Explore Peneda-Gerês National Park

Day 1: Arrival in Ponte de Lima

Make your way to the charming riverside town of Ponte de Lima. When you check into your hotel, you will receive your Welcome Kit, which contains all the information, including documents and equipment, you need to fully enjoy this self-guided walking holiday in the Peneda-Gerês National Park.

Spend the rest of the day exploring this attractive town at leisure. Among the highlights are the International Garden Festival, Arnado Park, the Gothic parish church, a riverside walkway and cycle path, the Roman bridge and a compact medieval centre with attractive squares, shops and cafés.

Choose from one of the town’s many excellent restaurants and enjoy tasty local cuisine with a glass or two of vinho verde wine.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Day 2: Castro Laboreiro circular walk

Distance: 12.5 km (7.8 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss): +440m / -440m

After a satisfyingly tasty breakfast, your private driver will meet you in the hotel lobby to drive you to the remote village of Castro Laboreiro. After leaving your luggage at the hotel, you will walk out of the village into the rugged hills and gorgeous countryside full of quirky rock formations.

Once in the valley, a pleasant area of woodland leads to an ancient bridge where you may like to bathe your feet in the untainted waters.

Enjoy the shade of the trees and the sound of the stream as you climb steadily to the plateau, full of smooth granite boulders and sweeping views across the valley to other hills, valleys and ridges.

The trail ends back in Castro Laboreiro.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast and packed lunch

Day 3: Walk from Castro Laboreiro to Peneda

Distance: 15.1 km (9.4 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss): +311m / -574m

Set off from your hotel, through the village, and cross wild rocky highlands with glorious views over the surrounding mountains on the way to Lamas do Mouro park gates.

From here, the enchantment of the forest takes over as you make your way towards the sanctuary at Peneda, at times following ancient stone paths built for local pilgrims.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast and packed lunch

Day 4: Walk from Peneda to Lindoso

Distance: 18.8 km (11.7 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss): +372m /-596m

Shorter option: 11.3 km (7 miles)

Leave Peneda Sanctuary by walking down the valley along a centuries-old pilgrim route used by people from surrounding villages to attend religious festivals at the religious complex.

Dramatic mountain scenery and enormous rock faces surround you as you follow the Peneda River through the small village of Tibo and continue down the valley to a place where two rivers converge. At this point, the river forms the frontier with Spain and it is easy to imagine the considerable flow of contraband that crossed this remote border.

From the village of Várzea it is an easy walk along a paved road beside the spectacular dam across the River Lima to nearby Lindoso, where the castle stands as testimony to its former importance.

Spend the night in a beautifully restored traditional village cottage and take a while to examine the traditional tools and examples of embroidery on display.

Accommodation: Country Cottage

Meals: Breakfast and packed lunch

Day 5: Serra Amarela circular walk

Distance: 21.4 km (13.3 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss): +745m / -745m

Shorter option: Linear walk | 15.5 km (9.6 miles)

Walk through the ancient streets of Lindoso village and through a forest to follow an unpaved road that leads gently uphill, offering spectacular views of the Soajo Mountains opposite. Once you begin your descent, the views get even better! Enjoy the utter peace and quiet and pure mountain air as you make your way downhill to the village of Cidadelhe. At this point, you have walked 15.5 km. If this is enough for the day, you can take a taxi back to your lodgings.

For those who want a longer walk, complete the circuit and walk all the way to Lindoso.

Accommodation: Country Cottage

Meals: Breakfast and packed lunch

Day 6: Walk from Avelar to Soajo

Distance: 18.8 km (11.7 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss): +576m / -766m

Shorter option: 12.3 km (7.6 miles)

A scenic drive via private transfer takes you from Lindoso to Avelar, a small village of shepherds in the heart of the spectacular Soajo Mountain.

Your reward for a rather steep start to today’s walk is striking views of unparalleled landscapes; the peaks and dips of the Peneda and Soajo Mountains and the lush Ramiscal Valley. You will also see rare examples of local heritage in the form of wolf traps and shepherd shelters.

As you make your way down to the Mezio Park Gate, the going gets considerably easier and you’ll be rewarded by some enchanting pools in a crystal-clear river.

Make your way to Soajo through mixed woodlands and natural and semi-natural mountain meadows. The finest views on this section extend across the Lima Valley to the Amarela Mountains opposite.

The trail ends in the village of Soajo. While you wait for your transfer to Viana do Castelo, you can pop into a local café or visit the collection of espigueiros and the unique pillory.

End the day in the small, attractive city of Viana do Castelo and explore the medieval town centre in the evening.

Accommodation: 4-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast and packed lunch

Day 7: Free day in Viana do Castelo and Porto

You can choose to spend part of the day discovering the charms of Viana do Castelo, which has several interesting sights including the Santa Luzia Basilica, the Costume Museum and the Gil Eanes Hospital Ship.

When you are ready to leave Viana do Castelo, take the train or bus to Porto for the last stop on this Northern Portugal adventure

The rest of the day is yours to explore Porto at leisure. Roam the historical streets, go souvenir shopping, admire the views or go on a port wine tour and tasting in the cellars of Vila Nova da Gaia.

With a plethora of restaurants to choose from, you can end your holiday with a fine dining experience or in a more traditional setting.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8: Departure

After breakfast and check out, your onward journey begins.

Meals: Breakfast

NOTE: All the shorter options require a transfer that must be paid on-site.

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Map

Explore Peneda Gerês National Park

Duration: 7 nights | 5 walking days

Tour type: Self-guided

Nº of people: From 2

Walking grade: Moderate to challenging

Region: Minho

Highlights: Cosy rural accommodation, breathtaking landscapes, insights into rural community lifestyles, authentic mountain villages, Peneda Sanctuary, lakes, rivers, forests, mountains, Lindoso Castle, wolf traps, summer settlements, pretty riverside towns of Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo, UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto.

What’s included?

• 7 Nights of accommodation with breakfast included;
• 5 Packed lunches during the walks (day 2 to day 6);
• Welcome kit and pre-departure information;
• Pre-tour briefing;
• Detailed route notes;
• App with trail information for use on a smartphone;
• Private transfer from Ponte de Lima to Castro Laboreiro (day 2);
• Private transfer from Lindoso to Avelar (day 6);
• Private transfer from Soajo to Viana do Castelo (day 6);
• Luggage transfers;
• 24-hour emergency contact number (English-speaking).

What’s not included?

• Transfer from Porto to Ponte de Lima; Transfer from Viana do Castelo to Porto; Transfer from and to Porto airport; Meals not mentioned above; Insurance; Tourist taxes; Gratuities; Personal expenses; Anything not mentioned in the “Included” section.

What you need to bring:

• Most of this walking holiday is off-road on rugged terrain so that you will need proper walking shoes with cushioning and support.
• There is little shade, so adequate weather protection is also vital.
• We recommend you bring walking poles.

Optional extra services:

• Extra nights in Porto (4-star hotel): On request.
• Extra nights in Viana do Castelo (4-star hotel): On request.
• Transfer from Porto to Ponte de Lima: 140 euros for up to 3 people; 170 euros for 4 to 7 people.
• Transfer from Viana do Castelo to Porto (city/airport): 120 euros for up to 3 people; 160 euros for 4 to 7 people.
• Transfer from Porto Hotel and Porto Airport: 50 euros for up to 3 people; 80 euros for 4 to 7 people.

Please find out how we embrace sustainable and responsible travel.

Environment

This 1-week self-guided walking holiday is an amazing opportunity to explore the Peneda-Gerês National Park, classified as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

Walking holidays are already low-impact ways to explore the area, but we are serious about minimising any negative impact of our programmes in Portugal’s only national park. We are accredited by the Portuguese Nature Conservation and Forestry Institute (ICNF) and authorised to operate in any Portuguese Natural Park.

To maintain our ICNF accreditation, we assume responsibility for providing our self-guided clients with a full briefing and detailed instructions of their route. This includes guidelines for avoiding damage to the natural environment and structural heritage, such as stone shepherd’s shelters and not piling stones to create false cairns.

The use of transport on this hiking programme is kept to the bare minimum — walking circular routes or village-to-village is the standard. We include circular walks to reduce the number of luggage transfers and allow clients to spend more time getting to know their base villages.

On the few occasions when taxis are required, e.g. for luggage transfers or to offer clients the option of a slightly shorter walking day, we use local drivers to reduce carbon emissions and further support the local economy.

In each village we use as a base for our daily hikes, we have chosen comfortable country accommodations run by local entrepreneurs who incorporate sustainable, eco-friendly practices into their operations, such as solar power for heating water. This not only guarantees that clients receive a warm welcome from someone who has intimate knowledge of the area but also ensures that the breakfasts and lunch packs are locally sourced, sometimes from the owner’s own farm or their extended family.

Our accommodation providers have renovated traditional stone cottages in keeping with the surroundings, repurposing original materials and often using traditional tools, fabrics, and other artefacts in their interior décor and outside spaces. These add to the overall ambience and offer insights into traditional ways of life in these parts.

To reduce plastic use to a minimum, we recommend that our clients bring a refillable bottle to use during their walking holiday. Tap water quality is excellent in Portugal.

We provide an app for clients to use during their tours with us to reduce the need for printing information. It is a simple and straightforward navigation tool that will give them all the directional information they need and peace of mind that they are on the right track. It also contains information about points of interest along the route and the location of useful services such as cafés and grocery stores.

We also encourage guests not to waste water by not taking overly long showers or leaving lights on when not needed.

Community

This unique programme takes place in an area of low population density dotted with rural villages that have preserved their roots and traditions. Life is hard in these isolated mountain villages and many of the younger generation left long ago to find work in larger towns or abroad, leaving an aging population to survive on a subsistence income. Through our work in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, we are working with the local communities to encourage them to follow sustainable tourism guidelines when developing their own businesses and bringing much-needed income into the area, which inspires younger people to invest in their roots by setting up projects and boosts the low incomes of the local residents.

One way we ensure our programmes bring money into these marginalised mountain communities is by encouraging clients to purchase various quality products made from locally sourced ingredients that are typical for the region, e.g., jams, cookies, honey, and aromatic or medicinal herbs from village shops and their accommodations in Lindoso and Soajo.

Our selected accommodations provide our packed lunches and picnic baskets, which contain fresh, tasty local products such as smoked meats, free-range eggs, goat’s cheese, corn bread, and seasonal fruit or jams.

This tour was designed to respect the way of life of local populations as well as the environment and provide our clients with a genuine experience that leads to meaningful interactions with another culture and makes local people feel appreciated and motivated. Our info pack includes advice on interacting respectfully with the people they meet in isolated villages and some handy phrases in Portuguese. As they walk from village to village, visitors will see how villagers manage their smallholdings, often farming by hand and using age-old agricultural practices.

Click on the button below to download the itinerary with day-by-day details, highlights, prices and the respective general conditions.

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