Hiking Arouca Geopark

Hiking Arouca Geopark: a paradise for hikers and nature lovers

Located in the interior of Portugal, the Arouca Geopark offers a breathtaking landscape that is a great place to be for hikers and nature lovers. Hiking in the Arouca Geopark, designated UNESCO World Heritage by UNESCO, provides a unique and diverse range of geological impressions, including waterfalls, rock formations and fossils that are millions of years old.

The unique geological features of the Arouca Geopark

The Arouca Geopark has a unique geology extending over an area of about 328 km². It is an area characterised by granite hills, valleys, canyons, waterfalls and rivers. In addition, the park also has some remarkable geological features. Such as the “Pedras Parideiras” (birthing stones), where stones seem to be “born” from other stones. Or the “Arouca Geosites”, where visitors can see fossils that are more than 500 million years old. The park is also home to the famous Wooden Walk Bridge, which stretches for 8 km and allows visitors to walk along the banks of the crystal-clear Paiva River.

Another unique geological formation in the park is the “Frecha da Mizarela” waterfall. This waterfall is
more than 75 metres high and one of the highest in Portugal. It is a beautiful place to visit and offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.

The hikes

Tugar offers several walks here. For instance, you can spend a day hiking with a shepherd. Or you can opt for the Wooden Walk Bridge hike including the suspension bridge. In addition, you can hike across the plateau in the Serra de Freita or take a walk to the old abandoned village of Drave.

Other outdoor activities

Besides hiking, there are plenty of other activities to do in Geopark Arouca. Tugar organises canoe-raft tours, canyoneering, river trekking and river tubing, among others.

Want more information about the hikes? Then email info@tugar.nl