Mountain Adventure Holidays
Discover landscapes of the astounding beauty of northern Corsica on a series of day walks - dramatic coastal scenery, historic mountain villages and mild climate as we explore the desert de l'Agriates and Cap Corse. Often referred to as 'an island within an island' or 'Little Corsica' the Cap Corse is a maquis covered peninsula whose history sets it apart from the rest of the island.
Along the coast on the east side we find tiny ports, or marines alongside coves which become sandier as you go further north. On the west coast villages are perched on rugged cliff tops, high above the rough sea. Explore this regions rich culture, language, history and cuisine as we tour the entire Cap.
Join us in Spring and benefit on the maquis in full bloom on a series of day walks whilst staying in two accommodations. The Cap Corse feels like a separate island compared to the rest of Corsica, with wild flowers in profusion, vineyards and quiet, traditional fishing villages like Macinaggio and Centuri-Port.
Situated to the north of Bastia and Saint-Florent, the Cap Corse is one of Corsicas highlights. A promontory 40km in length and 15km in breadth and home to sandy coves and a chain of mountains called the Monte Stello massif that run down the centre, with Cima di e Folicce at 1324m (4343ft) being the highest peak.
Until Napoléon III had a coach road built around Cap Corse, the promontory was effectively cut off from the rest of the island. The road winds it's way above a dramatically serrated coastline, dotted with little coves, whilst the sea washes on the rocks below and woods and maquis outline the peaks above.
Your Cap Corse adventure begins at Bastia airport, where we will meet for our transfer to Saint Florent where we will stay for two nights. For more details consult the 'Arrival & Departure' section under 'Trip Information'. The transfer time is about 40 minutes. In the afternoon explore the lovely harbour town, citadel and Plage Royal of Saint Florent.
Your guides will meet at 1800 hrs to brief you on the days ahead. Our evening meal for the next two nights is in Saint Florent at the L'Altezza Restaurant.
Beach gear is a must today! Starting from St Florent marina we take a 20 minute taxi boat to reach the start of our walk. The boat follows a glorious coastal path and a succession of turquoise bays until it reaches a pontoon where we disembark, it's here our walk begins in the Desert de l'Agriate. The Agriates Desert is not really a desert but a dense Mediterranean maquis (wild vegetation) that meets the rocky mountains. Corsica is a paradise for flora and fauna, with numerous animal and plant species endemic to the island offering a stunning display of colour. This lesser known part of the island shelters the magnificent beaches of Saleccia and Lotu. Our walk takes us first inland through the flowering maquis scrubland with it's divine scents and unique “pozzine” watering holes. We have splendid views of the mountains beyond to reach Saleccia beach. After time to enjoy the water and white sands we now pick up the coastal path. The trail, called the 'sentier de litterol' literally hugs the shoreline in a circuit back to Lotu beach. From here it's possible to take time to swim of walk on further to a headland and Punta Mortella - a Genoese tower dating back to 1520. We retrace our steps a short way back to the pontoon to return to Saint Florent for a second night.
Distance: 10-12.5 km (6.2 - 8 miles) Time: 4-5hours Ascent: 60m (196ft) Descent: 80m (262ft)
Between the coast and mountains, Corsica is dotted with charming villages. Many of them seem a bit abandoned but they have a lot of character. Some are in the mountains, others on the top of a hill or by the sea. Today our route around the peninsular of Cap Corse takes in some of these on two separate walks. Leaving St Florent after 25 minutes we reach the Nonza - a village perched on 100m high cliffs. A walk through the village and it's terraces is a must passing old houses, a pink church with 17th century paintings, an 18th century Paoline tower and the ruins of the old castle. Nonza is also famous for its long black beach created by the asbestos factory that operated in the 1950s. It sounds unappealing but is actually seen as pearl of beauty amongst the locals as the beach is like it could be in the Caribbean. After a coffee we leave for our next village stop - Port Centuri - seen as one of the highlights of the Cap Corse. Centuri is a small and traditional fishing port. The port is surrounded by simple two storey buildings, many painted in pastel colours, which adds to its charm while numerous small fishing boats can be seen in the water. We will have lunch here. Our second walk starts at the "Moulin Mattei" windmill. A recently restored mill that stands in beautiful location of the Col de la Serra at 400m (1312ft) above sea level. We enjoy a circular walk on the plateau with panoramic views, passing a statue of the Virgin Mary and out to the edge of the plateau looking over the wide bay of Port Centuri and the nature reserves around the Îles du Cap Corse. We transfer to our second accommodation of the trip at Macinaggio.
Distance: 6.5km (4 miles) Time: 4 hours Ascent: 400m (1312ft) Descent: 400m (1312ft)
Today's walk follows Corsica's most northerly point and part of the Sentier du Douanier or Customs Officers Path. This beautiful trail was created along the rocky coastline by the Genoese in the 16th Century to watch for smugglers. This 5 star route has all the ingredients for the perfect walk! From our accommodation in Macinaggio we soon arrive at the small harbour where we pick up the trail in the direction of Barcaggio. After about 40 minutes walk we arrive at Plage Tamarone where we can enjoy a morning coffee. The trail hugs the shoreline to reach the Plage des Îles - 'Beach of Islands' which look out to a protected archipelago that houses hundreds of sea birds. It's worth taking a moment here as on a clear day we have excellent views of the Island Elba in Tuscany, where Napolean Bonaparte was once exiled. Napolean, born in Ajaccio, fell out of love for his island but said he could smell the Corsican maquis from his prison. As we progress along the trail our next points of interest are a chapel and two towers one of which is possible to climb inside. In 1531, the construction of ninety towers on the Corsican littoral was decided by the Genoese, thirty-two of them in the Cap Corse Corsica to protect the land from pirates. The trail undulates along the coastline passing white sandy coves, sand dunes with rainbow colours in spring and its not unusual to share it with cows and goats! We reach Barcaggio harbour and fishing village where there's a bar to enjoy the moment before taking the boat back to Macinaggio where we stay for our last night. The walking time is 4 hours but expect it to take a lot longer as swimming is a must!
Distance: 12.6km (7.8 miles) Time: 4 hours Ascent: 250m (820ft) Descent: 250m (830ft)
After breakfast we will leave Maccinaggio for Bastia airport the journey time is just 55 minutes. As our flight time is not until late afternoon we have time to drive steadily down the east coast of the peninsula stopping off along the way at Sisco and Erbalunga.
Sisco is divided into 19 hamlets, scattered upwards towards the foot of Cap Corse's highest peak Cima a e Follicie at 1327m (4343ft). An Italian name giving mention to the regions mix use of language and dialect. We can discover Corsica's history of the American palaces, a treasure chest of relics in the church of Saint Martin, yet more Genovese towers, Pisan chapels on a short walk.
A short drive on brings us to a small port called Erbalunga once a major port of Northern Corsica. Soak up the laid back atmosphere of the village, historic centre and Genoese tower, baroque church, Castello castle above and small port now home to resident artists.
We continue on to Bastia Airport.
It is always our aim to complete the proposed itinerary outlined above, however, it may be necessary for our guides/instructors to adjust the daily itinerary based on the weather conditions, group safety and enjoyment.
On this trip we will spend two night in each hotel listed below. We always aim to accommodate our guests in well-situated, clean, characterful, family run accommodation. All of our trips are based on two people sharing a bedroom, what we call a 'twin' means two single beds in one bedroom. If you are booking as a single traveller you will share with someone of the same gender. In many cases a single room is available for a supplementary fee, but these can be in short supply and require early booking. Note that it is very rare to have air conditioning in European mountain areas, and most bedrooms do not have this facility. If you have any questions about the accommodation please contact us.
Situated in the chic town of Saint Florent the 3* Hotel Saint Flor is centrally located to the shops, harbour, old town and 700 metres from Plage de la Roya. All rooms are en-suite facilities, some with balconies over looking the harbour. Guests enjoy a shared lounge, buffet breakfast and free wifi.
Located 200m from the beach and port of Macinaggio Residence Stella Marina is a family run accommodation offering bed and breakfast in private bungalows for up to two people. Each accommodation is en-suite with a mini bar, wifi set in private grounds with a swimming pool.
The meeting point for this trip is Bastia Airport, Corsica at 09:45 in the Arrivals hall.
Train Travel from the UK to Corsica
If travelling by train we recommend booking through RailEurope or Trainline. The most direct route is taking the Eurostar to Gare de Nord and then use the TGV system via Gare de Lyon to Nice. It's then possible to take the ferry to Bastia. Times and options can be viewed on rome2rio. You can also choose to arrive the evening before and meet the group at Bastia airport.
Flights
Bastia has flights from various European destinations. If the UK flights are not convenient for you, then you can look at arriving from Paris, Nice, Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon, Lille, Vienna and Basel. Skyscanner gives various options.
Arrival at Bastia Airport
We have included a single-timed transfer from Bastia Airport to Saint Florent on the trip Arrival day.
Our departure/pick up time from Bastia airport is scheduled to meet the Easyjet flight from Gatwick arriving at 08h55 on Tuesday 20 May 2025.
Departure from Bastia Airport
We have included a single-timed transfer from Macinaggio to Bastia Airport on the trip Departure day in order to take the Easyjet flight to Gatwick leaving at 17h00 on 24 May 2025.
Activity, Injury and Mountain Rescue
It is a condition of booking that you are insured against medical expenses, injury, illness, death, cost of repatriation and personal accident risks. For all of our trips your insurance must also cover mountain rescue. The exception to this is if the trip is being held in the United Kingdom or Norway where mountain rescue is free of charge. Please ensure that your insurance covers you to the maximum altitude given on your trip itinerary. The maximum altitude for any trip can be checked on the 'At A Glance' box on each trip page.
Trip Cancellation/Curtailment Insurance
You should also have insurance to cover trip cancellation and curtailment. Insurance should be booked as soon as we have confirmed that your trip is going ahead. Note that your deposit and balance payments are non-refundable unless it is Tracks and Trails who cancel the trip due to a failure to reach the required minimum numbers. In this case we will offer you a refund or the option of transferring to another trip if one is available. We also advise that you should have insurance which covers baggage loss/equipment damage as Tracks and Trails will not be held responsible for loss/damage to baggage/equipment.
All of the above insurances are detailed in our Terms and Conditions. For further details, please read the Insurance section on our website.
When packing for a hiking trip in the mountains it's important to have the appropriate equipment and clothing. This kit list features items we believe are necessary for the weather you might encounter and accommodation you will be staying in.
At least once each summer we experience unseasonal conditions that really do make every item on the kit list essential.
Equipment
Clothing
Comfort
Personal First Aid
Documentation
Additional Items
**Supplementary snacks if you follow a gluten free or coeliac diet**
Leaders are all first aid trained and carry their own first aid kit
The walks on our itinerary are based around sea level and can be very exposed to the sun. There is often little shade or water available on the trail so it's important to have the capacity to carry enough water for your walk and plenty of suncream.
For each of our trips a minimum number of guests is required before we can confirm that your trip will go-ahead. The minimum and maximum number of guests on your trip is displayed in the 'At a Glance' box on the righthand side of the trip page.
We strongly advise you do not book travel until we have confirmed your trip is 'guaranteed' to run. If you book travel before we have confirmed it is 'guaranteed' we cannot be held responsible for any financial loss if the trip does not go ahead.
Tracks and Trails go to great lengths to work with first class guides and instructors who are passionate about their work. They are all fully qualified, insured, and hold the correct documentation for the countries that they work in.
Note your guide has complete discretion to make a daily decision on whether or not to take the advertised route based on the weather and the ability of the members of the group. They have our authority to make any route changes they believe are necessary in the interests of safety and enjoyment.
Your hiking guide will be a fully qualified and experienced International Mountain Leader. International Mountain Leaders are not only qualified to ensure the safe management of the group, but are also a source of knowledge about the local flora and fauna, and traditions of the area which you are visiting. You can learn more about our guides and instructors on the About Us page.
This trip is run with Samantha Armstrong and the WALX Team. Sam is a Summer Mountain Leader, Hill and Moorland Leader, holds the National Navigation Tutor Award, as well as essential credentials such as First Aid Certification, Enhanced DBS, and insurance. Read more about Sam on our About Us page.
For this trip we will be staying in two accommodations. As you will be collected from the airport and your luggage will be moved along the route by our guides vehicle we ask that you keep your luggage weight to a maximum of 15kgs (33lbs), and ONE bag per person. Also with regard to weight be aware that you may have to carry your luggage to your bedroom, which may involve climbing stairs as not all hotels have elevators. Luggage on wheels is generally a good idea.
We do not include lunches in your trip fee for various reasons, the most important of which is food waste. In general our guests have particular tastes and requirements for 'trail' or 'hill' food and it is better you purchase your own snacks rather than throw away items from the picnic lunch which we would supply.
Lunches on our trips are 'picnic' style lunches, in other words you take a packed lunch with sufficient snacks, food and fluid to sustain you throughout the day. Buying snacks and trying local specialities is a great way to inter-act with local people and to practise your language skills.
If there is the possibility of lunch being taken at a restaurant/farm/cafe beside the trail, your guide/instructor will advise you of this. Each evening you can order a picnic or a sandwich from the hotel, or your guide/instructor will advise you of other options such as a local shop or market. In all cases we would ask you to settle any 'bill' for lunch or drinks the evening before you depart, and not in the morning when there may be a queue.
On your itinerary you will find an indication of the amount of ascent and descent you can expect each day. This offers a guideline to how much effort might be expended each day and allows you to decide, based on previous experience, if your fitness and stamina are correct for the trip.
We make every attempt to ensure these statistics are as accurate as possible, but ask you to note that the most modern of technology used to record these details can show considerable variations in terms of ascent, descent, and in particular distance. In other words no two people using GPS devices on the same route will have exactly the same details recorded at the end of the day.
The statistics given should be used as a 'general' indication of the effort required.
Kompass: Korsika Nord / Corse du Nord 1:50,000
Cicerone: Walking on Corsica - 25 mountain and day hikes
On the island of Corsica the weather during the summer months is normally clear and warm. The hottest months with the least amount of rainfall are June, July, August and September also being relatively dry. The temperatures in the summer can range from 5°Celsius (41°F) to around 30°Celsius (86°F) with July usually being the hottest month.
It is generally hot and dry, but due to the mountainous nature of the terrain it is not uncommon to have sudden thunder storms, harsh wind, heavy rain, hail and sometimes even snow in the high mountains, so it is important to be prepared for any eventuality.
It is useful to arrive at your destination with some Euros however credit cards are accepted in most places.
If possible we will visit remote cafes for a drink or snack, at places such as these they will often only accept payment in the local currency in cash.
On all of our trips we encourage you to experience local tastes and dishes.
If you are vegetarian catering for your diet is not generally a problem. If you have a 'special' diet because of an allergy/intolerance we would ask that you make your needs clear on your booking form so we can discuss your requirements with the accommodation as soon as possible. A diet that is not related to an allergy/intolerance or beliefs cannot be catered for. It is simply not possible for mountain accommodation to deal with many variations in diet while providing meals for groups.
In addition, if you have an allergy/intolerance we would suggest you bring/purchase suitable snacks as a supplement to the picnic lunches. At times finding gluten free bread, for example, can be an issue. If you would like to discuss the suitability of a trip for a vegan diet, gluten or lactose intolerance please contact us.
We request that you do not CHANGE your dietary requirements during the trip as we will have pre-ordered your meals.
Water
The countries we visit all have tap water which is drinkable. If for any reason a particular hotel or mountain hut is having a problem with a water supply they will normally post a sign over the tap indicating that you must not drink the water. In some remote accommodation in the mountains a shortage of water may mean that showers are not available.
In some countries such as Switzerland and Italy it’s not uncommon for restaurants to charge for tap water. If this is the case then Tracks and Trails will pay for the tap water at the accommodation during the evening meal when on half board, but not at lunch stops.
A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for the country you are visiting, paying attention to your citizenship. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice.
New European Travel Regulations from mid 2025
If you are a guest travelling to one of our European holidays you may be impacted by a significant change to travel regulations expected to be in place from the middle of 2025. The new EITAS scheme will start operating this year and, whilst a start date is not yet confirmed, it is likely to affect our summer holidays in 2025 and any winter holiday thereafter. As your holiday approaches we recommend that you check for updates on the website HERE.
We ask that you carry a paper copy of your passport with you on your trip. We suggest keeping your passport in your rucksack, and a paper copy of your passport in any luggage you might have. If your trip is without luggage transfers then keep a paper copy somewhere in your rucksack, separate from your original document.
We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at:
Plug, Socket & Voltage by Country
Note that if your trip involves staying in a mountain refuge/rifugio/hut that electric sockets may be in short supply and for that night you may not be able to charge any items. Although the accommodation will have electricity this will often be supplied by solar panels or a generator and limited to use by the staff. For this reason we advise that carrying a small slimline and lightweight 'battery pack' can be very useful for recharging phones which many of you will also use as your camera.
We work with experienced and professional guides who are passionate about their work. Over the years we have always strived to pursue adventurous routes in special places where you can truly experience the pleasure of a long distance hike which takes you into the wild mountains and off the beaten track. With all our trips we work with qualified International Mountain Leaders who have spent years training to earn the right to work in the mountains. Tracks and Trails is a small company more interested in the enjoyment of our clients than making huge profits, and as a result we tend to have small groups, experienced leaders and happy clients.
Tracks and Trails pays guides/instructors a fair and appropriate fee for their professional service. However, if you feel your guide/instructor has provided an excellent service that went 'above and beyond' then it is at the discretion of each guest whether to tip or not. Guests will often give a tip of between 2 - 5 per cent of the total value of their trip. It is entirely up to you and any gesture will no doubt be appreciated no matter the size.
Tracks and Trails pays guides/instructors a fair and appropriate fee for their professional service. However, if you feel your guide/instructor has provided an excellent service that went 'above and beyond' then it is at the discretion of each guest whether to tip or not. Guests will often give a tip of between 2 - 5 per cent of the total value of their trip. It is entirely up to you and any gesture will no doubt be appreciated no matter the size.
Before booking consider whether you expect to be in the appropriate physical condition on the date of your departure to allow you to fully participate in and enjoy your holiday. If you have any doubts because of an illness or injury it would be advisable to check with your doctor.
For UK residents travelling to an EU country you should obtain and bring with you a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment in certain European countries, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance.
If you have a UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) it will be valid until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you’ll need to apply for a GHIC to replace it. The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. Please check this before departing. We advise that you always carry your insurance documents with details of the Emergency Medical telephone number for your insurance provider, and your policy number.
We feel strongly about protecting the environment and do not encourage the use of single-use plastic items. We would ask that you arrive with a ‘water bottle’ or ‘hydration system’ that can be used repeatedly. We would point out that we operate a ‘zero tolerance’ for rubbish, and would ask you to remove all your rubbish items from the mountain even those you consider to be bio-degradable. In particular we ask that you remove any toilet tissue.
You can read our full policy here.
Prices may vary depending on date.
| Dates | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tue 20 May - Sat 24 May Code: CAP1 |
Price: £1495 | Guaranteed | Book |
| From Price | £1495 |
| Holiday Type | Walking |
| Duration | 5 Days |
| Group Size | 5-12 |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Maximum Altitude | 564m (1850ft) |
| Countries Visited | France |
| Meet In | Bastia Airport, Corsica |
