Hike in the beauty of the Azores
May 8 to 15, 2024
Porto, Portugal
Join us for a hiking tour in the Azores
May 8 to 15, 2024
The Azores are a group of nine Portuguese volcanic islands that lie midway across the Atlantic. The scenery is green, lush and striking. The ocean is all around.
And the hiking is fantastic.
The largest island is São Miguel which is where we stay. The shoreline sports both cliffs and beaches. The interior is hilly, with the highest point rising to 3600 feet. The island is not large, measuring 40 miles long and 9 miles wide, but there are over 20 major hiking trails for us to choose from, ranging from 3 to 5 hours each. Some hug the coast. Others visit waterfalls or circumnavigate the island’s many lakes that fill its volcanic craters. Other trails head up to the hill tops to enjoy the views over the island and out to sea.
We will stay in Ponta Delgada, a town of some 70,000 people and capital of the Azores, and head out hiking each day from there.
The Hiking
This is a hiking trip, so naturally we will hike. Each day, after breakfast, we will head out with our local hiking guide. The trails that are medium in difficulty and will typically last 3 to 5 hours.
May is prime hiking season for the Azores. While the temperatures remain fairly constant throughout the year on the Azores, May is one of the months with the least rainfall. While the weather is fast to change on Sao Miguel, we can expect average daytime temperatures in the upper sixties in May, which is ideal for hiking.
Some hikes will be circular in nature, where we return to our starting point on a loop trail. Other hikes are point-to-point in nature, with transportation provided to the starting point and from the finish.
Dates: May 8 to 15, 2024
Cost: $3350
Maximum group size: 12
The Route through Portugal
After exploring the wonderful city of Porto, we will set off on the path north, covering approximately 10 miles a day (although you can do less or more, depending on your preferences).
Our experience has shown that 10 miles is a reasonable daily goal for most people. For anyone who decides they would like to do less, our van can easily pick you up and deliver you to the day’s endpoint. We will ensure most walkers have mobile phones so you can always be in touch with the van. For those who would like to walk further, there are often side-routes and additional places to explore.
The route is mostly comprised of boardwalks, back roads, and paths. Rarely do we walk through larger urban areas. You’ll see an amazing array of wildflowers, stop and take pictures, meet other pilgrims from around the world, and consider life’s big questions through mindful reflection.
Our driver and van will setup a picnic lunch for you each day. And the van will transport your bags, so all you’ll need to carry is a simple day pack.
We will head north along the coast from Porto and walk until we arrive in Spain, then walk along the border for a few days to the walled fortress town of Valença.
There are many places online to learn more about walking the Camino (and don’t forget to check out the YouTube videos). A more detailed itinerary will be available after you register.
Your Guide
Travel Fever Tours co-founder, Bob Lawson, will be leading this tour with assistance from veteran Camino guide Betsy Bates and Maddy Lawson. While it’s hard to choose a favorite place to walk, the Camino in Portugal is very high on Bob’s list of favorites. The fresh ocean air, amazing seafood, and beautiful rural landscapes each make this a special location.
Bob has always been drawn by the simplicity of life while walking. Life doesn’t overwhelm you with choices. You get up in the morning, pack up your bag, eat breakfast at the hotel and then head out, one foot in front of the other. You walk, you stop for coffee, walk, eat lunch see some more of Portugal and then stop with plenty of time for a shower and a nap. And of course there is time to explore the town where we’re staying the night before meeting up for dinner.
Trip Details
(Click + to expand)
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April 23 - May 2, 2023 (9 nights - 10 Days)
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Total cost of the tour: $3350
Supplement for single occupancy: $425
Deposit required to reserve a place on the tour: $350
(Places in the tour are limited to 11 and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend that you reserve your place early!Payment schedule
$350 deposit. The deposit is refundable through January 15, 2023.
$1500 initial payment (Due January 15, 2023)
$1500 final payment (Due March 15, 2023)
All payments are refundable if we need to cancel the trip due to government restrictions or unsafe travel conditions.
** Earn a $300 discount when you bring or refer a friend.
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Pickup and drop- off at designated airport
Guided walking along the Camino with experienced guide
9 nights lodging
9 dinners, lunches and breakfasts, with appropriate amounts of beer or local wine
Local transportation by van and driver
What’s not included:
Airfare & Travel Insurance
Admission to museums and local sites and other misc. costs.
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Lodging will be at small hotels along the route. Unlike other tours that ferry you back and forth from central hotels, we stay directly on the route in a new and interesting town each night. Each room, either single or double, has its own private bathroom.
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Traditional Portuguese breakfasts to be taken at your hotels each morning.
Lunch will normally be a picnic along the route.
Dinner will be at restaurants found in the towns where we stay each evening.
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At the start or end of the trip, participants may opt to visit Lisbon, or even stop in the Azores on your way across the Atlantic.
Following the walk, it is easy to take a train north to Santiago, if you would like to visit there. And it is possible, depending on the airline, to fly into Porto and back out of Santiago.
We are happy to offer advice on how best to extend your trip, if you like.
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Your deposit is non-refundable after January 15th, 2023, unless of course the trip is canceled for any reason by Travel Fever Tours. Natural disasters, political instability or low enrollment would form the basis for canceling a trip. After that date, payments are nonrefundable.
You will be contacted once the trip reaches minimum enrollment so that you can proceed with purchase of your flights and make other travel arrangements. In all cases, review of enrollment numbers will not take place any later than the date of the First Installment payment.
This tour is also offered in October 2023. Read More.