Discover the colors of sunset in the stunning Côa Valley and the fascinating thousand-year-old rock art illuminated by lanterns under a magical starry sky.
Rent one of our Casas de Villar holiday homes — or a bed at the Lagartoca Hostel — in the village of Vilar de Amargo, right in the middle of everything we visit. Combine your stay with rock art night visits, jeep safaris and guided walks: we build stay + tour packages around you. And you always get the best price booking directly with us.
Hidden in the schist slopes of north-east Portugal, the Côa Valley holds the world's largest known collection of open-air Paleolithic engravings — horses, aurochs, ibex and deer carved into the rock thousands of years ago. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is one of Europe's most extraordinary archaeological landscapes, in the heart of the wild Douro region.
Every tour is personally guided — small groups, big landscapes, and stories that bring the valley to life. Rock art, birdwatching, safari 4WD, hiking and traditional picnics.
Penascosa, Canada do Inferno and Ribeira de Piscos — guided 4WD visits to the UNESCO engravings, in the morning or at sunset.
Griffon vultures, golden eagles and semi-wild horses — wild safaris in the Faia Brava Reserve and the Douro International Natural Park.
Discover thousands of years of rock art by lantern light, in a magical and exclusive setting.
Interpretive walks in the Ermo das Águias rewilding area and the “land of lizards” village — with a traditional picnic to finish.
We pick you up and head off-road into the valley as the light turns golden.
A breathtaking viewpoint, a glass of local wine, and one of Portugal's finest sunsets.
In the dark, the lantern's raking light makes the ancient engravings leap from the stone.
Far from city lights, the valley offers a spectacular starry sky to end the night.
A glimpse of the engravings and landscapes waiting for you in the valley.
Every review of Ambieduca on Tripadvisor rates the experience 5 out of 5. A few of them:
“We spent the day and evening learning from Marco at the Penascosa site. He enjoyed questions, was detailed about the rock art, and taught about prehistoric and modern environment and culture.”
“We already knew Marco from our last visit to the Côa Valley, where he showed us wonderfully the carvings of Penascosa and explained them to us. This time we asked him to take us through the Faia Brava Nature Reserve.”
“A beautiful morning in the Faia Brava natural park, alternating jeep rides and walks. Marco is an attentive guide, knowledgeable about the local biodiversity and the history of the region.”
Marco Ferraz is a passionate nature lover who traded his career as a Biotechnology Engineer for a life dedicated to environmental education, leading projects in environmental management, mycology and nature conservation.
He has worked in the Côa Valley since 2011 as a nature guide and environmental educator. He is the author of the book “Mini nature guide: let's discover the natural heritage of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo”, and served as Environmental Education & Ecotourism officer at ATNatureza's Faia Brava Reserve — marking trails, producing content, training guides and leading nature interpretation visits.
Today Marco runs Ambieduca, the tour operator he created to bring children and adults into contact with nature and to encourage healthy, sustainable lifestyles. Ambieduca is an official tour operator in the Greater Côa Valley, the Douro International Natural Park and the Côa Valley Archaeological Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Everything you need to know before booking your Côa Valley rock art tour.
Yes — and it's the most magical way to see it. After sunset, the raking light of a lantern makes the Paleolithic engravings stand out from the schist far more clearly than daylight. Our night visit combines a jeep ride, the sunset over the valley and the engravings by lantern light under a starry sky.
The Côa Valley Archaeological Park is in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, in the Douro region of north-east Portugal — roughly a 2-hour drive from Porto. Our tours depart from the Foz Côa area; when you book, we'll agree on the exact meeting point.
The Côa Valley holds the world's largest known collection of open-air Paleolithic engravings — horses, aurochs, ibex and deer carved into the rock up to about 25,000 years ago. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1998, and unlike painted caves, the art here is out in the open landscape.
Comfortable shoes, a warm layer for the evening, water and your camera. The jeep handles the rough terrain — the walking at the rock art sites is short and easy.
Yes. Tours are private or small-group and paced to suit you — children are usually fascinated by discovering the animals hidden in the rock by lantern light.
Absolutely. We are in the heart of the Douro wine region, and our jeep tours can combine viewpoints, vineyards, olive groves, wildlife watching and local heritage — just tell us what you'd love to see and we'll build the day around it.
Call, message or follow us — we'll help you pick the perfect tour and date.