Country Life in Chãos

How about living like a shepherd for a day, and learning the art of beekeeping? Explore the mysterious caves and mountainous landscapes around Chãos on the back of big-eared friend!

Spend two unforgettable days in close contact with nature in the small mountain village of Chãos near Rio Maior in the Natural Park of Serras de Aire and Candeeiros. Indulge in the pleasures of living in the countryside and take full advantage of its fragrances, flavors and the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Day 1

You will start the day with an interpretive walk through Chãos, where you will discover the village’s secrets and its vast rural heritage. After, you will get to enjoy an authentic delicious lunch at the “Terra Chã” restaurant. The afternoon is dedicated to living the experience of being a shepherd for a few hours and taking care of a herd of goats alongside shepherd Raul.

In this activity, the participants will accompany the community herd of the “Terra Chã” Cooperative and its shepherd in all the tasks, leading the goats through their pastures, listening to the shepherd’s explanations and exchanging experiences with him.

Later on, there will still be enough time for a visit to Alcobertas cave, where you’ll learn about the cave’s historic and hydro-geological importance, the speleothems and their formation, as well as the history of human occupation all the way from the Upper Paleolithic until the present time. At the end of the day, enjoy a strengthening dinner at the restaurant “Terra Chã” and before taking your well-deserved rest to recover all the energy you’ll need for the next day.

Day 2

The second day will also be dedicated to the life on the field and to helping to carry out the tasks of the people that spend their lives here.  During the morning, you’ll get to prove yourself as a beekeeper, identifying the region’s honey flora and unraveling the bees’ secrets by observing a beehive from the inside. You will be able to make the crest, extract the honey, pack it and take it with you. Lunch will take place at the restaurant “Terra Chã” before your trip will conclude with an adventurous tour on the back of a friendly donkey, at which you will explore the endless routes and discover the biodiversity of Serra dos Candeeiros.

Price

  • Up to 2 people: 150€ per person
  • Up to 5 people: 140€ per person
  • Up to 8 people: 130€ per person
  • 9 people or more: 120€ per person

Included

  • Accommodation
  • All meals described in the program
  • Professionals and local guides for the activities
  • Materials for all the experiences
  • Insurance

Not Included

Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos
Country Life in Chãos

More about this Program

What is the itinerary of this experience?

Day 1

10:00 am | Arrival at Chãos – Accommodation in “Terra Chã”

10:30 am | Walking tour around the village of Chãos (cisterns, gutters, troughs, traditional construction and bread oven, etc.)

12:30 pm | Lunch at the restaurant “Terra Chã”

01:30 pm | Shepherds routes, with the community herd of mountain goats (a herd with the function of habitat management and prevention of rural fires)

04:30 pm | Interpretive visit to the Alcobertas cave.

08:00 pm | Dinner at the restaurant “Terra Chã” + free evening

Day 2 

09:00 am | Breakfast

09:30 am | Be a beekeeper for a day (identification of the honey flora of the region and unveiling the secret of the bees)

12:30 pm | Lunch at the restaurant “Terra Chã”

01:30 pm | Ride on a donkey’s back

05:30 pm | End of activity

Am I provided with insurance during my stay?

Your program fee includes civil liability insurance with limited coverage, that only covers accidents that may happen during your volunteering shift.

We highly recommend you to get full health, travel and accidents insurance in your home country!

Are children allowed to join this volunteer program?

Yes, children are also allowed to take part in this program, if they are accompanied by their parents or legal representative!

Do I need to book my stay well in advance?

No, not necessarily! Depending on the current availability of the program of your choice, we may even be able to accommodate your stay and participation for the upcoming week! However, both in our responsible travel experiences and our volunteer programs as well as regarding our available beds in the hostel, we do sometimes reach our full capacity and therefore recommend booking your stay with us as early as possible to secure your spot!  

Do I need to speak the local language?

No, you don't need to have any previous skills in the local language! All of our programs are run entirely in English and our guides and staff are all comfortable speaking English as well! But we always encourage our participants to get acquainted with some of the most basic terms and expressions, as even just a simple "Good morning!" in the local language can be a great icebreaker to start interacting with the locals! 

There are also language lessons available for volunteers. The language lessons can be booked before or on the arrival. Lessons are taught by a professional teacher and tailored to each volunteer’s current language level.

 

Does this experience include food and beverages?

Yes, there will be food and drinks provided during this experience! Feel free to take a look at our itinerary, experience description and pricing info for more detailed information on what you can expect!

Does this experience include the transportation from my accommodation?

No, your transportation is not included, but we can offer this service for an extra cost! Just shoot us an email and let us know the exact time and location, and we'll be there on time! 

Does this program require a high level of physical fitness?

No! All activities within this program only require a medium or low level of physical fitness! 

I have special dietary requirements! Will I find food options that cater my needs?

Yes, if you are vegetarian or have specific food intolerances, we will be able to adapt the food offered to meet your dietary needs. Please get in touch with us as early as possible so we can make all necessary arrangements! 

Is accommodation included in this experience fee?

Yes, your accommodation is already included in the price of this experience! For more detailed information, take a look at the experience description, the itinerary and the pricing info!

Is transportation included in this experience?

Yes, the transportation to all of the activity locations listed in the itinerary is included in this experience! However, please be aware that transportation from your accommodation to the meeting point is not included, but we are happy to arrange that service for an extra cost! 

Shall I bring special clothes to participate in this volunteer program?

There is no mandatory dress code for taking part in this program, so we just recommend you to bring comfortable clothes adjusted to the time of the year!

What is ImpacTrip's Cancellation and Refund Policy?

Impactrip deposit fees are designed to be as affordable as possible to allow everyone to join our programs. Therefore, considering its limited capacity and the expectations of everyone involved, ImpacTrip is unable to provide a total refund policy.

Deposit Fee

The payment of the deposit fees confirms a volunteer’s acceptance onto one of ImpacTrip's volunteer programs. Deposit fees are not transferable to other people but may be transferable to another program.

The deposit fee is refundable until sixty days before the start date of the volunteer’s chosen program. Requests for deposit fee refunds must be made via an email to your ImpacTrip Booking Manager, clearly detailing the reasons for cancellation.

Cancellations are subject to the following policies:

  • The notice period is based on the earliest start date the volunteer has ever been registered for.
  • If a volunteer cancels sixty days or more before their earliest program start date, they can request a refund of the deposit fee, which will be provided minus the transaction costs of the refund. Alternatively, they may ask for a deposit fee credit to be held in their name for future use on any ImpacTrip program, subject to availability, for a period of twelve months from their earliest registered start date. This credit may be issued minus the value of any change fees the volunteer has incurred.
  • If a volunteer cancels between fifty-nine and thirty days before their program’s start date, no refund of the deposit fee is available. A deposit fee credit may be held in their name for a period of twelve months from their earliest registered start date, for future use on another ImpacTrip program, subject to program availability and at the discretion of the Impactrip Booking Manager.
  • If a volunteer cancels less than thirty days before their programs start date, no refund of any fees is available. A deposit fee credit may be held in their name for twelve months from their earliest registered start date, subject to availability, provided deposit fees have been paid in full by their due date.

Where a group of ten or more people is volunteering with ImpacTrip, the group leader must register ahead of other group members in order to secure the group’s dates and plans. Group members must then register no less than sixty days before the program starts. Group members who register less than sixty days before the program start date may be excluded from the program unless approved by ImpacTrip.

ImpacTrip reserves the right to revise its program fees at any time. All program fees revisions will be made via the ImpacTrip website. Program fee revisions are not applicable to volunteers who have already submitted their payment before the revisions are due to take effect. A volunteer’s placement on a program is not confirmed until the deposit fee has been paid in full and the availability has been confirmed by their ImpacTrip Booking Manager.