FAQ

WHY SHOULD I GO WITH A CERTIFIED GUIDE?

Even in the internet era and with all the online tools available, the reasons as to why going with a certified guide will provide you a far more enjoyable outdoor experience are manyfold. We know our routes like the back of our hand, we’ll tell you about the local plants and animals, we know about history. We know the best spots for a break, the perfect locations for photo-ops and the most beautiful places for a quick swim. But above anything, being a certified hiking guide and mountain leader, we’ll guarantee a safe adventure and make sure you have a fantastic experience without having to worry about finding the way back!

WHY IS THERE NO ONLINE BOOKING FORM?

The reply to that is pretty simple: we want to make sure you get to do an adventure which is perfect for your skills and sense of adventure. And this is something that can only be achieved by talking to each other. A short conversation where we get to know you a little will help us greatly to make you a few suggestions, from which you can then choose the option you like best.

SO HOW DO I BOOK THEN?

Please simply get in touch with us via email, Whatsapp, instagram, phone call or send some smoke signals. After a short conversation, Stivi will quickly find out about your hiking experience and fitness level and, based on that, he’ll then make some suggestions on which you can then choose the route you like best. Please also see Rates and Bookings as well as our Terms & Conditions. 

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED TO BRING MYSELF?

General rule, valid all year round:

For a regular hike, you only need comfy clothes / sports attire and a decent pair of trainers with some grip (Vans/Converse style trainers aren’t recommended since their soles have zero profile) and, very importantly, bring plenty of water (1.5l per person is a good standard). Then you ideally have a small backpack with you so you can store your water and maybe some snacks. Please let us know if you don’t have a backpack, we can help if you don’t have one.

Additional equipment in summer:
During the summer months – between April and November – you should also bring your swimsuit and a small towel, whenever possible we stop for a quick dip in the sea somewhere along the way! And obviously in summer, you need to make sure you’ve got the right sun protection with you: hats, sunglasses, sun cream.

Additional equipment in winter:
For the winter months (December – March) you definitely need to bring an extra layer for warmth and ideally a windbreaker plus maybe a beanie. We generally have very mild winters on the Balearic Islands, but every now and then we do get a few really chilly and windy days in the winter months.

For hikes in Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountain range:
When going on hikes in the Tramuntana mountains, especially in the winter months, you need to consider that the temperature up on the summits will likely be between 5 to 10 degrees celsius cooler than down in Palma or anywhere on the Mallorcan coast. And if it’s windy, it’ll feel much colder still. So for those mountain hikes in winter, you definitely need to bring a warm jacket, ideally a beanie and some thin gloves too.

Because of its rugged rocky terrain, as a general rule, we also recommend mid-cut hiking/trekking boots for hikes in that area rather than sneakers.

If you are unsure which shoes and/or clothes or other equipment to pack, just get in touch and we’ll help you with the decision depending on the activities/routes you’ve booked.

AM I INSURED OR DO I NEED TO TAKE CARE ABOUT THAT MYSELF?

By booking and partaking in a Balearic Outdoor Adventure you are automatically insured. Our company has both a liability insurance for our guide as well as an accident insurance for our clients.

Please get in touch if you need detailed information on insurance coverage.

WHAT CERTIFICATION AND LICENCE DOES THE GUIDE HAVE?

All activities are guided and supervised by Stivi who’s a fully certified hiking guide and mountain leader (técnico deportivo de media montaña) and our company has the active tourism licence TA–0023-E. We strongly advise everyone to only book with companies that have both an active tourism licence as well as certified guides.

HELP, I’VE NEVER DONE A HIKE BEFORE! CAN I STILL GET MY BALEARIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURE?

Of course you can!

We have hundreds of routes on offer all over the Balearic Islands and they cover the entire spectrum, from very easy flat walks for all levels up to extreme hikes with climbing/clambering parts for pros. This is also why you won’t find an online booking form here. Our philosophy is to speak to our customers beforehand to find out what they wish to do and where their limits are.

MY ENGLISH ISN’T GREAT, WHAT OTHER LANGUAGES DOES THE GUIDE SPEAK?

Not a problem at all, Stivi is Swiss, his native language is actually German and apart from English and German, he is also fluent in French, Italian, Spanish and Catalan.

HOW LONG ARE THE HIKES USUALLY AND AT WHAT TIME ARE THEY DONE?

Most of the routes we offer usually take between 3 and 4 hours and once we have decided on a route, you will get the full detailed route information. Shorter as well as potentially longer routes are both possibilities (quite a few of the routes in Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountains are full-day hikes).

In the summer months, the hikes are either done early in the morning or late in the afternoon, in order to avoid the midday heat.

The morning hikes in summer can be started as early as you like (possibly even in time for the sunrise), but no later than 9am start – it simply gets too hot after that.

The late afternoon hikes in summer are always timed so that we start when the heat starts subduing and then we catch the sunset towards the end of the hike, usually returning at nightfall.

In the winter months we can do the hikes anytime in the day.

HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN GO TOGETHER?

To start with – we’re not fans of big groups. We prefer it small and personal. The maximum group size is ten people. If you do have a bigger group than that, we can still accommodate you by adding more guides and splitting the group in smaller groups. Get in touch with us if you have a big group and we’ll see what’s the best solution for you.

I AM A SINGLE TRAVELLER, CAN I STILL GO ON A BALEARIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURE?

Of course you can! There are two options for single travellers.

One, treat yourself to something special and book a trip just for yourself. You’ll get to enjoy having the guide completely to yourself – it really doesn’t get much better than that.

Or two, get in touch with us to see if there’s an existing booking around your dates which would accept an additional person joining. There’s no guarantee for that, but of course we’ll happily try.

WHAT DO I DO IF MY PLANS CHANGE?

We understand that you’re on holiday and that your plans might change as you enjoy your well-earned time-off. At the same time, your holiday season is very likely our peak business season, which is why we’ve drawn up rules for cancellations and date changes over in our terms and conditions.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE WEATHER IS BAD?

The safety of our clients is of paramount importance to us. This is why we will proactively contact you if the forecast gives adverse weather conditions. Apart from the safety aspect, we also totally understand you don’t want to do your Balearic Outdoor Adventure in the pouring rain. We are blessed with a fantastic climate on the Balearic Islands, but we do get some bad weather days. So if the weather forecast looks unfavourable (high chance of rain, high winds etc), the activity gets cancelled or rescheduled.
A cloudy day alone does not qualify for a bad weather cancellation, this is also valid for sunset activities (cloudy days and sunsets are sometimes actually the most magical ones).

Also be aware that some routes that include swimming, cliff jumping and/or SUP (paddleboarding) may be cancelled or rescheduled because of strong winds, which may make a departure unsafe.

CAN I BRING MY DOG ALONG ON THE HIKE?

If you book a private hike and your friend on four paws is both in good shape as well as well-trained, for most routes, you are more than welcome to bring your dog along. But please do mention this at time of booking, since a few of the routes aren’t suitable for dogs. Also be aware that you’ll have to have your dog on the leash for most of the time on almost all routes.

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM AGE TO GO ON A BALEARIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURE?

We take pride in being able to offer adventures for almost anyone and everyone, from families with kids up to rusty seniors.
We happily accept families with children – usually from about six years of age onwards and we’ve got some ideal routes for that.
We happily accept rusty seniors, we have some lovely scenic routes without any major hills or steep bits.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THE BALEARIC ISLANDS?

The Balearic Islands are blessed with a fantastic mild climate and are thus an all-year round travel destination. Here’s a rundown of the Balearic year to help you deciding what’s the best period for you:

January and February are the two coldest and quietest months of the year, this is valid for all the islands, but in particular the smaller islands (Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera) do get very quiet once the festive period has ended. They’re the two months we actually consider winter here. Rainy days make the islands look very lush and sometimes we even get a few days with a bit of snowfall and/or freezing temperatures at night. But on a sunny day, temperatures can sometimes still climb up to nearly 20ºC.
Why come in this period? You’ll get to see the Balearics in its quietest and purest form, you’ll have lots of space everywhere and the famous almond blossom also always happens at some point in these two months. It’s a wonderful time to visit – just make sure you come well-equipped.

March and April is when everyone starts gearing up for another summer season. The days are getting longer and daylight saving time is returning. In April we usually get the first days on the beach, but be aware the Mediterranean is still really cold after the winter at that point. Nature is at its lushest and daytime temperatures are perfect for outdoor activities. Direct flights to Ibiza start again (May for Menorca)
Why come in this period? If you want to see the Balearics in a quiet period, but with longer days and warmer daytime temperatures, this is the perfect time for you. But be aware that we usually get a good few rainy days in this period, so make sure you bring your raincoat and decent shoes!

May and June are the run-up to the peak summer season. For a lot of people, this is the best period of the year. It’s the longest days of the year, daytime temperatures are perfect to do outdoor activities (it can already get really hot around noon in June), nighttime temperatures are still comfortable and all of the islands still feel fresh as the summer season has just properly kicked off. The sea temperature is rising and from June onwards, it’s warm enough for absolutely everyone to go and have a swim. The weather is usually great (May sometimes still sees a few rainy and/or windy days), the islands start to get busy, but you can still find space everywhere.
Why come in this period? It’s genuinely a perfect mix of everything!

July and August – peak season! It’s hot – very hot. Most of the outdoor activities have to be done either early morning or just before the sunset because of the high temperatures. All the islands are at boiling point, everywhere is very busy, there’s a fantastic atmosphere, everywhere is bustling and simply in full peak season mode.
Why come in this period? If you don’t mind the heat and want to see the Balearics in full swing, then come and get your Balearic peak season experience!

September and October is when things start to quieten down again, but only a little bit. All islands are still very busy until at least mid-September, after that first Formentera and Menorca start to quieten down gradually and then, towards the start of October, Ibiza also changes into a lower gear. From an outdoors point of view, we are getting into fantastic territory again now: daytime temperatures are still high and the sea temperature is still ideal. The first rainy days help to wake up Nature again after the midsummer heat. Most direct flights to Menorca stop at the end of September respectively at the end of October for Ibiza.
Why come in this period? Similar to May-June, it’s a period which ticks the box for most people. It’s warm, but not too hot, all the islands are still lively and who doesn’t want to top up on those sunrays before winter comes? Also, autumn sunsets are the absolute best.

November and December are the two months when everyone has a breather and enjoys the quiet after another manic summer. Formentera and Menorca are very quiet already, Ibiza a little less so and Mallorca is still busy. Then as we approach the festive period, both Mallorca as well as Ibiza get a tiny bit busier again for a few weeks as lots of visitors or home owners come back for the turn of the year. Daytime temperatures are ideal for outdoor activities and usually you can still swim in the sea until about mid-November. The weather is normally a mix of glorious sunny days and some much-needed rainfall. And it’s that rain that turns the islands green again now!
Why come in this period? A bit like March-April, it’s a low season, but with great conditions for outdoor adventures and good chances of nice weather. A lot of Balearic veteran visitors love this time of the year.