In contrast to our diving cruise in the Azores, our diving cruise is designed so that you spend eight days and seven nights entirely on the yacht. You have greater flexibility and by fully utilising your days at sea, you can do more dives at the best times of day. Enjoy the marvellous underwater world of the Azores with a maximum of eight passengers.

In contrast to other popular areas for diving cruises, such as Egypt or the Maldives, it makes sense to go on a diving trip with small yachts during the relatively short diving season in the Azores. Dive spots can be reached more quickly and your trip is more flexible in the event of weather-related changes to the routes. Another advantage is that you can stay longer at the best dive sites, as the yacht can anchor overnight at the nearest marina. Generally speaking, you will spend most of the nights in harbours or marinas and have dinner ashore. Exceptions are the night at sea at the Princess Alice Bank or, on your cruise around Santa Maria, the night at the Formigas.

Possible itinerary for your diving cruise around the Azores:

DAY 1 – Arrival

On the arrival day of your diving cruise, you will meet at around 19:00 at the marina in Madalena on Pico, where you will board the boat. An initial briefing will give you an overview of the town of Madalena and some delicious restaurants. The following days will be dominated by your dives.

DAY 2 – 7 – Dive, dive and dive some more

Depending on the weather, you will cruise in the central archipelago to visit diving spots. Overnight stays take place in the harbours of Horta (Faial), Madalena (Pico) and Velas (Sao Jorge), as well as on the high seas during the Princess Alice Bank night. You may also sleep in the harbour of Angra de Heroismo (Terceira). Your diving cruise is characterised by a high degree of flexibility. Current sightings, for example of blue sharks, are passed on via an information network so that you have the opportunity to get to the relevant diving spots in good time. Other highlights of the Azores include huge scorpion fish, parrotfish, moray eels, schools of barracuda, bonitos and groupers. During the night dives, nudibranchs, crustaceans and alicia mirabilis can be discovered. The top experience of your diving cruise – the blackwater dive – takes place at a depth of more than 1000 metres. The Sao Jorge coast, with the waterfalls off Punta Topo, also offers a wonderful trip. There are also great dive sites where you can admire the animals of the Atlantic.

[picture gallery urls=”https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Unterwasserwelt-2_Tauchreise_Tauchen_Azoren_insidertrip.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Unterwasserwelt_Tauchreise_Tauchen_Azoren_insidertrip.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Unterwasserwelt-6_Tauchreise_Tauchen_Azoren_insidertrip.jpg” titles=”Underwater world, moraine, reef”]

DAY 8 – Departure

After all these exciting days and nights, your departure is imminent on the eighth day. You will check out on Pico by 10:00 am and be taken to the airport. Of course you can spend more days in the Azores, we have some interesting ideas for an extension programme, such as an island hopping round trip or further excursions for whale watching and swimming with dolphins. Contact us for more ideas and travel packages.

The yachts for your diving cruise

Princess 60 motor yacht, 3 cabins

2 x 650 hp Mannesmann Diesel
complete safety equipment according to Portuguese marine regulations.
1 x annual MOT and safety inspection
fully legalised for marine tourism

Master cabin with shower and WC
2 twin cabins with shared shower
Dining room and lounge, kitchen, sundeck

12 holders for diving tanks with equipment. 16 aluminium 11l monovalve on board.
Coltri Compressor 265l on board
2 O2 rescue kids.

Route and diving area are weather-dependent and therefore flexible.
Pico – Faial – Sao Jorge – Baixas Rosais, blue shark spots – Princess Alice Bank

Crew: skipper, divemaster, deckhand

This yacht was refitted in winter 2020. Engines were removed and overhauled. The seats were reupholstered and the cabins refitted. A new black water system was also installed.

Services included

• 7 nights in the booked cabin category
• Breakfast, lunch snacks and non-alcoholic drinks
• Dinner during the overnight stays at sea
• Tanks and lead (max. 3 tanks per day)
• Transfers on arrival and departure on Pico

Services not included

• Alcoholic beverages
• Dinner ashore for overnight stays in the harbours & marinas
• Rental equipment
• Scheduled flights from/to Pico or Horta (Faial)

Travel dates diving cruise Azores

Arrival and departure every Saturday in the period from 24 June to 20 September.

Booking is on request.

Travel advice

The yacht is comfortably furnished and offers enough space to spend a few days on the high seas. To ensure comfort and safety, please note that your diving equipment and luggage should be properly and securely stowed at all times. Diving bags and hard cases cannot usually be brought on board and will be stowed safely ashore for space reasons.

Special dietary requirements can be catered for on request. The crew on board consists of three people and will always endeavour to provide you with excellent service. Nevertheless, a helping hand is always welcome.

Your itinerary will be flexible according to the weather conditions. It is therefore possible that your journey will first take you to the fascinating Princess Alice Bank. The immediate underwater environment of the Azores sometimes fails to live up to the species-rich scenery of the first few days. The typical inhabitants of the Atlantic prevail here, instead of mobula rays, blue sharks or manta rays.

[picture gallery urls=”https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Pico_Princess_Alice_Tauchreise_Azoren_insidertrip.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Pico-4_Tauchreise_Tauchen_Azoren_insidertrip-1024×768-1.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Tauchreise_Tauchen_Azoren_insidertrip.jpg” titles=”Diving trip, underwater world Azores, divers”]

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Our photographer – Johnny Krüger

Our photo safari in the Azores is accompanied by experienced photographer Johnny Krüger!

To give you an impression, you will find below a short biography and some links to find out more about Johnny Krüger and his work.

Short biography of Johnne Krüger

Johnny Krüger is particularly fond of animals in motion. born in 1961 and raised in South Africa, it was there that he discovered his burning passion for wildlife and photography. He has been photographing animals in their natural environment since 1980. He is a reference photographer for the lens manufacturer SIGMA and has received several national and international awards. Notable successes include the Trierenberger Super Circuit and the Sony Awards. Johnny Krüger is ‘German Champion 2018’ of the German Photographic Association (DVF) and was honoured with the ‘Ludwig for Nature Photography’ at the Pirmasens Photo Days 2014. He holds the title of ‘Master of the FIAP’, International Federation of Photography/Fédération Internationale de l`Art Photographique.

More about Johnny Krüger

– www.foto-bc.de (people, mystic, underwater)
– www.pfotograf.info (animal photography)
– www.tierfoto-traum.de (animal photography / workshops)

The Azores photo safari with Johnny Krüger – An overview

The Azores photo safari is suitable for both amateur and professional photographers. Experience a total of seven nights in the Azores. Excursions by speedboat are planned on four days. The trips are slightly longer than normal whale watching tours. During the four trips, you will have the opportunity to observe a wide variety of sea creatures up close and photograph them under professional guidance. But discovering the unique Azores island is also on your itinerary. Together with Johnny Krüger and other experienced guides, you will explore the flora and fauna of the Azores islands of Pico, Faial and Sao Jorge. The photo safari on the Azores with Johnny Krüger is more than just a photo tour – experience the impressive nature on land and in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the culture of the Azores and delicious food.

Services included

• 7 nights in a double room, Caravelas Hotel
• 4 speedboat trips (4 hours each)
• 2 excursions on the island of Pico
• 1 excursion on the island of Faial
• 1 excursion on Sao Jorge

Services exclusive

• Gratuities
• Hire car
• Flights (we are happy to book the flights for you to ensure a smooth arrival and departure)
• Catering

Travel date

01. – 08.06. 2024 – 6 places still available

Prices for your Azores photo safari

From 1.895,- € per person, including insurance certificate

plus flight and hire car

Flight

From 399,- € with TAP Portugal

Incl. checked baggage, taxes & fees

Car hire

Cost per person for 4 people in a hire car – € 100 per week

For 3 people in a hire car – € 130 per person per week

Occupancy with 2 persons in the hire car – 180,- € p. p. / week

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Hotel Caravelas

The Hotel Caravelas has recently been extended with a modern annex and offers 50 rooms and 17 flats with bath/WC, air conditioning, cable TV, telephone and balcony. It is possible to book an extra bed for children up to 16 years in a double room. Babies up to 2 years are free of charge. A suite can also be booked on request. Breakfast (continental buffet) is included in the price.
The hotel has a restaurant, breakfast room, bar, WLAN in the hall area (for a fee) and a swimming pool (please note: only open seasonally).

Prices

Low season from € 42,- p.p. in a double room

High season from 53,- € p.p. in a double room

Suites can be booked at an extra charge.

Breakfast is included with your accommodation at Hotel Caravelas. Please note that an extra bed is not possible in the suite.

Arrival

When booking one of our accommodations on Pico, a return transfer is included, either from the airport or from the ferry harbour.

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The blue whale expedition to the Azores

Our blue whale expedition departs from Madalena do Pico. You will be accommodated on board a small luxury yacht of the Princess 60 type. Early each morning, accompanied by the other passengers and the small crew, you will head out to sea to search for large whales in the waters between São Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira.

[picture gallery urls=”https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Blauwal_Azoren_whalewatching_insidertrip-1024×579-1.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Blauwalexpedition_Pico_Azoren_whalewatching_insidertrip-2-1024×683-1.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Blauwalexpedition_Pico_Azoren_whalewatching_insidertrip-1024×683-1.jpg” titles=”Blue whale, Blue whale expedition, Blue whale off Pico”]

Blue whales and other marine mammals

The sea around the Azores is a favourite meeting place for a wide variety of marine mammals and is therefore a perfect starting point for dolphin and whale watching tours or trips to swim with dolphins. During the blue whale expedition, the focus is of course on searching for and spotting blue whales, but you will certainly also have the pleasure of observing other whales and dolphins. In addition to the giants, humpback whales, fin whales, sperm whales and sei whales frolic in the waters of the Azores. Schools of dolphins such as the bottlenose dolphin or round-headed dolphins are also frequent companions of our yacht. In particularly favourable conditions and with extremely smooth seas, you may even be able to spot rare species such as the northern bottlenose whale, Sowerby’s two-toothed whale, pilot whale or small killer whale. However, we will recognise one of them from afar by its high blow – the blue whale.

The boat

Our 18.5 metre long yacht is from the Princess 60 model range and belongs to the upper category of small luxury yachts. It has a total of three cabins, two small dining areas with TV and stereo, a flying bridge with plenty of seating and a kitchen. The master cabin is equipped with a double bed and en-suite bathroom. Another bathroom is shared by the double cabin with two beds and the triple cabin. The Blue Whale Expedition is designed for six guests, but a family of three can be accommodated in the triple cabin on request. Each cabin has a small wardrobe and a power socket. Please note that it is only possible to charge your electrical appliances if the boat is connected to a marina’s power supply. The same applies to the use of cabin air conditioning and heating. The yacht has a 700 litre fresh water tank, which is filled at the marinas or harbours for your daily shower.

[picture gallery urls=”https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/WhaleAzoren_whalewatching_Wal_insidertrip.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Blauwalexpedition_Pico_Azoren_whalewatching_insidertrip-3-1024×683-1.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Yacht_Tauchkreuzfahrt_Azoren_insidertrip.jpg” titles=”Whales, Surfacing Whale, The Narobla”]

Catering

Half board (breakfast & lunch) is included during your blue whale expedition. Breakfast is served on board in the form of a buffet, while lunch consists of light snacks. Fruit, water, biscuits, tea and coffee are available to you throughout the day. Dinner will be organised by our crew ashore in consultation with you. In the evening, the yacht always moors in a harbour or marina so that you have the opportunity to stretch your legs and enjoy a local dinner in a nearby restaurant.

Blue whale expedition – services

INCLUSIVE – Six nights in the booked cabin – Half board (breakfast and lunch snack) – Whale watching off Terceira, Graciosa and São Jorge

EXCLUSIVE – Alcoholic drinks – Dinner in typical local restaurants – Transfers on arrival and departure on Pico

Travel dates

11.05. – 18.05.2024

18.05. – 25.05.2024

Prices

From € 1,990.00 p. p.

or

2.190,00 € p.p. in the main cabin

Important notes

If the sea and weather make a trip impossible, you have the option of exploring the islands. The crew will be happy to help you with the organisation. It is advisable to take multiple sockets and extension cables with you if necessary, as these are only available to a limited extent on the yacht. Due to the limited space on a yacht, we ask you to travel with an elasticated travel bag. This makes it easier to stow your travel bags and gives you more comfort and space on board.

The itinerary is weather dependent and cannot be planned in advance. We offer the blue whale expedition on the dates when there is the greatest chance of seeing blue whales and other large whales. However, as nature is unpredictable, we cannot guarantee sightings. Therefore, there is no refund if there is no whale sighting.

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You also have the opportunity to get to know and explore the island of Pico during various excursions.

Your Pure Dolphin Adventure in the Azores

From the beginning of June to the end of August is the time when a large number of dolphin pods cavort around the Azores. The perfect time for your Pure Dolphin Adventure with insidertrip!

If you want to get the most out of your trip to the Azores, then the Pure Dolphin Adventure in the Azores is just the thing for you! Experience a total of six trips to watch dolphins and go snorkelling with them. You can also expect 14 nights in a double room in the selected accommodation type. As well as transfers from/to Pico airport or ferry harbour.

Dolphin species

The food-rich waters around the Azores are a summer playground for many different species of fish such as sardines, mackerel and snipefish. This in turn attracts up to five different species of dolphin during the summer. Watching dolphins in their natural environment is a wonderful experience. With us you have the opportunity to observe the fast striped dolphins from the boat or even snorkel with bottlenose dolphins, spotted dolphins, round-headed dolphins and common dolphins.

Excursions Pico Island

During your 14-day stay on Pico, you will have the opportunity to explore the nature and culture of the Azores island. We will visit a whale spotter, hike through the vineyards or discover the striking volcanoes of Pico in the highlands. A visit to the breeding grounds of the yellow-billed shearwater is also planned, as is an excursion to the neighbouring island of Faial.

Price

From € 990.00 p. p. without accommodation

From € 1,750.00 p. p. in a double room

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A trip to our Sharkweek Azores excursion programme offers you the opportunity to experience the best of the Azores. Especially in the open waters around Pico you have unique visibility and the chance to swim with mako sharks and also blue sharks. They often come as close as arm’s length. Don’t miss out on diving with these graceful animals at least once in your life. In the Azores you have the wonderful opportunity to combine diving with sharks, diving with schools of mobula rays, swimming with dolphins and whale watching. Let us advise you and together we will design your unforgettable Azores programme around the Sharkweeks. The programme can include various excursions into the open sea around Pico, as well as a diving day at one of the world’s best dive sites – the Princess Alice Bank. The Sharkweeks Azores are waiting for you!

What awaits you at the Sharkweeks in the Azores?

Blue and mako sharks normally live at depths of 500 metres. Around the Azores, however, these shark species regularly come close to the sea surface. A unique opportunity to encounter the elegant sharks

Due to the rapidly changing weather conditions in the middle of the Atlantic, experience has shown us that longer diving trips are advantageous. This means that in most cases you can do all the programme points and dive excursions on the good-weather days. Sometimes, however, spontaneous changes of plan have to be made. Please note that due to changes in the weather situation, the excursion destination may be changed. We offer you an unforgettable Sharkweeks programme with our partner in the Azores. Experience breathtaking days on the Azores in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in a small travel group of maximum eight participants

Our partner in the Azores and we will do our utmost to provide you with the full programme. However, due to rapidly changing weather conditions in the Atlantic Ocean, we cannot guarantee this

Additional dive packages can be booked on request. Subject to availability, this is also possible on site with our partner

Travel dates 2023

10th September until 20th September

20th September until 30th September

Prices Sharkweeks Azores

From € 1,440.00 p. p.

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Small Whale and Dolphin Safari, 7 nights

On our small whale & dolphin safari, you can expect seven nights in a double room in a guesthouse. Alternative accommodation or single rooms are available on request. You will go on a total of four trips to observe whales and dolphins in the open Atlantic Ocean. Due to the high density of these marine mammals around Pico, as well as the sophisticated search system, you have great chances to experience these fascinating sea creatures up close. Transfers to and from the airport on Pico are also included in the services.

Great Whale and Dolphin Safari, 14 nights

Spend two weeks on Pico and experience even more whale watching excursions. On our Great Whale & Dolphin Safari, you’ll have six boat excursions but also plenty of time to explore Pico Island itself on other days. For this, you are welcome to take a look at our other activities on the islands. We are also happy to help you book a rental car. Bookings on request and subject to availability.

Seasonal periods & species to watch

Whale and dolphin watching trips and excursions are organised from 01 March to 31 October

December to May – baleen whales, sperm whales, dolphins
June to October – sperm whales, pilot whales, beaked whales, dolphins, occasionally baleen whales
September to October – sperm whales, pilot whales, dolphins, more often baleen whales, small killer whales

From May to the end of June, the giants of our planet can be found around the Azores. When the unreal high blow can be seen, everyone knows the blue whale has arrived in the waters of the Azores. Don’t miss this mysterious sea dweller and learn more about our Blue Whale Expedition, a cruise on a small luxury yacht, exclusively designed to get closer to these giants.

Prices

From 630,00 € p. p. in a double room for 7 nights

From € 899.00 in a single room for 7 nights

Notes

Please note that although there is a very high chance of seeing whales and dolphins in the Azores, we cannot guarantee sightings. Furthermore, due to bad weather conditions, a tour may have to be cancelled or postponed.

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