14 days Azores: Sao Miguel, Pico, Faial, Flores
Note:
The program is indicative: in particular, the order and itinerary of individual excursions on each island will be adapted to the actual weather and other conditions in order to optimize our experience.
J 1: Arrival to Ponta Delgada (Sao Miguel)
Participants arrange their own arrival in Ponta Delgada depending on their origin, typically by charter flight from various airports or via Lisbon. After the group has arrived, we meet for dinner in a typical restaurant in town in the evening
Meals: Dinner
J 2-4: 3 full days on Sao Miguel
3 full days to explore the highlights of Sao Miguel Island, with its several volcanic complexes including Sete Cidades, Furnas, Fogo caldera. The 3 excursions will cover the eastern, central and western parts of the island on a series of easy to moderate hikes of 1-4 hrs. The sequence of excursion is visited will be determined based on the weather!
Meals: Breaksfast, Lunch, Dinner
J 5: Flight to Pico Island
Morning flight to Pico Island. Free time for lunch and half-day easy walk to explore the area.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
J 6: Whale watching tour
Pico is known as the best island for whale watching! We transfer to the old whaling town of Lajes from where we embark on a 3-4 hr boat tour to see whales and dolfins.
Visit of the town in the afternoon before returning to our accommodation.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
J 7: Climb Pico volcano or alternative excursion
Opportunity (optional) to do the challenging climb to Pico, starting at 1200 m elevation to its peak at 2,351 m a.s.l., making it Portugal's highest mountain.
The climb is challenging and takes 7-9 hours round trip. Those do do NOT can do an easier alternative excursion on the island.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
J 8: Ferry to Faial Island
Ferry to Faial island, exploration of scenic Horta town, the old capital of whaling and for many centuries, the main stop-over of transatlantic sailing routes.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
J 9: Faial and Capeninho volcano
Full day excursion to the central caldera, where we will hike around its rim, then descend to a village for lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we hike along the active western rift zone, visit a small lava tube, and the Capelinho volcano complex that formed during the eruption in 1957-58 along with its award-winning small museum.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
J 10: Spare day
J 11: Flight to Flores
Flight to Flores, transfer to our accommodation in the breathtaking area of Faja Grande.
Lunch and easy walk in the area to an impressive waterfall in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
J 12-13: 2 full days on Flores
Depending on the weather, we will choose the best options for two hiking excursions on the island, which offers stunning sea and landscapes everywhere, as well visit the capital.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
J 14: Rest and flight to Sao Miguel
Some short walks in the morning. Flight to Sao Miguel, where you have the afternoon free to go sightseeing in town, relax, swim, visit pineapple plantation, organize an extra excursion, etc. Farewell dinner in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
J 15: End of tour
Transfer to the airport or own extension.
Meals: Breakfast
Point de départ:
The tour starts and ends in Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel, the largest Azores Island, which is easily reached by plane from a number European and North American cities. Travel arrangements to and from Sao Miguel are not included in the tour package in order to give everybody maximum flexibility to plan his/her trip.
Encadrement
Normally, volcanologist
Dr. Tom Pfeiffer accompanies this tour. Tom has been traveling to volcanoes and documenting volcanic activity for over 20 years. His science background includes a PhD thesis about Santorini and Vesuvius volcano and he has worked at the Hawai'i and Vesuvius volcano observatories before founding VolcanoDiscovery in 2004.
Tom speaks German, English, Italian, French, Greek and Danish fluently as well as some Spanish where needed.
Volcanologist Dr. Tom Pfeiffer on Santorini
