8 hour(s)
English
Included
Breath in fresh air and admire panoramic views from volcanic viewpoints
Learn about the geological context and formation of the Azores
Explore 4 lakes on Pico Island in just one day and take in the landscape
Hear about endemic flora and fauna from your guide and see volcanic lagoons
Visit Casa dos Vulcões and experience an Earthquake simulation
€ 95.4
This activity is managed by our trusted partner FareHarbor.
Additional taxes and fees may apply — total shown at checkout.
Select your preferred date and time from the calendar above.
Free cancellation and unlimited rescheduling leads to total flexibility while you plan your travels
Lowest Price Guarantee — no other provider offers this tour for less
In the Central Plateau of Pico Island, you will discover over two hundred volcanic cones and numerous lakes and lagoons that serve as rare and unique habitats. This remote area is home to high biodiversity and abundant endemic flora, offering breathtaking views of the ocean and neighboring islands. The tour begins with pickup in Madalena and takes you through some of the most stunning natural landscapes of Pico. Along the way, you will explore hidden lagoons, scenic viewpoints, and the Mountain House, located at a high altitude, which provides fascinating insights into the natural reserve and spectacular panoramic vistas. Adventurous participants can also start the ascent to the highest point in Portugal, experiencing the island’s volcanic origins firsthand.
After a light outdoor meal, the adventure continues underground with a guided tour of the Gruta das Torres, Portugal’s longest lava tube. Equipped with helmets and lanterns, you will explore this ancient formation created by an eruption from Cabeço Bravo. The tour highlights remarkable geological features, including stalactites, stalagmites, lateral benches, lava balls, and other fascinating formations. Returning to the surface, the journey concludes with a transfer back to Madalena, leaving you with unforgettable memories of Pico’s natural wonders, volcanic landscapes, and unique geology.
Guided tour
Pickup and drop-off in Madalena
Light outdoor meal
Safety equipment for lava tube visit
Personal expenses
Gratuities
Comfortable & lightweight clothing
Hiking boots
Windbreaker waterproof jacket
Hat & sunscreen
Water & snacks
Wear comfortable clothing and hiking shoes
Keep personal essentials
Have a camera ready to capture every special moment
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Type in your hotel/accommodation to see how far the attraction or departure point is.
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We have completed two tours with Picos de Aventura. Our tour guides were Eduardo and Suzanna! The tours were amazing and these two guides made them even better. Their knowledge of the area and communication skills were appreciated. They were kind and cared about each of us. Thanks for the great tours!
THIS EXPERIENCE IS WORTH EVERY PENNY!! I was expecting to hop into the water and see a few dolphins in the water in the distance but it was soo much better than this. I think it’s important to understand that one day to the next will offer different experiences. We are swimming in the ocean with wild dolphins! You are lowered into the water once they find a pod of dolphins and you swim close to the boat while they swim around you while they pass by. We had 3 chances to be in the water, one of which a couple dolphins were far in the distance, 1 where the dolphins were all around with us and even interacting with us under the water & one where there were tons just swimming by under us. The guides made a great effort to ensure everyone on the boat had at least one great encounter. This by far exceeded my expectations for an open ocean dolphin swimming experience. Very kind and gentle staff! Even showers available for after your swim! Note all my photos are in .5 lens of an iPhone. They felt even closer then the camera appears.
Our guide was excellent. Very competent and informed, super friendly and helpful.
Silvia was great, she explained a lot about the history of Pico and the formation of the volcanic caves. She took the time to answer each of our questions in detail. We enjoyed the tour very much and will gladly recommend it.
We really liked the very beautiful and varied tour with Silvia! However, based on the description, we did not expect to see so much of the north coast. The picnic (two sandwiches, a small bottle of water, a drink pouch, an apple, and Pasteis da Nata) took place in a very nice place overlooking the sea. We visited several places on the coast with bizarre lava formations. A more detailed description of the tour would have helped us a lot. Silvia did a good job! 😀
We booked a "swimming with dolphins" tour. The communication before the tour worked perfectly. When we arrived, we received a warm welcome and a short briefing. Afterward, we were outfitted and escorted to the boat. After a somewhat wild but thoroughly entertaining ride, we found what we were looking for: a huge group of Atlantic dolphins. There were probably over 100 of them, an incredible sight! Then, as instructed beforehand, we were lowered into the water with help. There were so many young dolphins that the group didn't seem particularly interested in us and changed direction almost every time someone was lowered into the water. But that's just the way nature is, and we should understand and respect that! For me, at least, the tour wasn't any worse for it; it was incredibly beautiful to be able to observe the animals in the wild and even hear their sounds underwater! All in all, it was a wonderful experience that I would recommend to anyone. Many thanks to the entire crew for the great tour!!!
A few words to describe Janine, our local guide: passionate, cheerful, knowledgeable, attentive, kind, competent, warm, professional, unforgettable. And the island: magical, authentic, inspiring, spectacular, unspoiled, mysterious, grandiose, enchanting, majestic. Go there!
Our guide Janine was wonderful. She was lively and knowledgeable. She clearly loves Pico and we enjoyed seeing all the beautiful sights with her. Our only suggestion would be to make sure the van windows are clean (for better picture taking from the van) and to always have a step stool available in the van (it’s a very high step up into the van, especially for older people). Overall we give this trip 2 great big thumbs up. Pico is a fascinating must-see island. Thank you Janine!!!
Fantastic experience! My partner and I did the ‘sea experience’ which comprises swimming with dolphins, packed lunch and whale watching . It was €210 each. We parked in the underground parking just opposite the office and it was €10 for the day. The check in was easy and smooth, we went out on a speed boat for both activities and the drivers were great doing some big spins after the animal watching was over. The guides were very knowledgeable and respectful of the animals. They were friendly and answered all our questions. We saw two species of dolphin (bottle nose and grey spotted Atlantic). We also saw a huge sperm whale and Sei whale. We got very lucky and it was amazing to see these animals. The vegetarian lunch was an egg omelette baguette with salad, crisps, a pear, juice carton and water. My partner has food allergies and this was catered for. For the swimming with dolphins we swam three times and saw dolphins 2/3 times. The first time we saw at least 100 dolphins swimming below us. Amazing experience, not quite what I’d expected but still incredible. You slide off the side of the boat into the centre of the dolphin pod but as soon as you dunk in they dove down into the depths and out of view so it is a fleeting but still amazing experience. I would highly recommend this company.
I went whale watching and swimming with wild dolphins, two separate tours, with Picos de Aventura and had the most incredible time! We saw sperm whales and dolphins on the whale watch, and enjoyed the ride out! I would’ve paid three times the price for the swimming with dolphins experience. They swarmed the boat, there were babies, they were SO MANY DOLPHIN! The guides were also extremely fair and made sure that everybody saw them multiple times before going back in. Absolutely excellent company, and extremely ethical 👏🏻👏🏻 I can’t recommend them enough!
