Oporto Mountain Tours

During our weekend in Oporto we took a tour with Oporto Mountain Tours. We wanted to get out of the city and have some fresh air and to try something completely unique and different. We were collected from our apartment by Ricardo and Josue in a wicked 4x4. We jumped into the back and took a spin along the motorway for around twenty minutes before arriving in the mountains.

We stopped to have a brief look into the old gold mines and even got to adorn a hard hat and venture into the dark underground to have a proper look around. I would wear trainers, it's quite slippery and the floor is uneven so you don't want to trip.

Next up was a thrilling and bumpy ride with the roof down in the 4x4. The paths are narrow, uneven and rocky and the 4x4 bounces around like a real jeep safari. You can stand and look out into the forest too if you fancy it. The views back over Porto were simply breath taking and the forest scenery was just beautiful. Think trees and rivers and wildlife all around.

We stopped the jeep at a small village with less than ten inhabitants and had a wander through. It was great to see such a historic place where traditional life is still going strong. We got to spend some time in a small bar sat outside by the river with a farmer and his goats and the local villagers. Here we were treated to wine, beer or a soft drink with bread, cheese and Portuguese sausage. The food and drink were a welcome break and gave us a chance to have a real chat with our guides.

Ricardo and Josue created Oporto Mountain Tours a year ago as an alternative activity for tourists. They have poured their heart and soul into the company and were so excited for the summer season. They grew up in the mountains so know the area extremely well. They can answer all of your questions and are genuinely two of the most approachable people I have ever met. They took plenty of photo's and a video of the group to capture all of our memories for us.

As an FYI there is a toilet stop at the village! The total tour was around four hours including the journeying to and from Porto, although if we had wanted to be out for longer it would have been accommodated. For the purpose of this review my sisters and I were guests of Oporto Mountain Tours, however, the traditional mountain tour costs 35 EUR per person, which is really reasonable for transport, food, drinks and four hours of entertainment.

This tour is totally unique and unlike any I have taken in any other city in the world. If you enjoy nature and fresh air then I can thoroughly recommend exploring the local mountains of Oporto and there will not be a better couple of guides than Ricardo and Josue. Do not hesitate to book this experience, you will not regret it.