · Walk through the town of Puebla de Sanabria (the town, the Azogue and the descent to the Tera · 1 h) - 1 min on foot - 13:30 · La Posada de la Puebla de Sanabria (La Posada, on the Plaza Mayor · habones (broad beans) and Sanabria beef · €€ · booking) · La Posada de la Puebla de Sanabria, €€ - 30 min by car, 18,3 km - 15:45 · Monastery of San Martín de Castañeda (San Martín de Castañeda and the lake viewpoint · €1) - 1 h by car, 58,5 km - 18:00 · The Red Deer Rut in the Sierra de la Culebra, with a Guide (AHERCA · rutting-season outing at dusk from Villardeciervos · 40 min by car · price on request) · AHERCA - 21:00 · Vuelta (You reach Zamora around 22:30; drive slowly through the sierra) From mid-September to mid-October, in the Sierra de la Culebra the stags come into rut and can be heard bellowing as evening falls. This is the berrea, and in few places in Spain can it be seen so close to a city: the Culebra is an hour from Zamora and half an hour from Puebla de Sanabria. This plan spends the morning in the medieval town of Puebla, has lunch in its Plaza Mayor and sets out at dusk with a local guide to see deer and, with luck, a wolf. ## The day, hour by hour 10:00 · Set off. From Zamora, take the A-66 towards Benavente and the A-52 to exit 79. Leave the car down below, next to the Tera. 11:15 · Puebla Castle. The fortress of the Counts of Benavente, with the keep above the valley. About 40 minutes and €4. 12:00 · The old town. Streets of stone and slate, the church of the Azogue and the descent to the Tera by the slopes. 13:30 · Lunch at La Posada. On the Plaza Mayor. Open at midday from 13:15 to 15:30 every day except Wednesday. Book. 15:45 · San Martín de Castañeda. The Romanesque monastery above the lake, with its exhibition for €1, and the lake viewpoint. 18:00 · The rut with a guide. From San Martín to Villardeciervos it is about 40 minutes. AHERCA, Culebra guides, organises rut outings at dawn and dusk during those weeks: book beforehand by phone or email and confirm the time, which changes with the light. You watch from a distance, in silence, with binoculars or a telescope. Wear warm clothes in muted colours. 21:00 · Head home. In the dark and through the sierra: slowly, as deer cross the road. In Zamora around half past ten. ## What to order Habones to start, the big Sanabria bean stewed, and Sanabrese veal chuletón to share. For dessert, something from the house. ## How the rut is seen The male deer bellow to mark territory and attract the females, and fight with their antlers. They move little by day and come out into the clearings at dawn and dusk. Do not approach them or call to them: a guide knows where to watch from without disturbing them. The rut depends on the year: if it comes late, the first week of October can be the best. ## Cómo llegar ### By car A little over an hour from Zamora to Puebla on the A-66 and the A-52; from Ourense, an hour and a half on the A-52. From Puebla to Villardeciervos, about 40 minutes. ## Consejos ### Book the rut before the table There are few outings and in small groups; the guide will tell you the meeting time. ### Bring binoculars and a coat At nightfall it gets very cold in the sierra, even if it is warm at midday. ### Eat something beforehand You come back late: bring a sandwich for after the outing. ## Cuándo no ir Outside the rutting weeks, the rut cannot be seen: swap the afternoon for the Robledo Wolf Centre or a wolf-watching outing. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### When is the rut in the Culebra? From mid-September to mid-October, depending on the year. ### How much does the outing cost? AHERCA gives the price of the rut when you book; its wolf-watching outing costs €40 per person. ### Will I definitely see them? The deer are almost always heard; seeing them well depends on the day. With a guide, the chances improve. ### Is it suitable for children? For those over about 10 who can stay still and quiet in the cold.