4.8
Hike, Canyon and Whale Watch in the Azores
- Portugal
- 6 nights
Travel by land and sea around the Azorean island of São Miguel and top it off with some spectacular whale and dolphin watching
What's Included?
- Maximum group size: 12Join small n’ sociable groups of like-minded, active and outdoorsy people – designed to be solo-friendly
From…excluding flights
Highlights
Hike along spectacular coastal trails and get sweeping Atlantic views from the highest point on Sao Miguel
Jump, scramble, slide and abseil the canyons of Ribeira dos Caldeirões and coasteer along the wild, volcanic coastline
Get a close encounter with the Azores' teeming population of whales and dolphins
Bed down in 4-star boutique hotels, perfectly situated for exploring botanical gardens and pretty historic streets
Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to the Azores
HotelTwin shareShow Day 1 detailHide detail
Catch your first glimpse of the beautiful Azores archipelago as you approach Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel. Drive through rolling hills forged by ancient volcanoes and powerful trade winds until you reach the town of Furnas, where you can spend the rest of the day enjoying your boutique hotel and the adjacent botanical gardens – plus your choice of indoor or outdoor pools.
Day 2
The highest point on Sao Miguel
Hiking4hrs · 4mi · 932ft up · 2838ft downHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 2 detailHide detail
Kick start your Azores adventure with a big hike to Pico da Vara, the highest point on Sao Miguel Island. Starting at Algarvia in the northeast of the island, you'll ascend for 7km through cedar woodland and open grasslands and see some unforgettable coastal views. Look across the island from the top and you’ll see the valley of Povoação, the majestic crater of Furnas Volcano and the volcanic massifs of Fogo and Sete Cidades.
Day 3
Hike the Agrião Trail
Hiking4hrs · 3mi · 486ft up · 1296ft downHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 3 detailHide detail
Follow the Agrião Trail as it weaves its way through streams and over wooden bridges along the southeast coast, including some steep climbs and narrow descents. Enjoy the views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Povoação volcanic crater, ending the day on the beach at Ribeira Quente. Grab a drink in this quaint village and then head back to the hotel in time for an evening's recharge.
Day 4
Canyoning at Ribeira dos Caldeirões
Canyoning3hrsHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 4 detailHide detail
Set off first thing for Ribeira dos Caldeirões, a protected reserve in the northeast of the island and a 100% natural adventure playground. Hike, scramble, jump, slide and abseil your way across, with your expert guide on hand to help you navigate whilst filming and photographing the adventure. Dry off, grab some lunch and then drive to Ponta Delgada where you’ll check into your second boutique hotel. The afternoon is now yours to explore the town's many cafes, bars and ice cream parlours or just relax at the hotel.
Day 5
Whale watching and Sete Cidades
Wildlife Watching2-3hrsHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 5 detailHide detail
Witness one of the Azores natural treasures – the huge population of whales found in its nutrient-rich waters. During springtime, you can see migratory species such as fin whales, sei whales and blue whales, while sperm whales and huge numbers of dolphins can be found all year round. A marine biologist will talk you through what to look for out on the water and explain the island’s cutting-edge approach to sustainable and responsible tourism. After lunch, head to Sete Cidades – one of the Azores' picture postcard spots (and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal) – and enjoy an activity of your choice: hike, SUP, kayak or bike.
Day 6
Atlantic coasteering and Lake Fogo
Coasteering3hrsHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 6 detailHide detail
Jump straight into the Atlantic Ocean and coasteer your way along the wild, volcanic coastline. You'll scramble, dive and swim your way along the tideline and cliff dive into the water. In the afternoon, head to Fogo Nature Reserve. Take in epic viewpoints overlooking Lake Fogo and the volcanic crater and bathe in the geothermal pools of Caldera Velha.
Day 7
Say goodbye to the Azores
Breakfast includedShow Day 7 detailHide detail
Enjoy a last breakfast on the Azores and then head back to the airport in time for your flight home.
Practical Stuff
Getting There
- Nearest airport
- João Paulo II Airport (PDL)
- Pick up
- Ponta Delgada Airport
17:30 - Drop off
- Ponta Delgada Airport
14:00
What is and isn't Included?
What's included
Expert, English-speaking, local guides
6 nights in cosy, art deco hotels
6 breakfasts and 4 lunches
To and from the airport and everything in-between
All canyoning and coasteering kit, plus SUP, kayaking or biking equipment for Day 5
All permits and entry fees
What's not included
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Where You'll Stay
Looking for a private room? See Optional Extras for details and pricing.
Furnas
Ponta Delgada
What You'll Eat
Breakfasts in both hotels are a plentiful, high quality continental-style affair with fresh juices, teas and coffees. Lunches will be picnics in beautiful locations, generally consisting of baguette sandwiches or salads with dried snacks and fruits.…
Optional Extras
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation
- Single room in Ponta Delgada (Price varies by date/hotel): FROM...
- …
- Twin/Double in Ponta Delgada (Price varies by date/hotel): FROM...
- …
- Single room in Furnas (Price varies by date/hotel): FROM...
- …
- Twin/Double in Furnas (Price varies by date/hotel): FROM...
- …
Upgrades
- Private Room Upgrade (price varies by date/hotel): FROM...
- …/per person
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge. Your host can also help book additional nights' accommodation before/after the tour in Furnas or Ponta Delgada. Please request these at the time of booking.
Optional extras are subject to availability and prices for both the solo room upgrade and additional nights vary significantly throughout the season (and depending on which hotel you're based at in Ponte Delgada) - the prices shown under Optional Extras are Low Season 'From' prices but High Season rates (and stays at Grand Hotel Açores Atlantico) will be much higher.
Transfers
- Private arrival transfer: Airport to Furnas (one way)
- …/per person
- Private departure transfer: Ponta Delgada to Airport (one way)
- …/per person
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Ratings & Reviews
4.823 reviews
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Category rating
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Before You Travel
What to Pack
Know before you go! Some stuff we'll provide, other things you'll need to bring.
FAQs
Can I leave my excess luggage somewhere?
Your luggage can be safely left in both hotels while you're away doing activities. You'll just need a daypack and/or drybag for the daytime.
What do I do about drinking water?
Tap water in the Azores is completely safe to drink, so you can fill your bottles up at the hotel and at various points throughout the trip. Your guides will factor in water refill spots during the hikes and activities.
How much should I tip?
Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but the norm in the Azores means there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your guide will help with advice however, we suggest the below as a guideline per person:
Tour guide – 5-10 Euros per day Local specialist activity guides & Driver – 5 Euros per day
Of course, you are free to tip more or less and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Can I book on my own?
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Who is running the trip?
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
What is the official travel advice?
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).
If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.
For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.
What vaccinations do I need?
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
How are the trips priced?
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates daily, so prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
Why are your adventures only for adults?
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
Who else will be on my trip?
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
What's the carbon footprint for this trip?
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre program, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 217kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
- A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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