A2Z Adventures blog

Mary Murtagh from the Liverpool Echo discovers a long forgotten corner of Portugal with the help of A2Z Adventures.

“It´s the part of Portugal the tourists forgot. The Centro region has been ignored, neglected and almost abandoned over the last 50 years with the job-seeking locals joining overseas visitors on the coast and in the capital. But now the area is experiencing a long-awaited and well-deserved renaissance.

It has much to offer the curious visitor – beautiful countryside, year-round warm weather and fantastic walking, hiking and biking terrain. And best of all, you feel like you have it all to yourself.

Even most Portuguese people have yet to wise up to the spectacular heart of their homeland.

So, for now, you can walk all day in valleys and forests and never see another soul. Enjoy it while you can”.

Read the entire article here.

“My guides Pedro Pedrosa and Nuno Santos helped plan, tested and even painted signs for the walking trails. Their company A2Z Adventures offers guided tours to the region and their knowledge of and passion for it is palpable and infectious.

In just 48 hours they transformed me from a central Portugal ignoramus into a devotee“.

O grupo A2Z chegou finalmente a Kargyak a 4200 metros de altitude, depois de 4 longos dias de caminhada em Zanskar nos Himalaias (Índia).

Todo o grupo se encontra com o espírito elevado e aproveita a motivação extra “provocada” por todas as crianças da Sun School de Kargyak.

Certamente que a oportunidade de rezar com o Dalai Lama em Padum também contribuiu para para uma atmosfera ainda mais especial durante o trekking. Definitivamente não foi só uma oportunidade única de ver o Dalai Lama a apenas 5 metros de distância mas também a oportunidade de partilhar com os habitantes de todos os vales circundantes, com os seus vestidos coloridos tradicionais e com pedras turquesa, os ensinamentos espirituais do Dalai Lama.

Após esta breve pausa de um dia em Padum, era tempo de começar a caminhar em direcção a Kargyak. A beleza do trek deste ano deve-se ao facto de termos sido acompanhados por dezenas (ou mesmo centenas) de aldeões que retornavam as suas casas. Definitivamente esta companhia tornou a caminha mais fácil e divertida com vários momentos para recordar de conversas sem sentido: nos sem conseguir falar Ladakhi, e eles sem conseguir falar inglês.

Agora o grupo prepara-se para deixar Kargyak em direcção ao Shingo La e mais tarde a Manali, deixando uma importante contribuição na escola de Kargyak com varias árvores plantadas pelo Michel, um novo jogo de lógica proposto pela Giovanna (Soduko), um check-up medico completo as crianças pelo António e Ângela e novos lenços doados pela Maria de forma a que os seus sorrisos não sejam disturbados pelos narizes sujos. O grupo também deixou para trás o Tiago e Patrícia que ficam na escola como voluntários até Setembro.

Durante a estadia em Kargyak o grupo teve um jantar em casa do Dorge, seguido de uma festa com as amas (mães) de Kargyak. Um jantar de momos de vegetais regado a Shang e Arak (as bebidas locais feitas de cevada). Nenhuns comentários sobre a festa que envolveu musica tradicional Ladakhi e (para delicia dos locais) portuguesa, mas foi divertida e moderada o suficiente para recomeçar a caminhar o dia seguinte.

The A2Z Adventures trekking group finally arrived to Kargyak at 4200 meters, after four long days of trekking in the Himalayas, Zanskar, India.

All the group is in high spirits and enjoying the stamina provided by all the children of Kargyak Sun school.

The group also had the very special opportunity to pray with the Dalai Lama in Padum - this certainly helped to create an even more special atmosphere!

It was an unique chance not only to see the Dalai Lama so close to us but also to share the moment with villagers from the surrounding valleys, dressed in their most traditional clothes full of color and turquoise stones.
After this short one day stop in Padum it was time to start the walk towards Kargyak. The beauty of this year´s route was that it was followed by dozens (or even hundreds) of villagers that were returning home. This definitely made the walk easier and more enjoyable with several moments to remember the most unusual dialoges between the group and the locals: us unable to speak Ladakhi; them unable to speak English.

Now the group is getting ready to leave Kargyak heading to Shingo La and later Manali, leaving behind a great contribution to the school - new trees planted by Michel, a new logic challenge proposed by Giovanna (Soduko), a complete medical check-up by Antonio and Angela and new handkerchiefs by Maria so the children smiles are not disturbed by dirty noses!
The group also left behind the A2Z members Tiago and Patricia that will stay here until September helping out at the school.
During the stay in Kargyak the group also had dinner at Dorge’s house followed by a party with the amas (mothers) of Kargyak. A dinner made with vegetable momos (dumplins) and watered with Shang and Arak (the local barley drinks). A great party that involved traditional Ladakhi and (to the delight of locals) Portuguese music, but it was moderated enough to start the trek the other day…

September and October will be very busy here at A2Z Adventures.

Just check out our confirmed tours:

September 5-13 - Historical Villages Trail Mountain Biking

September 12-19 - Walking Tejo & Historical Villages

September 20-27 - Walking Gerês, the Shepherds Way

September 27 - October 4 - Walking Douro & Historical Villages

October 3-10 - Road Biking Western Portugal, Óbidos to Fátima

October 10-16 - Road Biking Western Portugal, Óbidos to Fátima

October 15-22 - Road Biking Alentejo Coast & Hills of Algarve

And our Trekking trip in Morocco (December 26 - January 2) is SOLD OUT!

Feel like joining us? Please feel free to ask us all you want through info@a2z-adventures.com

See you out there!

yaylas are high villages only used by locals in the short summer / yaylas são aldeias apenas usadas no verão pelos locais, em altitude.

lunch at 2700 mts / almoço a 2700 mts de altitude

That’s our A2Z group in Turkey / o grupo A2Z nas montanhas da turquia

3250 mts, 6-8-2009, 14h10

kerem, our super local guide

Our big group of 16 continues their adventure in deep Turkey. Every day arrives with suprising landscapes and different routes. walking between 2000 and 3000 meters high, alpine landscapes and summer weather, images taken tell more than words. Kaçkar mountains are located in the northeast of turkey, not far from Armenia and Georgia borders, countries that have historical influence in this region. Today some elements of the group also hiked up to 3450 meters high from the base camp of the highest point of this range (3923 mts).

Two extra days in Istanbul before heading to the Kaçakar mountains where we will trek for 1 week. Some photos. City is really packed of tourists but nice to be out of the touristic places. Thanks to Funda (our local guide)!