Rare footage of humpback whales, sperm whales, sei whales, fin whales, pilot whales, pods of risso dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and common dolphins. At archipelago choice, we have a team of activity holidays specialists who know all about whale and dolphin watching holidays in the azores. From march to june, we see migratory whales including the two largest species blue whale and fin whale. This location, in the middle of the atlantic, made it an important starting point for whalers in former times. In the azores the famous holy spirit festivities take place from april to june, on sundays, with different characteristics from island to island and village to village.
Whale watching holidays the azores the azores holidays. The azores are famous for the opportunities they provide to observe sperm whales, which are resident yearround, although during the summer months they are more abundant and there is a higher chance of seeing them. Together, they decided to combine a touristic operation with research, involving guests and volunteers in a philosophy of sustainable, research supportive. Yearround, we encounter our resident sperm whales and several dolphin species, as well as turtles and seabirds. Ponta delgada, azores june weather holiday weather. These are usually the months with more sunny days, giving you access to a wide range of outdoor activities, like hiking, surfing or paragliding. In the azores, for centuries, the easiest way to travel from one place to another within the same island was by sea.
The azores changed from hunting whales, to whale watching and researching the cetaceans. An assessment of sperm whale occurrence and social. The weather and sea conditions tend to be most stable in june and july. Whales, birds, and rental cars in june, 2020 sao miguel. Most tours start at the islands of san miguel, faial and pico, and are usually done by high speedzodiacs for up to 12 persons. Whale watching in august azores message board tripadvisor. Rare footage of humpback whales, sperm whales, sei whales, fin whales, pilot whales.
Rare footage of humpback whales, sperm whales, sei whales, fin whales, pilot whales, pods of. It is the marine life to be found at these sites that turns the azores from a very good diving destination into a worldclass one. The azores are europes leading whale watching destination, home to sperm and pilot whales, beaked whales and false killer whales, and bottlenose, common and northatlantic spotted dolphins. The azores is the ideal destination for fishing holidays. See more and pay less by joining the 2020 blue whale migration program you will be helping the progress of our research project on baleen whales.
Choose from the privacy of a chauffeured vehicle or the fun of joining others in motorcoach rides while exploring the beautiful azores islands. Azores is a true paradise for nature lovers with blue lakes smothered in flowers, deep verdant craters of dormant volcanoes and breathtaking landscapes from the mountains. Join us on one of our exciting whale watching holidays. Be patient when you go whale and dolphin watching, they arent waiting to see you but youll not be disappointed by whatever you see. Watch the whales and dolphins in any vessel at your choice. When is the best time to see whales and dolphins in the azores. The worlds 8 best destinations for whale watching and. Description of whale watching in the azores with so many species of whales and dolphins surrounding this archipelago, this is one of the best places in the world to witness these marine mammals up close, with sightings on 99 percent of whale watching trips to sea. Please visit the page for this holiday page for more information about flights to faial and pico islands. We might see them in july but the number of times that we see them is decreasing. Azores trails welcome to the walking trails in the azores, a network of walks classified by the regional government of the azores, guaranteeing safety and reassurance to walkers. Santa maria, the island of sun, is the southernmost and smallest of the azores islands.
Whens the best time to go whale watching in the azores. Ive never been there, but my fathers family comes from the island of pico. With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip thats right for you. Whaletrips azores best tips for whale watching on azores.
Despite being a whale watching company, scientific research is a priority to cw azores and we are ready to offer you a very special price for this program so that we can spend a significant amount of time out at sea in marchapril while still. Whale watching in the azores gives you a good chance to see the blue whale, the biggest mammal on earth. Whether youre going in spring, summer or winter well give you all the advice you need for packing your suitcase. Again we give you guidance on booking the best flights to these islands to fit with tour dates. About 24 species of whales and dolphins are reported to the azores, more than 25% of all the cetacean species known. Occasionally minke whales and humpback whales can also be sighted, although. Almost every year in april, may and june we see fin whales sei whale, minke whale. The whale watching season in the azores lasts from april to october, though sperm whales can typically be spotted all year round. We are interested in taking a whale watching trip and would appreciate any information that you. With an area of just only 90 km2 and a population of 5,000 inhabitants, it boasts some of the most beautiful beaches of azores, crystal clear waters and beautiful bays and natural pools. The azores is one of the worlds best destinations to view whales and dolphins.
The main season runs from april all the way through the summer to october and during these months different species pass by the azores on their migratory paths april and may are usually a good time to go for a chance to see the larger whales such as blue, fin and sei whales, whilst october can be a good time to spot humpbacks. Whale and dolphin watching is possible throughout the whole year due to the great number of species existing in the waters of the archipelago. And as the wettest month of the year usually forecasts up to 5mm of rain, the precipitation expected in june is considered very slight. Peak season is from april through to october whilst in the spring, the larger migratory species are passing through. They pass here in the azores from mid march to end of june. Most sightings happen from july to october and, as the whales tend to come very close to the coast, you can. When is the best time to see whales and dolphins in the. Sperm whales are resident around the azores islands and it is considered one of the best places in the world to sight them. We offer two tours in early may the blue whale tour ocean giants azores which you can join if you want to be part of a group with a uk expert group leader. Includes information about the area and the cetaceans living there, research project details, environmental policy, newsletter, and. In addition to resident species, such as common dolphins and common bottlenose dolphins, with which you can swim, there are also the whales that pass through the azores in their migration routes. From june onwards you can spot friendly, chattering beluga whales in churchill, manitoba and tadoussac, quebec. The best whale watching in europe whale and dolphin.
Baleen whales like fin whales and sei whales we saw this past month come here to feed and to rest on their way further north to their summer feeding grounds in colder waters. June is one of the driest months of the year in this part of the azores, forecasting only 39mm of rain to fall over a total of 10 days in the month. With waters off the islands of over m deep, youll find huge pelagic fish such as the atlantic blue marlin, white marlin, and occasionally yellow fin and big eye tuna, swordfish, and various types of sharks including hammerheads, six gill and mako. With majestic whales and friendly dolphins, the blue atlantic ocean becomes even more magic around these nine islands. Our blue whale exclusive small group tour is the only holiday based on the smaller azorean islands of faial and pico. The azores, in the middle of the atlantic ocean, is an archipelago of nine islands showing nature in its purest state, and one of the largest whale sanctuaries in the world. At these sites, it is all about diving in the blue with virtually guaranteed manta rays and blue sharks and occasional makos the azores are quickly developing a reputation as a centre for shark diving and we can. Whale watching is one of the main attractions for tourists to visit the azores, some explicitly coming just for the whales. How long should one plan on staying on the islands, with two teenagers, to do our roots justice. Between april and june, fin, blue and sei whales migrate through the azores.
Summer time, running from june to september offers high air and sea temperatures and is the best time to go if youre looking to spend some time on the unique azores beaches. Depending on the time of year, different whales can be spotted in the azores. So the whale watching is reserved for the period between the months may and october. One such area is the azores archipelago, where details of their year. There 80 species of whales in the world and in the azores may be observed 21 and it is normal to find them throughout the year, including the blue whale. With 30 years of experience, futurismo is a pioneer and leader in whale and dolphin watching. The larger whales such as blue whales can be seen in aprilmay whilst humpbacks are easier to spot in october. A guide to seeing whales, dolphins and porpoises in all european waters by erich hoyt.
Whale and dolphin watching holidays in azores vacations in. Remember that in the azores the time of whale watching is dictated not by migratory rhythms of cetaceans but by atmospheric conditions. Blue whale migration march 2020 cw azores whale watching. Dolphins, whales and the azores dolphin and whale connection.
Summer time is when whale sharks arrive to santa maria. Pack your holiday capsule wardrobe for azores with the complete guide from helen hutchings and what to wear on holiday. Long distance walking routes, long lasting adventures. Welcome to the azores whale watching joana and tiago, both marine biologists and with a natural passion and respect for marine wildlife, have been working at sea with cetaceans since 2000. The whale watching season, from april to midoctober, is dictated by the weather and not by the absence of cetaceans, which are seen yearround. Resident sperm whales are joined by migratory blue, fin, humpback, minke, and sei whales plus orcas and several species of dolphins. Azores best tips for whale watching on azores whaletrips. The answer depends on which species you would like to see. Among the resident and migratory species, some common, some rarer, you can see more than 24 different types of cetaceans in the waters of the azores. For more accessible wildlife encounters, head to vancouver island in march and april to see the gray whale migration, or from may through september when the orca are at their. Be prepared for the heat and humidity in the azores early june. Yachtbased whale and dolphin research holidays to the azores archipelago. More information here whale watching in the azores in the early summer months is the best time to see the baleen whales largest whales on their migration routes to the feeding grounds of the northern atlantic passing close to the.
In general, the best time of the year to see whales in the azores is during the spring time, with april and may being our strongest months. If you book a whale and dolphin watching holiday to the main azorean island of sao miguel with archipelago choice the chances are that your. Whalewatching in the azores which whales to see and when. Spectacular aerials from whales and dolphins shot around pico azores, portugal in june july 2014. Seatours has trips departing olafsvik from 1st june. Today, you can spot about 30% of all types of whales from all over the world from here, including blue whales, finbacks and sperm whales. The whaleplanner june a whale watching infographic. Traveling to the azores in june azores forum tripadvisor.