Azores Island Hopping
- Hop from island to island and discover the distinctive Azorean culture
- The dramatic volcanic peak of Pico, the highest point in Portugal.
- Walk through the green, lush landscapes of Sao Jorge Island.
- The vineyards of Pico Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Take in the historical sites and vibrant marina in capital, Ponta Delgada.
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Ponta DelgadaThis tour of the Azores begins in Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel Island, located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, 1,360 km west of the Portuguese coast. Transfer to your hotel located in the city centre. Depending on the arrival time, dedicate your afternoon to the discovery of Ponta Delgada. Administrative capital of the archipelago, it is home to many historical monuments, traditional small streets and a beautiful marina.
A cosy and comfortable boutique hotel centrally located in Ponta Delgada’s historical centre. Relax on the poolside terrace or explore the town sights, most of which are just a stone’s throw away.
After breakfast transfer to the airport and fly to Pico Island, named after its giant volcano, which is the highest peak of Portugal! From Madalena start a coastal hike between two small ports, perhaps take a swim and follow trails through vineyards, surrounded by stone walls of black lava. This extraordinarily beautiful man-made landscape of long linear walls has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The walls were built to protect the thousands of small, contiguous, rectangular plots from wind and seawater. Evidence of this viniculture, whose origins date back to the 15th century, is manifest in the early 19th-century manor houses, wine-cellars, churches and ports.
After the walk there is a short transfer to the south cost and the village of Lajes. Stay overnight nearby Lajes.
Ascent: 172m / Descent: 105m
This ‘nature’ hotel lives up to its description with a beautiful space for exploring, there is even a whale tower for wildlife spotting! The hotel Aldeia has everything you may need, including and on-site restaurant. Just a ten minute taxi ride to the centre of Lajes should you wish to explore the town, the owners will be more than happy to organise this.
This morning is dedicated to whale watching. You will board a boat and spend three hours at sea with a specialist to observe dolphins and whales. The most frequently observed species is the sperm whale, although you may also see the short-finned pilot whale and from March to the end of May you may also spot the giant baleen or blue whales! The afternoon can be spent at leisure to discover the intriguing surroundings, such as ancient watchtowers, factories that processed whales and the frail hunting boats.
This ‘nature’ hotel lives up to its description with a beautiful space for exploring, there is even a whale tower for wildlife spotting! The hotel Aldeia has everything you may need, including and on-site restaurant. Just a ten minute taxi ride to the centre of Lajes should you wish to explore the town, the owners will be more than happy to organise this.
Transfer to Sao Roque on the north coast and from here take the ferry to Velas on Sao Jorge Island, one of the greenest and most lush in the archipelago. Transfer up into the peaks and walk down to the coast via the "fajas", fertile headlands with hamlets and orchards. This trail is called the pilgrims path and takes you through paths lined with hydrangeas and junipers until you reach Faja de Santo Cristo, an isolated hamlet overlooking the open ocean lagoon and only accessible on foot. From here youll walk along the coast to Faja dos Cubres. A transfer will take you back to Velas.
Ascent: 204m / Descent: 873m
This charming and well-located guesthouse (just 100m from the port) has large rooms with views across to Pico island. There are plenty of dining opportunities nearby and complimentary tea, coffee and pastries.
Transfer by taxi to Pico das Calderinhas and enjoy a walk from one volcano to another, on a path on the crest of the island of Sao Jorge. The path runs along several peaks before arriving at the island’s highest one – the Pico da Esperença – that culminates at 1053m above sea-level. The second part of your walk descends on the northern coast of the island, across pastures to reach the beautiful Faja do Ouvidor with its hillside terraced houses and, at sea level, its wonderful natural pools carved into volcanic cliffs. You will be picked up from Faja de Ouvidor to be transferred back to your hotel.
Ascent/Descent: 294m/1047m
This charming and well-located guesthouse (just 100m from the port) has large rooms with views across to Pico island. There are plenty of dining opportunities nearby and complimentary tea, coffee and pastries.
Say goodbye to Sao Jorge Island as you board a ferry to Horta and Faial Island, a place that used to be a famous stop for transatlantic sailors. This island has been nicknamed the “Island of Hydrangeas”, for obvious reasons. Horta is still a famous stop today for the transatlantic sailors. Transfer to the central crater. After skirting the edge of the caldera at 1000 meters in altitude, we follow a Levada on a shelf path. Descent through the lava fields and hydrangeas to Praia do Norte. Transfer back to Horta. Overnight in Horta
Ascent: 169m / Descent: 807m
The rooms in this hotel are bright and airy with modern wood furnishings. The property itself is located just 100m from the beach and offers great views over the bay. Relax in the sauna, steam room or in the sunroom which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.
Transfer to the south coast for a short walk to the Capelinhos, site of a tremendous volcanic sea eruption in 1957, which lasted for 13 months! As a result this caused much of the local population to emigrate to North America. Take a short but amazing walk to the Capelinhos Lighthouse and view the volcanic landscapes. Perhaps you would like to take a swim in the Atlantic before heading back to Horta where you can spend time at leisure to discover its colonial architecture, the incredible history of American whaling ships and telegraph companies that make up this cosmopolitan atmosphere. At the end of the afternoon fly back to Ponta Delgada.
Ascent/Descent: 64m/133m
A cosy and comfortable boutique hotel centrally located in Ponta Delgada’s historical centre. Relax on the poolside terrace or explore the town sights, most of which are just a stone’s throw away.
The tour finishes after breakfast with a transfer to Ponta Delgada Airport to fly home.
This trip has a carbon score of 20kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 20kg is equivalent to 182 bananas. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?If you are interested in walking through unique and unspoilt landscapes, rich in unusual geology, dormant volcanoes and hillsides full of flowers and vineyards, then this tour will appeal to you. The activity is fairly gentle with shorter walks (although some ascents and descents are involved due to the nature of the islands terrain!) with plenty of opportunity for taking in the rich and diverse culture. A wonderful whale watching trip is also included, giving you a fantastic slow adventure of this fascinating archipelago!
Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.
Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
This walk is graded easy to moderate and includes daily walks of between 5-16 km following footpaths, tracks and coastal paths. Although the daily distances are not that far, you should be aware that the walks on Days 4, 5 and 6 in particular do involve some more significant ascent/descents and Day 5 and 6 are graded as moderate walks rather than easy-moderate. Overall, you should still have plenty of time to experience the culture and local food, as is the essence of our Slower Adventures.
You will stay for 2 nights on Sao Miguel island, 2 nights on Pico island, 2 nights on Sao Jorge island and 1 night on Faial island. We have carefully selected small, traditional hotels and guesthoues. All of the accommodations have been specifically chosen for their comfort and also for their great locations.
Alternative accommodation
During the high season, you might be booked into alternative accommodations which are not listed in the description. Any alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard as those described.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. Solo walkers are also welcome for an additional charge.
Meals
7 Breakfasts are included. You can eat dinner in restaurants in the towns and villages close to your hotel or at your accommodations. For lunches you can find local cheeses, meats and breads in local shops or markets.
The walks mostly take place on coastal or inland footpaths and at times rocky tracks (driveable). Some of them are marked. However, please be aware that the trails are often poorly maintained and after rain may be slippery.
Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks, and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.
Our walks usually begin and end at a central point in town (such as a church, bus stop, etc.). Access routes to your accommodation are not included in our km daily figures. However, the Macs app will guide you to your accommodation.
Recommended Reading
Although not essential, if you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:
- Azores by Freytag & Berndt (map)
- 7 Nights in 2 and 3* hotels and guesthouses
- 7 Breakfasts
- Baggage transfers
- Flight from Ponta Delgada to Pico and from Horta to Ponta Delgada
- Transfer to and from Ponta Delgada Airport
- All transfers mentioned in the itinerary
- Ferries
- Whale watching trip
- Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support
- Travel to and from Ponta Delgada
- Lunches and dinners
- Drinks and snacks
- Personal equipment
- Travel insurance (required)
- 24/7 emergency assistance
- Additional nights before or after the holiday
This trip is available to start from the beginning of April to the end of October. Please note that depending on the ferry schedules and internal flight times, the order of the walks may change. We will adapt your itinerary accordingly for you and let you know about this when we confirm the booking if this has been necessary. The flight on Day 2 may not be a direct flight and we will also let you know about this if this is the case. The direct flight from Ponta Delgada to Pico usually operates on Tuesdays and Thursdays only but can change.
On arrival at Ponta Delgada Airport a transfer is included to your hotel. The journey from the airport to Ponta Delgada takes around 20 minutes. Ponta Delgada Airport is served by TAP Portugal and SATA Air Azores.
Another option is to take a flight on a low-cost airline to Lisbon, then take SATA or TAP from here to Ponta Delgada.
The two internal flights in the itinerary are also included in the price of the tour and we will book these for you.
Daily door to door baggage transfer is included in the price of your trip. We ask you to keep your baggage to a maximum of 1 bag per person (maximum weight 20kg).
Online Documents
At Macs Adventure we care about the environment! We’re taking action to minimize the impact we have by converting the majority of our tour documentation for online delivery.
On this tour, all your detailed tour information will be digitally delivered. You will have access to this documentation via “My Account” on our website.
Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack. It is a good idea to bring hiking boots with good grips. Always bring a warm outer garment for walks on the caldera rims and ridges as it is can get cooler at the higher elevations.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as the region is extremely popular especially over May/June and July/August. However, we will always try our best to accommodate your plans.
Our itineraries are graded easy to moderate and are suitable for those with a relatively good level of fitness. This tour is rated easy to moderate. Although the daily distances are not that far, you should be aware that there are some elevation gains on all of the walks.
Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 15kg per person.
Your detailed information pack will be sent to you after you book. This has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/cycling/trekking gear such as good walking/cycling boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes and a day pack.
Traditionally April/May has always been the most popular time of year because the theory goes that the weather is better. Although I believe any time between late March and October offers a wonderful experience.
Our pre-departure information pack has detailed advice and a kit list on what to take. This includes good waterproof gear, walking shoes/boots, and lots of other useful bits and bobs.
You can use public transport or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop.
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