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Tashkent to the Azores: São Miguel and Pico for whales and dolphins

Tashkent → Ponta Delgada (Azores) → Pico

Mount Pico
"2010-08-09_Ponta_do_Pico_01.jpg" by Wo st 01 (There are 682 Pictures in my Category) See also Toolserver, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Ayuntamiento, Ponta Delgada, isla de San Miguel, Azores, Portugal, 2020-07-29, DD 126-128 HDR (Ponta Delgada)
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Azores whales & dolphins Best season (general guide): Apr–Oct

The Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic, are among Europe's best places to see whales and dolphins. This route pairs São Miguel, the largest island, with Pico, whose former whaling culture has turned into whale watching. From Tashkent you'll connect via Istanbul or another hub and Lisbon to Ponta Delgada, with a short inter-island flight to Pico. The itinerary spends three nights in Ponta Delgada (Azores) and three nights in Pico.

How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Ponta Delgada (Azores): day one, town; day two, whale-watching boat; day three, Sete Cidades or Furnas. Then spend days four to six on Pico: day four, fly to Pico, then vineyards; day five, whale-watching boat from Lajes; day six, Mount Pico climb (registered) or Whalers' Museum.

São Miguel offers volcanic scenery: the twin lakes in the crater of Sete Cidades, the hot springs and steaming fumaroles at Furnas, where a stew is cooked underground, and tea plantations on the north coast. Boats from Ponta Delgada go out to look for dolphins and whales. Pico is wilder and quieter. The volcano can be climbed, black lava vineyards line the coast, and the Whalers' Museum in Lajes do Pico tells the story of the island's past. Whale-watching trips here use lookouts on land to guide boats towards animals.

Whale watching runs from around April to October. Sea conditions can cancel trips, so allow flexible days.

No guide is required to climb Mount Pico, but every climber must register and carry a GPS tracker.

Between the two islands, Faial is a short ferry ride from Pico and is worth a day trip. Its harbour town, Horta, is a well-known stopover for sailors crossing the Atlantic, whose painted messages cover the marina walls, and Peter Café Sport is a classic meeting place.

Practical notes: Spring is best for migrating baleen whales such as blue and fin whales, while sperm whales and several dolphin species can be seen throughout the season. Azorean weather changes quickly, even in summer, so pack layers and rain gear.

Suggested outline

  1. Tashkent

    Start

  2. Ponta Delgada (Azores)

    By air · 3 nights suggested

    The main town of São Miguel. Crater lakes at Sete Cidades, hot springs at Furnas and whale-watching boats from the marina.

  3. Pico

    By air · 3 nights suggested

    An island dominated by Portugal's highest mountain, reached by a short flight. Its traditional vineyards are UNESCO-listed, and whaling history lives on in museums and watching trips.

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Ponta Delgada (Azores) — Arrive; town· Tashkent → Ponta Delgada, Azores (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
  2. Day 2 · Ponta Delgada (Azores) — Whale-watching boat
  3. Day 3 · Ponta Delgada (Azores) — Sete Cidades or Furnas
  4. Day 4 · Pico — Fly to Pico; vineyards· Ponta Delgada, Azores → Pico (by air)
  5. Day 5 · Pico — Whale-watching boat from Lajes
  6. Day 6 · Pico — Mount Pico climb (registered) or Whalers' Museum
  7. Day 7 · Pico — Travel home from Pico· Pico → Tashkent (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Ponta Delgada (Azores)

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Pico

Nearest airport: Pico Island Search fares · Pico Island ↗

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