Algarve walking vacation, west to east

Planet

Activity:
Walking has minimal impact on the environment as you provide most of the energy yourself. Also, by walking independently, and not having to worry about keeping up with a group, you set the pace so you can soak up the sights, sounds and scents of your surrounds and really get under the skin of the place you’re visiting.

We proactively encourage our clients to think about traveling responsibly too: packing light, saving water, buying locally, re-cycling all maps and route notes at the end of their trip as well as to be mindful of not leaving any rubbish behind.

UK Office:
We are well aware of the impact tourism has at home and abroad, and we make every effort to balance the environmental impact of traveling with the immense benefits sustainable tourism can bring to destinations and the people who live there. So we start in the office: we turn off all electrical equipment every night; we use energy-efficient bulbs; we measure print and paper consumption, and re-cycle wherever possible; we print our brochures on paper from sustainable sources, and send them out in bio-degradable packaging.

People

Leaders & local suppliers:
On this 7-night twin-center walking trip you'll discover the entirety of Portugal's Algarve, from the rugged cliff-strewn western Atlantic coastline to its eastern border with Spain. Using the hire car provided for you to arrive at each day's different walks you'll embark on a journey through the undiscovered parts of the region where pretty whitewashed villages and lively towns intermingle with a mix of stunning scenery.

When you’re walking from village to village, you can enjoy a relationship with locals in a way motorists passing through never can. You'll meander along diverse landscapes, from river paths and untouched coastlines to the Monchique mountain range. You'll stay in two hotels of contrasting styles: in Sagres, sitting on the cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean, is the modern boutique 4 star Memmo Baleeria, and heading east in Tavira is the 4 star Pousada de Tavira, a former 16th century convent, which has now been tastefully converted into a lovely hotel.

On foot, you get off the beaten track, and you’ll find that people treat you as a visitor rather than a tourist . The local cuisine is delicious - expect fresh fish, cured hams, tasty cheese and chourico (which are as good as those from Spain or Italy!).

As with all our vacations, we encourage visitors to buy from independently-run shops & establishments where possible, supporting the local people and their families.