PRICE PER PERSON:
£TBC
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: £275 ($335) PER PERSON
EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW
This is a beautiful group running experience where we journey to the Azorean archipelago splitting our time between the three volcanic islands of Pico, Faial and São Jorge.
We split the experience by having two bases in Pico and Sao Jorge, staying in boutique hotels on the cliffs of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by lush gardens.
It’s an action-pack week where we’ll be running a range of wonderful trails where no two days will be the same.
We’ll be making a crossing of the island of Faial Island as we follow the 10 Volcanoes trails, hitting the twin peaks, caldeiras and lava fields of São Jorge, and the vineyards and mysterious coastal paths of Pico.
To give ourselves a break from running we have time set aside to chill, stretch, yoga with the scope to explore some other curious parts of the wonderful Azores, as well as time out on the water looking for sperm whales, dolphins and, other marine creatures.
INCLUDES:
7 days fully guided trail running in the idyllic volcanic islands of Pico, Faial and São Jorge
7 nights accommodation at boutique hotels on the islands of Pico & São Jorge (twin/double share basis)
Group arrival/departure transfers at set-times
All local transportation and transfers
Cultural sightseeing
Breakfast, x 4 lunches & 2 x dinners
Ferry boat rides between islands
Whale Watching
Trails & Trees: with every booking, we plant a tree
SHARE THIS TRIP
ITINERARY
+ DAY 1: ARRIVE ON PICO ISLAND (PIX) | RUN THE MYSTERIES OF THE SOUTH
+ DAY 2: PATH OF ST LUCIA | VISIT CAVES OF TOWERS
+ DAY 3: 10 VOLCANOES TRAIL ON HORTA ISLAND
+ DAY 4: LAJIDO VINEYARDS HIKE | WHALE WATCHING
+ DAY 5: BOAT TO SAO JORGE ISLAND | EXPLORE
+ DAY 6: TWIN PEAKS & LAVA FIELD TRAILS
+ DAY 7: RUN THE CALDEIRA DE SANTA CRISTO | FERRY TO FAIAL
+ DAY 8: DEPARTURE DAY FROM HORTA (HOR)
OUR ROUTE
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ITINERARY
DAY 01 | ARRIVE PICO ISLAND
Welcome to the island of Pico! Touching down into the island's capital you’ll notice just how breathtaking the Azores are packed full of blistering scenery and maritime wonder from its whaling past.
We will pick you up in the arrivals area of this tiny airport (you won’t miss us!) and transfer you to our hotel, which sits beside cliffs overlooking the Atlantic ocean. The journey from the airport is 40 mins away.
Check-in and relax before meeting with your fellow group for an introduction and briefing by your guide.
In the late afternoon, we’ll start with a slow-paced 8km trail as we run the Mysteries of the South path to stretch our legs and enjoy an ice-cold drink in the bar when finished. Returning to the hotel we have some time to chill before heading out for a welcome dinner at the hotel.
DAY 02 | THE PATH OF ST. LUCIA & CAVES OF TOWERS
Optional: Pre-breakfast stretch and yoga session
After breakfast, we’ll pack up our gear for a trail running experience as we head out to run the path of St.Lucia on the north side of the island. Our route takes us roughly 10km as we run a UNESCO world heritage trail along a coastal path and over ancient lava flows. We run through vineyards on our way to the Forno dos Frades with amazing views of Mt Pico and out to the ocean.
We’ll stop for lunch in Santa Luzia with an afternoon excursion to visit the Gruta das Torres (caves of towers) which is an extraordinary lava cave. Heading back to our hotel we have time to chill before catching up again in the evening for drinks and an evening to relax.
DAY 03 | 10 VOLCANOES TRAIL
Optional: Pre-breakfast stretch and yoga session
After an early breakfast this morning we'll pack up our kit and load it into our support vehicle, transferring to the island of Faial by ferry.
Arriving at Horta we’ll head to the centre of the island where we begin our 21km trail run to the impressive Caldeira. From this point, we pick up the 10 Volcanoes trail - an immersive trail that climbs and traverses volcanoes towards the Capelinhos lighthouse at the western tip of Horta.
This is a stunning day travelling on a variety of changing terrain, starting near the island's highest point and finishing at sea level. We’ll have a support vehicle with us throughout the day with a number of aid station stops including lunch and nutrition.
We’ll head back to Pico later after we’ve spent some time checking out the colonial sites of Horta town.
DAY 04 | LAJIDO VINEYARDS HIKE & WHALE WATCHING
After our efforts of the last few days, we’ll take a day off running with an easy hike to the Lajido vineyards this morning. This part of Pico is simply beautiful, with the 16th-century vineyards splaying out over the volcanic landscape. We’ll cover roughly 9km of the trail which finishes back at the vineyard for wine tasting and lunch.
In the afternoon we'll head out onto the water for a whale and dolphin-watching experience. Each trip lasts between 3 - 4 hours depending on weather conditions. Once back on land, we'll head back to the hotel for the rest of the evening to relax.
DAY 05 | ONWARD TO SAO JORGE
We move islands today as we bid farewell to Pico and say hello to São Jorge!
Packing up our gear we’ll head to the ferry and journey the 15km across to São Jorge which takes almost 2 hours. Once dry land it’s just a short drive to our boutique hotel on the southern coast of the island.
We have no running schedule today and it’s a good opportunity for us to rest and relax by the pool.
DAY 06 | TWIN PEAKS & LAVA FIELDS TRAIL
Optional: Pre-breakfast stretch and yoga session
We have a spectacular day on the trail ahead of us as we run the 17km twin peaks trail. We’ll drive to the centre of São Jorge and start at the base of Pico do Pedro, before picking up a skyline trail that flows wonderfully to the Pico da Esperanca which nears the highest point of the island. From here it’s downhill all the way as we cross the lava fields of Faja do Ouvidor our finishing point for the day. There are some beautiful natural pools which make it a perfect spot to swim after and chill after an amazing day. We’ll head back to the hotel for time to relax and drinks overlooking the ocean.
DAY 07 | RUN THE CALDEIRA DE SANTO CRISTO
Breakfast overlooking the ocean before prepping for our final trail run of the adventure. Today we are heading for an easy, downhill 10km trail which starts at the Caldeira de Santo Cristo. It’s a beautiful spot on the island, rich in flora and fauna. The trail heads through forests until arriving at the Faja dos Cubres on the northern coast of São Jorge. A lagoon surrounded by a local village marks a spectacular finishing point. We'll head back to our hotel, toasting our adventure with a farewell dinner. In the evening we’ll take a ferry to Faial Island and overnight in Horta which allows us to connect with International flights tomorrow.
DAY 08 | GOODBYE, AZORES
It’s time to pack up and bid farewell to your newfound trail-running friends and our local team. We’ll be hosting a group transfer to Horta Airport (HOR) in time to connect with your onward flight back to Lisbon.
WHERE WE STAY
ALDEIA DA FONTE - PICO ISLAND
With six volcanic stone houses perched on the cliffs to the Atlantic Ocean, among lush gardens, it is a beautiful base for us to relax sipping cocktails after great days on the trail.
MAKE IT HAPPEN / VILLAS CASTLETES - SAO JORGE ISLAND
In Sao Jorge, we’ll be staying in one of two beautiful boutique and family-owned hotels. Both are located just off the cliffs with breathtaking views. A series of secluded houses make up this tranquil slice of paradise in the Azores.
IMPORTANT NOTES
+ FLIGHTS
We've designed this trip to work around Azore Airlines schedule which routes all flights via it's hub in Lisbon International Airport (LIS). All flights arrive or depart at reasonable times around our dates.
If you are arriving from the UK, US or Europe we recommend booking directly with TAP Airlines for ease of through bookings as all flights are indirect. A typical flight schedule for this trip will look like:
London - Lisbon - Pico (PIX) / Horta (HOR) - Lisbon - London
+ VISAS
British, American and European citizens do not need a visa to visit Portugal.
+ DIETARY
We can accommodate for most dietary requirements, but it's worth knowing there is little choice and opportunity for vegans. The Azores has a variety of restaurant options in each of the islands we visit but the provision may be a challenge.
+ TEMPERATURES
The weather in the Azores is stable year round with temperatures sitting consistently in the low - high 20 degrees C (low 70s F). Expect warm days, but being in the North Atlantic means unpredictable weather can come at any time of year and there is always a chance of rain and wind.
+ TRAIL RUNNING
The Azores are a wild and remote archipelago located in the North Atlantic that is characterised by wonderful landscapes, fishing villages, mountain trails, lagoons, and luscious green pastures. Typically the trails are hard-packed, undulating and includes some steep uphill sections which we walk, as well as some steeper downhill sections at times.
AS CAPTURED ON LOCATION
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