Published on Oct, 2024

The tour was actually supposed to be a morning on top of the rim of the Caldeira do Faial. Our guide was Fred, as the main crew was hosting a running event that day. Fred was excellent in coming up with a plan B, as the Caldeira was completely enveloped in fog. We Hiked around the furthest volcanic western area by Ponta dos Capelinhos and checked out the museum and small port below. We also headed over to a beautiful Beach I believe was Praia da Faja. It was a very informative tour as Fred's knowledge of flora, fauna, volcanic activity and history kept us captivated by the areas we visited. My wife and I eventually went up to the Caldeira later that day on our own. The clouds and fog were still completely covering any possible view into the volcano. Good call Fred, we knew you had a good plan that morning.

Published on Oct, 2024

The tour was actually supposed to be a morning on top of the rim of the Caldeira do Faial. Our guide was Fred, as the main crew was hosting a running event that day. Fred was excellent in coming up with a plan B, as the Caldeira was completely enveloped in fog. We Hiked around the furthest volcanic western area by Ponta dos Capelinhos and checked out the museum and small port below. We also headed over to a beautiful Beach I believe was Praia da Faja. It was a very informative tour as Fred's knowledge of flora, fauna, volcanic activity and history kept us captivated by the areas we visited. My wife and I eventually went up to the Caldeira later that day on our own. The clouds and fog were still completely covering any possible view into the volcano. Good call Fred, we knew you had a good plan that morning.

Published on Aug, 2024

First off, I have never done a hike of this kind. I am pushing 50 but exercise regularly to keep in shape. If you are past your best years, you may want to consider if this is for you as it was definitely a challenge for me. The descent into the caldera was amazing as it was at times grueling. Our guide, Pedro, was fantastic and he was very patient in safely guiding my family of 5 down and up again. I don't think I could have done it without him as he made sure everyone was well paced, stopped at regular intervals for breaks, water and/or snacks, and kept things very orderly and safe. Along the way he described the various flora of the landscape and how the conditions can vary. He demonstrated exactly how to handle some of the more challenging terrain as some parts of the trail require you to carefully traverse down/up and over crevices and stones. When we reached the bottom, we made our way to a beautiful clearing which was dry at this time to have a nice break, catch our breath, and hydrate. We took some great pictures and then made our way up. It was not easy but it was very rewarding to make it back to the top. If you are up for the challenge, I highly recommend it. Be sure to train for it if you have any doubts about your fitness level. The tour company did a great job telling us ahead of time what to bring so we were prepared for the conditions. Thank you again to Pedro who made this a very memorable experience.

Published on Aug, 2024

First off, I have never done a hike of this kind. I am pushing 50 but exercise regularly to keep in shape. If you are past your best years, you may want to consider if this is for you as it was definitely a challenge for me. The descent into the caldera was amazing as it was at times grueling. Our guide, Pedro, was fantastic and he was very patient in safely guiding my family of 5 down and up again. I don't think I could have done it without him as he made sure everyone was well paced, stopped at regular intervals for breaks, water and/or snacks, and kept things very orderly and safe. Along the way he described the various flora of the landscape and how the conditions can vary. He demonstrated exactly how to handle some of the more challenging terrain as some parts of the trail require you to carefully traverse down/up and over crevices and stones. When we reached the bottom, we made our way to a beautiful clearing which was dry at this time to have a nice break, catch our breath, and hydrate. We took some great pictures and then made our way up. It was not easy but it was very rewarding to make it back to the top. If you are up for the challenge, I highly recommend it. Be sure to train for it if you have any doubts about your fitness level. The tour company did a great job telling us ahead of time what to bring so we were prepared for the conditions. Thank you again to Pedro who made this a very memorable experience.

Published on Jun, 2024

The Caldeira Descent hike was one of our favorite hikes on our whole trip. It is a very unique location and it was so special to be one of the few hikers to be able to travel all the way to the bottom. We loved learning about local flora and fauna as well as the history of the volcanoes of the island. Our guide set the pace perfectly and even surprised us with some local tea once we got to the bottom. We would definitely recommend this hike and this company and hope to return to Faial in the future!