TREKKING TOUR IN SERRA DA ESTRELA
From €1060
per person
4 NIGHTS/5 DAYS
TREKKING IN PORTUGAL: THE TRAILS OF SERRA DA ESTRELA NATURAL PARK.
Discover the breathtaking trails of Serra Da Estrela Natural Park. Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring natural beauty and find serenity in this remarkable destination.
A trekking tour in Portugal to discover the country’s highest mountain, blending spectacular views with visits to local communities.
Trekking tour in Portugal specifics:
DURATION: 5days / 4nights
The Portugal trekking program can be extended or shortened upon request.
TYPE OF TRIP: Trekking tour with private transfer, local guide and overnight stays in the Serra da Estrela
SUITABLE TO: Anyone in good health and with a spirit of adaptation, able to cope with daily walks of about 3 to 6 hours and elevation gains ranging from 300m to 1200m.
RECOMMENDED PERIOD: April to December.
PRIVATE AND GROUP TRIPS: Possible every day
The trekking trip to Serra da Estrela is suitable for private groups of 2 or more people.
For pre-established groups, we can arrange the trek with customized itinerary and services (hiking guides, mountain guides, etc.).
HIGHLIGHTS.
- A unique and original nature itinerary to experience a trekking trip through Portugal’s largest and highest National Park
- Just the right mix of sport and culture with visits to ancient villages by walking along timeless trails featuring unique flora and fauna
- Ascent to the spectacular glacial valley of the Loriga Canyon.
- Excursions to discover the Zezere Glacier and reach a beautiful lagoon formed by melting ice.
PROGRAM IN SHORT – TREKKING TOUR IN PORTUGAL IN SERRA DA ESTRELA
1 day : Arrival in Lisbon, transfer to the Serra da Estrela Natural Park
2 day : Loriga, hike through the village, Canyon and lagoons of the same name
3 day : Hell’s Well
4 day : Excursion to the Zezere Glacier
5 day : Excursion to the Beech Forest
INCLUDED
- 2 Walking Guides on days 2 and 4. 1 Walking Guide on days 3 and 5.
- 4 days walking
- 4 nights in a double room
- Lunch box on days 2, 3 and 4
- Liability and personal accident insurance
- Cab transportation on the second day from the end of the route to the beginning.
NOT INCLUDED
- Meals not listed in the detailed itinerary and all beverages except tea and coffee for breakfasts included
- Optional tours and activities and extra services due to force majeure
- Personal clothing and medicines
- Anything not included under the heading “Included”
SUPPLEMENTS ON REQUEST
- Single room, subject to availability
- Lodging in upscale hotels
- Extra days of sightseeing or trekking
- Option to add other outdoor activities or visits in Portugal.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TREKKING IN PORTUGAL
Local guides can modify hikes depending on the weather and your group.
Contact us to receive the detailed program of the Serra da Estrela tour.
Upon request, the program of the trekking trip in Portugal can be extended according to your preferences, as well as be custom tailored.
To discover all our trekking in Portugal, click here!
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Tour Plan
1
Day 1-Arrival day
Our journey begins with the 3.5-hour drive from Lisbon to the Serra da Estrela Nature Park, the largest and highest in all of mainland Portugal. Here our hikers will stay overnight for the next four nights.
2
Day 2- The Loriga Canyon
We walk on trails still used today by shepherds to reach the so-called Covões de Loriga, 4 large granite depressions carved by unimaginable forces from the immense glaciers that have dramatically shaped the entire landscape around us. After picnicking in one of these covões, surrounded by huge granite massifs and endless views, we will continue to the Covão do Meio dam. Built in 1953, the Covão do Meio dam in Serra da Estrela, at the top of the spectacular Loriga valley, is part of a system to capture water from the highlands and transfer it through a complex pipeline of tunnels connecting several dams together. We are nearing the end of our walk; we have the last 45 minutes until we reach the road where we will return to Loriga by cab. On this last part of the walk we will be able to enjoy views of much of this huge glacial valley we are going to cross. The spectacular views will be the just reward for the effort we all have made.
Meals: B/L/-
Program Start - 9:30
Walk Duration: About 7h
KM: 8.46;
Altitude difference: 1.255m
3
Day 3 – Hell's Well
On this second day of hiking we will visit one of the icons of the Serra da Estrela, Poço do Inferno. A set of stunningly beautiful waterfalls that end with a 10-meter waterfall and a lagoon of crystal-clear water. The whole space is surrounded by large granite blocks. First, however, we will cross some beautiful forest corridors, which alternate with areas where large blocks of shale stone layers predominate. After this very pleasant walk we will have a picnic in a very nice space, where it will also be possible to bathe in the cool, clear waters of a stream.
Meals: B/ L / -
Program Start - 9:30
Walk Duration: About 3h
KM: 4.88;
Altitude Difference: 352m
4
Day 4-The Glacier Route
With the imposing Vale do Zêzere on our shores, we follow a trail that climbs along low vegetation until we reach an imposing plateau, surrounded by giant granite walls about 400 m high. It is here that the Zêzere River rises. After a steep but spectacular downhill slope, our picnic will be at 1,860 m above sea level. Here we will enjoy one of the most incredible views of these 3 days. We are in the heart of the mountain and from here we will start descending to an area with several lagoons and our hike will end in one of them. After this tour we will go to the top of the Serra da Estrela. From here we can be dazzled by the widest horizon in the whole country, where on days of good visibility our view extends to the Serra do Gato in Spain, about 200 km in a straight line to the east and to the ocean to the west.
Meals: B/ L / -
Program Start - 9:30
Walk Duration: About 5h
Meals: PA / A / -
KM: 6.12;
Elev Difference: 572m
5
Day 5– The Beech Forest
Our hike begins in front of the formidable Zêzere glacier valley that offers us breathtaking views. Following a path used by shepherds, we find the guardians of the Chapel of São Lourenço, the centennial Oaks that merited a beautiful poem by Miguel Torga. This chapel has pagan reminiscences, where sun and tree worshipers celebrated ceremonies during the summer solstice. This place gives us a beautiful panoramic view of the mountain range that stretches all the way to Spain. After passing a lookout tower with beautiful 1950s architecture, we entered the dense forest of São Lourenço, a beech forest planted in the early 20th century by Manteigas Forestry Services. This forest of rare beauty, with its kaleidoscope of greens in spring and yellow-brown in autumn, made us feel as if we were in an enchanted forest. Contact with pastoralism and a bit of luck with wildlife may occur in the last part of our tour, along with several streams where we will pass along a valley surrounded by high mountains. This will be the perfect conclusion to our trip. Before returning to Lisbon we will rest at the same place we were on Day 3.
Our hikers will bring back memories of Portugal's highest lands, their people and traditions.
Meals: B / L / -
Program Start - 9:30
Walk Duration: About 3h
KM: 6.22;
Altitude difference: 336m