8 Days & 7 Nights

4.6

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.

The Azores archipelago in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean is filled with lush green landscapes and vibrantly coloured flowers, unspoilt geological wonders, volcanic peaks and dormant craters. This island-hopping adventure takes in four of the islands; Pico, with its dramatic 2351m volcanic peak, lush Sao Jorge with its fertile orchards, Faial, the "island of hydrangeas", and Sao Miguel with its vibrant capital city of Ponta Delgada. Follow trails through “fajas”, fertile headlands dotted with orchards and hamlets. Take a whale watching tour and with luck view sperm whales and dolphins frolicking in the ocean. Discover vineyards surrounded by stone walls of black lava which make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site and put your feet up at the end of the day in small, traditional hotels where you will be sure of a warm welcome!

From £1,345.00

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Itinerary

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Day 1 Arrive Ponta Delgada

This 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.

Overnight Ponta Delgada

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Casa Hintze Ribeiro | Hotel

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.

Day 2 Flight to Pico. Coastal walk among the vineyards 7.6 miles / 12.2 km

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

Overnight Lajes

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Aldeia da Fonte | Hotel

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.

Day 3 Pico Island Whale Watching

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.

Overnight Lajes

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Aldeia da Fonte | Hotel

Day 4 Ferry to Sao Jorge Island - Pilgrim’s Path Walk 5.8 miles / 9.4 km

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

Overnight Velas

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Caso do Antonio | Guest House

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.

Day 5 Pico das Calderinhas to Faja de Ouvidor 10.9 miles / 17.5 km

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

Overnight Velas

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Caso do Antonio | Guest House

Day 6 Ferry to Faial Island. Walk from the Caldeira to the Ocean 9.75 miles / 15.6 km

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

Overnight Horta

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel do Canal | Hotel

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.

Day 7 Capelinhos Lighthouse Walk - Flight back to Ponta Delgada 2.3 miles / 3.7 km

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

Overnight Ponta Delgada

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Casa Hintze Ribeiro | Hotel

Day 8 Onward Travel

THIS TRIP'S CARBON SCORE

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.

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Other Information

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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!

Trip Type:

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.

Activity:

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.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Islands

Coastal Walking

Off the Beaten Track

Grade & Terrain

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.

Accommodation & Meals Navigation What's Included

Included

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

Excluded

Travel to and from Ponta Delgada
Tourist tax (on the island of São Miguel)
Lunches and dinners
Drinks and snacks
Personal equipment
Travel insurance (required)

Extras

Additional nights before or after the holiday

When to go Travel & Transfers Info & FAQ

General Information

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.

Tourist Tax

A tourist tax of €2.00 per person, per night has been introduced on the island of São Miguel. The tax is paid directly at check-in.

Equipment

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.

Travel Insurance

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.