FrançaisEnglish

Walks, Talks & Whales

Blue, black, green, white, red and grey are the colours of this journey. Blue for the sea; black and green for the lava ground and the vegetation that is bursting through; white and red for the wine from the vines cultivated according to a unique technique; and finally grey for the matter, yours, that we propose to enrich in all relaxation. Alternating with trips on the water to observe some of the 28 species of whales and dolphins off the coast of Pico, selected hikes, accessible to all walkers, will allow you to discover the UNESCO World Heritage vineyards, the primitive forest, the last remains of which are in Macaronesia, as well as the traditional agricultural landscape of the eastern area of the island. Then there is the climb of the Pico volcano for those considering themselves in the best shape; Pico is the highest volcano in the Azores, and the highest peak in Portugal (2,351 m). Vine cultivation – the famous « Verdelho » wine – and whaling have had a profound impact, not only on the island’s economy, but also on the island’s landscapes, social and geographical organisation, and island lifestyle. You can better understand the Picarotos (inhabitants of Pico) by visiting their past in the whale museum of Lajes, located in the old whaling factory of São Roque and also in the museum of the Madalena vineyard. In the evening, biologists or cetologist guides offer various talks on topics such as cetaceans, turtles, photographic identification of cetaceans, animal photography, the island of Pico, its geology, its fauna, its flora and its inhabitants.

Destinations:

Price:

From € 449.–

Length of holiday:

8 days (7 nights)

Departure dates:

Late March to early November

Features of the holiday

Destination: Azores, Europe, Portugal
Season: Autumn, Spring, Summer
Responsible travel: Accommodation, Carbon offset, Environment, Food, Local food, Micro-economy, Sensitization, Small organization
Travel type: Mixed holidays
Traveller type: Couple, Family, Small group, Solo
Activities: Observation, Tour, Trekking, Walk, Wine tasting
Accommodation: Small hotel
Natural environment: Birds, Dolphin, Flora, Geology, Island, Marine fauna, Sea, Volcano, Whale
Culture: Agriculture, Architecture, Customs, History, Vernacular architecture, Viticulture
Climate: Oceanic, Temperate
Click on the above keywords to browse other holidays with a similar feature.

Itinerary of the holiday

  • Day 1 (Saturday) : Flight from Geneva to Lisbon, then Horta (or Pico). Welcome at the airport, then a ferry to Lajes do Pico. Welcome drink & information concerning the planned activities.
  • Day 2 (Sunday) : Whale watching excursion in the morning and Whaler’s museum in the afternoon.
  • Day 3 (Monday) : Hiking on the eastern tip of the island, visiting a potter.
  • Day 4 (Tuesday) : Hiking in the vineyards and visiting the wine museum.
  • Day 5 (Wednesday) : Excursion on the sea in the morning, an afternoon stroll to the Vigia de Queimada.
  • Day 6 (Thursday) : Hiking in the Laurisilva (primitive forest) and a visit to the whale factory in São Roque.
  • Day 7 (Friday) : Free. (optional) Climbing of the Pico or day of wildlife-watching in São Jorge.
  • Day 8 (Saturday) : Transfer to airport (Pico or Faial). Return flight to Switzerland.

The description of the trip is given as a guideline. The organisers may need to change or modify the trip depending on the weather conditions, security, number of participants and of course the presence of the whales.

Map

Center map
Traffic
Bicycling
Transit
Get Directions

Length of the holiday

8 days (7 nights)

Departure dates

Late March to early November

Price

Price per person from 2 persons in a double room, depending on season: € 449.–, € 499.–, € 599.–
Family price (2 adults, 2 children) from € 1449.–

Optional: climbing of the Pico € 70.–, day of wildlife-watching from € 98.– (depending on the season)

Supplements: single traveller € 199.–, single room € 95.–, half board € 105.–, 3 *** hotel € 180.–, sea view € 20.–

Included with the holiday

  • welcome and transfer from Faial or Pico airport to hotel in Lajes do Pico
  • 7 nights accommodation in a 2 ** hotel (breakfast included)
  • a road book with detailed descriptions of hikes and planned activities
  • two 3-hour excursions on the sea (includes boat, fuel, harbour costs, equipment, etc.)
  • access to the services of the BOCA
  • 3 hikes in varied landscapes unique to Pico
  • 5 talks on a variety of themes (such as: Pico, volcanoes, the evolution of marine mammals, turtles, photo identification, etc.)
  • insurance
  • free entrance to the Whaler’s museum
  • government taxes and cetaceans observation permit

Not included with the holiday

  • flights
  • travel insurance (highly recommended)



Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmailFacebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail
Comments are closed.