The trip to the Azores gives us the unique opportunity to observe different species of large whales in one place - and not so far away from the European mainland!

Around a two-hour flight from Portugal lies the Azores archipelago. Often known for the formation of high-pressure areas, these islands have also gained popularity in recent years due to their natural beauty.
What many people don't know is that in April, many large whales pass by these islands on their migration. They are joined by several resident species, making the Azores an Eldorado for whale watchers and photographers.
We go out to sea twice a day to see blue whales, fin whales, humpback whales, sperm whales and many other species up close!
We go in search of the marine mammals in fast inflatable boats, which allow us to cover great distances.
During our week, we are accommodated in a small former whaling village on the south coast of the island of Pico. Our hotel is right next to the whale watching base and also has a restaurant where we enjoy our meals!

The aim of this trip is to encounter a wide variety of whale and dolphin species, but first and foremost the blue whale! In spring, the large baleen whales migrate from warmer southern Atlantic waters northwards towards the Arctic. Along the way, many make a short stop around the Azores!

We therefore focus primarily on baleen whales such as the blue whale, fin whale, humpback whale and sei whale. Especially for blue whales, the Azores are the best region in Europe to experience these giants!
But of course we don't ignore the local resident sea creatures. Bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, striped dolphins and roundhead dolphins live around these islands all year round and we see them very regularly, if not daily. We also have excellent chances of spotting the largest toothed whales in the world, the sperm whales, in large groups!

During our time on the south coast of Pico, we stay in a small hotel right by the sea. The rooms are simple, but clean and comfortable. But don't expect luxury!
The hotel is located just a few meters from the whale-watching station, where we take the rib boats out to sea.
The hotel's restaurant serves a small breakfast buffet every morning and this is also where we have lunch and dinner. In addition to the menu, there are also changing daily menus every day. In general, a lot of emphasis is placed on regionality and sustainability when it comes to meals, which is great!

Assuming good conditions, we go out to sea twice a day to watch whales and dolphins.
The first tour starts at around 9 am and lasts about 3 hours.
After lunch, we go out again in the afternoon for another 3 hours. Back on land and after a well-earned shower, we enjoy a drink and round off the evening with a good dinner and hopefully lots of whale stories!
If you like, you can also listen to various talks about whales and other marine animals!

However, the weather in the Azores can also be very wet and stormy. If it is too wild, the trips are canceled and we go on an island tour!

The climate in the Azores in spring can be very changeable! From sunshine and 25 degrees to rain and 15 degrees, anything is possible. We recommend packing good, weatherproof clothing and rubber boots. Rain jackets are provided by the boat operators.

In the event of heavy rain or wind, the trips are usually cancelled. In these cases we can also partially refund the trip costs.

For photographers we recommend medium lenses (200-300mm). The whales often come relatively close to the boats and quickly fill the viewfinder with their size!

If you want, you can also bring your GoPro on a stick to record dolphins swimming underwater in the bow!