Peneda-gerês National Park - Nature & Tastings -

There are tours you enjoy, tours you remember, and then there are experiences that leave an impression on you long after they’ve ended. My private tour of Peneda-Gerês National Park with Luis was unquestionably the latter. From the very beginning, it was clear that Luis was no ordinary guide. As a geologist, he brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge to the landscape, but what makes him truly remarkable is his ability to bring it all to life. Through his stories, his understanding of the land, and his appreciation for its history, he transformed an already breathtaking place into something profoundly meaningful. Peneda-Gerês is extraordinary in its own right. There is something almost timeless about its mountains, forests, and ancient landscapes, but seeing it through Luis's eyes was a privilege. He helped me appreciate not simply what I was looking at, but the centuries of history, the forces of nature, and the lives and traditions that have shaped this remarkable corner of Portugal. What sets Luis apart, however, goes far beyond his knowledge. There is a genuine warmth, generosity of spirit, and authenticity about him that cannot be taught. He doesn't simply guide you through a place; he invites you to understand it, to appreciate it, and to feel connected to it. I came away having learned so much, but even more importantly, having experienced something I hadn't anticipated. It is rare to encounter someone whose passion for what they do is so evident and whose presence makes an already beautiful experience that much more special. Louis is truly a gift, both to the people fortunate enough to explore Gerês with him and to the extraordinary place he represents so beautifully. If you are considering this tour, I cannot recommend it highly enough. And if you have the opportunity to experience Peneda-Gerês with Louis, take it. You will leave with far more than photographs and memories. You will leave with a deeper appreciation for a place that deserves to be understood, not simply seen.

Luis is an incredible tour guide and we had the most fun day with him exploring the park! He is incredibly knowledgable and you can feel his passion and joy for teaching others about the geology and history of the park. My friend and I felt extremely comfortable and taken care of throughout the day. Luis went above and beyond and made sure to cater the experience to our interests. We not only got to see the beauty of the park, but we learned so much about its historical and cultural significance. We STRONGLY recommend this tour and both agree that it was the highlight of our trip. Luis made it clear that he really cares about you having a good time and being immersed in an authentic experience. He is lovely to talk to and connect with and we will always look back so fondly on this experience. Come curious and open and you will be rewarded with the best day!! Thank you Luis!!

Unfortunately we were unable to complete the tour due to the extreme heat warning of 40'c. Luis was in touch wuth us prior and communicated early enough that we were able to make other plans...that included air conditioning 😉

Wonderful day with a fabulous guide. THIS IS A PRIVATE TOUR. Only your group and Luis. For the full day. Flexible to fit your goals.Unique national park of Portugal. Terrific lunch included and topped off with private wine tasting.

Luís’ private tour is the best introduction to the Gerês National Park that we could have wanted. We have lived in North Portugal for almost a year, and have been wanting to visit Gerês, but without a car, couldn’t figure out a way to get there and then to get the most out of our visit. Luis has planned a day that is packed with history, geology, culture and the natural beauty of the park, while still bringing a sense of calm and relaxation to the whole experience. (His driving is impeccable!) I honestly believe he could give this tour every day, and it would be different and fascinating each time. His love of Portugal and its culture and of Gerês shine through. As we are learning the Portuguese language, he was patient and kind enough to speak with us in Portuguese a lot of the time, so we were able to practice with his encouragement. We made several stops in the park where we learned about history, geology, architecture and local legends. We hiked a bit in some beautiful scenery and walked through a local village. We had a fantastic lunch at a local restaurant, and on our drive back to Braga, we stopped at a wonderful family-run Agriturismo vineyard/winery/tasting room/hotel for a private tour and tasting with the owner, Margarida. This was such a wonderful way to wrap up our wonderful day in Gerês with Luis. Gerês is a special place, and Luis is just the special person to show what a magical place it is. He is personable, intelligent, compassionate and, as we were taught to say in Portuguese, “uma pessoa de bem.” Cinco Estrelas for Luís and his day in Gerês! We recommend Luis’ tour with the utmost confidence and enthusiasm!

Amazing! Beautiful scenery, a swimming pool in the mountains, wild horses, mountain goats and wild cattle. The views are breathtaking well worth a visit.

If all you want is a standard tour of the usual must see places, feel free to go elsewhere and you’ll probably have a good time. But if you want a truly customizable tour lead by a very passionate and knowledgeable geologist, hire Luis! Hands down, it will be the best tour you’ll ever have. Being a geologist, Luís brings a unique skill set that is unmatched by any other tour operator. You don’t just see the sights in Peneda-Gerês National Park, you’ll learn why they are there. Luís is friendly, patient, and clearly passionate about the region, he is also a decent human being, he saved my life and I will always be in his debt. For us, he went well beyond what any tour operator would be asked to do so if you're thinking of visiting the park, don’t miss the chance to tour with him—and if you want to know how he literally saved our lives, hire him, the story alone is worth it! Thank you Luís for the most memorable day of a three week trip in Portugal, we are honoured to call you a friend.

Wow! Luis was awesome. My wife and I found Luis to be informative and full of local history and stories. Spent the day with him and our two friends touring the Peneda-Gerês National Park. There is much to see but we always felt he spent the time to give us the full impression. History, geographic, scenic, cultural and some wonderful stories of the area. He arranged for an amazing lunch high in the hills in a small town where we walked the ancient roads and spoke with local farmers along the way. As it was my wife’s birthday he took the time to arrange a tasting with a family who produces much of the delicacy’s we ate. A truly wonderful experience for us all as we spent time learning about the local and national Portuguese customs as well. No hesitations with highly recommending Luis to anyone looking for what turned out to be the highlight of our 2 week trip to Portugal and the Azores. Thank you Luis!!!

We were so lucky and happy to have Luis show us around Peneda-Gerês and the surrounding villages. He was so friendly, knowledgeable, prepared and flexible. Lunch in Gerês was delicious and the wine tasting at Casa Lata was the perfect way to end the day.

My excursion to this Amazing Landscape was enhanced by Luis and his extensive knowledge of the History, Heritage and Geology of the area. His enthusiasm to share in the Natural wonders and the local personality of the towns was intoxicating. I was in awe of the beauty of the Landscape and Townships/Villages and Luis’s ability to draw on that beauty to explain the evolution of life and activity both geologically and culturally. The hospitality of the people in the cafe 🍵, Restaurant and Winery that I visited was so welcoming and warm. I urge others to avail themselves of the same experience that shared with Luis. Sharon from Australia 🇦🇺

Luis is a very nice person and an excellent guide. We enjoyed our tour very much. He provided us with interesting informations and insights about all the places we visited. We also had a great lunch in a nice restaurant. Everything about the tour was perfect.

We had an amazing day out with Luis! He showed us some incredible sights in the Geres national park, and he had so much knowledge of the history and geology of the area. His passion for sharing and guiding others on their journey around the national park was evident throughout the day, and it made the day into a special experience. We saw so many fantastic things on the tour, and the combination of fascinating local history and stunning landscapes is something that we will never forget. The food and drink that we got to try on the tour was absolutely delicious, and you could tell that it was fresh from the local area. In his communications with us before the trip, he went above and beyond by helping to develop a customised schedule for us, so that we could see and experience the things that we wanted to. He also provided us with everything that we needed for the tour, including bottles of water, snacks, and chargers for our phones. Just remember to bring your swimwear and towels if you fancy taking a dip! We ended the day by sharing in some local produce at a lovely and welcoming lady's house, where we got to sample a fantastic variety of products that she had made herself, and which were authentic to the region. The warmth and hospitality shown by everyone we met blew us away, and left us with such an incredible impression of North-Portugal and its people. All in all, we cannot recommend this tour enough! If you are planning to visit the region, this tour is a must, and it will give you such a deep insight in to what this beautiful part of the world is all about. Thank you so much for an unforgettable day Luis, from William and Cleo.

Our day trip to Peneda-Geres National Park was the highlight of our visit to northern Portugal! Even though it was cool and rainy we thoroughly enjoyed seeing the beautiful mountains! Luis our tour guide did an amazing job of explaining the area. The lunch was very tasty and the wine tasting experience was top notch. We would highly recommend this tour. Welcomer Tours has several other tours in the Braga area as well which I’m sure are equally amazing! Thanks Luis for a memorable day!

My wife and I were guided and cared for on a tour of a portion Peneda-Geres National park in Northern Portugal by Luis Corrula, who is based in Braga. The tour included several viewpoints, a walk to a waterfall, visits to small villages within the national park as well as introductions to local rivers and reservoirs. Luis is a trained geologist and is an encyclopedia of information on the food and wine, history and culture and the geology and geography of the region. He is very personable and friendly and willing to answer any and all questions – whether how to pronounce a certain Portuguese word or phrase up to any questions that you might have on the interconnectedness of all life within the cosmos. Seriously. Our day long tour ended with a visit an amazing sustainable small family winery where we received a tour and tasting. An incredible and adventure filled day.

We had the best experience. Luis picked us from Ponte de Lima, which was very near our accommodation, which made a great start of our day. We didn’t need to take anything with us apart from swimming gear, he provided everything, including snacks and lots of water. He was very friendly and genuine, and full of local knowledge. He took us to some amazing view points, we did some hiking and swimming in the beautiful waterfalls. He was very good with children and helped us on our hikes. Lunch was great in a local restaurant in a lovely town. We finished our evening with a great wine tasting experience in a lovely family run vineyard. A really comfortable and relaxing day out.

We cannot recommend this tour more highly! From the moment Luis picked as up from our hotel he made us feel comfortable and relaxed. Everything was provided - you don't need to bring a thing other than swimming clothes and a towel. The national park is beautiful and Luis' knowledge as a guide and informative knowledge as a geologist made it even more special!! After a morning of swimming and site seeing we were taken out for lunch for an amazing meal and wine. After lunch we visited more sites before finishing the tour with an amazing wine tour and tasting in the evening!! Throughout the day Luis catered to our every need and answered all of our questions. We felt so relaxed! If you are in the region this tour is a must!! Big thank you to Luis for a day we will never forget!!

Everything I expected and then some, had the best experience! The trip was beautiful, my guide was knowledgeable, kind, and made me feel very special. Worth every penny. Very memorable! Thank you for the best day!

Our guide Luis Corrula is a qualified Geologist his knowledge was fantastic. He was also incredibly prepared for any need or want we had. Luis definitely made this outstanding part of Portugal so enjoyable. Thank you Luis and thank you Portugal fir your incredible, clean nature🤗

The guide Luis in addition to being extremely friendly has a huge knowledge of the park, hire the Luis and be happy!!!

It was indeed an experience designed and thought out for me!! 😍😍 My deepest thanks for increasing my understanding of rural lifestyle and for showing me the best of our country!! Both in respect of its grandiose natural beauty as well as the wonderful knowledge and gastronomic flavor!!! If traveling is filling the heart and mind, we cannot forget the food that warms the soul! In this experience I did not feel traveling alone, on the contrary, I found for one day an excellent travel companion! It's almost worth adventuring us!