Ria Formosa Eco-Discovery: Biologist-Led Nature Tour from Faro
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Price From $38.00 per person
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The Eco Tour is a guided nature tour, from Faro to Ilha Deserta, through Ria Formosa Natural Park’s channels. Our professional guide will share with you information about local biodiversity, traditional activities, the history of Faro, the barrier islands of the natural park, and birdwatching. More than 300 bird species have been found here, some of them very rare and others recognised internationally as endangered. The boat leads you to Ilha Deserta (a deserted island, also known as Barreta Island), a laidback destination on a stunning stretch of white sand dunes. You can enjoy all afternoon at the island: walk along the beach, take the hiking trail to the southerly most point of Portugal and taste the genuine algarvian gastronomy at Estaminé restaurant. The return is included by Ferry, and we can adjust the time (depending on availability). You can enjoy this service every day, all year round.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
E4639KSmichaels, 10/5/2025 5:00:58 PM
We had a wonderful 1,5 - 2 hour trip with the guide Joaquin - a very friendly and very competent marine biologist who knows the Ria Formosa very well, including the complex system of currents in the salt marshes. We were shown numerous bird species and other animals and were also given names in German. Overall, it was very relaxed and fun, we learned a lot and all our questions were answered. Highly recommended! Viola and Michael
russelld879, 9/9/2025 5:02:01 PM
Absolutely brilliant tour. Jokin was a fabulous guide. He is so knowledgeable about the birds and also the history and environment and friendly and funny! We all thoroughly enjoyed it.
V9287GIlouisec, 9/5/2025 10:15:01 AM
We had a wonderful tour with Jokin who was extremely knowledgeable and a great guide. Icing on the cake were the dolphins!
igneousbrouhaha, 9/2/2025 3:41:06 PM
Absolutely fabulous sunset trip to see wildlife and learn about the wetland. Really expert guide Thomas. Highly recommend.
TravellingWizard, 10/27/2024 2:21:17 PM
Simply amazing. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Paid 125 euros for 2 adults and 1 child and had an audio tour of the Rio Formosa and hop on hop off between the islands of Deserta, Farol and Culatra.
Stella B, 6/28/2024 7:20:00 AM
Excellent tour with Thomas- who raised awareness about diversity and the ecosystem. Thank you , Thomas. Stella and Tim
justintW7291JV, 6/10/2024 6:25:24 PM
What an amazing experience. We booked the Sunset Tour and would book again in a heartbeat. Thomas, our skipper and guide was engaging, passionate about the natural history of the lagoon and entertained us with his fabulous knowledge and great humour. We learnt soo much, not least about the sea grass and the sea horses. Thank you Thomas for a very special evening on the water xx
GillianR257, 5/13/2024 12:57:45 PM
Sunset Tour - was so informative and enjoyable. We had booked it and didn’t think what the boat may be like. We were a wee bit surprised it was a small dingy style speedboat! However once we stopped our hysterics we had a thoroughly great sunset tour. Thomas (or Tom Cruise!) was most informative and we were out for about 80 mins. Would highly recommend this tour to learn more about the lagoon and the protection of the sands, sea life and birds.
sheilarA3414WH, 2/19/2024 12:30:46 PM
Fantastic trip! Our tour guide Manuel was great, really knowledgeable and passionate about the local wildlife and environment. We watched Osprey hunting, Spoonbills scooping up their food and Cormorants skillfully manoeuvring Scorpion fish into their beaks so as to avoid the poison. Manuel told us about the large population of Seahorses in Ria Formosa and answered all our questions. He also told us a lot about Faro's history and how the Portuguese language has evolved. Amazing trip, really recommended!
434ameliav, 1/15/2024 1:51:15 PM
Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and a great captain to boot. We learned so much about the birds and the ecology of the lagoon. We had a wonderful time and would totally take this tour again.
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
Departure point
Also known as Cais da Porta Nova. Find our team dressed in yellow shirts :)Return details
The Eco Tour is a guided nature tour, from Faro to Ilha Deserta, through Ria Formosa Natural Park’s channels. Our professional guide will share with you information about local biodiversity, traditional activities, the history of Faro, the barrier islands of the natural park, and birdwatching. More than 300 bird species have been found here, some of them very rare and others recognised internationally as endangered. The boat leads you to Ilha Deserta (a deserted island, also known as Barreta Island), a laidback destination on a stunning stretch of white sand dunes. You can enjoy all afternoon at the island: walk along the beach, take the hiking trail to the southerly most point of Portugal and taste the genuine algarvian gastronomy at Estaminé restaurant. The return is included by Ferry, and we can adjust the time (depending on availability). You can enjoy this service every day, all year round.No redemption information available
24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund