Trip Overview
Departures
Trip Dates + Prices
Duration
8 Days
Activities
Boating/Rafting
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Wildlife Viewing
Physical Rating
Riding Ability: Experienced Novice–Intermediate
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Discover the Blue Island
The landscape of Faial Island shifts from volcanic craters to mirror-surfaced rock pools, beech forest and roadside blooms of wild blue hydrangeas, giving the island its nickname, The Blue Island. The Lusitano horses are a majestic Portuguese breed thought to be one of the oldest in the world, and their stoic nature is a peaceful presence. For a breath of fresh air and a balance of hiking, pastoral horseback riding and wild coastal landscapes, Faial is the island of idyllic dreams.
Horses and Hydrangeas
Enter a World of Whales and Volcanoes
The island’s volcanic origin leaves unmistakable marks on the landscape, and the surrounding ocean is an important historical whaling area. We learn all about the behavior and antics of the local whale species and may have the lucky opportunity to observe wild dolphins too! We also take a ferry to the neighboring island of Pico, where the patchwork vineyards have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On our Azores Horseback Riding Tour, we can split the group into less experienced and more advanced riders to ensure everyone is challenged and rewarded.
Loved the trip… food was amazing, picnics were delicious and charming. Horses were well cared for and the riding trails so beautiful. Wish we would have had another riding day! If you love horses, hiking, wine and the ocean…this trip is for you! Thanks for a great trip.”
Sabine M.
Bonding Over Bridles and Barbie Dream Horses in the Azores
Like most everyone, my social life really took a hit over the last two-and-a-half years of navigating COVID. The world had begun to lockdown even before I returned home from…
The Fairy Tale Horses of Faial Island, Azores
The Azores are a group of nine Islands in the mid-Atlantic, that are entirely formed by volcanic activity. The archipelago is part of Portugal, though the islands are almost as…
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Itinerary
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Day 1
Welcome to Azores
Meet Our Horses
Arrive at Horta (HOR), Faial Island’s airport, in the afternoon, where you will be picked up (or at your hotel in Horta) and whisked to our accommodations for check-in and a recharge. There’s time to meet and connect with our horses before dinner, as well as get to know our fellow Wild Women. We swap travel stories, first impressions and laughs over dinner tonight in the lodge.
Included Meals
Dinner
Accommodations
Patio Lodge
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Day 2
Trail Rides
Our First Ride
We start the day with a healthy locally sourced breakfast before heading out to the paddock to prepare our horses. As we become better acquainted with our equine companions, we find a natural rhythm as we ride for a couple of hours to a popular whale-spotting point. Our talented chef will be patiently waiting for us with an elaborate picnic. Depending on the group’s skill levels, we can split into two groups of riders and finish our day with some cantering for those who wish. In the evening, we enjoy a well-deserved dinner back at the lodge.
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Patio Lodge
Photo: Stacey Nedrow-Wigmore
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Day 3
Hike the Caldeira
Walk the Rim
After breakfast, we drive to the tiptop of the island to the rim of Faial’s volcano, Caldeira do Faial. It sits 3,421 feet (1,043 m) above sea level and is the largest geomorphological structure that forms the island. Our energetic Wild Women guide leads us around the top of the mighty volcano—it’s a dramatic 1,312 foot (400 m) drop into its belly, but we safely hug the rim.
Later, we have an en plein air backpacker picnic and burn a few calories as we descend towards the small village of our lodge. We arrive in the late afternoon after a rewarding six-hour push of hiking, walking and scrambling. After a reboot in a hot shower, we gather for dinner on the closed terrace of the lodge.
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Patio Lodge
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Day 4
Capelinhos Volcano
Ghosts From the Past
After breakfast, we drive to the Jungle Horse Camp to meet our horses, who were trailered out before us. Slicing through the jungle-like “Mystery Zone of Faial,” the serpentine trail leads us along the western cape to the Volcano of Capelinhos. The last eruption was 1957 and the haunting scene of a partially buried lighthouse and displaced villagers is soul stirring.
We stop at the Volcano Visitor Center and spread out for a classic saddlebag picnic. After an afternoon of riding we are welcomed by the vistas of the serene bay of Varadero. The mirror-like rock pools beg for a dip! It’s time to rejuvenate with a bracing Atlantic swim. Dinner is a casual picnic at the seafront with authentic snacks from the Azores.
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Patio Lodge
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Day 5
Jungle Horse Camp
Night of Alcatra
After breakfast, we return to the Jungle Horse Camp to reunite with our horses waiting to continue the familiar trail back home towards the north coast. For lunch, we take five and have a celebratory picnic at a panoramic canyon viewpoint. Today we experience cantering on soft paths, testing our skills and confidence in our horse (and ourselves!). In the afternoon, we return to the lodge and have time to relax and stretch.
This evening, our chefs spoil us with a traditional thematic dinner: “Night of Alcatra.” The alcatra, a stoneware bowl designed for cooking, is an integral part of religious “Espirito Santo” celebrations. The first Portuguese settlers introduced the clay pot, and the alcatra can be used to prepare Atlantic fish, veal or root vegetables.
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Patio Lodge
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Day 6
The Island of Pico
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Rising before dawn and with a hearty brown bag breakfast in hand, we head to the Faial ferry boat harbor for a scenic 30-minute passage to the neighboring island of Pico. Here, we take in the views from the Mountain’s House, Pico’s highest point accessible by road. Later, we stop at a volcanic cave, where we explore underground tubes created by flowing lava. After a picnic lunch and optional dip in the ocean, we continue our tour of the island with a visit to the Whalers Museum, if time permits and the group is interested. On our way back to the ferry boat, we visit the Vineyards of Pico, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004. Returning to Faial Island, we enjoy dinner and laughs together at the lodge.
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Patio Lodge
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Day 7
Ocean Experience
A Whale of a Time
This morning, we take a 20-minute shuttle into Horta after breakfast. In the harbor, a marine biologist team joins us on a three-hour whale watching tour on a powerful RIB on the Atlantic Ocean, where we hope to spot some of the 20 species of whales and dolphins that inhabit the biodiverse waters around Faial. Encounters with whales and dolphins are unpredictable and unforgettable—let’s cross our fingers!
We visit the legendary Peter Café Sport and enjoy a light lunch on the patio before enjoying a free afternoon with lots of time to meander around the town or go swimming at the beach. Later, back at the lodge tonight, we have an incredible farewell barbecue, Azorean-style!
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Patio Lodge
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Day 8
Onwards
Until Next Time
After breakfast, we pack our bags with heavy hearts for transfer to the Faial Island Airport Horta (HOR) or your hotel. Expect big sighs, bigger hugs and the pressing question, Where next?
Included Meals
Breakfast
Photo: Stacey Nedrow-Wigmore
Take a Deeper Dive
Want all the details in one handy package? Download the full itinerary here.
What’s Included
- Awesome certified English-speaking guides
- Seven nights’ accommodation at an award-winning, sustainable family-run 4-star lodge (twin-share rooms)
- All meals from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8
- Three days of informative horse trail riding sessions (English-style)
- Whale watching excursion (depending on sea conditions)
- All transfers according to the program, all entrance tickets and all ferryboat passages
- WiFi in the lodge
- All applicable taxes are included in the trip price
Please Note:
All applicable taxes are included in the trip price.
Optional single private upgrade, subject to fee and availability.
Itineraries may be subject to change without notice due to weather and other environmental conditions. Please review our Booking Terms.
Trip Details
Know Before You Go
Click HERE for all of the logistical details you’ll need to know prior to departure—including the packing list, arrival and departure details and suggested tipping information.
This trip starts in Horta, Faial Island (airport code: HOR) and finishes in Horta, Faial Island (airport code: HOR).
Day 7’s Ocean Experience
Depending on when the whale watching tour is booked, the day’s itinerary may be reversed. There will be free time in the morning to meander the town followed by lunch (at a different restaurant than Peter’s), the whale watching tour and then a cocktail at Peter’s before returning to the lodge.
The Wild Women Way
If you’re wondering how we roll, it’s together. The Wild Women Way is our modus operandi, our mantra and our rock solid foundation. You can learn more about our Wild Ways HERE.
How We Support You
Ready for a big adventure? We’re in it together. On this trip, we’ll be spending many hours each day in a saddle, riding English-style. Riders must be fit, adventurous, and competent riders.
Still have questions or concerns? Let’s talk about it.
What the Trip Entails
This is an active adventure, multi-day tour on horseback for advanced beginners. We would like you to be comfortable with the following:
- Mounting and dismounting unassisted from the ground
- Leading and riding horses over hilly, uneven terrain
- The fitness and confidence to ride for hours per day
- The maximum rider weight for this trip is 210 pounds
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Riding Ability Rating:
Experienced Novice – Intermediate (Comfortable at a walk and trot, gaining confidence at the canter)