15 National Parks Tours in Portugal to Build a Day Around

1.Waterfall, Lagoon and Old Village in Peneda-Gerês National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,132 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $126.98Our pick

Hike to waterfall and lagoon in Peneda-Gerês, then enjoy a local village lunch with green wine from Porto in a vintage 4x4.

“Great trip to do. The tour guide (Urbano) was great. Super friendly and considerate. The walk, waterfalls, views, lunch and journey were all amazing”

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2.Peneda-Gerês National Park Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,128 reviews · 10 hours · from $123

Peneda-Gerês day trip from Porto with 4x4 rides, waterfall swimming, a wolf village visit, traditional lunch, plus reforestation help.

“We absolutely loved the tour!! This has been a highlight of mine and my mom‘s mother daughter trip so far to Europe and we’ve been here for two weeks and have taken tours in Spain and Italy. As well as in Sintra (which was also awesome, just different…) we really enjoyed the national park and the lunch was unbelievably good. Ines was our tour guide and she was incredibly helpful with my 71-year-old mother and some of the more challenging aspects of the hike. We knew that it was relatively for beginners however as a 71-year-old a few parts of the trail were somewhat challenging and our guide made sure…”

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3.Garajau Nature Reserve Kayak and Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 906 reviews · 3 hours · from $41

Kayak to Garajau Nature Reserve, break on a pebble beach, then snorkel clear waters. Gear included, 3 hours.

“I would recommend to familiarise yourself with kayaking as it can be tough for beginners...the snorkeling was a great experience.”

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4.Small Group Geres National Park Full Day with picnic from Porto

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 846 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $120.93

Small-group Peneda-Gerês day trip from Porto with hotel pickup, local guide, lagoon swims, short hikes, and an included picnic lunch.

“Pedro was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable and thoughtful, and an excellent driver on the many winding roads on which we traveled. Every stop we made was interesting, and the landscape was amazing. Our small group (eight guests and our driver/guide) learned a lot about each other over the 10 or so hours we were together, and Pedro was a big part of that as he conversed with each guest. By the end of the day, we felt like a group of friends having a great adventure together. Although I would have liked more hiking, this trip was a great introduction, and I expect I will be back for a more…”

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5.Hike & Swim in Gerês National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 452 reviews · 9h 30m · from $88

Porto to Gerês for a 10 km hike to natural pools, then swim and picnic in cooler mountain water, guided and easy to join.

“It was just all around a great experience. Can highly recommend Miguel our tourguide. My son forgot his phone in the van, and after hours they texted me back that they found it. 👏👏👏”

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6.Gerês National Park Canyoning Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 407 reviews · 6 hours · from $115

Gerês National Park canyoning from Porto with hotel transfers, wetsuit gear, zip lines, slides, and abseiling plus included photos and video.

“The absolute highlight of my trip! Incredible from beginning to end! The area we hiked through was unbelievably gorgeous and felt almost otherworldly with how untouched it was. The guides Tiago and Diogo were AMAZING! Very engaging, friendly professional and funny too! I would recommend this to everyone with a love of nature and adventure!”

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7.Peneda-Gerês National Park Tour with Kayaking & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 385 reviews · 10 hours · from $123

Small-group Peneda-Gerês tour from Porto with vintage Land Rover, Caniçada kayaking, waterfall swim, and a traditional lunch.

“With Ricciardo as our guide we had a great time driving through portugals national park in his Land Rover and experiencing portugal from a completely different side. We were provided with a very solid lunch and kayaking on one of the rivers was a highlight for us.”

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8.Kayaking and Waterfall in Peneda-Gerês National Park from Porto

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 276 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $133.08

Kayak Caniçada Lake, swim at a hidden Gerês waterfall, and enjoy a local lunch with wine from Porto on a small-group day trip.

“This trip was fantastic, the views were stunning, our guide was amazing and the water was so beautifully clear.”

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9.Private Geres National Park Tour with Lunch and Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 174 reviews · 8 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $290.36

Private Peneda-Gerês day trip from Porto with pickup, lunch, and flexible hikes. See waterfalls, villages, animals in a UNESCO reserve.

“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.”

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10.Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve Birdwatching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 117 reviews · 3 hours · from $58

Lisbon birdwatching on a small Tagus Estuary boat tour with Captain Carlos Cera, binoculars included, and big wildlife viewing.

“Carlos was wonderful and we had an amazing trip. Thank you.”

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11.Kayak and Snorkeling Tour in Underwater Nature Reserve Garajau

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 111 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $59.26

Kayak into Madeira’s Garajau underwater nature reserve, then snorkel Atlantic marine life with a guide, equipment, and life jacket included.

“Amazing experience with Luis. We went on the kayak tour with the family. Luis was very knowledgeable, friendly and super helpful. Would warmly recommend!”

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12.6 hour boat tour navegating through the Islands of Ria Formosa National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 99 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $51.40

A 6-hour small-boat cruise through Ria Formosa National Park from Faro, with stops at Culatra, a lighthouse village, and Desert Island.

“My family and I heard of this caption from friends. It was probably our best day we have had in Portugal! If you are looking for someone to take you along in a private cruise through water and historic islands and stories, this is the boat cruise. He took us to the beach, made reservations for us at a recommended restaurant while sharing some history and personal connections to the tour and land! 10/10 recommend!”

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13.Olhão: Ria Formosa National Park and Islands Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 91 reviews · 3 hours · from $35Best value

3-hour boat cruise from Olhão through Ria Formosa channels, stopping at Armona and Culatra, with captain-led nature and culture talk.

“It was a very interesting and informative tour of the islands.”

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14.Snorkelling Trip at Ponta de São Lourenço Protected Area

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 68 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $42.24

Snorkel Madeira’s Ponta de São Lourenço marine reserve from Funchal with included gear, a safety briefing, and a 2.5-hour boat trip.

“A fun afternoon where we saw lots of beautiful fish. The wetsuits were new and excellent quality and the experience was slick and ran on time. The two chaps that took us out were professional and fun. Afterwards one went through the fish we may have seen with me using a book. Only disappointment was our son left his trainers in the changing room and despite me phoning and messaging no one returned my messages. Eventually I did manage to speak to someone who told me they weren’t there but we decided to drive all the way back anyway and they were there! 2 days later exactly where we said!…”

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15.swimming, hiking, picnic in Gerês National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 65 reviews · 9 hours · from $76

Small-group hike and wild swimming in Gerês National Park, with breakfast, picnic lunch, transport, and time at seven lagoons.

“Had a fantastic experience with Ruben today, he was very knowledgeable and gave us a lot of insight about Geres and the nearby village. We were well fed and were supplied with plenty drinking water. The hike itself was great and went at a steady pace, even in the heat! The lagoons were obviously the star of the show and it was good that we got plenty free time to soak it up and relax. Would definitely recommend!”

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