7(9) Days Guided Donkey Trek - Rota Vicentina Algarve

Atlantic Coast - Nature Park – Rota Vicentina

Autum:

  October 2019

Highlights

• The donkey - a wonderful travel companion & luggage transporter
• The wild beauty of Costa Vicentina Nature Park
• One break day at the beach
• Hiking along the coast and backland 
• Stunning coastline 
• Moorish convent ruins 12th century, Ribat Arrifana
• Traditional rural backlands
• Beautiful beaches and cliff sceneries
• Tasty Portuguese fresh fish and wines
• The limpid and clear water of the Atlantic
• Pleasant and friendly Accommodations

Beaches: Amado, Bordeira, Canal, Arrifana, Monte Clerigo and Amoreira

Donkey hiking on the long distance track Rota Vicentina, (RV) on the following sections:

- Historical Way (HW):

• Carrapateira – Arrifana;
• Arrifana – Aljezur;

- Fishermen Trails (FT):

• Pontal da Carrapateira Circuit;
• Ponta da Atalaia Circuit;
• Amoreira Beach Circuit

Summary

The whole tour guides us through Vicentine Coast Natural Park. We meet and start at Carrapateira, a friendly sunny white washed little village where farmer, fishermen and surfers live. From here we head off right away to the fantastic Atlantic coast line, hike safely over the cliffs coming across various viewpoints, with superb views of the escarpments, the sands of Bordeira and Amado and also the ruins of an ancient Islamic fishermen’s settlement.

The following days the route leads our way northwards switching from backland half-wild, backland with eucalyptus, pine, cork oak woods and macchie where rock rose (cistus landanifer), arbutus unedo, heather and lavender grow to unique cliff sceneries. We stop at Arrifana, 100m above the cliffs, a huge bay with beach and traditional fishing harbour. Singular beauty, especially in spring, the endemic and Mediterranean vegetation. On the following sector, next stop Monte Clerigo, a charming 1970ies seaside summer village. We walk through the alleys of historic Aljezur, reigned over by a 10th century fortress before our hike finds its end on the donkey farm in the backland. Before we say good bye to the sea at magnificent Amoreira dune beach.

The beautiful effects of donkey trekking: thanks to his regular rhythm and calmness we feel like meditating and our long eared travel companion opens hearts and souls in us and the people we meet who show us a happy smile and ask to cuddle the donkey. Touching!

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