ACT Portuga. Portugal(Guided Tour)

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Johnathan Ellis
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1 ` ACT Portuga Portugal(Guided Tour) Adventure Adventure Country Tracks offers Real Adventure in Portugal s rural east east Key Info Start Location: Bilbao, Spain Finish Location: Malaga, Spain Countries Visited: Spain & Portugal Duaration (nights): 8 Distance: 2,100km approx Riding Difficulty: Moderate Unpaved Tracks: 40% approx. Dates: See guided tours calendar Price PPS: See guided tours calender

2 This is an authentic multi-day adventure ride which is suitable for big adventure bikes, for all levels of rider, and combines incredible natural scenery with a thoroughly enjoyable riding experience. It s never been easier to take that first step into real motorcycle adventure on trails that take you away from population into empty valleys, up windswept hills and mountains, through beautiful nature along empty sinuous country roads and tracks. ACT Portugal offers a five-day 1250km adventure route that travels from Bragança on the northern border to Tavira on the south coast. Travel through verdant green valleys, over treegold, ride along centuries-old trails, bumping over the cobbles of the narrow lined mountains, pass between fields of village streets, discovering Portugal s rich history, rural culture and rarely seen back country. Although relatively small in size, Portugal is a very diverse country from a landscape perspective. By defining a track from north to south, we are able to cross all sorts of different regions that will for sure call the attention of travellers and ask for a photograph. There are breath-taking sceneries that will demand for a stop and for some contemplation. The track starts in the more mountain populated north, crossing valleys, mountain tops, famous vineyard area of the Douro valley and then going to the south, where the plains take over of the landscape. The ACT Portugal was prepared in order to specifically cross remote areas of the country. It avoids the busy sea coast and more touristic areas. Nevertheless, the track is constantly crossing small villages, old castles, historically relevant areas and, places where you can have all sorts of local experiences. It ranges from great landscapes, remote populations, food, roads and, something that Portugal is a top producer of: wine. Simply enjoy the ride and the track during the day, and then in the evening enjoy the diverse and rich food of Portugal, the culture and the huge variety of winery s and wines. Portugal is one of the oldest countries in the world with the oldest defined frontiers and it is the oldest state-nation in Europe. Portugal has a long history that dates back to the XII century. The chosen track is perfectly suitable for beginners and the stretches where better skills may be required, the rider can take an alternative route if they do not feel ready or in the mood to try it. These cases are nevertheless, rare. The track diversity is rich and it presents up and down tracks crossing the mountains, river crossings, old ancient roman bridges crossings, mountain top riding, rock bed tracks, faster gravel roads and twisty old tarmac roads. A unique riding experience for the adventure motorcyclist. Portugal is an off-road paradise and the track is defined only using authorized roads. Background Info -Adventure Country Tracks (ACT) takes the classic Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) concept of a border-to-border route and so follows a north-south path down the east side of Portugal only it doesn t run arrow straight, instead curving east and west as it picks out places of interest or tags onto trails of exceptional interest or beauty. It is inspired in the Backcountry Discovery Routes successfully implemented by Touratech USA in the past. The goal of ACT is to guide adventure motorcyclists to routes that are legal to ride and are environmentally and socially compatible and to create a mutually beneficial relationship between adventuree motorcyclists and the rural communities and businesses of Europe. This is what adventure motorcycles were created for.

3 Included in this trip: (Please note we endeavour to provide as many inclusions as possible in an effort to make the trip easier and more transparent for the customer.) Return transport to/from Spain Experienced tour guides All bed & breakfast accommodation in quality hotels and guest houses. Not Included: Flights to Bilbao and back from Malaga Lunch and evening meals Fuel Personal Travel Insurance Anything not listed above. Route Itinerary Day 1 With an early start we depart Bilbao and head west in search of the Picos Mountains. It's not just difficult to find words to describe the landscape in the Picos de Europa National Park, it's almost impossible! Everything in this setting in northern Spain is spectacular: the rocky crests, the gorges, the valleys, the vast glacial lakes, the leafy forests You can rest assured that you'll be absolutely amazed at everything you see. The protected surroundings of the Picos de Europa mountains lie across three provinces in northern Spain: Cantabria, Asturias and León. This was the first National Park to be declared in Spain and there is no doubt that its natural richness and outstanding scenery make it a truly unique place. Day 2 Although Day 2 has the shortest amount of kilometres, the track presents an accentuated degree of altitude differences and tight corners and bends. Therefore, it is the slowest day of all. It has some technical sections and we have two alternatives in two specific areas where, if with adverse weather, an alternative route may be required. You will have dirty and rocky roads and will be crossing some beautiful ancient Roman bridges and a castle. A swim in the inviting blue waters of the Sabor river lake is on the agenda should temperature permit! The arrival at Torre of Moncorvo is preceded by some tracks crossing the top of the mountains where you can stop and contemplate the beautiful and famous Douro Valley. Day 3 is a mixed day regarding off-road and tarmac. Nevertheless, even when not off-roading, the tracks are amazing, twisty and fun to ride. Always with great landscapes surrounding us, we start the day in the amazing Douro Valley, home of the famous Portuguese wines. We will cross an area that has been baptized the Touratech Valley due to the gorgeous colour of the rocks when the sun is hitting them. At a certain point along the route we are meters away from Spain and only

4 the river is separating the two countries. We will also visit Castelo Rodrigo, an ancient historical place for Portugal and contemplate the old castle. Later, we will be arriving at Serra da Estrela which offers a unique off-road experience in the beautiful landscape. Day 4 Again another day with high quality off-road tracks riding through the Serra da Estrela and Serra da Gardunha mountains. Your fun is assured here with beautiful mountain roads. There are many variations of off-road on offer today and we also encounter the Tejo River - the biggest river in the Iberian Peninsula which starts in Spain and cuts Portugal in half. The end of the day is at Alamal on a beautiful river beach from where we can relax and contemplate the ancient Belver Castle. This is where in the ACT Portugal video you can see the boat trip and the fireplace. Day 5 This is the day where we make the transition between the north part of the country and the south. Therefore we leave the mountains andenter the plains of the south. The landscape changes completely and we visit the magnificent castles of Estremoz and Monsaraz. We also will be entering the famous wine region of Alentejo. The off- the biggest artificial lake in road is fun with not so technical tracks and at the end of the day we will be riding around Europe, the Barragemd o Alquevalake. Beautiful shots can be taken here and off-road fun is 100% assured. Day 6 The adventure enters the second last day (the last on ACT Portugal), but rest assured it ends in greatness. This is the day with the most percentage of off-road with excellent tracks through beautiful landscapes. We will also visit the alien landscape of Minas de São Domingos and the beautiful town of Mertola with it s historical castle and town centre. Just as it seems we are reaching the end of ACT Portugal we reach the final stretch of off-road through the Algarve mountains that separate this famous tourism destination from the rest of the country and that also creates the special summer all year weather of Algarve. This last part of the track will make sure we leave Portugal with a big smiles - an unbelievable off-road experience. The end of the adventure is at a very small castle in the village of Cacela Velha overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. A great picture to remember the great adventure of Adventure Country Tracks Portugal. Day 7 Departing Portugal we head east into Spain in search of the Serrania de Ronda. The Serrania de Ronda is a range of mountains in the province of Malaga a region dotted with picturesque white- washed villages (pueblos blancos). The most famous of which is the town of Ronda itself; one of the oldest towns in Spain, set 100 metres high, overlooking the Tajo Gorge, Ronda is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Andalusia. FAQ: 1. What riding gear: We suggest bringing full summer type/ventilated protective motorcycle riding gear with removal inner/outer waterproof layer. Average temp SHOULD be in the mid teens to mid twenties. However in the mountains temperatures can drop to single figures. Off road type body protection is highly recommend including good torso, back, hip, knee and ankle protection. We would also suggest hydration backpacks. Travel Light! 2. Bike Preparation: As the route involves off road sections we highly recommend the following. Please call us for further info: a. Suitable adventure style motorcycle b. Off road biased tyres c. Sufficient engine, radiator, fairing and sump protection 3. Travel Insurance: ESSENTIAL - Travel Insurance including medical repatriation (make sure and check that you re covered for a motorbike trip a lot of policies have fine print stating you re not covered over a certain cc).

5 4. Navigation: There will be a.gpx file available for upload to your Sat Nav Checklist of the more important things: Travel Insurance (with large cc motorbike cover) Any medication plus pain killers, headache tablets, anti-histamine, motillium, Imodium, rehydration salts, sun cream etc. Passport valid for over six months Drivers Licence We will be providing a more detailedd itinerary on arrival to include hotel info and GPS co-ordinates. Please note that this is an outline route and maybe subject to change. EXPLORE DREAM DISCOVER Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn t do than by the ones you did Mark Twain

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