Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch
Traveler rating
4.4/5
Based on 28 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch worth booking?
Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch is a 7-hour experience in Ponta Delgada, Portugal, from $183 per person. It scores 59 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 4.4/5 rating across 28 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 59 / 100
- Rating
- 4.4/5 (28)
- Duration
- 7 hours
- From
- $183 per person
Immerse in the natural beauty experience of the Azores on this full-day dolphin, whales, and volcanoes tour. Observe several varieties of whales in their natural habitat and look out for dolphins jumping in the water for around 3 hours. Return to the marina of Ponta Delgada to travel to the "Lagoa do Fogo Volcano" and feasting on a delicious lunch along the way in a local restaurant. Visit an active volcano and see how we use energy from the volcano to produce geothermal electricity and visit beautiful areas of the north shore of the island. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to see the Azores' real beauty.
What you get
About this experience
Immerse in the natural beauty experience of the Azores on this full-day dolphin, whales, and volcanoes tour. Observe several varieties of whales in their natural habitat and look out for dolphins jumping in the water for around 3 hours. Return to the marina of Ponta Delgada to travel to the "Lagoa do Fogo Volcano" and feasting on a delicious lunch along the way in a local restaurant. Visit an active volcano and see how we use energy from the volcano to produce geothermal electricity and visit beautiful areas of the north shore of the island. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to see the Azores' real beauty.
What's included
Included
- Carbonated beverages
- Bottled water
- van tour to "Lagoa do Fogo " volcanic crater lake
- Alcoholic beverages
- Lunch
- Boat tour
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- On-board restrooms
- Tea and coffee
What you'll see and do
Ponta Delgada
Our Accredited guide will meet you and pick you up at your hotel or AirBnb and will accompany you to the marina of Ponta Delgada to prepare your ticket for your whale & dolphin watching tour. The whale & Dolphion watching tour is operated by one of our local partners and you will have marine biologists on board who will explain the species you will observe.
180 minutes here
Lagoa do Fogo
Visit one of the most amazing crater lake and mountain of the island "Lagoa do Fogo". Our guide will explain you the history of the place and the sights.
60 minutes here
Salto do Cabrito
Enjoy the nature and one of the most beautiful waterfalls of the island
30 minutes here
Praia do Areal de Santa Barbara
watch the sea and the waves at the best known surf beach on the island "Santa Barbara" and set your feet on a beach of volcanic sand.
30 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Ponta Delgada
- We pick up custoumers at hotels and other accommodations such as hotels, airBnB and hostels at Ponta Delgada, Lagoa, Caloura, Vila Franca do Campo and Ribeira Grande City Pick ups outside this areas have an extra-cost. - Tourism Office of Ponta Delgada
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 10 minutes before departure.
Ends at
- We pick up custoumers at hotels and other accommodations such as hotels, airBnB and hostels at Ponta Delgada, Lagoa, Caloura, Vila Franca do Campo and Ribeira Grande City Pick ups outside this areas have an extra-cost. - Tourism Office of Ponta Delgada
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- pt, en, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Green Visions Tours
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Subject to weather conditions
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 28 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
9 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Food and drink
8 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Knowledge and storytelling
4 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Photo opportunities
4 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Pace and timing
3 mentionsSeveral reviewers found the schedule tight or the day long.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Traveler reviews
28 verified traveler reviews for Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Fingers crossed for whales in the morning, but the afternoon will blow you away!
Definitely book this tour April-June for a higher likelihood of seeing whales. We felt lucky that we saw one Bryde's whale as well as a pod of dolphins (including some babies!) given that we were outside of the peak migration season. The third-party whale watching operator, Futurismo, had an incredibly knowledgeable and professional staff. When the ocean conditions became a bit more "adventurous," the skilled captain safely got us back to the marina and the crew attentively tended to those who were feeling a bit green. They also will rebook you on another tour free of charge if you don't happen to see any sea animals on yours, so book this early in your stay if you can. Lunch was served buffet style with plenty of choices of salads, fish, meat, dessert, and beer/wine. Though there was another tour there at the time, it seemed that the restaurant was highly frequented by locals and offered an authentic experience of what a typical lunch out might be if you are a Sao Miguel resident. The afternoon portion of the tour was FANTASTIC due in large part to our guide, Mario. A Sao Miguel native, his knowledge of the history and contemporary issues of the island and the Azores in general was only outshone by his obvious pride and passion. We saw incredible views of the lake, the volcanoes, the waterfall, and the beach all in one afternoon. We learned about the endemic flora and the many transplanted species that have made their way to the Azores as a result of Portuguese exploration. The most striking thing was the feeling of nature untouched and untainted by overcrowding with tourists. Make sure you dress in layers due to the extremes in temperature - a waterproof windbreaker will come in handy both for the boat as well as high up in the mountains. It was quite cold and windy, even in July, but the views are worth it. Highly recommend!
via Viator
Tour guide for...
Tour guide for driving-portion was excellent and extremely knowledgeable. He was also very accommodating and gave extra time to wherever we wanted and added an impromptu visit to a pineapple farm. Whale watching could have been better. We didn't get too close to whale, which is the luck of the draw but also a whole class of noisy and obnoxious Portuguese kids made it not as fun
via Viator
Outstanding. Highly Recommend!
I LOVED this tour so much yesterday that at the end of it, I signed up for the Furnas tour the today. Having Nuno Melo as your guide is like hanging out with the Azorean Google for the day. “Nuno, what’s that building?” He knows. “Nuno, what’s that purple flower called?” He knows. “Nuno, how many species of cetaceans are in the water here?” He knows! (And it’s like 26 species or something crazy like that). But Nuno is better than Google because he is not simply a facts machine; he’s a wonderful guide, and it was my absolute delight to spend my last two days with him. I saw the whole island and I learned so much. Aside from having a wealth of knowledge about the island he was born on, he’s a consummate storyteller. He’s patient. He’s charming. He’s accommodating. (“Nuno- I can’t eat this. I’m a vegetarian.” No problem. I had a delicious new lunch in no time.) He’s a great driver (which is a wonderful thing when you’re zipping around an island with narrow roads). He interacts with his guests and gets us interacting with each other (on both tours, I really felt part of something with the other guests). Here’s the best part about going on a tour with Nuno- he seems to be enjoying himself. He genuinely likes meeting his guests and sharing stories with them about São Miguel and the other islands. He has a deep and abiding love for this beautiful place, and after a few hours with Nuno, you will, too. His enthusiasm is contagious. When I was remarking about the chill island vibe, Nuno reflected a moment, then said about his fellow Azoreans, “We are a peaceful people,” and later, at lunch, when a good conversation among our super fun international group was flowing, he said, “My life philosophy is to be at peace; if I am at peace with me, I am happy.” He said it better than that- I’m paraphrasing, but what a gem of a man. If Nuno feels lucky to live in the beautiful Azores, the Azores are lucky to have him as a representative. Oh yeah- Nuno is a polyglot, fluent in French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese (maybe more, but that’s what I witnessed) and he switches between them without thinking about it- I’ve never seen anything like it. I travel a lot, so I go on a lot of tours. I have met loads of guides who are great at what they do. Nuno stands out. This is a person who is doing what he loves, and you will benefit from this. He is unforgettable. I recommend any tour with him without hesitation. Go go go! Fall in love with the Azores. Nuno will make it easy.
via Tripadvisor
Bad manners and customer service
To make it short: tour is separated in 2 parts, the whale watching and after a van tour to several places near to Ponta Delgada. Lunch was ok, but nothing special. Our problem was the organization and communication of tour guide (Bruno) and tour operator. In total we were waiting 1 1/2 hours for our guide which could be acceptable if guide/operator would communicate openly with their customers (to manage expectations). After communicating our concerns about time management, both the guide and the tour company, were defensive and the tour guide passive aggressive the rest of the day. In case someone is not able to receive complaints/improvement suggestions, working in the tourism industry might not be the best. However the guide was making jokes about our complaint and throwing around that he is the best guide ever and that we are just being picky. Overall the tour was ok, we saw dolphins and whales. And as typical for the Azores wonderful landscapes. Unfortunately, it was a bitter sweet experience due to the bad communication skills of the operator and especially the guide's cocky attitude. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend.
via Viator
DO NOT RECOMMEND - TOURIST TRAP
As a little background, the tour is composed of two parts, the whale and dolphin watching in the morning (done by a different company which you can book on your own at the port) and a visit to Lagos do Fogo in the afternoon. To start off, our “guide” Bruno picked us up half an hour later than the established time. Normally, this would not be a problem but since he was late, he rushed us through the port going from boat operator to boat operator until he found the one he had booked us the whale watching tour with. This seemed very unprofessional and highly disorganised. If he had picked us up on time we wouldn’t have had the stress of running through port to find the right operator (which he should have known in any case). Once the whale watching tour ended, Bruno had told us to wait for him at the port as he would come to pick us up. We waited for 1h in the sun without any news from him not knowing when he would arrive. This is a total disregard and disrespect for personal time. Had we known the pick up time, we could have had a coffee or a small stroll while waiting for him. The rest of the tour consisted in a meal in Lagoas, nothing out of the ordinary, and some stops to view Lagoa do Fogo from different angles, as well as a stop at a licor factory. Bruno was highly disrespectful and cocky, when asked about the waiting time. Also it seems this has been an issue in the past but the tour operator did not seem to care. Overall just seemed like a tourist trap. Very disappointing for the price paid, just to be transported around in a van. On top, out of the 7h of tour advertised, 1:30h consisted on waiting for Bruno and only about 2h of actual visit in the afternoon of Lagoa do Fogo and the licor factory.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 7 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 10
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Who runs this experience
Operated by Green Visions Tours, who run 3 experiences we rank across 1 city, with an average Outty Ranking of 70.9.
See everything Green Visions Tours runsWhy this scores 59
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Ponta Delgada.
How much does Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch cost?
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Prices start at $183 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Ponta Delgada usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch take?
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Plan for about 7 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Ponta Delgada is not rushed.
Is Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 59 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.4/5 across 28 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable most popular in Ponta Delgada, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 7-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch?
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Around 10 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Ponta Delgada can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Ponta Delgada and add a light layer if any part of the 7-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Ponta Delgada within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Ponta Delgada?
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On Outty we rank every Ponta Delgada experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Sao Miguel West Van Tour Sete Cidades and Fogo Lake plus Lunch, Jeep Tour Full Day Sete Cidades & Lagoa do Fogo with lunch and drinks included., Off the Beaten Track Half Day Sete Cidades Jeep Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Ponta Delgada?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Ponta Delgada?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch?
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Included: Carbonated beverages; Bottled water; van tour to "Lagoa do Fogo " volcanic crater lake; Alcoholic beverages; and Lunch. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered, or you can meet at the start point instead from 21 listed pickup locations in and around Ponta Delgada. Be ready about 10 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch offered in?
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It is offered in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller; Specialized infant seats are available; and Not recommended for pregnant travelers. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about Among Whales Dolphins and Volcanoes Full Day Tour With Lunch?
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Across 28 reviews averaging 4.4 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, food and drink, knowledge and storytelling. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works. One thing to know: Several reviewers found the schedule tight or the day long.
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