Day 1
Riding: No riding.
Arrival into Horta airport with transfer to the ecolodge. You will meet the horses and have a briefing of your trail week, getting to know the other riders and your guide. Welcome dinner.
Day 2 - History of Whales
Riding: 4 - 5 hours
Today starts by learning about whales and their history on the island of Faial. You are then introduced to your horse and your equipment before setting out on the trail. Start on gently rising meadow paths and after a short time, you begin the first trot and canter. Your destination is a whale watching point, where with a little luck and when the sea is calm, you can see whales and dolphins. Return to the lodge along the steep coast where a delicious lunch is waiting for you.
In the afternoon you ride to two small whaling harbours. If the weather is good, you can swim here. Leave the horses for the night in a small hamlet and transfer back to the lodge for a drink at the bar before dinner.
Day 3 - Lighthouse Trail
Riding: 4 - 5 hours
Today you can learn about the impact of the 1998 earthquake on Faial. You are transferred to the horses early in the morning and start your trail by riding along the coast through and avenue of blue hydrangea hedges. Reach the island's former lighthouse, which was destroyed in the earthquake - the nearby village still has a crumbling church that testifies to the power of the tremors. Around noon you reach the horses' rest area where there is time for a saddlebag picnic.
After your lunch and perhaps a swim or paddle in the sea, your ride continues with wonderful views of the ocean and the neighbouring islands of São Jorge, Graciosa and Pico. You will reach the horse paddock for the night and once the horses are settled you'll be driven back to the ecolodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4 - Caldeira of Faial Trail
Riding: 6 - 7 hours
Another early start today as you head to one of the top highlights of the Azores, Faial’s crater - the Caldeira. It is located at an altitude of over 1,000m in the centre of the island and is a real challenge for rider and horse. Sometimes you will meet farmers along the way with their cows. The heather shrubs along your route look like giant broccoli and the Atlantic Ocean glitters in the sun. You slowly ride up to the crater rim via old rail tracks until eventually reaching the 400m deep and 2,500m wide crater. If you want to extend your trail holiday, you can descend into the depths of the crater with a nature park guide on a different day at extra cost.
After another saddlebag picnic you ride through the lonely and wild landscape of the high mountains. Your trail leads over farm roads and down to a small volcano, the inner crater of which you can reach on foot through a small tunnel. A very special atmosphere awaits you in this tunnel. In the late afternoon you arrive at the 'Jungle Camp' where you leave the horses for the night. The transfer to the lodge is already waiting for you and you return to a well-earned dinner.
Day 5 - Cabeço Verde Trail and Whale Watching
Riding: 3 hours
This morning you will be driven to Horta town to meet a team of marine biologists who will take you out to the ocean in a powerful motorised boat. The ocean around Faial is home to many different species of whales and dolphins and it's a special experience to be so close to the largest mammals in the world. Whale-watching is generally an option from April to October but outside of this season, or if the weather isn't good enough, you will enjoy some time discovering the colourful, cosmopolitan port town of Horta and its sailing harbour.
There's another saddlebag picnic, eaten at the Nature Park of Capelo, before you prepare your horses and mount up for a ride up the green hill, 'Cabeço Verde'. From the top you have spectacular views of Praia do Norte, Cabeço do Fogo, Morro do Castelo Branco and the volcano Vulcão dos Capelinhos. The route of descent shows you some of the vineyards which are unique to Faial - this wine-growing area is unique due to the ashes of the last volcanic eruption and a special way of growing the grapes. After a ride you will enjoy another meal at the ecolodge, a true taste of the Azores.
Day 6 - Capelinhos Volcano Trail
Riding: 4 - 5 hours
Today the trail leads you through a mystical jungle landscape where you can enjoy fantastic canters close to the coastline. Extensive vineyards, but also small 'adegas' (wineries) line your way as you follow narrow tracks close to the shore. Eventually you reach another top highlight of the Azores, the volcano of Capelinhos which erupted in 1957. Desert-like solitude awaits you with an old whaling village covered with the ash from the volcano. Hidden under the buried lighthouse is the modern interpretation centre that reports on the volcanism of the Azores and the eruption of the volcano. You combine your saddlebag picnic with a visit to this attraction.
After lunch you ride over parts of the volcano to reach the Jungle Camp again in the late afternoon. The transfer back to the lodge is already waiting there.
Day 7 - Fajã Bay and Canyon Trail
Riding: 4 - 5 hours
Today is the last day of the trail. Fajã Bay is a hidden bay where the islanders have grown wine and fruit for 500 years and on your way there you pass more small adegas (wineries). Riding through dense jungle you reach the black lava beach of Fajã Bay - a magical, romantic world of its own. Small lava stone houses, well-tended gardens and a wild sea await you .
You cross the island from the dry south to the green north with magnificent views over terraced pastures down to the blue ocean. Extended canters lead to the highest village on the island, Ribeira Funda. A typical Azorean picnic is waiting for you directly above the 300m deep canyon. Let the sun warm you, listen to the wind and the wild cries of the buzzards circling over the deep gorge.
In the afternoon the route takes you along yam fields and through a small, wild and romantic valley to return to the lodge. A farewell dinner brings your fascinating week of trail riding to a close.
Day 8 - Departure
Riding: No riding.
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight or to the ferry port. With the early flight from Faial back to Lisbon you should be able to connect with an afternoon flight home. Alternatively, you may wish to extend your stay on the island to explore further - please ask for details.
Note: All programmes and itineraries are weather dependent; in the face of adverse, or unexpected, weather conditions reasonable attempts will be made to provide equivalent riding. All programmes are accurate at the time of writing. However, the team may adapt or modify details, whilst aiming to provide a similar experience.