Sardinia Adventure
Experience Overview
Sardinia is a showcase of classic Mediterranean beauty with turquoise seas, pale-gold sands and dramatic rock formations. But with an adventurous spirit and the best tour leader around, you’ll experience its natural wonders from angles most never reach. Staying at a family-run hotel in the Dorgali area, we hike the mighty Gorropu Gorge, cycle through pinewoods to a golden beach (barbecue included), and kayak along the coast to discover sea coves and secret grottoes. Pack your sense of adventure, leave the rest to Sardinia and your tour leader.
Profile
— Accommodation: 6 Classic nights (Hotel Il Querceto) — Group normally 5 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 6 Classic nights (Hotel Il Querceto) — Group normally 5 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
Trip For You
This trip is rated Activity Level 4 (Moderate & Challenging). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.
Suitability: On this adventurous trip, we hike, kayak and cycle so a good level of fitness is required.
Climate: Summer in Sardinia can be hot. In very hot weather, it may be necessary to amend the itinerary.
Eating Drinking
The included meals are as follows:
Breakfast: Buffet including cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit and cold meatsLunch: Paninis (filled with cold meats/cheese), cake and fruitEvening meal: Three-course fixed menu with soup/salad for starters; meat/fish for main course and local dessert
Popular Sardinian specialities include roast suckling pig, excellent seafood dishes, and local wines, such as vermentino, nuragus, cannonau and monica. Mirto, which is made from the leaves of the myrtle plant, is Sardinia’s after-dinner liqueur.
Although meals mostly consist of meat/fish, the hotel staff endeavour to meet specific dietary requirements. Please advise us before departure so the hotel has sufficient time to prepare.
Transportation
A private minibus is used for transfers.
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start hotel: Hotel Il Quercieto, Via Lamarmora 4, 08022, Dorgali
Phone: +39 041 5384485
Recommended arrival time: There’s a welcome briefing around 6pm, followed by a welcome dinner
Airport: Olbia Airport (OLB)
Getting to the start hotel
The start hotel is just over an hour’s drive from the airport. Your options for this journey are:
Take a group transfer
We provide one group transfer from the airport to the hotel, which you can join at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.
Make your own way
From Olbia, it is possible to reach Dorgali by public transport, which costs approximately €20. Please check the Olbia Airport website for bus times. A taxi costs about €140.
If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Catching your return flight
There’s one group transfer to the airport, which you can join at no extra cost. Please speak to your sales representative for the time of the transfer. If the group transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative.
Weather Information
Dorgali has a Mediterranean climate. In summer (June to August), temperatures often exceed 30C (86F) . During winter (December to February), it's mild but cool with a temperature range of 5C-15C (41F-59F). Rain is unlikely but possible throughout the year.
Spending Money
For lunches not included, expect to spend €10-€15, depending on how many courses you choose. For evening meals, expect to spend approximately €30 per person for a two-course meal (excluding drinks).
Local taxes: Many Italian cities have introduced a tourist tax for non-residents. The local administration oversees the tax, which will be collected by the accommodation provider at check-in or check-out. This fee varies depending on the hotel category, the season and number of days of stay. For this trip, please budget a maximum of €10 per person for the week.
Tipping
Although optional, a tip for the leader at the end of the trip is greatly appreciated. As a guideline, we recommend a contribution of €20 per person for the tour leader. It is customary and appreciated to leave a small tip to the driver and the hotel staff at the end of the week.
Highlights
— Witness stunning Sardinia from angles most visitors never reach — Hike (and maybe paddle) in Gorropu Gorge, nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Europe — Kayak to Cala Luna, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean, and explore the large caves — Cycle through scenic natural beauty to Osalla di Orosei beach — Explore the mysterious Nuragic village of Tiscali — Enjoy Sardinian hospitality and excellent food at the family-run Hotel Il Querceto
Trip Details
Product Code: 39032
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: ransfers.
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
Exodus Travel
Supplier Code: AES
Starts: Dorgali, Italy
Finishes: Dorgali, Italy
Duration: 7 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Unknown
Includes
— All breakfasts, four lunches, three dinners — All accommodation — All transport and listed activities — Tour leader throughout — Group arrival and departure transfers availableAccommodation
Hotel Il Querceto, a family-run hotel near DorgaliIl Querceto is our host for this adventure in Sardinia. It’s run by a local family who have created a home-from-home feel and serve delicious, hearty meals. Upgrade throughout your stay to a deluxe room with a terrace and a view – speak to your sales representative for more details. The hotel itself is adorned with locally crafted wooden furniture and contemporary regional artwork while facilities include a bar, restaurant and terrace. We’ve found our groups tend to gather on the terrace with a drink before dinner, an ideal time to reminisce about the day’s adventures. Additionally, the hotel, which is run on biomass, using wood which would otherwise be burned, is within walking distance of Dorgali, a small town specialising in crafts and ceramics, where there are shops, restaurants and bars. It’s also a 10 to 15-minute bus ride to the beach, home to a string of restaurants and cafes.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2510 ($359 /day)
Itinerary
Start your adventure in Dorgali, where we stay at a family-run hotel just a short walk from the small town itself and an easy bus ride to the beach. Around 6pm, say salude to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big Sardinian welcome by arranging a group dinner. Want more time in Dorgali? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Enjoy sweeping views on a drive (just over an hour) above the Flumineddu Valley, before arriving at Gorropu Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Europe. Its narrow, vertical walls reach 1,640ft (500m), making it the deepest natural gorge in Europe. Appreciate all its glory on our walk, with the chance to paddle in the river, if conditions allow. Along the way, we also stop for a packed lunch, a chance to relax and enjoy the views. This evening, you may wish to wander into Dorgali town centre to enjoy dinner in one of the local restaurants, perhaps seeking out the local wines and traditional cuisine, such as the stuffed pasta dish, culurgiones.
Head to the seaside town of Cala Gonone this morning, where we venture onto the waters by kayak for an intimate exploration of the dramatic coastline. Paddling from the town, we immediately encounter limestone cliffs rising from the turquoise waters, before passing hidden coves and exploring sea caves and grottoes, where the water often glows an ethereal blue, illuminating ancient rock formations. The 7.5mi (12km) kayaking tour ends at Cala Luna, a crescent-shaped beach of pale-gold sand, framed by imposing cliffs and featuring six large caves, perfect for exploring or finding shade. The water here is shallow and crystal clear, ideal for swimming.
Discover the beauty of the Gulf of Orosei today in the most intimate way: by bike. Our 18.5mi (30km) adventure starts straight from the hotel, riding towards Osalla di Orosei beach. We stop at Passo Lithu for glorious views over forests and to the sea. Arriving at the beach, we must carry our bikes to reach the sands, where we refuel with a delicious barbecue lunch. After, we get back on the bikes and ride through pinewoods to the town of Orosei, before taking the state road to the Grotta di Ispinigoli, a vast cavern with 125ft (38m) high limestone columns to admire. Back on the bike, we finish the ride at our hotel, visiting Baluvirde church en route.
After an adventurous few days, today is free to explore the archaeological sites of the Dorgali region, take an optional self-guided walk or simply relax by the beach and enjoy the leisurely Sardinian lifestyle. Horse riding can also be arranged (the price and details are agreed with the hotel). Alternatively, take an optional boat trip to the Bue Marino Grotto (weather permitting).
Visit the mysterious Nuragic village of Tiscali today – not much is known about its origins, nor the people who lived there. It seems to have been populated before the Nuragic era, but archaeologists put its main period of activity between the second and first centuries BCE. The dwellings are virtually invisible until you reach the vast cavity in which they are built. This has led some to postulate that people returned here to hide from the Romans. We also visit the Su Gologone spring, described as a natural masterpiece, where karst has been sculpted by rushing water as it exits the gorge. The water is tinged green or blue, depending on the angle of the sun, and an astonishing 130 gallons (500 litres) of water per second comes crashing out of the chasm into this mini oasis.
You’ve walked the deepest natural canyon in Italy, kayaked along the Sardinian coastline, and witnessed the natural beauty of the Gulf of Orosei by bike; but now it’s time to begin your return journey home. Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.
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Tour Operator
Exodus Travel
It’s all about adventure That is what Exodus was founded upon 50 years ago, and what the company is still all about. Discovering countries, cultures, environments, cities, mountain ranges, deserts, coasts and jungles; exploring this amazing planet we all live on. At Exodus, we know what makes you tick when it comes to holidays. It’s a desire shared by so many others. A yearning to visit new places and come home with a real sense of what they’re all about. This means delving into local traditions, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles – anything that contributes to its unique identity. At the same time, we always remember that we are only guests. So we travel courteously and respectfully, in smaller groups to minimise our impact, to ensure that every Exodus holiday is a beneficial experience for everyone involved. This is a philosophy we take with us around the world, helping you reach some incredible destinations on 500 itineraries across over 90 separate countries. We also strive to provide as much flexibility and choice as we possibly can, making it simple for you to experience a very different holiday. Exodus started life on 4 February 1974 when two friends got together to provide an overland truck to travel to the Minaret of Jam, deep in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the most inaccessible of the world’s great monuments. See our history page for more details about how we began and how we have grown over the past 50 years. Never travelled with Exodus before? Visit our New to Exodus page for some useful, first-timer information.
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