Self-Guided Walking in the Azores - Faial and Pico Islands
Self-Guided Walking in the Azores - Faial and Pico Islands
8 Days Starting and ending in Pico Island
Visiting: Pico Island, Silveira, Horta
Tour operator:
Tour code:
WSAF
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 16
Physical rating:
Medium, Low, None
Age range:
14-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Vegans, Meat
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
On this self-guided walking holiday in the Azores, explore two of the nine volcanic islands that make up this mid-Atlantic archipelago. Enjoy easy and moderate walks through forest, on red-dirt tracks and along craggy coastline.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Trip Starts On Pico Island
Location: Pico Island
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: No Meals
On arrival at Pico Airport (PIX) a private transfer will take you your hotel in Silveira, on the south of the island (about a 50-minute drive). If you have an early flight and arrive in the morning, you can spend the day by the hotel swimming pool or try your luck spotting whales from the cliff.
Day 2 : Walk Along The Southern Coast
Location: Silveira
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, a taxi driver will pick you up to go to the starting point of the route, just above Silveira village. The Pico volcano, 2,351m Portugal's highest peak, will be your back drop along most of the route. The second part of this route follows mainly flat terrain as you follow the coastline back to the hotel admiring some of the southern coast of the island.
Today's 13km walk is expected to take between 3.5 to 4 hours and you will ascend 100m and descend 290m.
Day 3 : Caminho Dos Burros (Donkey Trail)
Location: Silveira
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
After a short 35-minute transfer, you start walking from the central plateau of Pico, an area where volcanic eruptions took place almost 500 years ago. After a while on high terrain, you begin your descent down to the north coast. You will traverse the habitat of native flora on your way to Baia das Canas. This small settlement is located on a tiny black beach. In the afternoon you will be picked up for the transfer to Silveira.
Today's 10km walk is expected to take between 2.5 to 3 hours and you will ascend 100m and descend 800m.
Day 4 : Lagoa Do Capitão Walking Trail
Location: Horta
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today begins with a transfer to the start of an amazing route, from the lake at Lagoa do Capitão down to São Roque, first along red dirt tracks then downhill through a stunning forest. In order to avoid a long and demanding descent, you can choose an alternative route. Your driver will pick you up at the end of the walk and take you to your next accommodation in Madalena.
Today's 10km walk is expected to take 3 hours and you will ascend 1000m and descend 770m.
Day 5 : Walk Through Vineyards Then Boat To Horta
Location: Horta
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
On your last day on the island of Pico, the taxi driver will pick you up at the hotel and drive you to the start of your walk. A straightforward route along the island's east coast, enjoying the scenery provided by Pico's historic vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your route ends at the harbour in Madalena, where you get the boat to Horta on the island of Faial. A taxi will pick you up at the harbour in Horta and take you to your accommodation. If you arrive on Faial in time, you can opt to do a short walk. From the marina and old fishing quarter of Porto Pim, you follow the beach out to the peninsula of Monta da Guia. The route follows quiet tarmac roads to a beautiful vista point then circles back to Horta.
Today's 4.4km walk is expected to take between 1.5 hours and you will ascend 160m and descend 160m.
Day 6 : The Caldeira
Location: Horta
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
After a 30-minute drive you arrive at the Caldeira. Two kilometres wide and 500 metres deep, it is the highest point on Faial Island and in clear weather provides splendid views of the islands of Graciosa, Sao Jorge and Pico. Today's route follows the edge of the crater, then starts downhill along a red dirt track through the forest. A levada (water channel) will guide you for a section, before the ascent to another crater Cabeço do Fogo. One last descent takes you through the Reserva Florestal de Capelo to the picnic area where the route ends.
Today's 13km walk is expected to take between 3.5 to 4 hours and you will ascend 150m and descend 700m.
Day 7 : Capelinhos Lighthouse
Location: Horta
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today you explore the west end of the island of Faial and your walking route begins in the town of Capelo. Through the green craters of Cabeço Verde and Cabeço do Canto, you will reach the young volcanic area of Capelinhos, formed by a volcanic eruption only recently (in 1957). The beautifully coloured volcanic ash is still exposed here and the young dry landscape has not yet been pushed down into the sea. The lighthouse which once marked the westernmost point of the island has not worked for years, but you can visit the lovely information centre here to learn about the history of Capelinhos or take a stroll through this newly formed terrain. You can then enjoy a coastal route to the town of Varadouro, where you will be picked up by your local representative and taken back to your hotel.
Today's 12.5km walk is expected to take 3 hours and you will ascend 300m and descend 400m.
Day 8 : Boat To Pico. Trip Ends Pico Airport
Location: Pico Island
Meals Included: Breakfast
After breakfast you have an included taxi transfer to the harbour, where you get the boat back to Pico Island. From Madalena you have a transfer arranged to take you to Pico Airport (PIX) where this holiday ends.
What's Included
-
Accommodation
-
Meals – Breakfast Only
What's Not Included
Check out our Q&As
-
Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?
Yes, we would be delighted to book extra nights before the start or at the end of your trip, please let us know your requirements at the time of booking.
-
Are airport transfers included in this tour?
All customers that travel on a Explore group trip will be provided with a complimentary transfer, provided they arrive and depart into the designated airport or train station on the trip start and end dates. This is a great way to start your travels, offering you that little extra peace of mind and comfort in the knowledge that there will be someone at the airport or station waiting to take you t
-
I'm going on a walking/cycling trip-do I need to train?
It will depend on the grade and how fit you already are. Check the trip page for details of the walking or cycling grade and how far you’ll be walking/cycling each day. For moderate or challenging trips in particular we’d recommend doing some walks or cycles before you leave to build up your fitness and prepare you for the distances being covered.
-
Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
We have a wide range of ages nationalities on our small group trips and they come from all walks of life.
-
Should I get travel insurance?
Yes–it is a condition of booking that you are fully insured when travelling with us
-
How long has the tour company been trading?
At Explore, we're the experts in adventure travel. Our small group adventure holidays have been running since 1981. Today, Explore is one of the most trusted travel companies in the UK with over 500 trips to more than 120 countries.
-
Can I join the tour once it has departed?
Yes, but there are no concessions for doing so, and we must have a record in your booking advising as such before the trip departs.
-
Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?
Being a responsible company is a large statement, something that has to be entwined within the very fibre of a company. Discover the charities and partnerships we support as part of this at https://www.explore.co.uk/about/sustainability/charities-and-partners
-
What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
We want to be as clear as and as honest as possible about what happens if you decide to that you no longer wish to travel on your trip. Our booking conditions have details of the costs you’ll incur when you cancel-these charges depend on how long it is before your planned departure.
-
What is the accommodation like?
We choose comfortable accommodation in the best locations possible. We opt for small, local and family-run accommodation where we can, as opposed to large chain hotels. We typically use hotels that are the equivalent of European 3-star, and you’ll usually have an en suite room. Occasionally, where we want to get off the beaten trail we may stay in more basic accommodation.
-
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Sustainability is embedded within the fibre of Explore, it emanates from the inside out. But as we enter a new decade it is clearer than ever that our world needs help, and Explore has created a sustainability strategy based on the 2015 UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
-
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Our flexible booking and safety policies mean you're protected before and during your travels with us. Receive a full refund if your trip is cancelled, transfer your trip free of charge up to 10 days before departure minus any irrocoverable costs.
-
Do I need to be very fit to book with you?
All our trips require some level of active participation. This could be on a cultural trip, trek, safari, expedition or voyage. It is in the interests of all members of the group that everyone should be capable of fully participating in the activities of their chosen trip.
-
What documents will I receive before I travel?
Final documents will include a comprehensive trip itinerary, climate and country information, budgeting and packing advice visa and passport information and details on optional activities available.
-
Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Yes on most of our trips. Most trips are based on customers sharing twin-bedded rooms. If you book a group trip as an individual, you will share a room with someone of the same sex. However, on many trips we offer the opportunity to pay a supplement to pre-book a single room, known as our single room option. On some trips a single room will be provided every night, on others it will be provided o
-
Do we have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel
It’s now a condition of booking a trip with us that customers should have one of the following before they travel - — Be vaccinated against COVID, having received the full recommended course, and allowing enough time for immunity to take effect. Full vaccination includes any booster required to keep the vaccine valid. — Have taken a negative test (rapid antigen or PCR) within 72hrs of departure.
-
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Explore will only offer hotels that have specific COVID-19 protocols in place and comply with local government guidelines. We will ensure these measures include; enhanced room cleaning, ventilation, social distancing, regular cleaning and disinfection of high frequency touch points in public areas, food safety, staff re-training and minimising contact within the properties.
Reviews of this Operator
Book with Confidence
-
Free Date Changes
Explore! allows you to make 1 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 60 days before the start of the tour.
-
Low Deposit
Explore! requires a minimum deposit of 10% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
-
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of explore! charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 13 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
Why book with tourhub?
Safe & Secure
Your money is protected in an external trust until you travel.
100% Guaranteed Refunds if your trip is cancelled.
The safest way to make overseas, multi-currency payments.
Guaranteed Best Value
Industry leading discounts, we won't be beaten on price.
No cancellation or amendment fees from tourhub.
(Operator terms may apply)
Expert Knowledge
Reliable & unbiased advice from travel experts.
Direct contact with the tour operator via our messaging service.
Inspiration & advice from a community of 6000+ real travellers, influencers & content creators.
Trusted Service
Official partners & licensed agents of 1000+ tour operators worldwide.
Don't just take our word for it...
"Tourhub: Friendliness, Professionalism & Integrity I would happily give tourhub a 6* review if I could..."