Highlights
- explore the colorful streets and beautiful beaches of the island’s lively capital, Cagliari
- hike through a spectacular gorge and past dramatic limestone formations
- enjoy a half-day of easy river kayaking
- taste delicious wines and spirits and enjoy the cuisine of the island
- dive into ancient history with visits to some of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Europe
- visit a traditional cheese producer and enjoy a tasting lunch
- walk around a park that is home to the last wild horses in Europe
- relax on a quartz sand beach on the west coast of the island
- visit a 3,000-year-old “nuraghe” stone tower complex
- stay the night at charming, small hotels, including a fabulous country “experience” hotel
Trip price includes
- 7 nights in 4-star hotels, country resorts and/or luxury guesthouses
- 7 breakfasts, 1 cheese tasting lunch, and 6 dinners
- guided visit of Cagliari
- 1 winery visit and 1 distillery visit
- 1 guided walk on the Giara di Gesturi
- all activities adn transfers as per itinerary
- at least 1 bilingual Italian/English tour leader
Not included
- 6 lunches and 1 dinner
- drinks other than water at meals
- anything not mentioned in the inclusions
ITINERARY
Day 1: Independent arrival in Cagliari
Make your way (by air or ferry) to Cagliari and meet in the hotel lobby mid-afternoon for a guided visit of the city, including a short stop at the fabulous archeological museum. It’s a great stop on its own but it’s also a perfect introduction to the island’s history and culture that we’re going to see throughout the week. Afterwards, enjoy a welcome drink and dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants. Overnight Cagliari.
Days 2-3: The Center of the Island
Head north into the interior of the inland for 2 days of history, hiking and adventures, with visits to extraordinary archaeological sites and a trip to a high plateau to see the last wild horses left in Europe. You’ll marvel at the towering stone complexes that were built 3,000 years ago by the mysterious Nuragic people, about whom little is known except their ancient architecture. We’ll also see one of the hundreds of “Giant’s Tombs” that dot the island and were ceremonial burial sites often built with multiple chambers. Enjoy lunch at a cheese producer and later have a wine-tasting dinner. Stay two nights at a beautiful country hotel with pool and spa where you can unwind after a busy day.
Days 4-5: The West Coast
Head west and explore the coastal area around the Sinis Peninsula, which has been inhabited since ancient times. We’ll walk around the ruins of a former Phoenician site and you’ll learn about the importance the island played in early Mediterranean trade. Afterwards, bask on gold and rose quartz sand beaches and try some interesting local liquors (mirto! even gin!) at an innovative distillery. Walk through a town that’s so eerily deserted it was used as a filming location for many “spaghetti Westerns” and is now the site of an annual barefoot pilgrimage procession. Stay two nights at a fabulous hotel that’s spread over a variety of restored elegant homes and villas.
Days 6-7: The Eastern Side
Continue east for some gorgeous hiking, river kayaking, and relaxing downtime at a truly amazing “experience” hotel set amidst a verdant garden. Our first stop is one of the most extraordinary archeological sites on the island (or in Europe!), a ritual well whose walls are so smooth they look like they were carved yesterday, leading down to a pool whose reflection is synched to the solstice and full moon! Our final two days offer an easy half-day kayaking on the Cedrino river and then a spectacular hike through a narrow canyon between soaring rock walls. Take a dip in the hotel pool or head up to their “champagnotheque” for a glass of bubbly before dinner together. After your week on the island you’ll understand why it holds a special place in our hearts!
Day 8: Transfer to Olbia and Departures
We offer one final transfer to the Olbia airport after breakfast for flights or ferries.
CONTACT US FOR A MORE DETAILED ITINERARY
See more pictures and read about one of our scouting tours in Claire’s blog!
Prices indicated are usually for a minimum of 6 people (some tours may be different, see each tour page for specifics) and are for our basic itinerary based on double occupancy. A "single supplement" covers hotel prices only, we apply no extra fees. Departures with fewer people or with upgraded hotels will have a higher price. We can organize private departures for any number of people but prices vary depending on number of participants. Please contact us for details!
Payment & Cancellation Policy
Payment: A non-refundable deposit per person is requested when you sign up to reserve your place on the tour. Full payment is requested 90 days (sometimes 100 days) prior to departure.
Cancellation fees: Up to 90 (or 100) days before departure your full deposit will be retained or -- depending on the tour -- you can transfer it to another trip with us within a year of the date of cancellation.
After that the following fees apply:
89 - 60 days before departure: 33% of the trip price per person
59 - 31 days before departure: 50% of the trip price per person
30 - 15 days before departure: 75% of the trip price per person
15 - 0 days before departure: 100% of the trip price per person
Anna Bertoni –
Touring Sardinia with Wild Sage exceeded my expectations! As an Italian who visited Sardinia many times, I planned to go on this trip just to refresh old memories. Manu managed to surprise me! She took the group to a lot of wonderful and meaningful places, many of which I hadn’t seen before. The trip was very well organized and all the activities were very interesting. Also, Manu and her fellow guide Paolo were very attentive to everyone’s well-being, always taking care that people would be comfortable and enjoying themselves. Wild Sage has a lot of repeat customers, and once you go, you understand why!
Ian Galloway –
The Sardinian Tour with Wild Sage was a ten out of ten experience combining nature, culture, history, great food and wine, and enjoyable hiking. These memorable experiences were made special through the expertise and caring of our two guides Manu and Paolo. They were outstanding. It is worth noting that most of the participants on the Sardinian tour had travelled with Wild Sage in the past. This level of repeat business only comes from delivering exemplary travel experiences. This was my second trip and I am planning a third. I highly recommend this tour and Wild Sage.
Katy S –
This is the second tour I’ve done with Wild Sage and it was just as good as the Dolomites tour. The itinerary was perfect, a good mix of history – nuraghi and local artists – and cultural experiences – including wineries and cheese making – along with some nice walks to get out and see the country. The lodgings were perfect and charming, and fit with the experience of getting to see the country and have an authentic experience. The excursions were well designed and Manu and Paolo were attentive guides and helped ensure we had a wonderful experience.
Ellen B –
I had a wonderful time in Sardinia with Wild Sage. Led by experienced and enthusiastic guides Manu and Paolo, we traversed the island, enjoying, among other things, walks, wine and cheese tastings, ancient ruins and gorgeous and varied scenery, including the nature park with Sardinia’s famous wild horses. Wild Sage has excellent relationships with local naturalists, vintners, distillers, hotels – you name it. The trip was very well-planned and executed. In particular, I appreciate how much we did without spending long hours on the road. Many in the group have traveled with Wild Sage and Manu previously. My friends and I first met her when she led us on a hiking trip in the Dolomites (highly recommend). It’s no surprise that people keep coming back. Thank you Wild Sage.
RW –
I just got back from this fabulous tour of Sardinia. The trip was perfectly planned with a mixture of well-known sites and interesting hole-in-the-wall experiences we would not have been aware of without the tour. Manu made everyone feel welcome and took care of us so we could all just enjoy ourselves. Paolo also helped it all run smoothly. I totally recommend Wild Sage tours!
Susan F. –
What a fabulous and unique trip! Hiking through spectacular gorges and to ancient sites, seeing an incredible wild horse sanctuary high up in the mountains, sampling cheeses from a local shepherd, and trying the famous Cannonau wine—every aspect of our trip was meticulously planned by guides (and now friends) Manu and Paolo. Trip of a lifetime for sure. Can’t wait to go on another adventure with these folks…!
Gary P. –
This is a great trip. We visited archaeological sites of the Nuragic people, a sacred well, a burial tomb, including a tour of one of their villages. The guide explained what is currently known about the ancient civilization which was fascinating and frustrating because there is still so much about them that is unknown. We visited museums which have Nuragic bronzes and stone giants. We hiked through the countryside with panoramic views of coastlines, valleys, and mountains and sightings of a range of wildlife including the last wild horses in Europe (600 horses in family groups of 30-40). There were so many wonderful things about this trip: the city guide who spoke a few lines of the native Sardinian language for us and answered all my questions about it, the guide at the vineyard who was enthusiastic about his job, the park guide who showed us the wild horses, the beautiful beaches where we relaxed, and all the Sardinians we met. The food, wine, and hikes were amazing. A huge grazie mille to Manu and Wild Sage for putting this trip together to this wonderful island.
Jeff C. –
Sardinia with Wild Sage was fantastic. Discovering the sophisticated ancient Nuragic civilization, searching for the last remaining wild horses in Europe, beaches that literally glitter, and a deep gorge filled with boulders as big as buildings are just some of the highlights. The scenery and history was only matched by delicious local specialties and local wines. From farmhouse to resort we discovered new vistas and regional history each day. Oh did I mention the Roman ruins, kayaking and craft gin tasting?