Porto · NATIONAL PARKS
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 10 national park trips worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Spend a full day in Peneda-Gerês National Park with a local guide such as Ines, Diogo, Pedro, or Cata. Ride a vintage Land Rover, hike to waterfalls and swimming lagoons, visit a traditional village, eat lunch with wine, and help with a reforestation project.
“It was a great tour Pedro tailed it to our ability and was very passionate and took good card of us all”
Travel from Porto in a small group of up to eight, riding a vintage Land Rover into Peneda-Gerês National Park. Expect easy to moderate walks, waterfalls, river swimming, a traditional village, generous Portuguese lunch with wine, and guides such as Cata, Nuno, Mariana, and Diogo.
“What a great day out. Urbano was amazing, gave us an excellent tour of the national park and a village inside. He was fun and welcoming. The views and waterfall were stunning. Lunch was nice and catered to my dietary requirements. I would recommend this to anyone and would certainly attend again.”
Leave Porto with a small group and a local guide such as Pedro, Teresa, or Francisco for a 9 to 10-hour day in Peneda-Gerês. Expect winding mountain roads, short hikes, waterfalls, swimming lagoons, village stops, viewpoints, and a generous included lunch that may be served picnic-style or at a local restaurant.
“A very enjoyable day! Pedro was an excellent driver with a fun personality. Also full of knowledge. Many memorable adventures! If you enjoy nature you will love this day trip. We truly enjoyed our day with Pedro.”
Travel from Porto to Gerês National Park for a six-hour canyoning adventure with guides such as Tiago, Marta, Miguel, and Diogo. Expect swimming, natural slides, short abseils, zip lines, rock jumps, wetsuits, canyoning shoes, and complimentary photos and video.
“Great time! Our guides Miguel and Pinto were awesome. Lots of fun and felt very safe at the same time. Would definitely recommend!!”
Spend 10 hours exploring Peneda-Gerês from Porto with a small group of up to eight. Paddle Caniçada reservoir, swim at a sandy beach, eat a traditional Portuguese lunch, then hike to a clear-water waterfall with guides such as Nuno, Inês, Diogo, and Mariana.
“Absolutely incredible tour led by the amazing Teresa. the park was breathtaking, it was a smooth drive up, and well worth the money. this tour is a must if you’re visiting Porto, ideally with Teresa she was so delightful to spend the day with!”
Travel from Porto in a small group of up to eight with guides such as Teresa, Pedro, Rui Lago, or Maia. Visit Gerês villages, swim beneath waterfalls, stop at Pedra Bela viewpoint, and enjoy a picnic or local meal. Expect flexible routing, short walks, and about three hours on the road.
“Our travel guide Pedro is amazing. He always asked how do we feel, what do we want to see. He took care of us all the time. A lot and was incredibly amazing at telling us stories about the national park like the devils bridge or teaching us about the different plants and trees we strongly recommend this trip and especially our best guide Pedro !”
Leave Porto for Peneda-Gerês National Park, kayak for about 90 minutes on Caniçada Lake, swim, try stand-up paddleboarding, eat a local lunch with wine, and walk to a clear pool beneath a waterfall. Guides such as Inês, Nuno, and Mariana bring a friendly, personal touch.
“Inês was an excellent host/guide. She brought excellent character and vibes. The experience was beyond what we expected. We really appreciated the nature, historically, and cultural aspects of the tour. The kayaking and swimming were relaxing and the tour around town really completed the experience. This was one of our top activities from our trip to Porto.”
Leave Porto at 7:30 am for a private day in Peneda-Gerês National Park. Your guide adjusts walks and stops to your group, with waterfalls, old villages, wildlife, scenic views, bottled water, lunch, and round-trip transport included. Guides may include Carlos, Rosario, Maia, Andre, or Miriam.
“This tour was amazingly beautiful and really showcased the natural beauty of Portugal. The day of our tour was pouring down rain but our guide Rosario was so a master at adapting the tour to the weather conditions and still ensuring that we had an incredible day. Rosario was personable and the ultimate host.”
Join Pedro Miguel Alves Morais for a nine-and-a-half-hour small-group trip from Porto, Braga, or Ponte de Lima to Peneda-Gerês National Park. Expect a scenic road trip, waterfalls, viewpoints, shepherds, old shelter huts, and a clear lagoon where you can relax or swim when conditions allow.
“The hike was wonderful and Pedro is a perfect and thoughtful guide! We took an easy hike to the lagoons, where we took a break for lunch and swimming, then made a group decision to take a more difficult route back. Most of the group took it easily, it was manageable Read more”
Travel from Porto to Poço da Carcerelha for a beginner-friendly canyoning session in Gerês National Park. Guides such as Miguel and Andrea provide instruction, safety gear, wetsuits, rope work, natural slides, jumps, ziplining, and underwater photos. The canyoning lasts about three hours within an 8 to 10-hour day.
“Miguel and Andrea were very professional and fun. They made sure everyone on the trip was so comfortable and ask were knowledgeable about the area. We had a blast!”
Pick a bank, a valley or a kitchen.
