The Sanabria Lake and surrounding SAC is located in the northwestern corner of the province of Zamora, encompassing six municipalities and bordering Ourense and León. It is a mid- and high-mountain area, with much of its surface above 1,500 meters and some peaks over 2,000 meters, including Peña Trevinca and Moncalvo. The deep valleys can sometimes form steep canyons, created by rivers and streams, including the canyons of the Tera, Cárdena, and Segundera rivers.
In the higher elevations, there are rocks, scree, and cliffs, with extensive plateaus covered in grasslands and mountain scrub. On the slopes and lower elevations, groups of hedges and various types of scrub predominate, compared to other formations, grasslands, or smaller but noteworthy groves of trees, such as groves of holly, and yew. Some river channels in certain valleys are home to interesting riparian forests. Of particular interest are the collection of lagoons, peat bogs, and alpine grasslands formed by glacial formation—primarily Lake Sanabria—which form one of the most important and varied collections of glacial lagoons on the Iberian Peninsula.
