Rewilding in the Côa valley: Portugal

29 April 2024 – 6 days for £2,895

Discover the unique, unspoiled landscapes of the Greater Côa valley. Learn how, through rewilding, wildlife’s natural rhythms are creating wilder, more biodiverse habitats that encourage nature to flourish.

A beautiful yet relatively unknown part of northern Portugal, located close to the Spanish border between the Douro river and Malcata mountain ranges, the Côa valley is rich in biodiversity and has a broad range of habitat types as well as endemic species. The area is home to vultures, eagles, otters, pond turtles and the Iberian wolf, a strictly protected species in Portugal. 

Explore the region accompanied by Fernando Romão from the Rewilding Portugal team, who will join the group for two days and introduce you to the area's rewilding projects. Rewilding Portugal is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote nature conservation through rewilding measures. Its aim is for the Greater Côa valley to be a wilder place, with fully functioning ecosystems and abundant wildlife, where natural processes and complete food chains play key roles in the regeneration of the landscape.

Leaving the Côa valley, you will transfer to the Douro river valley, a pristine and remote region home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Enjoy a visit to the Quinta do Nápoles estate, one of the oldest wine estates in the Douro Valley, on the left bank of the Tedo valley. Finish in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, located on the Atlantic Ocean, which is the country’s second largest city. Explore with a private guide to see some of the city's highlights, including a tour to one of the iconic port houses that Porto is famous for.

In partnership with The Ultimate Travel Company. 

DAY 1: PORTO AND THE CÔA VALLEY

On arrival into Porto, transfer to the Côa valley, a journey of around 2 and a half hours, where you will check into your hotel. The remainder of the afternoon will be spent at leisure. 

In the evening, meet with your tour leader and the rest of your group at the hotel. Afterwards, enjoy a presentation by a member of the Rewilding Portugal team. Learn about their work in the Greater Côa valley, an important wildlife corridor for many species, including the Iberian wolf, Iberian ibex, red deer and roe deer.

A welcome dinner will then be held at the hotel with the group. 

DAY 2: VALONGO AND VALE DAS ÉGUAS, CÔA VALLEY

Depart for Valongo and Vale das Éguas for a gentle hike along the river accompanied by rewilding expert Fernando Romão.

Enjoy a picnic lunch with a cooking demonstration by a local chef at Ponte de Sequeiros, an arched bridge crossing the Côa river that is thought to have been built in the 13th century.

Continue to Paul de Toirões, situated on the Beira plateau near the Spanish border, to go birdwatching. Formerly a mine, production at Paul de Toirões ceased almost a decade ago and it is now one of the largest water surfaces in the Côa valley, full of aquatic and riverside vegetation as well as over 100 species of bird. There is an abundance of willow woods, some areas of reed beds, as well as a young but extensive forest, mainly composed of Pyrenean and holm oak. Both white and black storks can be seen here regularly, searching for food or shelter.

Hike to the Vale Carapito, where a herd of 10 Sorraia horses has been released by Rewilding Portugal to enhance natural grazing in the valley. 

Enjoy dinner with music around the fire at a local castle with chef Rui Cerdeira. Afterwards, return to the hotel.

DAY 3: VALE MADEIRA REWILDING CENTRE AND ERMO DE AGUIAS, CÔA VALLEY

Depart for the rewilding centre at Vale Madeira, which showcases the ongoing rewilding efforts, where you will once again be joined by Fernando Romão. From here, visit the historic medieval city of Pinhel, known as the Falcon City, which dates back to the Chalcolithic Period, and enjoy lunch on the edge of the Côa river.

Afterwards, visit Ermo des Águias (wilderness of the eagles), a newly established rewilding site that promotes the regeneration of native vegetation to enhance the benefits of natural grazing. Here, you will meet Marco Pinto, a local shepherd who will offer insight into the area. You can then hike to a waterfall where some of the most emblematic birds of the region, such as the golden eagle, the black stork and the griffon vulture, can be spotted. You can also see the ruins of Fojo do Lobo, an ancient stone structure originally used to hunt Iberian wolves, which attests to the ancestral presence of this predator in the area. 

Enjoy dinner at the Figueira Castelo Rodrigo, before transferring to Castelo Mendo for an evening visit to the prehistoric engravings, which include engraved rock drawings of horses, bovines, human and abstract figures that date from 22,000 to 10,000 BC. Afterwards, return to the hotel. 

DAY 4: DEPART CÔA VALLEY FOR DOURO VALLEY AND ONTO PORTO

Check out of the hotel and depart for the Quinta do Nápoles estate in the Duoro valley. Quinta do Nápoles is one of the oldest estates in the region, with historical records dating back to the year 1756. It was the first winery bought in 1987 by Dirk Niepoort, one of the great visionaries of the Douro valley. Enjoy a tour of the estate and a tasting, followed by lunch.

Afterwards, continue to Porto and check in to your hotel. After a long day, you will have time to relax before enjoying dinner at the hotel.

DAY 5: PORTO

In the morning, depart for a walking tour of Porto, with its narrow streets, 16th-century arcaded buildings and baroque churches and chapels. The city is also known for its 19th-century iron bridge, built by the school of Gustav Eiffel. Visit the São Bento railway station, with its remarkable ceramic tilework, the charming Rua das Flores, the ornate neoclassical Palácio da Bolsa and the São Francisco church, with its gilded interior. Immerse yourself in the captivating sights of the World Heritage riverfront of Cais da Ribeira.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the Sandeman wine cellars, established in 1790 by the son of a Scottish cabinet-maker, for a tour and a port tasting.

There will be a farewell dinner with the group and the tour leader at a local restaurant.

DAY 6: PORTO DEPARTURE

Transfer to Porto airport for your departure flight.