DURATION
4 nights
LOCATION
Portugal
ANNUAL LEAVE
3 days off work
SEASON
Mar-Dec
GROUP SIZE
Up to 12 people
MEETING POINT
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport
ACCOMMODATION
Comfort
Guesthouse
DIFFICULTY
Easy
All you need is a basic level of fitness. No yoga or SUP experience is needed, the hikes are fairly short and the pace is easy-going.
Hike along peaceful rural trails and clifftop paths, stopping for sea swims at wild beaches, deserted coves and rugged dunes
Begin each day with a restorative yoga session among woodland, relaxing mind and body to the sound of birdsong
Paddleboard in the Costa Vicentina Natural Park, where the Mira River meets the Atlantic Ocean
Stay in a beautiful and unique rural guesthouse, indulging in delicious regional food and wine from the best local producers
Day 1
Welcome to rural Alentejo
Touch down in Lisbon and transfer to your base, Quinta Camarena - a chic and rustic countryside guesthouse, in close proximity to Portugal's protected area of Costa Vicentina on the wild Atlantic Coast. Check in, relax, and explore the lush grounds surrounding the property, dotted with wildflowers and aromatic herbs. If you fancy it, take a short walk into the nearby village of Cercal do Alentejo. This evening you'll join your group and hosts for a welcome dinner, prepared using ingredients from local producers.
Day 2
Yoga and hike the Rota Vicentina
Yoga
1hr
Hiking
2hrs · 8km · 100m up · 100m down
Enjoy your first yoga session from 'The Ground', a secluded platform surrounded by pine and oak trees. Learn stretches and poses from your experienced yoga teacher to relax and recharge your muscles and mind - if you’ve never tried yoga before, you’ll be a convert for sure! Tuck into a delicious organic brunch, then hit a section of the historic Rota Vicentina trail. This long hiking path spans nearly 400 kilometres of one of the most beautifully preserved natural areas in Europe, and passes directly in front of the property. Hike among rolling hills, wheat fields and pastures before reaching Campilhas Reservoir, where you'll enjoy a picnic lunch and an optional refreshing dip. Return to your property either on foot or by transfer and spend the rest of the day in the serene grounds of the quinta.
Day 3
Yoga, SUP and wine tasting
Yoga
1hr
Stand Up Paddleboarding
2hrs
Join a morning yoga class before a short drive to Vila Nova de Milfontes, a picturesque fishing village. The beach where the Mira River meets the Atlantic Ocean creates a stunning backdrop for some stand-up paddleboarding. After an introductory briefing, jump on your board and start paddling inland, along the river. Leaving the town behind, enter the protected park of Costa Vicentina, a lush green landscape which is home to many bird species. There will be time to take a walk into town and grab some lunch before returning to Quinta Camarena. This evening your hosts will guide you through a wine tasting from a selection of small, local producers, all paired with local cheese, bread and an olive oil selection - cheers!
Day 4
Explore Portugal's Wild Atlantic Coast
Yoga
1hr
Hiking
3hrs · 8km · 100m up · 100m down
Begin the day with another reinvigorating yoga session followed by a delicious brunch. Then head to the picturesque coastal town of Porto Covo, which you'll have time to explore before starting a final hike. Follow the clifftop trail to the vast sand dunes of Ilha do Pessegueiro and Aivados beaches, discovering small deserted coves along the way. The scenery is incredibly varied, with colourful endemic plants at their intoxicating peak during springtime. You'll enjoy plenty of breaks at the wild beaches, with the opportunity to jump in for an ocean dip if you fancy it. Return to your accommodation for a final farewell feast in the evening.
Day 5
Goodbye Portugal!
Yoga
1hr
You'll have a final yoga class in the gentle, early morning sun rays before heading back to Lisbon for your flight home - feeling healthier, stronger and with a bunch of new friends.
Included
Guides
Experienced, certified SUP instructor and a qualified yoga teacher
Accommodation
4 nights in a beautiful rural guesthouse
Meals
4 brunches, 2 light picnic lunches and 4 dinners
Transfers
Airport transfers and everything inbetween
Equipment
All your SUP gear and a yoga mat
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Tips for your guides
Some meals as described
Visas where required
Day 1
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Most meals on the trip are prepared by Quinta Camarena, where your hosts believe in healthy and sustainable eating which celebrates local, organic produce.
Mealtimes are not only about nourishment, but also an opportunity to learn about the culture of the region, and to enjoy each other's company. Most of the ingredients originate from local producers who prioritise natural and artisanal processes. The seasonality of ingredients is important, so the menu will be decided daily depending on what's available. There will be plenty of vegetarian options and when meat or fish are served, these are free-range and sourced from trusted local producers. You'll also have a wine tasting included, which allows you to sample some of the best local wines in the region.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request this on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Quinta Camarena
The boutique Quinta Camarena is a rustic yet chic guesthouse with a beautiful outdoor pool. Nestled among 3.5 hectares of lush grounds in the Portuguese region of Alentejo, it's an ideal setting for yoga, hiking and relaxation. Your local hosts have a deep respect for Alentejo and are invested in sustainability, actively taking steps to have a positive environmental and social impact on the local community - you'll learn more about their initiatives during the trip.
You'll stay in twin-share rooms, either in the villa, the casita or the country loft. Each building has a private entrance, living room and equipped kitchenette. All spaces have different decor and were personally curated by your hosts using local materials, antiques, and personal artwork. You will find comfortable mattresses, top-quality bedsheets from one of the most historic textile brands in Portugal, and local artisanal soaps. WiFi, a gym, shared communal areas and tranquil gardens are free for you to enjoy throughout your stay.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking - single rooms are limited and subject to availability.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport
14:00 on Day 1
Ends
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport
14:00 on Day 5
Transfers
Your host will meet you at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport 14:00 on Day 1 and transfer you to Quinta Camarena, which is approximately a 2-hour drive away, near the village of Cercal do Alentejo. On Day 5, your host will take you back to Lisbon airport mid-afternoon, in time for any onward evening flights - we recommend booking a flight that departs from 16:00 onwards. Airport transfers are included at set times on Days 1 and 5, however, you can request a private transfer if you are arriving before or departing after the trip (see Optional Extras for details). Alternatively, there are also three daily buses that link Lisbon Sete Rios station with Cercal do Alentejo and you can request that your hosts pick you up from the local bus stop for a small fee.
Travel options
There are regular direct flights to Lisbon from major airports across the UK, Europe, Canada and the US.
Although arrival and departure airport transfers are included in the price, you are welcome to make your own way to Quinta Camarena anytime on Day 1 if you wish. Be sure to arrive before 18:00 if you'd like to check-in and enjoy the welcome dinner with your hosts and fellow adventurers.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's included?
- Yoga mat
- All SUP gear including board, paddle and wetsuit
What do I need to bring?
BAGS
- Main luggage
- Daypack (20 litres)
CLOTHES
- Waterproof jacket
- Fleece jacket or warm clothing for the evenings and/or colder season
- Lightweight trousers/shorts/skirts
- Yoga clothing
- T-shirts
- Underwear and socks
- Swimwear
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Something to sleep in
- Hiking shoes
- Sandals
OTHER
- Universal travel plug adapter
- Passports (and visas)
- Travel insurance documents
- Ear plugs (optional)
- Insect repellent
- Suncream
- Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
- Quick-dry towel for the beach
- Alcohol hand-gel
- Reusable water bottle x1.5 litre
- Biodegradable wet-wipes
Additional Night at Quinta Camarena Double/Twin/Single
Payable Before Departure
Additional Night at Quinta Camarena Double/Twin/Single
…
Optional Private Room Upgrade Quinta Camarena
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade Quinta Camarena
…
Private Airport Transfer Lisbon Airport - Quinta Camarena (1-4 pax)
Payable Before Departure
Private Airport Transfer Lisbon Airport - Quinta Camarena (1-4 pax)
…
Private Airport Transfer Quinta Camarena - Lisbon Airport (1-4 pax)
Payable Before Departure
Private Airport Transfer Quinta Camarena - Lisbon Airport (1-4 pax)
…
This is an excellent trip. The hosts are absolutely wonderful and go out of their way to make you feel welcome and your stay easy. The food was fantastic and I really enjoyed hearing about the local sourcing and processes for making it. The activities were great, my favourite was the stand up paddle boarding. The guides were all friendly and knowledgeable. The only thing that couldn’t be organised was the weather - when our SUP trip had to be abandoned due to a storm, Cam and Vera rearranged the schedule and we went the next day. They also arranged for a local masseuse to visit at an additional charge. I highly recommend this trip!
Absolutely amazing trip to Portugal. Hosts were brilliant. Yoga, SUP and hiking were very well organised. Beautiful food and wine. Will definitely return!
Vera and Cam were amazing hosts. Their dedication to their food, guest house grounds, and sustainability was palpable. Their home cooked meals were extremely flavorful and artful. A clear labor of love. The local wine was also a highlight. It seemed like every ingredient we ate had a story and was harvested within a small radius of the grounds. Hyper local! They had a wonderful guide for the hikes who was extremely knowledgable about our local surroundings and up for answering tons of questions. The yoga instructor was amazing. Her guidance for poses and meditations during the practices were perfect. Really great experience.
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 132kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2023 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
All you need is a basic level of fitness. No previous yoga or SUP experience is required as qualified local instructors will be guiding you through these activities if you are a novice. The hikes are short and will be conducted at a leisurely pace, showcasing some of the best rural and coastal trails in the area. The terrain varies with dirt tracks, sand and the occasional rocky trail, but there are no challenging sections to be expected other than a few gentle hills. There will be also some leisure time built into the trip so you can fully enjoy the serene environment as you wish - reading by the pool, taking optional walks or rides into the local village and slowing down to the pace of nature.
Absolutely not! This is far from a standard yoga retreat. Don't expect following rigid and strict activity schedules or a restrictive detoxing diet. This adventure was designed for people who practice and love yoga, or they’re just curious about it and want to experience the amazing benefits it brings for the first time. But it’s also fun, with plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding nature trails on foot, enjoy delicious food and wine, all in the company of like-minded people. Relaxing and not taking yourself too seriously is kind of mandatory here!
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Tap water is safe to drink and your will also have access to fresh filtered water throughout to stay. Just bring your own refillable bottle for the daily activities.
The trip runs mostly in the lower season, between March and May and October to December when temperatures are milder. The weather in the Alentejo region is usually dry and warm. Average monthly temperatures range from 31-35°C in the peak summer months of June-August, and 20-24°C in the shoulder months of May and September. During March-April and October-December there is a higher chance of rain, but temperatures remain mild and comfortable for all outdoor activities. Springtime is one of the best times to visit if you'd like to experience the explosion of endemic wildflowers. Your hosts will adjust the activity schedule and program following the most favourable weather conditions and forecasts.
We recommend checking out the country specific information here and also talking to a travel nurse.
The daily yoga classes will be accessible to all levels, even to first-timers. The certified local instructors will mainly teach Vinyasa practice, with some Hatha and Ashtanga influence. The yoga will take place at The Ground, a peaceful and secluded platform surrounded by pine and oak trees.
The SUP will take place on the calm waters of the Mira estuary, a great place to learn the basics and enjoy the natural setting where the river meets the ocean. The activity may take place at different times depending on tides and should the conditions really not be suitable for SUP, an alternative kayaking excursion will be offered. It'll be a very scenic and fun day, with loads of opportunities to play around and perfect your balance.
Yes, if you wish to extend your trip or book any additional activities, you can do this locally with the help of your hosts. Some of the options available include a massage, bike rental, a surf class, horse riding or a visit to a local winery.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
Full Financial Protection
Your money is safe. Every booking is fully financially protected.
Full Financial Protection
You can choose to pay for this trip in as many installments as you like, with no interest or fees.
