Whale watching in the Azores
| country: | Azores, Portugal |
| location: | Azores |
| departures: | Trip departs every Sunday from April to October |
| price: | From £580 (8 days) excluding flights |
| more info: | We can help arrange flights from the UK (approx £250 - £350). We have a range of prices for high season (July and August) and low season (April, May, June and September) |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Whale watching in the Azores
The Azores is one the key locations worldwide with sightings 99% guaranteed of a varied number of species of both whale and dolphin. We offer trips from April untill september. The early season dates are a good time to visit as there are many opportunities to sight the migrating big whales with a good chance to see the Blue Whale, the biggest mammal on earth!
May & June is the time that the Baleen Whales are migrating to their summer feeding grounds, passing close to the islands of the Azores. These big whales are also seen during the high season, July and August if you perfer to travel in high summer.
It is possible to observe Humpback, Sei, Fin and Blue Whales, as well as Short Finned Pilot Whales, Bottlenose whales, Orca and Sperm Whales. There are, of course Dolphins, Sea Birds and other Marine life. Assisted by the expertise of the "vigia" local land based lookouts who direct our boats to the whales, we can meet them as they pass the island. You will be amazed at the abundance and diversity of marine life to discover!!
We shall team up with the expertise of the team at the Whale Watch Base, who have been whale watchng here for 20 years, using their knowledge and skill to gain the best advantages to see the Whales. Their research base has a wealth of information and resources and it is possible to learn about the many conservation and research projects being conducted around the Azores. The Base use Rigid Hull Inflatable boats (which are very comfortable, stable and safe) to get us close to the action quickly. Lookouts, "the Vigia" on the shore guide us from the local harbour out into the ocean on the south side of the Island. They direct the boats by radio contact. This is why we see the dolphins and whales on 99% of our trips.
Accommodation
Our accommodation will be at the “Whale” eco lodge which is next to the base from where we take our trips to sea, beside the harbour and with great views of the volcano. The hotel has a marvellous restaurant serving a wide variety of international cuisine to our guests. There are opportunities to eat in other local restaurants too. There will be an orientation and a welcome talk on the evening of your arrival. We take care of all your airport transfers. If you wish to upgrade to the hotel used in our swimming with dolphins program and featured on our web site, you can do so. It is ten minutes by taxi from the boats.
Your Guide
The week will be hosted by local guides including a marine biologist who all speak excellent English and have considerable experience here in the Azores. You will be accompanied on the 5 whale and dolphin watching trips and given a number of informative talks, slide shows and briefings about the marine life in the Azorean Ocean. There will be a representative from our company available to host the logistics of your trip.
Activities
The itinerary includes some informative presentations about the whales and dolphins of the Azores with fabulous photos and video and a visit to the famous sperm whale museum founded by an eminent oxford professor of Marine biology . Also there will be opportunities for nature walks, time to explore the underground caves and the volcano as well as learning about the island’s history, geology, flora, fauna and culture. You will have ample time for relaxation, making your own itinerary as active as you wish.
May & June is the time that the Baleen Whales are migrating to their summer feeding grounds, passing close to the islands of the Azores. These big whales are also seen during the high season, July and August if you perfer to travel in high summer.
It is possible to observe Humpback, Sei, Fin and Blue Whales, as well as Short Finned Pilot Whales, Bottlenose whales, Orca and Sperm Whales. There are, of course Dolphins, Sea Birds and other Marine life. Assisted by the expertise of the "vigia" local land based lookouts who direct our boats to the whales, we can meet them as they pass the island. You will be amazed at the abundance and diversity of marine life to discover!!
We shall team up with the expertise of the team at the Whale Watch Base, who have been whale watchng here for 20 years, using their knowledge and skill to gain the best advantages to see the Whales. Their research base has a wealth of information and resources and it is possible to learn about the many conservation and research projects being conducted around the Azores. The Base use Rigid Hull Inflatable boats (which are very comfortable, stable and safe) to get us close to the action quickly. Lookouts, "the Vigia" on the shore guide us from the local harbour out into the ocean on the south side of the Island. They direct the boats by radio contact. This is why we see the dolphins and whales on 99% of our trips.
Accommodation
Our accommodation will be at the “Whale” eco lodge which is next to the base from where we take our trips to sea, beside the harbour and with great views of the volcano. The hotel has a marvellous restaurant serving a wide variety of international cuisine to our guests. There are opportunities to eat in other local restaurants too. There will be an orientation and a welcome talk on the evening of your arrival. We take care of all your airport transfers. If you wish to upgrade to the hotel used in our swimming with dolphins program and featured on our web site, you can do so. It is ten minutes by taxi from the boats.
Your Guide
The week will be hosted by local guides including a marine biologist who all speak excellent English and have considerable experience here in the Azores. You will be accompanied on the 5 whale and dolphin watching trips and given a number of informative talks, slide shows and briefings about the marine life in the Azorean Ocean. There will be a representative from our company available to host the logistics of your trip.
Activities
The itinerary includes some informative presentations about the whales and dolphins of the Azores with fabulous photos and video and a visit to the famous sperm whale museum founded by an eminent oxford professor of Marine biology . Also there will be opportunities for nature walks, time to explore the underground caves and the volcano as well as learning about the island’s history, geology, flora, fauna and culture. You will have ample time for relaxation, making your own itinerary as active as you wish.
traveller reviews for Whale watching in the Azores
Our holiday was a wonderful experience. Our trips to see the whales was exciting and at times breathtaking. Malcolm, our expert, helped make the trip an enjoyable and well informed holiday, with organised trips. (more)
how this holiday makes a difference
 We only work with local suppliers who employ 80% local people which means financial benefits to families here. The land based lookouts whose immense skill at tracking the animals previously earned money from whaling and now earn money from tourists. Many of their children skipper the boats and work with the small scale tourism. We have a 99% success rate with sighting dolphins and whales. This location is exceptional in its abundance and variety of animals, with super pods of up to 1000 dolphins. It is extremely rare not to be with the animals who come close to shore due to the geology of the island and the plentiful food supply. The in water encounters and the way the boats approach the animals follow local regulations to protect the animals by licensed boat operators. There is a good spirit of cooperation amongst the boat companies and agreements to respect the animals as a priority. Our guides are fully qualified to ensure your safety in the water at all times and provide a full training to develop confidence in the water if needed. They also give you a lot of background knowledge about the marine life and the islands. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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