Pico Island
Whales and Whaling Heritage
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT
WHALES IN PICO ISLAND
Fortunately, whaling was forbidden in 1986 in the Azores. However, it moulded the islands’ History for more than 100 years and nowadays it represents an important part of the local patrimony. The Azorean people used to hunt whales to survive, the hunt was always « manual » and rudimentary. During this tour, you will have the opportunity to discover the deepest secrets of this practice and how it ended.
In the morning, we will start with a visit of a former whale factory in São Roque do Pico; a place that allows us to travel back in time and see how and under which conditions the locals have worked to secure their subsistence.
Crossing the island to the South Coast, we will visit a traditional whale lookout hut, where we usually have the opportunity to meet a whale spotter, giving directions to the whale watching boats.
We will spend the rest of the morning in Lajes do Pico, the Azorean whaling capital, enjoying a walk through this picturesque traditional village with influenced architecture from this period. We will also pass by a monument dedicated to the whalers as well as ancient tryworks replicas.
In the famous whalers museum we get to understand the special meaning and importance of the whaling heritage for the local community.
After lunch in a local restaurant, let’s go for our whale and dolphin watching experience. Our biologists will give you a briefing to explain which cetacean species can be observed, safety measures aboard, how we respect the animals and rules of observation at sea.
During the boat trip, you will have the opportunity to watch some of the 28 cetacean species that can be found in the Azores.
WHALES AWAIT
Come see some of the 28 cetacean species present around the archipelago!
Only interested in whale watching?
DOLPHINS WILL BE HERE TOO
Risso’s dolphins love Azorean waters, that is why they are one of our 4 resident cetacean species.
When is the best time to see whales and dolphins?
WHALING HERITAGE
Discover more about the old whaling times in the Azores islands with a complete visit to the Whales Museum.
See the remains of a whale factory in São Miguel
Location
São Roque - Lajes do Pico
Duration
About 8.5h
Tour Rates
100€ (+12 years old) 75€ Children (8-12 years old)
Daily Departures
9:30am
Check In Times
9:30am
Availability
April to October (minimum 2 participants)
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Vessel Types
Zodiac + Van
Minimum Age
8 years old (the ocean tours are operated in zodiac, children need to reach the ground with their feet for safety reasons)
Tour Details
- Pick up & Drop off in Madalena. Pick up in other areas can increase the price and is to be confirmed with our services.
- Guide
- Visit of a lookout hut
- Entrance in the whaler’s museum and whale factory
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Pre-tour briefing
- Raincoat for the boat trip
- Life jacket
- Marine biologist aboard
- Insurance (personal accident and liability)
Vegetarian options on request. If you have a special diet or food restrictions, please inform us at least 48h before the tour.
Restrictions may apply for pregnant women and people with lower back problems.
Children ideally above 8 years old. Once seated in the boat, the child’s feet must reach the ground for safety reasons.
- Comfortable clothes and shoes
- Sweater, jacket
- Sunscreen, towel and hat
- Backpack, water and snacks
Q: What is the difficulty level of this experience?
A: It is considered to be an easy tour.
Q: Which language do the guides and biologists speak?
A: We guarantee Portuguese and English. In case you want another language you should contact us in advance.
Q: Can children do this experience?
A: This experience is an exclusive week for adults and children above 8 years old for safety reasons.
Tour Gallery
Species You Might See
Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Fin Whale
Balaenoptera physalus
HUMPBACK WHALE
Megaptera novaeangliae
SEI WHALE
Balaenoptera borealis
BLUE WHALE
Balaenoptera musculus
Bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Common dolphin
Delphinus delphis
Risso’s dolphin
Grampus griséus
Tour Bookings
“AMAZING”
“Loved our trip…Maria and Rui excellent…. Perfect time amazing loved it, better than the mass trips. Lovely people perfection!!”
Alex P – Tripadvisor
“OBRIGADA!”
“Maria is an awsome guide, we spotted common dolphins, bottlenose and rissos, loggerhead turtles. She made the dolphin experience unforgettable, she invited me in front of the zodiac and it was like flying with the dolphins, you can almost touch them..”
Zsuzsi Ilycsin – Facebook
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