4x4 Adventure in the Monchique Mountains

by 4x4 vehicle & on foot

This experience takes you from the coast up to the mountains to discover the unspoilt landscape of the Algarve, where you will drive along roads inaccessible to larger vehicles on a scenic 4-wheel-drive (4x4) adventure.

From Praia da Rocha, your 4x4 vehicle will follow country roads through the Monchique Mountains, a rolling range of forested mountains, to the highest point in the Algarve.

Along the way, you will see numerous cork plantations as your driver/guide explains the importance of this material and its industry to the area.

Stopping in the village of Monchique, you will have approximately 15min free time to shop for some fine examples of Algarve's clever handicrafts. You will no doubt find that the village is a world apart from the touristic beach resorts. Here, the pace of life is slower and the town more sedate.

Continue your drive up to Fóia, the highest point of the Algarve at 902m (2,959ft). Weather permitting, you will have all-encompassing views that span the Algarve's south and west coasts. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Cabo de São Vicente.

Don't miss the chance to taste the famous Algarve firewater, Aguardente de Medronho. This alcoholic drink is distilled from the fruit of the medronho tree, translated as the wild strawberry tree — although the fruit is nothing like a strawberry! It's not for everyone, but it is well worth a try!

Following your mountain adventure, you will return to the port.