Magical Forest Hike & Picnic in Sintra

Daily Tour 4 hours Availability: 2019-01-06
Largo Vasco da Gama, 2710 Sintra, Portugal

THIS JOURNEY IS FOR…

Nature lovers who want to hike Sintra’s wild forests and uncover ancient monuments. We’ll bring snacks!

Sintra is a place you feel with every sense – and there’s no more pure way to experience the mountain’s mysterious forests and ancient civilisations than on two feet. Yes, even us off-road jeep addicts will admit that our beloved muscular jeeps can’t do it all. Instead, this adventure combines the best of both worlds.

We’ll drive through historic Sintra town, turning off-road to reach the incredible 12th-century Santuario da Peninha. From the convent on the hill enjoy incredible and expansive views down to Cascais, Lisbon, Sintra while you lace up those boots. This two-hour hike wanders through (what we think is) one of the most amazing and mystical forests in the world. Up here on the mountain, a microclimate allows all types of plants and trees from around the globe to grow, from pines to ferns, plus some mysterious secrets.

Halfway through the forest walk we’ll reach a megalithic structure that is essentially Portugal’s Stonehenge. Sitting 426 metres above sea level, its origins are a real mystery but there are theories. Next we’ll uncover an ancient collective grave from between 2500-1500BC that has its fair share of myths and legends surrounding it. Rest your feet for a moment while we feed you only the best facts and tastiest Portuguese snacks.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Dive deep into a wild, remote area of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park in an off-road UMM 4×4
  • Hike for two hours through this unique forest microclimate
  • Visit a 12th-century convent with epic 360-degree views
  • Drive by Sintra’s famous palaces and castle
  • Taste local wine and Portuguese snacks
  • Take a Polaroid photo to remember the day
  • Listen to sweet tunes on the drive
  • Up to 7 people per jeep. Contact us for bigger groups

★★★★★

“What an amazing day! Bruna met us at the station in the noisiest and best jeep, and the time just flew! Bruna is so friendly and the chorizo and wine made it all the better! 10/10 would recommend.” – Beth, Feb 2020

★★★★★

“Besides the wonderful place that is Sintra, our guide was a great part of the trip. Friendly, funny, obviously loves his home town and is willing to do everything to make sure you are comfortable. Best day trip ever!” – Stecy, Nov 2019

★★★★★

“I loved it! Francisco is amazing and he made me feel comfortable from the beginning. He knows a lot about Sintra and you can feel how passionate [he is]. The riding is fun, he’s very friendly and will make you feel like traveling with a friend.” – Sibila, Sept 2019

Book Now

  • An awesome local driver
  • Pick-up and drop-off at Sintra train station 
  • Off-road experiences in a legendary restored vintage Portuguese UMM 4×4
  • Booming sound system (yeah!!) + free wifi on board
  • Free Polaroid photo to take home
  • Smartphone chargers, blankets, umbrellas, sunscreen
  • We usually speak English, but we can also speak Portuguese and Spanish
  • Water
  • Great memories to take home
  • Comfortable shoes
  • Sweater or jacket
  • Sunglasses
  • Good vibes
  • Each UMM jeep seats up to 7 people and guests ages 12 and up can attend. If you have a larger group, contact us for a private tour.
  • This journey is not recommended for people with reduced mobility, back problems or pregnant women.
  • Pets are not allowed
  • You cannot bring luggage as we have no space for it in the jeep.
  • Journeys are carried out in English, but we also speak Spanish and – of course – a ton of Portuguese.
  • The start location and end point are in different locations.
  • Please let us know in advance about dietary requirements
  • Please be on time 🙂

price 

79 per person

399 per private jeep

At check-out please write on the booking notes how many guests will attend.

Book Now

Need to know 

Pick up location: Portela de Sintra train station
Pick up time:  9.30am  – please arrive 10 minutes early
Duration: 4 hours
Drop off location: Portela de Sintra train station

Cleanandsafe

We’ve adapted in response to COVID-19

To keep our guests and staff safe while having fun we’ve added new safety and hygiene measures to our experiences and transfers. Our staff have received extra training and Portuguese authorities have given us the “Clean & Safe” seal. Read about our COVID-19 measures here.

Book Now!

Stop one

Climb into the back of our vintage UMM 4×4 and enjoy the drive up to our hike. We’ll pass by the historical village of Sintra, where you will be able to see some stunning palaces and the 8th-century Moorish Castle from the jeep. Hold on tight though, we’re heading off-road.

 

Stop two

The incredible 12th-century Santuario da Peninha sits atop one of Sintra’s peaks. Enjoy incredible and expansive views down to Cascais, Lisbon, Sintra town while you tighten your shoelaces. We’ll wander for two hours total.

 

Stop three

After an hour hiking we’ll find the Adrenunes Dolmen. At 426 metres above sea level, this megalithic structure is essentially Portugal’s Stonehenge.

 

Stop four

Next we’ll reach the Bosque dos Druidas, an ancient collective grave surrounded by myths and legends. We’ll tell you a few stories while you munch on Portuguese snacks and wine.

 

Stop five

Afterwards we’ll wander back to the jeep at Peninha Convent.

Where you’ll be

Just 30-minutes from downtown Lisbon, we’ll dive deep into a wild, remote area of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park in an off-road restored vintage UMM 4x4 before we go on a gentle two-hour hike through a unique forest microclimate to find ancient civilisations. We’ll also visit a 12th-century convent with epic 360-degree views, drive by Sintra’s famous palaces and castle and enjoy a picnic with Portuguese snacks and local wine.




  • Pick up at Portela de Sintra train station at 9:30AM
  • Sintra village and palaces (drive through)
  • Peninha Sanctuary (stop)
  • Adrenunes Dolmen (stop during hike)
  • Bosque dos Druidas (stop during hike)
  • Return to Peninha Sanctuary on foot (stop)
  • Drop-off at Portela de Sintra train station
[contact-form-7 id=292]
Book Now