From the moment you step off the plane, our team will ensure everything is taken care of. You will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel where you will meet you expert guide over welcome drinks.  Your guide will be with you throughout the duration of your holiday ensuring you get the best experience possible. There will be regular briefings and updates with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

We offer this special, small exclusive group tour in May which is popular with whale enthusiasts and those who want to see whales for the first time. There is a programme of talks and activities led by our expert whale researcher and marine biologist guides. The dates coincide with the annual migration of the Blue whales, Fin whales and Humpbacks. This is a unique opportunity for you to view these Ocean Giants in their Mid Atlantic feeding grounds – sightings have been exceptional over the last few years. Being part of a special small group tour gives you a very informative experience which you can share with others in the group – the whole experience is fun and sociable. Some meals are included for the  group in local restaurants with your guide.

The guide will be with your small group, ensuring you don’t miss any sightings and that you have a great vantage point for taking photographs and viewing the animals. His explanations really add another dimension to your understanding of the behaviour of the whales. He will also ensure you go out to sea at the optimum times for best sea conditions and weather to maximise your enjoyment.

“Our tour was led by expert guide, Rui, a whale researcher who collaborates with whale researchers worldwide, which is vital for this species protection. Passionate, hardworking, sharing and kind sums Rui up to a tee. He is literally the nicest guy you will ever meet! The guide and the local team were always caring, smiling and super enthusiastic. The trips out to sea were utterly amazing with many sightings of Blue, Sperm and Fin whales together with several dolphin and turtle species. There were numerous other creatures all expertly described by Rui (the man’s knowledge is unbelievable).We were also educated as to the role of the spotters (locally known as the Vigia) and we were fortunate to meet one who guided us to the animals. Learning about this was a real pleasure.

We were given short seminars after the trips, recapping what we had seen and allowing us time to consider these sightings so we could ask Rui questions. He was always passionate about sharing his fascination for these animals and all things nature in general.

I was very worried about getting seasick as I’m not good on the water, however, just taking some travel sickness pills sorted that out and I had no issues at all.” Richard Christie

Cetaceans are drawn to the Azores by the fertile water, rich in phytoplankton, which is the perfect place for a stopover to feed en route north.

Every year, a  spring phytoplankton bloom warmed by the temperate waters of the gulf stream around the Azores archipelago attracts a unique gathering of huge, ravenous Blue, Fin, Sei and Baleen whales (largest whales) on their migration routes to the feeding grounds of the northern Atlantic. Their numbers are increasing around the Azores.

“This tour was quite simply astounding….epic….beyond belief….it was one of the best days of my life to see and feel these giant whales close to the boat.”

May dates have been chosen as statistics show that this time will offer you the best chance to see these migrating whales when they stopover and spend a few days to feed on the rich food source here. This is something unique in the whole of Europe. May also offers better sea conditions than March and April with warmer temperatures.

It is easy to get to The Azores on direct flights from the UK, many European cities and the USA. You can also travel via Lisbon and Porto from mainland Portugal. See our getting there section.

This small group tour takes place on a large stable catamaran that has other passengers on board. The catamaran has excellent viewing platforms, railings and a great vantage point for taking photos. There is plenty of space to walk around, outdoor and indoor seating and toilet facilities. Your group will be together accompanied by your expert guide who will be there to ensure you are looking in the right places to see the whales.

“We were on the cat and a huge gasp went up from everyone on board; a Fin whale had swum in front of the boat and opened its mouth out of the water to feed. It was only a split second but that sight is engraved on my memory.” Margaret Merris, May 2018.

In recent years, we have been blessed with some exceptional sightings. Our groups have seen Blue, Fin and Humpback whales on many occasions, some so close to the boat you could smell their ‘exhale’ which had the aroma of their over-indulgent feeding on the krill. Even when the weather is challenging, we are usually able to reschedule cancelled boat trips to another day.

“We saw Humpbacks on our trip and to our astonishment, 50 metres from the boat one leapt out of the water and crashed backdown with a mighty splash! We really got an idea of just how ginormous these animals are.”

Our expert lookouts or ‘Vigia’ can spot the whales from land as they pass close to the volcanic islands and they direct the boats by radio contact to locate the whales. This makes for consistently excellent sightings, said to be some of the best in the world. It is a much more efficient system than searching for whales when out at sea.  The lookouts were historically used to sight whales for hunting which was banned in the Azores nearly 30 years ago. The lookouts are employed by the whale watching companies instead for tourists to appreciate the beauty of these magnificent creatures rather than killing them – a true win for conservation.

Our whale watching company has a research base offering a wealth of information and resources for our guests. It is possible to learn about the many research projects and conservation efforts being conducted around the Azores. Our guests are very impressed by the high standard offered by our boat company who are dedicated to offering you the best experience, as well as ensuring that all boat approaches are done in a responsible way where the welfare of the whales comes first.

You will stay in the harbour-front Hotel Marina Atlantico in a superior ocean view room with balcony. A delicious breakfast buffet is included as well as two group evening meals with your guide. The group are all in the same place making it a good place for a social drink in the bar as well as informal group meetings. There is a single supplement for solo travellers to suit all budgets.
Your hotel is ideally located – everything is within easy walking distance from where you can explore the delights of this lively harbour town which is an international port.

Your tour includes a full day island tour. Our local guides will take you to the hot thermal pools and geysers deep in the island’s interior at Furnas and teach you about the geothermal activity. Your visit will include a swim in hot thermal pools and lunch (cooked underground) in a local restaurant. Free time can be spent exploring the island at your leisure (on foot on bike or by kayak), visiting the stunning botanical gardens, enjoying presentations from our marine biologist guides or simply relaxing by the pool.