Dates
24th - 29th October
Difficulty
3.5/5
Distance
370km
Ride Overview
A 5 night, 4 stage (and a prologue) epic from the charming town of Tavira to the western tip of the Algarve, Sagres.
The riding is varied through singletrack, forest trails, back roads & bridleways.
A maximun group size of 24, small guided groups & a very social atmosphere with food, beers & music waiting for you at the finish line each day. We stay at very nice 4 & 5* hotels and all eat together making this a great trip to meet new people or enjoy with your ride mates.
Book now: Deposit £199 | Private Single £1,499 | Shared Twin / Double £1,299
Highlights
- From the East to the West of the Algarve: Our route takes you though the unseen rural Algarve, travelling across the whole length of the Algarve in the process.
- Glorious Gravel: Take in stunning ridgeways, gravel trakcs & back roads with epic views throughout.
- Experience the real side of the Algarve: Away from the tourist hotspots on the coast, when we travel inland, experience the unique culture of rural life in Portugal.
Included in Ride Package
Accommodation
5 nights in 4 to 5* hotels. Choose private single, shared twin (2 beds) or shared double (1 bed) rooms.
Airport Transfers
Fly into Faro (FAO) and our friendly team will be there to collect you on arrival day and drop you back when you leave.
4 Epic Stages
And a prologue! We break the group into small groups with guides & support vehicles so you can just focus on the epic riding.
Meals
Bring some money for drinks in the evening but our package includes 5 dinners, 4 lunches & 5 breakfasts.
Checkpoints
Real food and mechanical support are waiting for you every 35km with a mix of sports bars, fruit and local specialties.
Luggage
We move your overnight bags from hotel to hotel each day and provide a day bag to collect at lunch with spare kit etc.
Stages
Todays route quickly takes you out of town before heading across the salt flats overlooking the Ria Formosa natural parklands and onto the nearby coastal resort of Cabanas. Pleasant views along the sea front and then heading inland along tracks passing the almost hidden Forte de Sao Joao Barra . Heading East our routes passes the Quinta da Cima golf course and then leads down to the historic village of Cacela da Velha . One of the must see highlights of the Eastern Alarve this tiny hill top village offers magnificent views over the Ria
Formosa. Leaving the coast and heading inland via Vila Nova Cacelha, our route leads through the quaint old village of Santa Rita with its cobbled main street and then into the eucalyptus forest . Some pleasant tracks through the forest and then heading back towards Tavira on a mix of tarmac and gravel tracks. Finally arriving back into Tavira along the river Gilao and then back to the hotel.
Distance: 35km
Elevation: 350km
Ride Difficulty: 2/5
Technical Difficulty: 2/5
Starting from the hotel again and crossing town and heading north up some quiet lanes towards the open countryside. After around 20km we come to the traditional old town of Moncarapacho where several cafes await so a good place for a coffee stop and the first pastel de nata of the day. Heading further west along a variety of tracks we reach the town of Estoi, From Estoi we head further north before our journey back south towards the coast eventually reaching the Ria Formosa to the west of Fuseta, a pleasant little fishing village . From Fuseta, we will follow the Algarve coastal route back to Tavira on some of the most scenic tracks in the Algarve.
Distance: 75km
Elevation: 1000m
Ride Difficulty: 3/5
Technical Difficulty: 3/5
Heading out of town up the river we arrive at some dirt tracks that lead all the way up to Santa Caterina de Fonte do Bispo . The area is known for the terracotta tiles that take their name from the town and we will cycle past many old tile manufacturers some of which are still in use today . Heading further west and more uphill we eventually reach the town of Sao Bras de Alportel, a short climb out of town and then we eventually reach the dirt track road at the start of what we refer to locally as “Pig Valley” a beautiful route through an unspoilt valley leads eventually past a small pig farm and then onwards towards the next hill top village of Querença . The climb up to the village is optional and beyond that we head along more tracks and eventually reach the historic village of Paderne a frequent contender in Portugals village of the year award. From Paderne we will follow some Via Algarviana tracks south and into the coastal resort of Albufeira .
Distance: 85km
Elevation: 1100m
Ride Difficulty: 3.5/5
Technical Difficulty: 3/5
Leaving the busy resort of Albufeira behind we are soon out into quiet countryside and heading north towards Sao Bartholomeu de Messines . He we pick up the Via Algarviana trail and follow this around the beautiful Barragem do Funcho. As the track follows the contour lines around the reservoir there is not too much challenge for a while and a chance to enjoy the scenery. Leaving the reservoir by cycling over the dam our route heads further inland and up hill and into sparcely populated wild countryside . As our route climbs up there are views across the Barragem de Oudelouca and then a twisty track leading down to the hotel in Caldas de Monchique .
Distance: 75km
Elevation: 1300m
Ride Difficulty: 3/5 Long
Technical Difficulty: 3.5/5
It is around a 7 km gradual climb out of Caldas de Monchique to the town of Monchique and here we can pick up on some of the Via Algarviana trail again. Onwards past the hill top summit of Foia the highest point in the Algarve and a definite photo stop and then heading down towards Marmelete and the west coast in the distance . Gradually heading down hill nearly all of the way to the final destination at Cape St Vincent the trail passes though a variety of landscapes.
The end of the Via Algarviana is at Cape st Vincent the most south westerly point of Europe and fortunately there is a bar there where a celebratory beer can be sampled and richly deserved it will be too. Having reached the “end of the trail” there is another 5 km to ride to Sagres where the hotel can be found for the last night.
Distance: 100km
Elevation: 1400m
Ride Difficulty: 3.5/5
Technical Difficulty: 2/5
Event Overview
Our Off:Roader series are non-competitive, designed to take you off the beaten track with a group of friendly, supportive riders. The whole event is social starting on arrival day with a gentle prologue and a cold beer all together at the finish line.
Each evening we eat together and have a ride briefing where our UK event manager goes through the next stage & our Portuguese hosts talk us through the region we will be riding through.
This is a small group ride with maximum 24 people. We have 4 guides to ride with you in small groups of people going at your pace.
We have regular feed stops at local cafes and a lunch stop each day. Our support van is always on call if you need anything. We take delight in our reputation of providing multi stage rides of a lifetime and nothing is too much trouble to ensure you have a great time.
Accommodation & Meals
We stay on Tue & Wed night in the heart of the historic Algarve city, Tavira, in a 4* hotel which seeks to recreates the Arab atmosphere that marked the history of southern Portugal.
After this we head into Albufeira for Thurs night another 4* hotel a few steps from the beach.
On Friday we stay in the lovely village of Moncique at a pretty 5* hotel with a pool, spa and excellent chef.
On Saturday we reach the coastal town of Sagres and stay in another luxurious 4* hotel with stunning views of the Atlantic ocean.
In the evenings we all eat together in the hotel or a local restaurant. We will send across a menu of what we will be eating before departure and there will be options for vegans & all dietary requirements.
Equipment & Packaging
We will send a full packing list but late October in Portugal should still have great weather with warmdays and cooler evenings and mornings. Whilst we never go that high above sea level the weather can change quickly and a waterproof jacket & layers (arm warmers, gilet etc) are must packs.
Evenings are casual, don’t forget to pack swimmers as some hotels have pools and wellness areas. You will need to bring one small sided item of luggage which we will take from hotel to hotel and you will get a small day bag on arrival where you can pack extra clothing etc to collect at the second checkpoint.
The ride takes in a mix of gravel roads, tarmac and some off road sections on dirt / grass. It is ideal for gravel bikes with all rounder tyres (35mm plus). We have spare inners, lube & CO2 at all the feeds. There is also a bike wash available at the end of each stage
Event Program
24th October (all day): Arrive into Faro airport, see below for transfer times.
24th October (3pm): Prologue (36km) starts.
24th October (7.30pm): Pre Ride briefing & dinner.
25th October: 8.30 to 9am stage start. 7.30pm briefing & dinner
26th October: 8.30 to 9am stage start. 7.30pm briefing & dinner
27th October: 8.30 to 9am stage start. 7.30pm briefing & dinner
28th October: 8.30 to 9am stage start. 7.30pm briefing & dinner
29th October: Departure day, see below for transfer times
FAQs
Arrival: On 24th October, we will be running transfers at 11am & 2pm (for arrivals up to 1.30pm). The transfer to Tavira is approx 35 minutes.
Departure: On 29th October we have two transfers from Sagres, the first arriving at the airport at 8am for flights after 10am and the second arriving at 11am for flights departing after 1pm. This transfer takes approx 1hr30
Bike boxes get transferred on the first night from Tavira to Sagres. We have mechanics available at the start & finish to help with bike building / packing.
We have Megamo Jakar 20s available for this week for £149. Check out the full spec and sizing guide HERE.
Yes, in the checkout there is a box to put whoever you want to share a room with. If you are booking a double room (2 people, 1 bed) please select 2 people in the checkout.
You can secure your place with a deposit of £199. This is non-refundable so we strongly suggest you get travel insurance before booking (you can also purchase cancellation insurance in the checkout).
Full payment is due 3 months before departure (PLACE DATE HERE), we will send you a reminder when this is due.