Portugal 2014.

Have sorted dates for a return to Portugal in 2014.

Departing Sun 14th September, returning Thur 25th.

Will be 4 days travel (2 there, 2 back), then 8 days based in north-east Portugal (Braganca).

Will be using one site as a base, then doing all new routes up into the mountains.

Cost will be in region of £1600.00 inc ferry, camping, food, fuel etc.

If anyone is interested in going, let me know. So far there are 2 vehicles, space for another couple.

Pete

Which month.

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September

Count me and wife in. I will call you today hopefully.
Stu

Cool.

So far that's 2 cruisers and 2 landrovers.

Choice of camping at about £10 per night, or a nice little stone cabin at £35 per night.

Staying here http://www.montesinho.com/index.php?id_menu=45&casa=1&ctrX=moks

I was going to do the cabin thing, but may put the money towards an oztent 5.

Pete

Cool.

So far that's 2 cruisers and 2 landrovers.

Choice of camping at about £10 per night, or a nice little stone cabin at £35 per night.

Staying here http://www.montesinho.com/index.php?id_menu=45&casa=1&ctrX=moks

I was going to do the cabin thing, but may put the money towards an oztent 5.

Pete

We are not sure if to meet you there and take 3weeks away. Go to bordoux and maybe andorra still thinking of what way to do things. sorry i have not called trying to get loads done on the cruiser.
Stu

The other duo going will be getting there on the Friday before, and then coming back a day after, so 18 days in all, cos they are using the Portsmouth ferry, we meet them at the site in Portugal, it worked ok last year.

The ferry to France will be cheaper for sure, but the drive is a bit too far for me.

Pete

We were thinking of doing a few days in each place to see as much as poss on the way. tje driving doesnt seem to bad about 4-5hrs in between each stop. also going bristol to dover and the dow you save about£400 so we can the. spend that on more diesel !! Would be even more in a colie.
Stu

Ferries booked.

September prices outbound have gone up - this is because its when all the oldies start heading for Spain for the winter, return costs still the same though.

Pete

Good chance we might be in the area and will keep you posted. Can't commit just yet but should know more on a months time.

As today has been wet cold and windy, ive spent it scanning in the route maps and uploading them to dropbox.

Took hours, but Zulu Dawn kept me company.

Pete

Excellent - will possibly be down in south-east Spain about then so a bit too far to hook up unfortunately.

I looked at heading down there, the mother in law has a house on the coast, within sight of mountains, but too far for me.

FYI One life adventures are running a Portugal trip on the same dates 1200km bottom to top.

Andrew T said:

FYI One life adventures are running a Portugal trip on the same dates 1200km bottom to top.

Click to expand...

I was looking at One Lifes site and I can't understand why they, or any other tour operator, charge a single supplement. I can understand why a hotel does, but how does one person on their own on an overland tour incur any more cost to the operator? OK, ferry costs are included in their price, but ferries will charge per vehicle so no extra cost there for the operator
Plus One Life only charge £225 for an additional adult in a vehicle yet charge £299 single supplement. I won't use such an operator for that reason.

I guess the charge maybe due to fact vehicle numbers are often limited to 6. So they make less revenue if just singles rather than couples in the vehicles.

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We tried the top=to=bottom thing last year, and tbh it doesnt suit Portugal (in my opinion!).

I'll try and get my thoughts into words.....

Portugal is a long slim country, so on a end to end trip you're going to end up miles from your start point, but I question the point - my experience was that you could spend maybe 4 days working from a central campsite, yet do different routes each day, but still end up at the campsite (in our case at Braganca).

For example, we can do two days in the national park, a day over the mountains into Spain, and then a day south over the mountains, each day ending up back at the site. All completely different areas.

We could then maybe look to shift south to Monteignes, with another 4 days in different directions.

The beauty of Portugal isnt in its long distance trails, its the density of lanes.

Doing a north to south dash means you miss the detail. I also like the idea of throwing the route book away and exploring places we pass - last year we tried to stick to the route too rigidly and it didnt quite work.

All of the overland travel companies are looking at Portugal it seems, but cant say Im fussed, ive helped a couple with advice on routes.

The main thing is to have a theme, the routes themselves arent technically difficult, so if the theme is just driving lanes then its sort of missing the beauty of the place.

Or something like that.....

I expect this year to cost me about £1400.00 all in, main cost being ferry, then fuel, then food, then campsite. Thats for 2 people, as I have to pay for my lad who is co-driver.

Not sure what expedition companies charge.

Pete

Onelife is £1800 plus fuel and food, so maybe £2,400?

Their routecard is Sagres to Braganca, so the long drive is down to the start. I have a routecard from Braganca to sagres funnily enough, but that will take me maybe 3 visits, but whats the rush.

I cant wait. Are we nearly there yet?