About the trip
Exploring the wild ocean of the Azores, we will go on pelagic shark dive expeditions, swim with dolphins in the wild & go on whale watching journeys to make all of our ocean dreams come true!
The Azores boom with biodiversity and you will have the ocean time of your life diving these waters.
Dates:
August 12 - 19th 2026 sold out
August 1 - 8th 2026 (7 spots)
Blue and mako sharks
The Azores host one of the North Atlantic’s most reliable and accessible populations of blue sharks (Prionace glauca).
The waters just offshore of islands like Pico offer some of the world’s best encounters.
Blue sharks are among the ocean’s most elegant pelagic predators, known for their slender bodies, shiny blue coloration, and intense curiosity.
Individuals encountered in the Azores often reach lengths of two to three meters, making this region a standout location to observe mature, pelagic sharks up close.
Success rate for encountering these creatures ~90%.
Schooling Mobula rays
Princess Alice Bank is one of the North Atlantic’s most iconic offshore dive sites.
Rising from the depths of the Mid-Atlantic, this offshore seamount creates ideal conditions for some of the largest and most predictable mobula encounters in the Atlantic.
The sicklefin devil ray (Mobula tarapacana) is an elusive species, difficult to encounter elsewhere in the world. At Princess Alice Bank, they show up in schools.
Success rate for Mobula sightings ~90%.
Dolphin swims
The island of Pico is surrounded by some of the most cetacean-rich waters in the North Atlantic.
It is one of the rare places where you not only watch dolphins from the boat, but also have the chance to swim with them in their natural, open-ocean environment.
Multiple species frequent these waters throughout the year. During our stay, we will most likely encounter common,bottlenose, Atlantic spotted and striped dolphins.
On especially lucky days, mixed-species groups appear, forming super pods!
Our dolphin swims are half day, snorkel expeditions. Be ready for a thrilling search combined with a panoramic drive around Pico’s coastline.
Sperm whale watching
The Azores are a true whale-watching hub and with over 20 species of whales and dolphins, Pico Island is one of the world’s prime whale-watching destinations.
What makes Pico whale-watching so iconic, is its resident population of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus).
These giants are specifically drawn to giant squid that roam the deep sea.
Pico Island, with its steep drop-offs into adjacent deep ocean basins offers perfect conditions for year-round sperm whale sightings.
What's included
- 7 nights accommodation at Hotel Caravelas
- Daily breakfast
- 2 cetacean expeditions
- 1 dolphin swim
- 1 whale watching
- 8 scuba dives
- 2 shark dive expeditions (1 dive, max. 75 min)
- 2 Princess Alice expedition (2 dives)
- 2 coastal dive days (2 dives each)
- airport transfers
What's not included
- Scuba gear rental (EUR 35 per day)
- Travel & dive insurance
- Flights from your hometown to Pico island (PIX)
- Portuguese visa
- Tipping for crew members & staff
- Personal expenses
- Additional food and drinks
Requirements
Offshore diving around Pico island has its challenges.
Mandatory dive requirements:
- PADI Advanced open water diver (or equivalent)
- minimum of 50 logged dives (keep in mind that the coastal dives will be done before the pelagic dives. If you come with 48 dives, you can acquire two more dives on the coastal day!