Faial Island Trail

Today you will learn a lot about whales and their history on Faial Island. You will get to know your horse and your equipment. We start on gently rising meadow paths. After a short time, we start the first trot and canter. We reach the whale watching point. With a little luck and when the sea is clam, we can see whales and dolphins. 

We come back to the lodge along the steep coast. A delicious lunch is waiting here. In the afternoon we ride to two small whaling harbors. If the weather is good you can go for a swim. The horse resting place for the night is in a small hamlet. We drive back to the lodge. The first day of the trail might end with a drink at the bar.

Today you will learn about the impact of the 1998s earthquake on Faial. We go to the horses early in the morning. We continue riding along the coast through blue hydrangea hedges to the islands former lighthouse, which was destroyed in the earthquake. The nearby village still has a crumbling church that testifies to the power of the earthquake. 

At noon we will appreciate our saddlebag picnic right at the seaside. Time to go for a swim or to wet our feet. After this nice break we will continue our ride. Wonderful views to the sea and the neighborhood islands São Jorge, Graciosa and Pico. After a while we reach our paddock for the night. The transfer team is bringing us back to the Ecolodge. Enjoy and relax at the pool. Dinner is waiting for you

Today we start early to one of the top highlights of the Azores, the Faial crater - Caldeira. It is located at an altitude  over 1,000m in the center of the island. A real challenge for rider and horse. Sometimes we meet farmers on the way to cows. The heather tree along our route looks like giant broccoli. The Atlantic Ocean glitters in the sun. 

We ride slowly our way up to the crater rim of Faial via switchback tracks. The Caldeira lies majestically here. It is 400 m deep and 2,500 m wide. If you want to extend your trail vacation, you can descend into the depths of the crater with our nature park guide. After the saddlebag picnic, you ride through the lonely and wild landscape of the high mountains. 

Our trail leads us through country roads down to a small volcano, the inner crater of which we can reach on foot through a small tunnel. A very special atmosphere awaits us in this tunnel. Crossing junglelike paths we arrive at the Jungle Camp in the late afternoon, where, the transfer to the lodge is waiting. An exhilarating day on the trail is behind us.

In the morning we drive to the town of Horta to meet a team of marine biologists. Together with them, we go out to the ocean in a powerfully motorized zodiac. Many different whales and dolphins can be encountered in the ocean surrounding Faial. It's a great experience to be so close to the largest mammals in the world. 

If the weather and season do not allow whale watching, you will find enough time to discover this colorful and cosmopolitan port town. Walk along the sailing harbor and find secluded spots over there. Before we start horseback riding, it’s time for a saddlebag picnic at the Nature Park of Capelo. After preparing horses, we climb up to the Green Hill called Cabeço Verde. From the top we can admire spectacular views over Praia do Norte, Cabeço do Fogo, Morro do Castelo Branco and the volcano Vulcão dos Capelinhos. 

The way down will allow us to see the vineyards unique to Faial Island - a wine growing area which, thanks to the ashes of the last eruption and the special way of growing the grapes, has special features in the archipelago. Tonight you will experience once more the culinary world of the Azores in the Ecolodge.

*whale watching is possible between May and October (for other months, this tour is replaced by a land tour related to the whalers history and heritage).

Today the trail leads us through a mystical jungle landscape. We enjoy fantastic gallops close to the coastline. Extensive vineyards, but also small “Adegas” line our way. Narrow paths close to the shore reach the next most important attraction of the Azores, the Capelinhos volcano, which erupted in 1957. 

Desert-like solitude awaits us. An old whaling village covered by volcano ashes. Hidden under partially buried lighthouse is the modern interpretation center that reports on the volcanism of the Azores and the volcano eruption. We combine a saddlebag picnic with a visit to this attraction. Riding over parts of the volcano, we reach the Jungle Camp in the late afternoon. The transfer back to the lodge waits for you there.

Today is the last day of the trail. Fajã Bay is a hidden bay where islanders have been growing wine and fruits for 500 years. On the way, we pass small adegas, wine houses with their vineyards. Riding through dense jungle we reach the black lava beach of Fajã Bay. A magical, romantic world of its own. Small lava stone houses, well-kept gardens and a wild sea await us. 

We cross the island from the dry south to the green north. Magnificent views over terraced pastures down to the blue ocean. Extended gallops lead to the highest village on the island - Ribeira Funda, located directly above the 300m deep canyon. We allow ourselves to be warmed by the sun, listen to the wind and the wild cries of the buzzards circling over the deep gorge. Our saddlebag picnic area is beautifully located overlooking majestic canyon and the ocean. In the afternoon the route takes us along yam fields through a small, wild and romantic valley after 6 days of riding back to the Lodge. 

A farewell dinner at the lodge closes the fascinating week of trails.

We take guests who do not individually extend their stay with us to the airport or the ferry port on the island of Faial after breakfast.