Lisbon Trip Overview
A unique and original natural itinerary to experience a trekking trip through the largest and highest natural park in Portugal, Serra da Estrela, which has breathtaking landscapes ready to be explored on foot.
During the walking route we will pass by emblematic places such as Covão de Loriga, the Poço do Inferno waterfall, the Zêzere Glacier Valley, making the Faias route.
The diversity of landscapes is remarkable and surprises with each step, making the journey an indelible experience.
The only necessary requirements are a lot of desire to explore and a reasonable physical condition!
Additional Info
* Duration: 5 days
* Starts: Lisbon, Portugal
* Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours
Explore Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
A unique and original natural itinerary to experience a trekking trip through the largest and highest natural park in Portugal, Serra da Estrela, which has breathtaking landscapes ready to be explored on foot.
During the walking route we will pass by emblematic places such as Covão de Loriga, the Poço do Inferno waterfall, the Zêzere Glacier Valley, making the Faias route.
The diversity of landscapes is remarkable and surprises with each step, making the journey an indelible experience.
The only necessary requirements are a lot of desire to explore and a reasonable physical condition!
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Serra da Estrela
Pass By: Lisbon, Lisbon, Lisbon District, Central Portugal
Our journey begins with the 3.5 hour journey from Lisbon to the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, the largest and highest in all of mainland Portugal. Our hotel will be the Pousada da Juventude das Penhas da Saúde and it will be there that our hikers stay overnight for the next 4 nights or else in Glamping tents at Camping do Vale do Rossim, for those who want to reappropriate contact with nature.
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a cozy glamping tent at the Vale do Rossim campsite or at the Youth Hostel
Day 2: Loriga Gorge
Stop At: Loriga, Loriga, Guarda District, Central Portugal
On our first hike on this journey we will make one of the most emblematic valleys in the entire Serra da Estrela, the Vale de Loriga. We started exactly in the village of Loriga. The history of this village goes back to the time of the Suevos. The Romans and later the Moors also passed through here. All these peoples left important testimonies of their passing. We continue on paths still used today by the shepherds, to reach the so-called Covões de Loriga, 4 large granitic depressions, excavated by unimaginable forces from the immense glaciers which dramatically shaped the entire landscape around us.
Beginning of the Program – 9:30 Walk Duration: About 7h KM: 8.46; Altitude difference: 1.255m
Duration: 7 hours
Stop At: Covão do Meio, 6270 Loriga, Portugal
After the picnic in one of these covões, surrounded by huge granitic massifs, as well as infinite views, we will continue towards the barrage of Covão do Meio. Built in 1953, the Covão do Meio dam in Serra da Estela, at the top of the spectacular Loriga valley, is part of a system for capturing water from the highlands and transferring them through a complex pipeline of tunnels that connect several dams each other. We are close to the end of our walk, we have the last 45 minutes until we reach the road where we will return to Loriga again by taxi. In this last part of the route we will be able to delight ourselves with the view of a large part of this huge glacial valley that we are about to cross. The spectacular views will be the right reward for the effort we have all made.
Duration: 45 minutes
Meals included:
• Lunch: Pic-nic
Accommodation included: Overnight in a cozy glamping tent at the Vale do Rossim campsite or at the Youth Hostel
Day 3: Hell’s Well
Stop At: Poco do Inferno, Manteigas Portugal
The day starts at 9:30 am, during the walk we will meet one of the icons of Serra da Estrela, Poço do Inferno. A set of waterfalls of great beauty that end in a waterfall with more than 10 meters and a lagoon with crystal clear waters.
This entire space is surrounded by large blocks of granite. Before, however, we will pass through beautiful forest corridors, which alternate with areas where large blocks of shale predominate.
After this very pleasant walk we will have a picnic in a very beautiful space, where it will also be possible to bathe in the clear, fresh waters of a stream.
Beginning of the Program – 9:30 Walk Duration: About 3h Meals: PA / A / – KM: 4.88; Altitude difference: 352m
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch: Pic-nic
Accommodation included: Overnight in a cozy glamping tent at the Vale do Rossim campsite or at the Youth Hostel
Day 4: The Glacier Route
Stop At: Vale Glaciar do Zezere, Manteigas, Serra da Estrela 6260-311 Portugal
With the imposing Vale do Zêzere on our shores, we followed a path to climb along low vegetation until we reached an impressive plateau, surrounded by gigantic granite walls about 400 m high. This is where the Zêzere River rises. After a steep but spectacular ascent, our picnic will be 1,860 m above sea level. Here we will enjoy one of the most formidable views of these 3 days. We are in the heart of the mountain and from here we will start to descend 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 Serra da Estrela. From here we can be dazzled by the wider horizon of 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 a West.
Beginning of the Program – 9:30 Walk Duration: About 5h Meals: PA / A / – KM: 6.12; Altitude difference: 572m
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch: Pic-nic
Accommodation included: Overnight in a cozy glamping tent at the Vale do Rossim campsite or at the Youth Hostel
Day 5: The Beech Forest
Stop At: Vale Glaciar do Zezere, Manteigas, Serra da Estrela 6260-311 Portugal
Our hike starts in front of the formidable Glacier Valley of Zêzere which offers us a breathtaking view. Following a path used by pastors, we find the guardians of the Chapel of São Lourenço, the centenary Oaks that deserved a beautiful poem by Miguel Torga. This chapel has pagan reminiscences, where sun and tree worshipers performed ceremonies on the summer solstice. This place offers us a beautiful panoramic view of the mountain range that extends to Spain.
Beginning of the Program – 9:30 Walk Duration: About 3h Meals: PA / A / – KM: 6,22; Elev Difference: 336m
Duration: 3 hours
Pass By: Manteigas, Manteigas, Guarda District, Central Portugal
After passing a watchtower with beautiful 50’s architecture, we plunged into the dense São Lourenço Forest, a Beech Forest planted at the beginning of the 19th century. XX by Manteigas Forestry Services. This forest of rare beauty, with its kaleidoscope of greens in spring and yellow-brown in autumn, makes us feel as if we are in an enchanted forest. The contact with the pastoralist and with some luck with the wildlife, can happen 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 end to our journey. Before returning to Lisbon we will rest in the same place where we were on the 3rd day. Our hikers take back the highest lands in Portugal, their people and traditions.
Meals included:
• Lunch: Pic-nic
No accommodation included on this day.
