Carrapateira Extreme offers activities to unwind and explore nature in unparalleled ways
– April 10, 2024 | Text Beatriz Maio
In the calmness of the Vicentine Coast, you can feel time slowing down as the desire to explore nature grows. You immediately feel enveloped by a relaxed atmosphere that, at the same time, encourages physical activity.
Born in Carrapateira, a small village in Aljezur, Nelson Inácio decided to invest in his business more than a decade ago, while he was working in hospitality. In 2018, he combined his love for horse riding and his friend Guy Barange’s surf skills, and so Carrapateira Extreme was born.
“When I started the company, all my friends offered to help. I remember that the whole community came together,” he recalled, adding that his friend Pedro Henriques also pitched in, helping with caring for the horses and later went on to give SUP lessons.
The business progressed and Nelson built the space he still manages today in the small village. Carrapateira Extreme has grown from offering two activities to five, and from just two horses to 13. In the beginning, customers came to them via social media, and, over time, the company became well-known and highly recommended. Three years ago, they expanded their online presence with the creation of a website, which resulted in an increase in demand for their activities.
The main attractions are the peaceful “Welcome Carrapateira” and “Bordeira Beach Sunset” horse rides, which last one and two hours respectively. Timetables are set according to the time of year and, in addition to these options, the little ones can also try out the riding arena for half an hour. Over there, children learn some riding basics and get advice on how to enjoy their time with the horses safely.
On both tours, the meeting point is the Carrapateira Extreme shop, a starting point for an unforgettable experience. In just five minutes on horseback, the scenery changes completely and the landscape is worthy of a film thanks to the typical dunes of Bordeira Beach and its characteristic rough sea. Along the tour, riders will pass through the green Bordalete Pine Forest, which envelopes you in a cocoon of peace, serenity, and gratitude.
Unfortunately, due to a fire in the summer of 2023, a large part of the stone pines burned down, therefore one of Nelson’s current concerns is replanting the approximately 40 hectares that make up the forest area.
After crossing the pine forest to the tune of the chirping birds, those who chose to do the horse rides at the end of the day can enjoy a memorable sunset on the cliffs, an incomparable image and so close by. “The feeling is exactly what you expect when you imagine yourself riding towards the sunset,” Nelson stated.
To keep the tours exclusive, there is a maximum of four participants (but no minimum). Nelson believes that this way clients have a more intimate and personal experience, adapted to their level, while enjoying incredible views of the coast and the town. This ride is aimed at both those who have knowledge and those who have never tried it before – in fact, more than 90% of customers have no practice at all.
Of all the services, this is the one that best represents Carrapateira Extreme, not only because of the unrivalled experience but also because of the owner’s love of horses. He has been riding since he was 10 years old, and it was with friends that he ventured out for the first time. “I learned quickly as it fascinates me because I love animals,” he disclosed, confessing that he mostly rode a mare called Joana, who he describes as “very calm and friendly”, which helped him feel confident.
The company’s 13 horses, which are loose on a hectare of land, live together in harmony, which is due to the organisation they have created themselves. “Each one has its own personality and, in order to get along, it’s as if they had established a hierarchy,” clarified Nelson while mentioning that the atmosphere is as friendly as it is professional. All the animals are trained on a daily basis, both in high and low season and are always prepared before each ride, with their feed and rest constantly monitored.
Identical to this activity, surf lessons are also for both beginners and experienced surfers and can take on a maximum of eight students, with one or two instructors accompanying them.
However, if you don’t feel comfortable with animals or water sports, that is not a problem as Nelson has a diversified offer that also includes a bike ride, so that you can explore the many treasures of this little corner of the Algarve.
Lasting three or five hours, the route from Carrapateira to Pedralva and from Trifana to Monchique, respectively, “allows visitors to get to know places they wouldn’t pass through if they didn’t take the tour”, revealed the entrepreneur.
Although this is a long-distance activity, it can be done by children aged 13 and over and, in particular, on the tour to Pedralva children aged 9 to 12 can also join if they are accompanied by an adult. If you want to visit other areas or see a specific landscape, the company will do its best to take you where you would like.
Carrapateira Extreme also does kayak trips, which have two defined routes, one from Ingrina Beach to Barranco Beach, passing through marvellous caves, and the other to Amoreira Beach, known for forming a shallow lagoon when the tide is high, and locals and visitors do Stand Up Paddle (SUP) peacefully. Regarding this modality, there are also two tours, one along Barranco Beach and the other along Amoreira Beach, and visitors can take another route on request.
All activities include equipment, transport, insurance, and certified professionals present at all times, which, together with Nelson’s approachability, straightforwardness, and professionalism, have helped this company stand out, which receives clients from the most diverse nationalities, including the French, Germans, Americans, and Dutch.
This is a dream that Nelson designed with the main objective of providing activities where the whole family can spend time together and putting customers in close contact with nature, a desire that has been fulfilled, currently with the help of a team made up of locals.
