The 15 Best Dolphin Watching Trips in the Azores

From Ponta Delgada: Whale and Dolphin Watching Trip - Catamaran or Zodiac: choosing the right ride for your comfort

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 4,109 reviews · 3 hours · from $82Our pick

3-hour whale and dolphin watching from Ponta Delgada with a marine biologist, clear animal-spotting rules, and a second outing if none are seen.

“This was a wonderful first activity on my holiday to São Miguel. The weather was great and we did see some cetacean species out at sea. It was such a thrill to see the whales and dolphins in their natural habitat. The guides were very informative and knowledgable and I learned a few things that I didn’t know before.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Pico Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Pico Island: Azores Whale & Dolphin Watching on Zodiac Boat

2.Azores Whale & Dolphin Watching on Zodiac Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 408 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $53Best value

Zodiac whale and dolphin watching from Lajes do Pico, Pico Island. Spot whales, dolphins, turtles, birds in 2.5 hours.

“So plenty of dolphins and Whales. The guides were friendly and informative.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in São Miguel, São Miguel Tours, Tour Reviews

São Miguel: Swim with Wild Dolphins in the Open Ocean

3.Swim with Wild Dolphins in the Open Ocean

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 369 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $176

Swim with wild bottlenose dolphins in the open ocean off São Miguel, in a small group, with expert safety briefings and multiple water entries.

“The tour was amazing, maybe once in a lufetime experience. Ines, the guide, gave us lots of info about the dolphins we saw. we felt safe at all times and amazed by mother nature. Also, it was the first all girls crew I had the priviledge to sail with. Kudos to you, ladies!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Boat Tours in São Miguel, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in São Miguel, São Miguel Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in São Miguel

Terceira: Whale and Dolphin Watching in a Zodiac Boat

4.Whale and Dolphin Watching in a Zodiac Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 230 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $82

Terceira, Azores zodiac whale watching with Water4fun. 2.5 hours, Monte Brasil spotter guidance, whales and dolphins.

“Guide looked after everyone from start to the end perfectly. We saw dolphins , false killer whales and a sperm whale. Does what is says on the tin.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Faial Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Horta: University Startup Whale and Dolphin RIB Boat Trip

5.University Startup Whale and Dolphin RIB Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 225 reviews · 3 hours · from $101

3-hour RIB trip from Horta with university biologists. Look for sperm, blue, and fin whales, dolphins, turtles, and seabirds.

“Great experience and a guide who explained a lot. The Skipper moved carefully and in a certain distance to the whales. I can recommend it 100%. Also the water proofed clothes were super.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in São Miguel, Half-Day, São Miguel Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in São Miguel

Terceira: Half-Day Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour

6.Half-Day Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 219 reviews · 3 hours · from $70

3 hours in Terceira’s seas to spot whales and dolphins, learn real Azores cetacean ethics, and take in dramatic coastline geology.

“Great trip. Saw a sperm whale and two types of dolphins”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in São Miguel, São Miguel Tours, Tour Reviews

Swim with Wild Dolphins in the Azores

7.Swim with Wild Dolphins in the Azores

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 190 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $181

Swim with wild Atlantic dolphins off Sao Miguel in a small group with a marine biologist, safety briefing, and multiple water entries.

“really fun and unique! the guides were nice and everything felt very safe. we got to see a lot of dolphins.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Pico Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale and Dolphin Watching in Pico Island – Half Day

8.Whale and Dolphin Watching in Pico Island – Half Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 157 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $79

Pico Island half-day whale and dolphin cruise with instant booking, expert briefing, fast zodiac ride, and Pico coastline views from the water.

“Great experience, although a bit "wet" due to wind and waves. We managed to see two different species of dolphins and one false killer whale. Unfortunately we didn't see any sperm whale :( the staff was very nice and helpful”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in Terceira, Terceira Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Terceira

Watching whales and dolphins on Terceira Island

9.Watching whales and dolphins on Terceira Island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 150 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $78Top rated

Terceira whale watching by speedboat with a top-range spotter on Monte Brasil. Small group, safety gear, and a cetacean sighting guarantee.

“Got to see a whale and many, many dolphins! The whale (Cachalote) was amazing! So worth it! Great tour guides and amazing job spotting these wild creatures.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Observation Decks, Pico Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Observation of whales and dolphins in island Pico

10.Observation of whales and dolphins in island Pico

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 76 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $70

Whale and dolphin watching off Pico Island from Lajes do Pico, with live English and Portuguese guidance, great marine sightings, and a fast boat ride.

“Insgesamt eine tolle Tour mit vielen Walsichtungen. Von unserem Guide hätte ich mir noch mehr Erläuterungen zu den Walen gewünscht. Ich empfehle die Tour aber auf jeden Fall weiter, wenn man einigermaßen seetüchtig ist. Die Fahrt mit dem Boot bei teilweise 38 mph ist ein zusätzlicher Kick wenn man Tempo mag.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in Terceira, Terceira Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Terceira, Wildlife

Terceira: Whale & Dolphin Watching | Best Wildlife Tour

11.Whale & Dolphin Watching | Best Wildlife Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 55 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $82

Terceira whale and dolphin watching in the Azores. Spot cetaceans with lookout spotting, hydrophone sounds, and a sighting guarantee.

“Excelente. A guia foi fantástica,e o mais importante vimos imensos golfinhos. Adorei”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in Terceira, Terceira Tours, Tour Reviews

Terceira: Swimming with Wild Dolphins | Natural Habitat

12.Swimming with Wild Dolphins | Natural Habitat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 51 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $147

Swim with wild dolphins off Terceira in small groups. Full gear, safety briefing, and a sighting guarantee included.

“So much fun!! The boat ride was great in itself and then we were lucky enough to be able to swim with two different species of dolphins. The team that went with us to find the dolphins were so nice and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in São Miguel, São Miguel Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in São Miguel

São Miguel, Azores: Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour

13.São Miguel, Azores: Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 47 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $69

Whale and dolphin watching on São Miguel with RIB or catamaran, plus a pass around Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo in 3.5 hours.

“Experiencia de 10. Excepcionales Edmundo y Alex; su entusiasmo y devoción; su única voluntad era hacernos disfrutar de esta aventura cada minuto; vimos ballenas y delfines y tuvimos el gran privilegio de nadar con ellos. SIMPLEMENTE EXTRAORDINARIO. Estuvimos 4 horas de navegación, INMEJORABLE su compromiso con los clientes.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in São Miguel, Food, Food & Drink, Food Tours in São Miguel, São Miguel Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ponta Delgada: Fat Dolphin Food Tours

14.Fat Dolphin Food Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 39 reviews · 3 hours · from $104

A 3-hour small-group food and culture walk in Ponta Delgada, tasting pineapple and cheeses plus a generous regional lunch with drinks.

“Really could not fault this tour. It was just the two of us and this meant we could freely discuss and ask questions about aspects of the Azores that interested us. We got a good insight into the architecture, economy and history of Ponta Delgada with a focus on food, sampling local pineapple at the market, delicious cheeses at two locations and finishing off with a very generous lunch of local specialities with wine included. Thank you - definitely one to be recommended.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dolphin Watching, Dolphin Watching in Terceira, Terceira Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Terceira

Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour at Terceira Island

15.Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour at Terceira Island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $71

Spot whales and dolphins off Terceira on a small-group 2 to 3 hour cruise with live marine guide commentary and safety gear.

“Excellent trip -money back if nothing spotted but we saw whales and dolphins -the ride out into the Atlantic is also fun . As a bonus also spotted a turtle swimming out at sea”

Check availability →Read our full review