Blue Whales off Pico Island

Data collected from our land-based lookout show that Blue whales start passing by our waters earlier than other baleen whales during their northbound spring migration. They are also the first to leave the Azores on their way to high latitude foraging grounds, so that their presence peaks on average between mid-March and mid-May.

The outstanding opportunity to witness the migration of the biggest animal ever to inhabit our planet corresponds to a time of the year when weather and sea conditions on Pico Island can be at times challenging, and this is why we ask you to plan a 10-day long stay, so that you will get the most out of your dream-come-true holiday.

While the program focuses mainly on the Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), the list of other cetaceans you are likely to see during your stay on Pico Island is remarkably long (see Species Checklist on this page).

Since we do really also focus on scientific research, while on Pico Island you will be with us while we perform the following tasks:

• Photo-identification of baleen whales
• Collecting baleen whale faecal samples for genetic analysis
• Collecting behavioural data

The Blue Whale Migration program includes 5 scheduled trips to sea. We can guarantee 3 of these trips and, if the weather or sea conditions do not allow us to complete all the planned trips within the available time, we will replace the 2 lost trips with land-based activities. These include island tours, nature treks, birdwatching excursions and snorkelling trips.

For a two-week stay (i.e. a 4-day extension of the program) we will guarantee all 5 sea trips and, when conditions allow, offer an additional trip. If guaranteed trips cannot be undertaken, then their full price will be refunded.