Daily programme:

D1: Pick up from Horta airport and transfer to your accommodation. The taxi transfer will take you to the Hortacetaceos base and show you how to make your own way there the next day.

D2: Rendezvous with Pedro at 9am for the first boat trip. The afternoon is free, giving you an opportunity to explore the small town of Horta and admire the numerous drawings left by travelling sailors (famous or not!) at the marina.

D3: Second boat trip. Afterwards you’ll appreciate a nice swim at “Porto Pim”. This fantastic bay, cemetery to thousands of sperm whales, today hosts a magnificent black-sand beach. Scrimshaws, sculpted from the whales’ teeth, can be seen at the inevitable “Café Sport”.

D4: In the morning you can visit the main attractions of Faial (see “Optional Activities”). In the afternoon we will pick you up from your accommodation and take you to the ferry terminal where a 30-minute boat ride will transport you to Madelena. We will be waiting there to transfer you to Espaço Talassa in Lajes do Pico.

D5: Third boat trip trailing the dolphins and whales of the south of Pico. In the afternoon a stroll to the “Vigia de Queimada” (the look-out) will give you a better understanding of how we situate the animals and how Marcel leads us to them. Magic!

D6: Fourth and last boat trip, after which, you can delve in to the history and culture of whaling in the Azores at the museum in Lajes (a few metres from our base) and at SIBIL, the old sperm-whale conditioning factory, now converted in to an arts of the sea centre.

D7: Hikers can tackle Mount Pico while bio-diversity enthusiasts can head for Sao Jorge Island. See “Optional Activities”.

D8: Alas…direction Madelena and then Horta airport, after crossing the famous Vitorino Nemésio channel that separates the two islands.