Walking Portugal's Wild Algarve

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.

We are both in our mid-sixties and this was our first walking tour. We loved it. We always felt safe (even when going up a very daunting slope) and knew that our guides really, really wanted us to have a brilliant experience. Luis was extremely knowledgeable, energetic, friendly and always in good spirits. We were impressed with how the local restaurant, bar, and hotel people interacted with him; there was genuine mutual respect and appreciation. Francisco was also so knowledgeable and patient, and his grandmother makes wonderful Easter Bread. We will never forget our joy at seeing Luis and Francisco drive up to us at 10 p.m. to offer us a ride back to our hotel after another late-in-the-day Portuguese Dinner. Together, our two guides set a very upbeat, positive tone for our week together. They constantly and sincerely listened to our feedback and adjusted to our idiosyncrasies.

Having spent a couple of days in Lisbon arranged by ourselves prior to the start of the holiday, we joined up with the group tour back at Lisbon Airport at the start of the trip. We thoroughly enjoyed the week walking along the cliff tops and down to the beaches; the group was so friendly and dynamic. This was a full group with 15 people which really added something with people from other parts of the UK, US, and Canada. Francisco and Ines were amazing and probably two of the best leaders we have ever had on a group holiday; they were very thorough with their briefings and couldn't do enough for us all. Their knowledge of the flora and fauna was very extensive, and what they weren't sure of they looked it up instantly in a reference book! The three hotels we stayed in were all very good quality. The weather was fantastic, sunshine every day with a cooling breeze.

It is incredible how much difference to my wellbeing a week away made. We had incredible guides in Luis and Irella, jaw dropping rugged scenery and an exceptional group. Each day was different as we walked on the rugged cliffs or on the beaches to the Atlantic Ocean. I was mesmerised by its beauty and I felt as though my mind had been cleansed by the sea, light breeze and sunshine. Looking back, i can now tell you the stress of lockdown and london life and not going anywhere for 18 months had really took its toll and this trip bought me back to me and made me have faith that the world will be ok again. Absolutely loved it and just what the doctor ordered. Im home and feel renewed and rejuvenated. Thank you Luis, my wonderful group, beautiful Portugal and Exodus!

An amazing trip to share a spectacular area of Portugal with 10 others and 2 exceptional guides. The Tour was well organized; flowed well; prompt; lovely hotels each quite diverse.Appreciated the “eco” focus of our guides and also the introduction to local artisans and businesses. My first trip to Portugal and I learned so much!Really appreciated the guides providing poles to hike with as I couldn’t bring in hand luggage from Canada.Guides worked well together and were well attuned to what was happening and knowledgeable.Amazed at the differences of each hike despite the proximity and being a “mountain girl” I also appreciated our start there.Highly recommend this tour for anyone who love nature and hiking!!🥾

A2z travel and Exodus exceeded my expectations!!! Portugal is an amazing country and our tour guides took us to spots we definately would have missed if we traveled on our own. This was my first guided tour- I was nervous it would be very basic and boring. Our trip was the farthest thing from boring! We hiked, toured, ate and ate and ate some more, drank great wine and port and more unique spirits. So many laughs shared with very fun people! I will go in more trips with Luis and his team of exceptional guides. If you are on the fence-go for it!!!! I will return to Portugal for sure. Thanks Joao, Carlos, Luis and Hanne and the amazing women on the tour! Shawn H North Vancouver, BC Canada

Another great Exodus trip. Breathtaking scenery, pleasant walks & good company made it a very enjoyable week.

We both had a wonderful week in May 2023, Walking Portugal's Coast and Beaches, guided by Francisco and Ines. It was theses guides that made a good walk into a fantastic walk. They are a great team, passionate about the history, nature and conservation of the area. They complemented each other like 2 pieces of a jigsaw. We were briefed each preceding evening on the appropriate clothing, type of terrain, difficulty and interesting features to expect. At the end of every day, they encouraged feedback to gauge if we were happy with the speed and terrain. The lunch packs were made up by local bakeries and were appropriate to everyone’s needs. Their choice of hotels and restaurant recommendations were excellent. The coast line is both scenic and dramatic, with every bay and cliff top being pristine and litter free. We visited a vineyard and a Medronho distillery with tasting and snacks provided. We also visited a reconstructed castle in Aljezur, an abandoned village, Aldeia Da Pedralva, which has been restored to its former glory and a huge wall mural dedicated to Amalia Rodrigues a famous female Portuguese melancholic singer. All these visits were very informative. On the first day Francisco and Ines had asked us to share our particular interests and unusually I said “Rocks”. To my surprise and delight both Francisco and Ines made a point of showing me some unusual geological features everyday. They were both careful and courteous and drivers. Had we opted for a self-guided tour we would not have seen, enjoyed nor learnt so much about the region and its excellent well priced eateries. With their local, inside knowledge they were able to tailor the walks, activities and suggestions to take account of the most up-to-date information. All in all, an excellent week of walking rendered outstanding because of the ethos of these 2 guides.

My first group tour walking holiday and I enjoyed it immensely. Every walk was different - a really nice mix of mountains and coast - and the scenery was stunning. Interesting bits of history, geology, and biology from Francisco, the trip leader, who is from the area, added a lot to the value of the experience for me. Perfect amount of walking each day, peppered with rest stops at cafes (the best parts of the trip, in my opinion) and visits with local artisans, plus a couple surprises that made the experience more memorable. Francisco and Raphael were great guides and it was awesome to just relax and let them take care of all the logistics.

Relaxing walking in a relatively undiscovered part of Portugal - beautiful coastal scenery, great food (lots of fish!), great company. Our little group was SO happy to get away post-pandemic! The walking was highly enjoyable, and relatively undemanding for an Exodus trip - though some of the sand dunes can be good for the thighs! The first two hotels were fine, but the Sagres place is a REAL treat - a fabulous place to end the trip. I really did not want to come home.