The Azores
Like a fragment of Europe adrift in the Atlantic, its nine islands are spread across 645 km midway between Portugal and the USA. Besides the regional capital, Ponta Delgada, the largest island Sao Miguel is most notable for its crater lakes and popular spa resort Furnas, famous for its steam vents, hot springs, boiling mud and other types of geothermal activity.

ADVENTURE IN THE AZORES

The island of Sao Miguel is ideal for those who like walking and nature, with scenes of breathtaking beauty: mountains, creeks and volcanic phenomenon's ready to be explored.

Tour Highlights Terra Nostra botanical gardens • Hiking Fire Lake • Whale watching boat trip • Descent into Sete Cidades crater • Pineapple Plantation visit

DAY 1 DEPART UK, ARRIVE AZORES
Fly to Ponta Delgado. After your flight you will transfer by bus to your hotel in Pooacao (4 nights) and settle in at your own leisure.

DAY 2 HIKING FURNAS
We start our walk in the beautiful Furnas, which lies at the geological borderline between the island’s two mountain ranges and has, as a result, numerous volcanic phenomena – hot springs, small geysers and mud cauldrons. We walk along the shore of the Lake of Furnas inside the basin stopping on the way to see the cooking holes. We continue into Furnas, where we spend the afternoon in the famous 200 year old Terra Nostra botanical gardens which are also home to an inviting thermal swimming pool.

DAY 3 WHALE WATCHING
This morning you can walk to Rocha da Relva. This is a short walk along coastal paths to a beautiful viewing point. This afternoon you can go on a whale watching cruise staring at 12.30pm. Sperm and pilot whales are regularly seen as are pygmy sperm and false killer whales. Many different variety of dolphin swim off these warm waters including bottlenose, spotted and the striped dolphin. There are also interesting birds to see as well as Loggerhead turtles, sharks and sports fish such as marlin and swordfish, all of which make the Azores one of the very top destinations for whale and dolphin watching.

DAY 4 EAST COAST TOUR BY BUS
Today we will take a guided bus tour of the eastern side of Sao Miguel; visiting Nordeste, Tranqueira reserve and Faial de Terra. The eastern coast of Sao Miguel is characterised by an irregular surface area almost totally covered with trees. Many of the exotic sylvan species used for the production of wood and for the protection of properties along with a great variety of other lush vegetation are in abundance here. We will also pass “Pico da Vara”, the highest point on the island, with an altitude of 1105m. We will also visit a cheese factory (subject to its visit scheduling).

DAY 5 HIKING FIRE LAKE
This morning we will visit the Gorreana tea plantation for a guided tour. We then proceed to Fire Lake in the centre of the island and probably the most spectacular of all the crater lakes due to its remoteness. Our walk starts at peak just above the Fire Lake and descends along mountain paths and forest roads to the coast. We are collected at the end of the day from one of the few sandy beaches on the island and transferred to your hotel in Ponta Delgado.

DAY 6 TOUR OF SETE CIDADES
Depart Ponta Delgada towards the mountains of Sete Cidades. The tour will take a southwest route along the shore which is dotted with cows grazing in green pastures. Stop at the Vista do Rei Belvedere, for a magnificent view of the Green Lake and the Blue Lake of Sete Cidades at the bottom of an enormous volcanic crater. You can walk part of the crater and actually descend into Sete Cidades. In your bus, continue along scenic country roads, from which you can admire the northern and southern coasts of the island, and visit the greenhouses of a pineapple plantation to observe how the fruit is cultivated (locals consider it the sweetest tasting pineapple in the world).

DAY 7 OPTIONAL TRIPS
Your last full day is free for further sightseeing, hiking or pure relaxation.
Or you can go on another whale watching and dolphin cruise.
Another alternative is to visit the Aquapark.

DAY 8 DEPARTURE, ARRIVE UK
Fly back to the UK today.

BACK