Tour operators warn Algarve’s iconic Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is reaching breaking point

Tour operators and independent guides are calling for urgent action to protect the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, warning that overcrowding, a lack of management and growing environmental damage are putting both visitors and one of the Algarve’s most iconic landscapes at risk.

In a joint statement, eight tourism businesses and guides that regularly operate along the coastal trail in the municipality of Lagoa say the route’s international popularity has not been matched by adequate investment in its management, conservation or visitor safety.

They describe a growing list of problems, including overcrowded footpaths, chaotic parking, illegal camping, litter, human waste, damage to vegetation and increasing soil erosion.

The signatories also warn of dangerous behaviour along the cliff tops and sinkholes, including by “supposed guides” who they claim lack the qualifications to lead visitors safely.

According to the group, the situation is now affecting both public safety and the Algarve’s reputation as a sustainable tourism destination.

“This reality is not only a threat to our natural heritage,” the statement says. “It also represents a risk to the safety of thousands of visitors and compromises the quality of the tourist experience offered in the Algarve, jeopardising the reputation of a destination known around the world for the excellence of its natural heritage.”

The companies say they spend much of their time educating visitors about environmental protection and cliff safety but argue they cannot continue filling a role that should belong to public authorities.

Instead, they are calling for an integrated management plan for the trail, including monitoring visitor numbers, increased enforcement, better control of parking and access points, improved signage and visitor facilities, restoration of damaged sections of the route and permanent environmental awareness campaigns.

The businesses stress they are not calling for restrictions on access to the trail, but rather for better management that balances conservation, visitor safety and sustainable tourism.

“Ignoring the clear signs of pressure on this area means accepting a growing risk of accidents, the gradual degradation of its natural value and the declining quality of one of the Algarve’s flagship attractions,” they warn.

The statement concludes by urging public authorities to act without delay and offers the group’s support in developing long-term solutions alongside municipalities and other responsible bodies.

Among the signatories are Proactivetur – Turismo Responsável, AlgarvianRoots – Ecotourism Experiences, Pernatur, Seed Tours, GeoWalks & Talks, as well as several independent tour guides.

The Resident has contacted the Municipal Council of Lagoa for comment.

Six kilometres of coastal trails

The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail (or Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos) is widely regarded as one of Portugal’s most spectacular coastal walks. Stretching six kilometres (or 12 kilometres for the return journey) between Praia da Marinha and Praia de Vale Centeanes in the municipality of Lagoa, the route typically takes around three hours to complete one way, following dramatic limestone cliffs carved over millions of years by the combined action of rivers and the sea.

The trail takes its name from the region’s distinctive “hanging valleys” – ancient river valleys that now end high above sea level after the coastline retreated over thousands of years. Along the route, walkers pass some of the Algarve’s most recognisable geological formations, including sea arches, caves, sinkholes and towering sea stacks that form part of the area’s striking karst landscape.

Among its best-known landmarks are Benagil Beach, famous for its sea caves, and Praia da Marinha, regularly ranked among Europe’s most beautiful beaches. The trail also passes Praia do Carvalho, reached through a hand-carved tunnel in the limestone cliffs, and areas of Mediterranean scrub and Aleppo pine woodland that support a rich variety of native wildlife.