Transportation & Guiding

Travel fully guided

fully guided

These are tours where our guide will be with you for the full length of the tour, guiding all or most of the activities and making sure that all the services (transport, meals, accommodations) are provided smoothly without you having to worry about anything so you can focus 100% on the enjoyment of the tour. Transportation on these tours is provided by us and depending on the size of the party it could be that your guide is also the driver (normally for groups up to 8 people), or could be on a minibus with a dedicated driver for larger groups.

Navigating on Self -guided hikes

self guided

These are tours for the traveller that enjoys a level of independence but values the input of our local knowledge to get the most out of the destination. We design the tour with you, include transport rental and accommodation arrangements, add a variable number of services (Meet and Greet, some meals..), and leave most days for you to choose on the spot. For these independent days we provide suggestions and enough information to follow the suggested trails or book the suggested activities. We also provide full time support by phone while you are travelling. These tours are normally carried out with a rental vehicle or the clients´personal vehicle.

mixed

In many occasions we organize tours that are a mix of the above, adding services to a Self guided tour such as a number of guided walks or activities along the trip, or providing the transportation or a driver-guide to tours where you walk independently but we take care of the rest.

accommodation

We work with the whole spectrum of accommodation level as each person and experience might require a different type of accommodation, so for us the top place to stay is evaluated in terms of how much it adds to your travel experience. Sometimes the focus might be in an activity that can only be done with an specific accommodation, so location is what will guide the election. Other times the accommodation will be the experience, a special place to be enjoyed with enough time and calm.

This means that we can use from a top quality boutique hotel to a tent, but the majority of our tours will be based in small hotels, locally owned, with a special character and good quality equivalent to a 3-4 star hotel. Many times there are options to adapt the type of accommodation for the same itinerary, so this is one of the things that we would work with you during the design process of your holiday.

Superb rural hotels in Spain

superb rural hotels

These would be top quality hotels in stunning locations, with a great level of service and normally with a high price. Wine hotels, historical buildings, gourmet restaurant, modern architecture or exclusive locations will probably be on the mix.

charming rural hotels

charming rural hotels

This is our favourite and most common category, combining good quality and comfort with character,  in beautiful locations, locally owned and with a connection with local products and services.

small local inns

small local inns

Sometimes superb locations still don´t offer other accommodation than local inns, comfortable and convenient but without luxuries. On the other hand these inns sometimes offer the warmest service and the best traditional food.

paradores and pousadas

paradores and pousadas

Well known brands, Paradores and Pousadas offer accommodation in large hotels placed in unique historical buildings. Castles, monasteries and some times modern buildings in remote locations, offer a classic type of accommodation with a varied quality, in our opinion. Some of them offer great quality experiences in a unique setting, but some of them are a bit tired and offer little but the site or historical building.

City hotels in Spain

city hotels

Big cities such as Madrid, Barcelona or Lisbon offer such a big offer of accommodation of all levels and with such a variable price system that for us is more about location and offer at the specific time of booking. We like to visit cities on foot and therefore we like hotels that allow this. We have a collection of nice small hotels in cities too, interesting if you are planning to stay for a few days in town and will want a place to rest in between excursions,  but eventually we will use larger chain hotels if price and location make them worth for a short visit when the hotel will be used just to have a good rest at night.

Apartments

apartments

A good option for families and longer stays in a specific location, there is a large offer of nice apartments in both rural and urban areas.

Mountain hunts and Camping tent

mountain huts

The luxury is not in the bed but in the location. Basic bank beds in shared rooms but all the flavour of mountaineering. From one night stops on the way to a summit to a traverse from hut to hut.

Mountain hunts and Camping tent

Camping

 An experience on itself, we only use it in our group mule-supported treks in the Pyrenees.  A unique way to live the mountain and have memorable experiences, specially for kids and youngsters.

Diego made the trip unforgettable! We spent 14 days hiking in the Pyrenees learning about the area’s history, culture, geologic formations, and great good, all while seeing a beautiful part of the world!

The trip was so organized and our guide Diego made the trip especially enjoyable with his good humor and his knowledge of the plants, geology and history of the Pyrenees.

Emily.A., Beth. B

USA

Bilbao to Barcelona group hiking

Recently, I had the opportunity to go on some hiking routes with incredible guides like Alberto and Diego through the Ordesa National Park, the Monte Perdido, the Cola de Caballo and the Canarellos belt. From the first moment it was clear to me that I was in the presence of the best guides there could be in that area and if I may in Spain, guides who loved nature and who knew every corner of the park, a very important aspect in a guide is who like to teach and made me born within me an even greater love than I had for nature.

P.L. Valladolid, Spain

Pyrenees Environmental Awareness hike

Traveling with Diego was amazing. We gained access to fascinating places people can’t normally access; learned about the geology, plant and animal life, culture, and general history of Spain; all while hiking in fantastic areas. He organized great accommodations and food experiences to complete our cultural immersion. He was open to all our questions (environmental, cultural, political) and provided knowledgeable thoughtful responses – how did he know so many plants and animals and their latin names!! Fabulous trip and amazing guide.

B. M , USA

Pyrenees Group hike

The recent trip I did with Diego through the Pyrenees, was one of my favorites. Lots of hiking but with stops at local points of interest to immerse you in the culture, the history. and the food. The in depth look at the reintroduction of the bearded vultures was a theme throughout and a highlight of what we explored. Don’t miss an opportunity to spend time with Diego, his knowledge, experience and good humor will make you trip!

Kren Teren, Nashville , USA

Pyrenees Traverse

Diego Martin Cortes coordinated two amazing hiking trips for me and my friends, Portugal in 2022 and Spain in 2024. He listened to our needs and coordinated just the right venues, lodging, meals and local transportation to fit our group.

In Spain he also acted as the guide for our trip, hiking with us, providing tours in local towns, historical venues, and national parks. We were so fortunate to benefit from his knowledge of history, architecture, culture, flora and fauna, not to mention his terrific sense of humor and patience with our large group. Traveling in Spain with Diego and my friends in June of 2024 was the best trip of my life!

Betsy Wilhelm, Silver Spring, MD, USA

Portugal and Pyrenees Group hike

Our hiking trip through the Pyrenees was an amazing adventure! Diego’s knowledge and expertise of the area made it so much more than just a hiking trip.
Mike- Washington DC

M.F Whasington DC, USA

Central Pyrenees Group hike