Most Inspirational Moment
Dramatic coastline. Visiting a winery.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both were excellent, I felt very safe.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It's tougher walking, than is described.
Suggestions
Go and enjoy yourself.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Walking Portugals beaches.
Such a lovely holiday on the Portuguese Atlantic coastline. Walking along beaches and cliff tops, beautiful scenery every day. The guides Ines and Luis, were very knowledgeable, professional and helpful. The hotels were good. Transfer by mini bus to walks and hotels, all included. Would highly recommend.
Beautiful views
I nearly didn’t go on this trip as I prefer longer walks with more challenge, however I’m really glad I went! Who can fail to enjoy themselves where there’s a beautiful view everywhere you look, the weather is wonderful (22 degrees on average over Easter when I was there) and the paths and walking is varied. Even if you’re used to doing level 4 or higher graded walks I still think there’s much to enjoy and yo’d be missing out by omitting it because it’s a level 2. The guides (Luis and Francisco) were helpful without being bossy, knowledgeable without labouring the point and just really easy company.
Most Inspirational Moment
'Inspirational' is a bit of a strong word isn't it? Being by the coast and seeing amazing views with perfect blue skies and turquoise seas day after day is pretty wonderful. The hotel in Sagres was pretty nice too!
Thoughts on Group Leader
As another review states it was great to see how well known and well liked Luis was wherever we went. He really believes in investing in the local communities and businesses that we visited and they clearly respect and like him for this. Even on the day off Luis and Francisco went out of their way to make sure we were all doing what we wanted to do and were thoughtful and kind beyond what I've experienced on other trips. Francisco is also very capable in an understated way and knows so much about fauna and flora but doesn't over do it (i.e. we didn't have to sit through a botany lecture every day but nonetheless learnt some interesting stuff). They were a great pair of leaders.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Wear sunscreen and SPF lipbalm! It's windy so you don't always feel how intense the heat is but the bathroom mirror lets you know later just how much you caught the sun... Also, there are no kettles in the rooms in the first two hotels.
Amazing vacation!
Hikes along the coastline provided stunning views, coastal breezes, sounds of waves and pristine beaches. Francisco shared his extensive knowledge of the fauna and birds of the region and engaged the group in discussions on the environment. We enjoyed great food and wine and the visits to the Vicentino Vineyard and Junior Jacques Distillery were highlights!
Most Inspirational Moment
My favourite moment was seeing two Peregrine Falcons in flight.....
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both tour guides, Francisco and Ines were amazing! They were professional and knowledgeable and they took the time to get to know each hiker and provided individualized attention in what mattered most to each. A great time was had by all!
Walking in the sun
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.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the storks nesting along the cliffs perched on pinnacles of rock in what seemed to be precarious positions; raising their young.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both Francisco and Ines were very professional, very caring about the group getting the most from their holiday and sharing their knowledge of the local area and the wildlife. Their choices of restaurants when we wanted to have group dinners were excellent. The number of photographs they have shared with the group both during the trip and since we returned has been fantastic and it has been great to see the close ups that they were able to take with their ultra professional kit!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be reasonably active in terms of walking; there are some considerable distances walking on sand. Wear a hat as the cliff tops are quite exposed, so best to use plenty of sunscreen.
Suggestions
The standards of breakfast at each of the three hotels was very high and we were well set up for walking each day along with the packed lunches provided.
Beaches, cliffs, sand and storks
A really enjoyable holiday in a beautiful location. It was fun to have the opportunity to visit different areas and staying in multiple locations meant that we got to see more of the area. The organisation was super smooth in every aspect. The coastline is very unspoilt with the most amazing views, and the beaches seemed never ending; one more beautiful than the next. The storks perched on the ends of the rocks are just amazing and with binoculars and zoom lens we could get really close to them. Our expert guides were passionate and enthusiastic about this lovely region and brought it to life with their knowledge of the landscape and history.
Most Inspirational Moment
It's really difficult to pinpoint a particular moment - the holiday as a whole was just so enjoyable. The three hotels in the different villages were lovely - very well chosen and all with great facilities, but the one in Sagres was a particularly nice treat. Restaurants were also great, including the recommendations for the free day / evenings. We had great packed lunches, delicious and sourced locally.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had two group leaders - Francisco and Ines - and they were fantastic in making sure that everything ran smoothly in the background - nothing seemed too much trouble and they were super patient looking after us all. I was very impressed at their knowledge of the area and we gained a lot from the walks from Francisco's expertise in all things flora and fauna, not to mention the birds. We all learnt a lot about the challenges to the landscape and stories of local history which brought the place to life.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I would highly recommend this trip. The walks are not over long, and are well paced, but you do need to be fit to enjoy them. The stops and lunch breaks were well placed, with opportunities to swim at points at glorious beaches. Walking on some of the dunes was quite hard work! so walking boots or shoes are definitely the best footwear.
Suggestions
I'd like to thank Francisco and Ines for their friendly, calm and caring support. They looked after us with charm and enthusiasm and nothing seemed to be a problem. We were a large group but they went out of their way to make sure that we were all looked after well and with real warmth.
Portugal’s Coast and Beaches
An excellent week walking down the south west coast of Portugal. The views were stunning, hotels were comfortable and food was amazing. A special mention for our guides Francisco and Ines who were friendly and knowledgeable, going above and beyond to ensure we all had a wonderful time. The walking is mostly straightforward, but there is some walking across soft sand dunes. Would thoroughly recommend this holiday.
Most Inspirational Moment
The views, and seeing storks and peregrine falcons.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both Francisco and Ines were two of the best guides we’ve had.
Advice for Potential Travellers
A microfibre towel is useful for drying off after a paddle or swim in the sea. Some people may find a pole useful for some of the rocky sections, although these were not too difficult, also for wading across the river (optional).
Fantastic unspoilt location
The coast of Portugal offers varied terrain and great opportunity for hiking and to be guided by Francisco and Ines made it even better. Their knowledge about the area is extensive and they took time and effort to ensure everyone achieved what they wanted from the trip. I cannot recommend this trip enough – it truly was an amazing week.
Most Inspirational Moment
Nesting storks and dramatic coast line
Thoughts on Group Leader
Very knowledgeable and shared a lot of information. So friendly and ensured everyone had a fabulous time
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just go - don't miss the opportunity to experience this unspoilt area
Sand and Storks - Portugal's Fabulous Coast
A brilliant week hiking Portugal’s stunning south-west coast! Spectacular cliff-top views and fascinating wildlife – from swifts and storks to peregrine falcons. Transport, food and hotels all excellent (especially the hotel in Sagres, wow!). But all made that much more enjoyable and memorable thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our fantastic guides: Ines and Francisco. Their knowledge, professionalism, efficiency and attention to detail was exemplary, going way above and beyond all expectations. Thank you!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Ines and Francisco - both truly excellent.
Fantastic scenery, wonderful guides, charming villages
You can’t imagine how beautiful Portugal’s coast is until you do this trip. The beaches are so scenic and uncrowded. The trails were not difficult and everyone in our group was able to keep the pace. There were adequate stops to enjoy the views and take a swim in the water. Our guides Francisco and Ines were absolutely wonderful. I have a special interest in birds and plants; both were very knowledgeable. They even carried a bird book and a plant ID book. The guides brought a camera with a very long lens, so they were able to share close-ups of the baby storks with our group. The guides were always available on WhatsApp if we had any questions (during our free time). The trip was very well organized; the guides did a lot of work behind the scenes coordinating our drop off and pick up locations. I also really enjoyed the smaller villages we passed through and I was able to get some wonderful photographs. Portugal’s food is fantastic, and the guides helped me to find a restaurant to sample barnacles (highly recommended). The wine and distillery tastings were very enjoyable. I combined this trip with the Highlights of Portugal; it was easy to take a public bus from Lisbon and back again. This was one of my favorite Exodus trips (and I’ve done many) thanks to the competent guides and lovely scenery.
Most Inspirational Moment
Passing by an extremely beautiful section of coast line which looked like the Grand Canyon - if the Grand Canyon was next to an ocean. And our guide Francisco explained the geology of this area
Thoughts on Group Leader
Francisco and Ines were top notch! They get the highest rating from me! Both were very knowledgeable, friendly, and caring. Both were highly organized and always available on WhatsApp. The briefings were very good, as were the shared photographs. I appreciated them carrying the bird and plant ID books on the hike.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Wear hiking boots with ankle support (not hiking shoes). Wear hiking gaitors to minimize sand getting inside of your boots for the first day of the hike (it started out sandy). Bring a wind-proof sun hat and plenty of sunscreen.
Suggestions
Exodus should do more to promote combining this trip with Highlights of Portugal for a two week holiday.
Amazing week in Portugal!
What a stunning coastline to walk, combined with amazing food, wine tasting and brilliant company. The hotels were great too, way above my expectations. What more could you ask for! Our guides Francisco and Ines were fantastic, so knowledgeable and making sure we were safe on our walks. Would definitely recommend this holiday.
Most Inspirational Moment
Too many to choose from! Sitting on a near deserted beach during a walk eating my packed lunch. Spotting Storks in their nests with their baby Storks. Seeing a couple of Peregrine Falcons.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Honestly, Francisco and Ines were the nicest, most caring guides I’ve travelled with. I was a bit wobbly on a couple of parts of the walks and they were always there to help me. They were also taking photos along the way and sharing them with us at the end of the day.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The coastline is beautiful to walk along. Be prepared to walk in some sand which can be a bit more difficult. There were a few parts of the walk which were a bit rocky, but help was always at hand!
Suggestions
To sum up, great guides, spectacular cliffs/beaches/scenery/food/wine/hotels/company!