Hiking on the island of Sao Miguel, Azores

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Initial region Azores

Duration 9 Days

Language English

Price € 1.400 _{/ person}

Highlights

A trip to the Azores is a trip to the land of volcanoes, crater lakes, blue ocean and lush greenery on the slopes. These islands, lost in the Atlantic Ocean, are somewhat reminiscent of New Zealand. We will visit several islands, climb volcanoes, swim in the ocean, fly paragliding in good weather, meet amazing sunrises and have mind-blowing sunsets. This trip is worth it!

Few people know about the Azores - but in vain! Lost in the Atlantic Ocean, 9 picturesque islands belonging to Portugal, the Azores is an amazingly green land, with volcanoes, hot springs, crater lakes. There are few tourists here (so far), especially in May, unpredictable, abrupt weather - and wild, breathtakingly picturesque. It is enough just to see the photos to understand that you have to go to this lost paradise.

What will happen on the trip will naturally be active! First, briefly:

We will travel by car two islands - Sao Miguel and Pico

We will ascend the highest point of Portugal, the active volcano Pico (2351 m)

Whale watching

See crater volcanic lakes and geysers

Shopping in several hot springs and waterfalls

We walk around beautiful places for 8-16 km a day, ride bicycles along the edge of the lake, swim along the lake on kayaks

Let's eat food cooked in the hot volcanic bowels

If the weather is good, those who wish will be able to fly on a paraglider - one of the most beautiful places for flying on the Azores

We will arrange a wine tasting of local wine, visit a pineapple farm, and a tea plantation - the only one in Europe

Meet the sunrises, spend the sunsets and have a great time

Itinerary

Day 1 Meet with Overland Travel Tour Guide and transfer to hotel

Arrival in the capital of the Azores - a small and quiet town of Ponta Delgada. You can arrive at any time. Rayan Air has an inexpensive flight, arriving at 22:45. Accommodation in a hotel or guest house.

Day 3 Sete Sidadesh, ocean hot springs, sunset, overnight camping on the lakes

Let's not postpone it - if the weather is good, today we are going to the business card of all the Azores - Lake Sete Cidades. Most of the postcard views are filmed here. Amazing places. We wind kilometers on foot along observation platforms with panoramic views, then we go down to the lakes and there, if you wish, you can take a bike to ride along the edge of the lake, as well as a kayak to swim to the center of the lake. Also on this day, if the weather is right, it will be possible to fly a paraglider - the weather in the Azores is very picky, so you shouldn't rely on it. But if possible, this is one of the most beautiful places in the world to fly from a visual point of view. Then we move to the western part of the island, swim in hot springs right in the ocean surf! There are few such places on the planet!

Day 4 Lake Lago do Fogo, thermal baths, Salto do Cabrito waterfall

First, of course, we meet the dawn! If we are not flooded with rains, it will be very beautiful. Then we go towards the lake Lago do Fogo - "Lake of Fire" in Portuguese, it is beautiful and quiet here. We go down to the lake, walk along the trails, return to the car and drive on. We go down the road towards the town of Ribeira Grande - on the way we will stop at one of the hot springs - either Caldeira velha or Termas Das caldeiras. If you have time and desire - a walk to the Salto do Cabrito waterfall. Overnight at Ribeira Grande or Ponta Delgada.

Day 5 Gorreana Tea Plantation, Furnas, Ribeira Dos caldeiros waterfall - Camping Feira

First, we will stop at the only tea plantation in Europe - here you can walk along the beautiful tea rows, and also drink this very tea. But the main goal for today is the Furnas Valley - geysers boil here in which the local dish Cozida Das furnas is cooked for 6 hours - a mixture of different types of meat and vegetables. There is also a picturesque lake of the same name, around which we will walk. Here (how unexpected!) There are hot springs. They are very hot, but they have a lot of iron, so they paint everything and after them I really want to wash. If you wish, you can lie here too, but it seems that the previous two days with hot baths are enough (isn't it?), So let's go further. We are going to the eastern part of the island, the wildest, we will stop by the waterfalls Cascata na Ribeira Dos Caldeiros - picturesque places! In the evening we will arrive at Campismo da Feira.

Day 6 Dawn, Arnel lighthouse, flight to Pico island

The campsite is located in the eastern part of the island - so today we naturally go to meet the sunrise! Then we will go to the oldest lighthouse in the Azores - Arnel, to two observation platforms, then we will move towards Ponta Delgado, on the way, if there is a desire, an hour trekking to the Salto de prego waterfall. Return to Ponta delgada. We drop off the car at the airport and at 17:35 we fly to the island of Pico. We take the car and go to the guest house.

Day 7 Climbing the Pico volcano, 2351 m, the highest point of Portugal

We are going to climb the highest point of Portugal - the active volcano Pico, with a height of 2351 m.The ascent begins at an altitude of 1100 m.The weather here changes as much as the girl's mood, but let's hope that breathtaking views will open up at the top - a bright blue ocean, dark lava, luscious greenery, and neighboring islands on the horizon. The ascent is not the easiest one, but all active people can do it. The ascent takes from 3 to 6 hours, the descent is 2-3 hours. Descent and rest.

Day 8 Winery, wine, lake overlooking Pico

Cultural program :) Exploring vineyards, drinking wine, looking at the volcano from below, all slowly. Also on this day you can go to see the whales again, if you wish - they are also here.

Day 9 Fly home

We finish our wine, finish our seafood and fly to Lisbon, and then home. Everything, see you soon, Azores!

Included

Overland Travel guide throughout the trip.

Private vehicle and driver.

All transfers at destination specified in the program.

Hotel accommodation and breakfasts.

Travel assistance, rescue and accident insurance.

Excluded

International flight

Cancellation insurance (+ € 38)

Unforeseen expenses caused by uncontrollable circumstances such as flight cancellations or delays, blocked roads, atmospheric conditions, natural disasters, etc ...

Supplements for individual overnight stays (subject to availability).

Any supplementary or additional aspect not included in the program.

Trip Information

Important! The program may vary depending on the weather, the condition of the participants and other factors. Depending on the weather, days can change places - for example, Sete Sidadesh must have good weather - otherwise we will not see anything, and whales can be seen even in cloudy weather. Keep this in mind.
The most important feature of the Azores is that the weather changes catastrophically here. The average temperature is 12-15 degrees, it often rains with strong cold winds, but the sun is also a frequent visitor here in May. Let's hope that we are lucky with the weather, and we will adapt to it. Be sure to have a windproof jacket and a warm jacket. I will send a detailed list of equipment to each participant.
We will move around the islands in rented cars, we will walk a lot, we will get up early - be prepared for this, this is an active tour! :)
Climbing the Pica is not an easy activity, especially in windy and foggy weather, but it is worth it. If someone still does not want to go up, it will be possible to take a walk in the vicinity of the hotel or visit the whaling museum, or go to see whales - all at will.
To visit Portugal you need a Schengen visa.
Tickets are best viewed as follows. Separately from your city / Moscow / Kiev - to Lisbon or Porto (round trip), and the second composite ticket is Lisbon (or Porto) - Ponta Delgada, Pico - Lisbon (Porto). And one domestic flight from Ponta Delgada to Pico. There are rumors about the possibility of getting this flight for free - the Sata airline provides such an opportunity if there is a round-trip flight from the mainland to the islands, with different points of departure on the island. Need a little confusion. More details here . Now a ticket without luggage there back from Lisbon to the islands costs about 40-80 € - this is a very good price. View tickets on Skyscanner, aviasales, momondo. I will definitely help with tickets.

The excursions described above can be altered at the discretion of the guide, according to weather forecasts, organizational reasons or by the pace of the group's own march. In this way the days and excursions in the mountains will be better used. The guide who accompanies the group is responsible for the safety of all participants, he will try to help you at all times and you must accept the instructions he makes. You will learn many things that will be very useful in the practice of hiking and mountaineering.

If you have any major physical or medical problem, you must indicate it in order to act correctly in the event that first aid assistance is necessary.

The budgeted services are subject to the availability of places at the time of requesting the firm reservation. After the request of the reservation by the client, the reservation request of the places in the establishments will be made. If any of the establishments is full, an alternative will be offered that may vary the price both upwards and downwards.

In compliance with the provisions of article 156 d) of Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007, of November 16, which approves the revised text of the General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users and other Complementary Laws, we must inform you before confirming the reservation that, in accordance with current legislation regulating private insurance, you have the possibility of contracting an insurance that covers cancellation costs. Likewise, we also inform you of the possibility of contracting assistance insurance that covers the expenses of repatriation or transfer to the place of origin, in the event of an accident, illness or death. There are some cancellation fees that affect the travel program and that are specified in the General Conditions.