Shepherd For a Day

Explore the mountains with some furry and bouncy companions: a herd of goats or sheep.
Although not obvious on a first glimpse, these fellow inhabitants have a very important role in managing the landscape, helping to preserve habitats and preventing wild fires, for example.

Understand why shepherds choose this hard life, learn about their difficult relationship with the wolves and how they adapted their practices. We select shepherds that adopt good practices of shepherding and are willing to improve.

We’ll start the day with the shepherd routine, separating the animals that will go to the mountain and taking care of the ones that stay, feeding and providing them water. Then, the herder and his shepherd dogs will determine the itinerary for the day – both for the us and the herd. The hike among the herd will allow us time to enjoy and understand the landscape, talk to the shepherd and observe the animals’ behaviour.

According to your fitness level and how hard you want the hike to be, select the type of herd you prefer to join: the relaxed sheep or the restless goats.

After a lunch with locally sourced produce and local made delicacies, we’ll enjoy the surroundings areas, exploring the forest and refresh ourselves on the crystal-clear waters of the creeks or warm up on open-air hot springs.

This tour is perfect if you want to learn about the history of Gerês and its traditions and you’re interested in conservation and sustainability.

“More unusual, and more memorable, are Keen’s walks with local herders as they graze their sheep and goats. It’s a window onto a world that few tourists get to see—one that’s surprisingly untouched by time—but also a way to preserve tradition while also encouraging farmers to diversify their revenue streams and improve their quality of life.”

Ann Abel, 2023 at Forbes

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