Blue whale watching in the Azores, Pico Island
Exclusive small group tour on Pico Island with services of tour guide and expert marine biologists.
Participate in research onboard and have a unique opportunity to see Blue Whales as they migrate past the Azores islands.
Description of Blue whale watching in the Azores, Pico Island
This Blue Whale, Fin Whales, Sperm Whales exclusive small group tour on Pico, Azores is a stunning May event, as this is the best time for seeing migratory Blue Whales off the Azores. Your base will be the Azorean island of Pico, a third of which is a nature reserve, with a volcano at its core. You can choose to stay in 3*** harbourside hotel, a charming 4**** upgrade hotel surrounded by lush gardens or our guest house villa with pool, all with stunning sea views.
The main focus of the week is to see Blue Whales of course and the other baleen whales as they migrate close to shore. You will have exclusive guide services with talks and audio visual presentations from Oceanographer and marine science researcher, Russell Arnott of Incredible Oceans. On each sea trip you will have marine biologist presentations and services. Your whale watching excursions will be on board a RIB Zodiac boat, which travels comfortably in choppy waters and also able to stay clear of the bigger vessels. You will have a chance to become totally immersed in looking out for the whales during this exciting season when the baleen whales migrate past the islands. You have a good chance to see Blue Whale, fin, Sei and humpback whales during this time when the weather is generally a better than earlier in the migration season ( march/ April) when we cannot go out to sea. The resident Sperm whales are very likely to be seen and their numbers around the Azores are increasing. The guides will talk to you about data collection and photo ID which help the researchers learn about the migration patterns, feeding habits and behaviour of the animals. You also get to hear the sounds of Whales using underwater hydrophones. Our guests are always bowled over and inspired by the expert marine biologist knowledge as well as their commitment to responsible whale watching.
Russell Arnott has a passion for marine science and ocean conservation. He is a unique and engaging presenter and has specific knowledge of the marine life and the fascinating geological origin of the Azores Islands. He is a published author and wrote “Ocean Endangered” which explores marine conservation issues and offers to guidance to individuals who want to take action and make a difference. He also runs a marine conservation charity called Incredible Oceans and currently teaches marine science at University level.
We have a great record of whale sightings, not only of Blue Whales but also Fin and Humpback Whales, as they are attracted to the nutrient rich waters around Pico during this time. We have also been lucky enough to see an Orca pod on one trip and other wildlife wonders include seven species of dolphin, turtles and Manta Rays.
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Exclusive small group tour on Pico Island with services of tour guide and expert marine biologists.
Participate in research onboard and have a unique opportunity to see Blue Whales as they migrate past the Azores islands.
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Reviews
14 Reviews of Blue whale watching in the Azores, Pico Island
Reviewed on 02 Jun 2024 by John Forster
The most exciting part of the holiday was seeing the whales and dolphins. Read full reviewReviewed on 25 May 2024 by Rosemary Evans
I would rate this holiday 10/10 definitely! Read full reviewReviewed on 15 May 2024 by Pat Pitt
Had great time. Lyn and Russel were excellent knowledgeable guides. Pico Island was stunning.30 striped dolphins jumping out of the water parallel to the boat. Read full reviewReviewed on 25 May 2023 by Jacki Leighton Boyce
I loved it. It was fantastically organised and the team were so informative and friendly. Read full reviewReviewed on 22 May 2023 by Benedikte Rathmann
Most memorable was the whale watching, but also the kindness of the people of Pico. Read full reviewReviewed on 18 May 2023 by John Davies
Total success; well organized, super specialists, Amanda great with us visitors; already thinking of going again; I have friends who are likely to want to go. Read full reviewReviewed on 14 May 2023 by Kate Zebidi
Every Day, was a Joy to be out on the water, what ever the conditions... Hope to return, next year for another Azorean Adventure. Read full reviewReviewed on 07 May 2023 by Leslie Lanphear
Best vacation I have had in a long time. I feel sad for my future holidays, as it will be hard to match! Read full reviewReviewed on 15 May 2023 by Alison Sowerby
Fantastic. A privilege to observe an abundance of sea life. Read full reviewReviewed on 08 May 2022 by Sandra Burton
Absolutely loved it...Seeing the whales, Hump back, Sperm Whales, Sei whales and Fin Whales. Read full reviewReviewed on 14 May 2022 by Julie Smith
The daily encounter with whales and dolphins are memories I shall carry with me always. Read full reviewReviewed on 09 Jun 2022 by Clare Bates
Getting to ride in the RIB (so much fun!) and seeing plenty of whales and dolphins. Sadly didn’t see the big Blue which was the main aim of the trip, we just weren’t in the right place at the right time! Read full reviewReviewed on 11 May 2021 by Lilith Hausherr
Seeing a blue whale for the first time in my life - and then for the second time and the third time and so on. Because there is more than one boat trip, you really get the chance to encounter them many times. Some were fluking, one changed direction and came towards the boat - it was absolutly fantastic. Read full reviewReviewed on 19 May 2018 by Richard Christie
Truly amazing with many sightings of Blue, Sperm and Fin Whales Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
The way the boats approach the whales follow local regulations to protect the marine life. We only use licensed boat operators who are very sensitive to the well-being of the dolphins and whales. There is a good spirit of cooperation amongst the boat companies and agreements to respect the animals as a priority.Research is ongoing on the boats, so these trips are helping to build our knowledge of these fantastic animals. Many of the skippers are professional photographers and maintain a comprehensive photo ID database, in particular sperm whales, bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales. The more we can learn about the whales and dolphins of the Azores the better we can understand things like their migrations and social structures. All this moves us closer to protecting them and the marine environment in a more knowledgeable, effective way.
Guests are encouraged to send in any photos they have taken on the whale watching trips that can be used in the ongoing photo identification projects. Every trip has a huge emphasis on conservation and sustaining the marine environment so future generations may also have the privilege of seeing marine mammals in the wild.
People
We only work with local suppliers who employ at least 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 now earn money from tourists - an enormous change that we are passionate about supporting. Many of their adult children now skipper the whale watching boats and work within the small scale tourism.Our whale watching company offers presentations in local schools to educate the children about the marine life on their doorstep with an emphasis on conservation. They are also planning to host an Azorean Whale Festival to promote the islands as one of the key locations worldwide to see whales. We donate a percentage of our profits to the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA), helping to protect whales and dolphins worldwide.
All the activities we recommend locally are run by Azoreans and are designed to maintain good relationships between visitors and the local people. For example, we sell and promote only local crafts to our guests to support local craft makers and artisans and to spread tourism income to many islanders. Our favourite restaurants are all run by Azorean people, and we do recommend that our visitors try the delicious local cuisine while supporting sustainable local fishermen in particular.
As well as whale watching we offer geological and cultural tours hosted solely by experienced local guides with an in-depth knowledge of their island and its landscape. We support the local vineyards where guests can sample the fantastic Azorean wine and take these locally produced gifts back to people at home.
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