A different Algarve
WIDELY KNOWN FOR ITS EXCELLENT BEACHES, THE REGION ALSO OFFERS THE PERFECT SETTING FOR NATURE HIKES
Van Gogh once said: “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” Believing in this, but mainly wanting this belief to be shared with others seems to be what lies inside the mind of a tour guide.
Once upon a time, there was a sensation-seeker working a 9-5 job who ditched everything to connect with nature and call the Algarve home. If we multiply this by three, we have the story of T.J. Eisenstein (USA), from West Coast Adventure Co., Chris Holt (Canada), from Raw Algarve Adventures, and António Bule (Portugal), from The South Explorers, all based in Lagos.
“It all started in 2013, when I flew from Ireland to Faro and randomly got in a bus to Lagos. I cancelled all the plans I had for travelling around other places and just ended up staying. Normally, as soon as I arrive in a place, I naturally seek out the wilderness and nature around, and that’s what just happened,” T.J. recalls.
Founder and owner of West Coast Adventure Co., T.J. started realising the picture people had of the Algarve was incomplete, and he was intrigued with how the two different worlds existed only 25km away apart. “I borrowed a van from the hostel I was working at and started showing others the real Algarve that I knew from exploring alone on my days off,” he explains. And that was just the beginning, as now, eight years later, he already took close to five thousand clients out on a tour.
’Follow curiosity, not crowds’ is not only his slogan but also proof of the uniqueness that he offers on his tours. “This is not the passive sight-seeing tour, this is a full-sensorial, meaningful experience, where people sweat, get their hands dirty and come across places they wouldn’t know if not for coming on this tour,” he assures.
One of the most interesting facts is that T.J.’S clients only know they will go on a tour in “Costa Vicentina, and that’s about 80km that go from Salema to Odeceixe”. Routes are chosen according to the group and weather conditions, and they are difficult to get there, unmarked, and not available on Google or hiking apps. “I choose wilderness and remoteness over guidebook tour destinations,” T.J. shares. Tours take around eight hours and the final moment that brings the whole experience together is the food, in the darkness, under the stars, with some Portuguese-flavoured nibbles and wine.
Chris Holt has a similar story. A nice, talkative tour guide, he wanted to add some local history knowledge and social involvement to his tours. Willing to make people see “a different side of the Algarve”, Chris offers a perfect combination of beautiful sights, wild nature, local immersion, and social responsibility. “One of the most popular tours I do is the Aljezur one, where the group walk the dogs from a local shelter up to the medieval castle, then stop by a beautiful beach from the west coast to eat a bunch of Portuguese tapas and to drink some local wine,” he explains. “People love it, and they feel that more than just seeing a nice view and ‘eating a pastel de nata’, they do something more meaningful.”
“I started Raw Algarve in 2018 with my Australian friend Matthew, but one year later he had to go back to Australia, and I just carried on with the business on my own. Me and my Dolores.” The
Spanish word for ‘pains’, Dolores is a 1999 Toyota Hiace with a unique colour and a special sound that adds some humour to Chris’ tours, making them a more entertaining experience.
Having studied History, Chris admits that “going up to Monchique is full of that [history], from the food (chorizo, honey) and the liquors to the ceramics”, he states. “The Monchique tour is an incredible hike where we walk through the pine, eucalyptus and cork forests and finish off the effort with a delicious meal whilst looking at the spectacular views from the top [Picota].”
From his clients’ reviews, we get the notion of how Raw Algarve tours are a great mix of nature (views), storytelling (history) and food. “I try to explain all possible important facts about plants, culture or history, creating a bridge between the clients and the local area,” he tells us. Another important aspect that Chris instils from the beginning is the importance of taking care of the land but, more than that, “leaving the place better than you found it”.
The combination of what António Bule is (an explorer) with where he operates (southern Portugal), is what made him create The South Explorers, in 2018. “I grew up in Alentejo but lived in Lagos 14 years ago. Being so good with interpersonal relationships with all sorts of people and a nature-lover with the local knowledge” made this possible.
Suitable for all ages, António’s tours are the perfect opportunity for a very relaxed, fun hike day, with a local guide that provides a lot of useful information including the best local restaurants to indulge in Portuguese flavours.
From the Sagres Sunset Tour and the Wild West Coast Hike, those booking with António can also do the Algarseco Walk and visit Silves and Monchique. With a kind smile and the ability to engage in a good conversation with his clients regardless of where they come from, António goes beyond expectations. “I give them a lot of nice tips and explain local facts regarding fish, the trees around or the cork and they just love it and feel that their questions are mostly answered.” In fact, in 2020, The South Explorers won the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award.
Telling about his weekends with his father, as a child, fishing in Sagres, the Portuguese tour guide can’t hide his passion for the West Coast’s beauty and the need for preserving it. “I normally explain to my clients how important the Natural Park is for protecting the environment and I tell them about the menace that wild camping represents for the area.”
Whether you prefer something wild and off the beaten track, a mix of wilderness and local immersion or the relaxed walks guided by a Portuguese fun character, make sure you leave the Algarve with the full picture. T.J., Chris and António will guide you through the ultimate truth: “A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” ■