Looking to travel as far away as possible? How about a journey to the center of the Earth? Covão dos Cochos might just take you there.
The mystical waterhole in Portugal’s Lagoa da Serra da Estrela looks like something from a sci-fi movie.
Covão dos Cochos was a well-kept secret until drone footage of it was posted online.
It has a height of 4.6 meters, and the opening has a circumference of 48 meters. The tunnel that collects the water is a whopping 1519 meters long.
Cascading waterfalls and moss growing around the opening of the man-made spillway make it look like a very natural part of the environment.
Getting there:
Covão dos Cochos is in the Serra da Estrela natural park, home to Portugal’s highest mountain range.
It’s far away from any big city, so to see the artificial wonder, you will have to hike there.
The 8.9-kilometer hike starts from the car park at Lagoa Comprida. The journey is relatively flat, easy to follow, and takes about two hours one way. See the full trail here.
You should still pack comfortable shoes and warm clothes if you are traveling in the winter time (the lake can freeze).
