Walking Portugal's Wild Algarve

This was our sixth Exodus trip (and overall one of the best). The walks were interesting with spectacular scenery and varied wildlife (both flora and fauna), and we learnt a new definition of the term 'more or less flat'. The hotels were all good, the first two full of character and the final one in a great location with magnificent views over Sagres harbour and with extraordinarily helpful staff. The hotel breakfasts offered great variety and were excellent fuel for the mornings’ walking. The non-walking activities were well-chosen and interesting. There were visits to a ceramics workshop and an artisan olive oil presser which were fascinating and the tasting at the high tech Vicentino winery very near the Alentejo coast offered a different dimension. The wines were very good, with a noticeable salty tang. The walks were on paths that were generally good or very good, other than about 1km on day 6 which is over broken rock, but trail shoes or boots should have good treads as some short sections were quite loose and eroded (and could have been slippery if the ground had been wet). We were a little late for the best of the wild flowers on the dunes but they were still very varied and attractive. We saw storks nesting on rock pinnacles just offshore (apparently the only place in the world where they nest on sea stacks) and were lucky enough to see three peregrine falcons on one of the coastal walks. Overall, this was a great week with friendly and amusing companions from Canada, Scotland and England and superlative guides. If we did it again, we would probably go in the late Spring rather than the early Summer, both to have slightly more varied wild flowers and (perhaps!) to avoid walking in 34 degrees in the hills, but we would thoroughly recommend the trip.

A great trip with fantastic guides and superb walks

Rafael and Francisco from Algavarian Roots made this a memorable hiking,cultural and special experience. They were a fountain of knowledge and the visits to the olive making facility, the winery and the distillery added to the trip. Great hikes in various locations from the Monchique highlands to the coastal trails. But it was the caring guides who did it all. Driving safely, briefing us and Rafael helping and looking out for my wife on the steeper parts. They both were proud of this region and they and their families were connected to the land.

Walking the wild Algarve is a wonderful intro to Portugal's coastal landscape and culture. The trip offers a good balance of sightseeing, experiencing the area's culture and tasting local food and drinks

This trip to the coast of Portugal was the best. I have travelled all over the world on different trips and this one ranks at the very top of my list. The scenery, the daily hikes, the hotels and the food - all wonderful. We were fortunate to have spectacular weather. I highly recommend this trip for anyone wanting to experience truly amazing scenery and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Just returned from a fantastic week exploring the beautiful, flower covered mountains and stunning coastline of western Algarve. Francisco and Rafael were wonderful guides sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for the local culture, history and especially nature and its conservation. … all with good humour and patience. There was a great mix of walking and visiting local artisans. Also the food was delicious!

This was my third trip with Exodus. The group was both diverse & lovely, with everyone bringing their own flavour & experiences along. Our guides, Francisco & Rafael were just fantastic. As well as organising the beautiful walks there were many other activities on this trip, including some not on the itinerary, and there was clearly much planning behind the scenes. The mix of inland & coastal walks was perfect, and the abundance of flowers unexpected & breathtaking. We were blessed with perfect weather throughout.

What a terrific trip! Francisco and Raphael were both great. They were so knowledgeable and helpful all along the way. I loved walking through the villages and learning about the culture. It was my first Exodus trip, and I see more in the future.

Our trip leaders Francisco and Rafael were amazing, they genuinely wanted the best experience for us. For me, however, some of the food was not so great… Maybe it was just the time of year that there wasn’t much produce available. Ham and cheese sandwiches every day… And I don’t eat processed ham. Some of the restaurants weren’t so great either. So my only real complaint is the quality of the food… The first night in Monchique dinner was almost inedible with the only a choice of three items and one being tofu which was quickly ruled out, lol. I found it very disappointing as I’ve heard from others that Portugal has such great food… One night I ordered the local prawns and they were these tiny teeny little shrimp that I couldn’t even peel and very mushy… I wish there would’ve been an option that I did not have to go to the wine tasting because it was very late before we got to dinner… I would’ve liked to have just gone off on my own and had dinner a little earlier instead of it 9 o’clock at night and getting in so late and having to get up early the next morning. It didn’t help that that dinner that night was not very good, steak very tough and being overcooked was not even edible….and by then the rest of the food was cold… I try not to think of the food because everything else was incredible except that food is a really big thing for me.

Thanks again for another excellent trip. Yet again the guides are the local knowledge and the key to all the knowledge. They went out of their way to show us places that you would never find on your own , explained local customs and took us to local restaurants.

I highly recommend this holiday. Daily walks through beautiful and varied countryside in the hills and along the fishermen's coastal path. Time to stop and admire the views and wild flowers in full bloom, watch the seabirds and learn about the environmental challenges from our 2 wonderful guides Francisco and Rafael.

I really enjoyed this holiday, and would recommend it to others. I would confirm (in my opinion) that this is a level 2 walking holiday, however I do need to caveat that with I missed the day 4 walk, which was apparently the hardest. I liked the mixture of inland and coastal walks, as a whole week of just coastal walks may have been a bit "samey". I was quite rainy (off and on) for the week we went in March, sunglasses for 5 minutes, then hood up for 5 minutes, but this didn't spoil the holiday at all (but bring waterproofs if coming early or late in the season). Even though we stayed in 3 different places, this tour did not feel rushed.

We spent 5 Algarve hiking days with two wonderful tour leaders. Each day provided an authentic hiking experience through local forested trails and breathtaking costal paths in the Algarve. Many other unique Portugal experiences were included and at the end you will definitely want to see, taste, and hear much more of this warm friendly country.

The hike combined a holiday, a historical introduction to the Algarve, active coastal sustainability and a promotion of local businesses.

Excellent mixture of some hill walking for the first three days and then some spectacular Atlantic coastal scenery for the rest of the trip. A very nice group who got on well together.