Portugal Hike & Walk Tour Reviews — 1 to 9 of 9

Of the many excellent hikes available in Madiera,
This tour manages to curate some of the best. The accommodations happen to be some of the best too from those must do beachfronts to the highly regarded Castanheiro hotel in Funchal. So basically it’s a pretty classy tour package. Now, for the hardline: especially for the risk adverse Americans, who might be reading this. These hikes are only for experienced hikers. Experience means having strong enough joints for very long, extremely steep and very narrow trails over potentially lethal drop offs. We have Vibram soled, lightweight hiking shoes to navigate the stones and steps and narrow causeways where a slip is not an option. We use a carbide tip quality hiking pole. We were absolutely dependent on the Ride with GPS app when the fog closed in on the trails on the high mountain. With that in mind, we found these well marked routes and trails to be some of the most beautiful in the world. Lush with flowers in early June, punctuated by waterfalls adjacent to moss clad rock walls, those drop offs give breathtaking views. The logistics are wonderful to have a ride to the trailhead where parking can become impossible. The guide book was decent yet yet not too detailed and allowed for some fun surprises. But, you must follow the warnings about trail closures to avoid hefty fines and fatalities. We did discover that it was best on the very last day to hike from the overlook point up to the village to the restaurant O Forno, and the coffee shop Legal Gato for what may have been the best cup of coffee we ever had anywhere in the world. The taxi driver was happy to pick us up from there instead of the trailhead. We suggest you utilize these drivers for post hiking activities, such as this when you can.
Funchal is fantastic and worth spending additional time thereafter this tour. From Funchal, we suggest the Pico to Pico Trail for the most hard-core hikers or taking the ferry to Porto Santo for beach R&R, and biking and hiking all over this smaller island. The taxis are fabulous. Bus system easy. Don’t hire a car. It’s ‘impossible’ to drive and park on these islands. Too many bad drivers already.

Seeing the village of Mosteiros was memorable. The hot springs were fun. The hikes were challenging and beautiful. Be sure to visit the Terra Nostra gardens in Furnace. It is not on the itinerary but unbelievably beautiful. Be prepared to have other options if things to do if it rains. The tea plantation hike was also good.

We signed up for the self-guided 8-day hiking tour on Sao Miguel Island, Portugal. The itinerary was well planned with accommodations in two different hotels, the Octant Hotels in Furnas and another hotel in Ponta Delgada. The Octant Hotel had great breakfast buffets to start the day and thermal pools at the end of our hiking days. Each of the 5 hikes were different and provided a challenge with their ascents and descents as well as opportunity to marvel at the landscapes. It was well planned to have a whale/dolphin watching excursion mid-week to give the body a break in hiking days. We appreciated the Ride with GPS app that was pre-populated with the hiking routes along with extra information about what to expect and see along the route. The Trip Plan app also provided good information, which we used throughout the trip. Tripsite representatives were quick to respond to our questions. It was a fabulous hiking adventure and would definitely recommend it.

All the hikes were fantastic. The transfers were made easy and dependable. The accommodations were great. Tripsite's attention to details made our trip very enjoyable.

Our Coastal Camino experience (self-guided) was truly amazing! The incredible scenery, the amazing hotels, and the connections we made wth fellow pilgrims from around the world. The tour company in Portugal was very responsive and went out of their way to ensure our experience was special. We stayed in the most incredible locations, including a fortress, a castle and an incredible old textile mill that has been converted into a literal ‘Garden of Eden’ with its own waterfall. We loved walking 5-6 hours per day (very achievable) and the routes were so beautiful (they took our breath away). Arriving at the Santiago de Compostela was an emotional and joyous experience. This trip exceeded our expectations and we are already planning our next Camino adventure!

Madeiral was stunning! The Tripsite staff and the drivers they hire were so helpful and accommodating. The hikes were a bit challenging at times-not sure I would rate them as easy! I would definitely recommend good shoes/boots and poles. And the accommodations were so amazing! A very memorable trip-I would highly recommend.

The vistas were fantastic from all over Madeira. The two different sides of the island had two totally different water features. Some were rugged and straight into the water while others had calmer waters. The vegetation was beautiful. Very hilly which makes for dramatic views.

The scenery on this route was beautiful. Lots of variety as we walked forest trails, alongside the ocean, through small towns, vineyards. Really enjoyable.

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