Sail, Hike and Summit in the Azores

After arrival, you will be driven to Caloura for a burst of adrenaline. The coastline of volcanic islands often hides areas that few ever get to see. We'll be scrambling and traversing the tide line, snorkelling and swimming along the volcanic bottom with its fauna and flora and climbing cliffs to plunge into the salty water!

Before returning to Ponta Delgada, you will have dinner at a restaurant by the harbour where fresh fish is the main attraction.

Following the flight to São Jorge Island, you will be driven from Velas airport to Santo Antão parish on the far southeast part of the island. There, we will start the hike towards the west, first across green meadows and farmer’s dirt roads, and later across streams and canyons, along the south coastal cliffs. After passing the stream Ribeira de São Tomé the coastal cliffs display Pico and Faial Islands. Along the way, there will be time for a picnic break. Now the next section of the trail will put you through the first test – hiking skills, fitness and endurance. Hiking along these cliffs the group will reach the settlement of Fajã de São João. Then the last challenge is to hike to Fajã dos Vimes where you will spend the night.  As a reward, a special dinner will be served at Café Nunes – the traditional “Sopas de Espírito Santo” - a bread, meat and vegetable “soup” typically served on the Holy Spirit festivities in the Azores.

You will hike along the trails that local people once used daily to commute between the settlements by the ocean and the pasturelands at high altitude. These were the only access way to Fajã dos Vimes and Fajã da Caldeira do Santo Cristo, crossing from the southwest coast to the northeast coast of the island.

You will take the trail descending along the northern cliff until reaching the Natural Reserve of Fajã da Caldeira do Santo Cristo. There will be a resting moment for a late lunch with the possibility of tasting the famous clams produced in the Santo Cristo lagoon.

The last leg of the trail is an easy one, towards the northwest along the coast until Fajã dos Cubres, classified as a RAMSAR site and included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance. After a resting moment for some drinks at a local café, the group will be transferred to Cantinho das Buganvílias for dinner and accommodation.

Early in the morning, we will board two sailing boats with a crew who will be ready to sail to Lajes do Pico, on the south coast of Pico Island. The contrasts between the crystal clear blue ocean, the lush green vegetation and the black lava fields are astonishing from the water. Crossing the channel between the islands of São Jorge and Pico in a sailing boat promises us extraordinary views over the Azorean triangle (Faial – Pico – São Jorge). After lunch at a local restaurant, it is time to go back to the ocean, on a zodiac boat to do whale watching with a local marine biologist. During the trip, some of the 24 different cetacean species that exist around the Azores (resident and migrant) may be spotted including blue, fin and sperm whales.  Dinner will be at one of the islands best restaurants.

Climbing Mount Pico is the challenge of the day! We'll camp overnight in the main crater and at dawn climb Piquinho (2351m) – a small volcanic cone within the crater. It's definitely not an easy task, but at the top you'll be rewarded by a feeling you won’t forget too soon: imagine yourself sleeping in a crater of a dormant (yet active) volcano at an altitude above 2000m, hearing nothing but silence and seeing nothing but the moon and the million stars of the night sky, among the steam released by fumaroles. Mount Pico is Portugal’s highest summit and the 5th highest peak in the North Atlantic Ocean. On top, sunsets and sunrises are amazing, watching the sun's rays disappearing and reappearing in the horizon. As the sun rises, Mount Pico will cast a shadow point towards Faial Island. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience.

After the best possible start in the morning of enjoying the sunrise at the summit of Mount Pico, taking in the splendid views over the 5 islands of the central group - Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial (weather permitting), you will start the descent that leads over the same track as the day before. There a transfer awaits and takes you back to the coast. This is a day for laying back, relaxing and enjoying the surrounding landscape.

After a pleasant shower, a well-earned and delicious lunch will be served at the Adega of Pico’s greatest private wine producer. The award-winning Azores Wine Company is producing a range of certified, high-quality wines, exporting their products worldwide to Michelin star restaurants. At the end of the afternoon, it is time to say goodbye to Pico and setting off on a flight to São Miguel for new adventures.

Heading to the eastern side of São Miguel, you will have the opportunity to work with the Portuguese Association for Bird Research (SPEA) on the Life+ project. The main goal of this project is to preserve the laurel forest which is the habitat of the Priolo – the Azores bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina) - and save this endemic bird from extinction. The plan is to get involved in a volunteer action at Planalto dos Graminhais – a wetlands habitat on the highlands of Povoação and Nordeste municipalities. A SPEA’s researcher associated with the project will explain all about the work and the participation in some of the maintenance actions of the area, in particular, the control of the invasive plants.

After a break for a picnic lunch, the group will visit the Priolo Environmental Centre and an area of laurel forest where some of the endemic plant species of the Azores will be seen and maybe the Azores bullfinch itself.

São Miguel has a variety of surfing spots, some with north-facing beach breaks at Ribeira Grande and excellent waves to be found year-round for both beginner and experienced surfers. A certified instructor will be available to provide valuable information on the coastal characteristics and how to best take advantage of the local ocean conditions, as well as a surf lesson if needed. A relaxing surf moment is a nice farewell to the Azores after an adventure-rich week.