Azores Adventure Education

Designed to immerse students in the rich culture, verdant mountains, and clear blue ocean waters of the Azores Islands, this trip explores three of the nine Azores Islands. It includes beachfront camping, hiking, backpacking and a summit ascent of Pico Peak, the highest point in Portugal. Ocean activities include learning about marine conservation and swimming with dolphins, and students will learn about the culture of these unique islands.

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Azores Islands, Portugal

Dates

Year-Round
Two Week Trips

Group Size

10-20 Student
4 Trip Leaders
Max 8:1 Student/Adult

Tuition

$4850
*not including airfare

THE TRIP AT A GLANCE

Ponta Delgada

The largest town in the Azores, Ponta Delgada has maintained its old world charm. Serving as basecamp for the first few days of the trip, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, forests, and villages are all nearby on the 40km long, 8km wide island of Sao Miguel.

Sete Cidade

A massive dormant volcano caldera, here we will hike along the caldera ridge overlooking the Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, the blue and green lakes with their starkly different water color. Forests of hydrangeas and views of the Atlantic abound before descending to a village for a late afternoon lunch.

Hot Springs And Waterfalls

The Azores are home to many mineral laden thermal hot springs and forest waterfalls. Trip members will explore many of these beautiful spots, which are yet to be spoiled by over development and masses of tourists. Soaking in hot springs after long hikes is sure to be a welcome bit of R&R.

Pico Peak

The highest point in Portugal, Pico Peak rises from sea level to nearly 8,000ft. With expert mountain guides, trip members on a steep and arduous climb to the top, to camp in the caldera at the second summit. Everyone wakes up before the sun to make the final push to the peak and experience a sunrise to rival any on the planet. Many professional mountaineers cast Pico Peak as one of their favorite summits. You’ll see why.

Horta

An ancient port town that has seen vikings, pirates, transatlantic traders, whalers, adventurers, and most recently become a hub of marine research, Horta has changed little over the years and is a favorite of many who visit the Azores. Trip members camp at a nearby beachfront forest where they will visit town in between adventures across Faial Island.

The Ocean

In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and parallel to Portugal, the Azores boast year round warm waters, often with over 100ft visibility of vibrant blue water. Over two dozen species of whale and dolphin pass through these islands throughout the year. Once a whaling hub, the Azores are now a global leader in marine research. Trip members will learn about current projects and get up close and personal with sea life, including a dolphin swim.

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Welcome to the Azores!

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FAQ

We get a lot of little questions from parents and students throughout the year, especially leading up to trips. Here you can find answers to the questions we see most often. If you can't find what you need here, feel free to reach out to us by email or phone

Trip Tuition:

$4850 (Group Discounts available)

Trip Tuition Covers:

• Accommodations
• Most Meals (We occasionally encourage trip members to explore local restaurants)
Local transportation

• Project planning, materials, and management
• Adventure Activities
• Travelers medical, emergency and evacuation insurance
• Local and International trip leaders

Trip Tuition Does not Cover:
• International airfare (trip leaders can help select and arrange airfare for groups)
• Local shopping
• Additional sightseeing activities

Passport:
If you do not have, or have not applied for your passport and are planning to join a trip, sooner than later is best. Passport delivery since 2020 has taken as long as several months to receive. You can order a passport at your local post office. Standard service (is supposed to) take 4-6 weeks, while expedited service is much faster, but also more expensive. If you already have your passport it must have at least 6 months of validity from the day you arrive in Portugal or it needs to be renewed. If you do not have 6 months of passport validity you will be refused entry to Portugal.

Azores Tourist Visa:
All trip participants with a US passport will receive a free tourist visa on arrival in the Azores.

Accommodations:
While on Sao Miguel Island students stay on hotel on the outskirts of Ponta Delgada. this hotel was originally a Catholic monastery recently converted to accommodate international travellers. On Faial Island we stay in several small boutique hotels in the sailing port town of Horta. We also will camp at a beachside campground for several nights. Students are encouraged to bring their own tents and sleeping bag. Tents are also available to rent at a reasonable price. All backpacking gear is provided for the overnight summit of Pico Peak where we campout in the dormant caldera near the summit. Roommates will be arranged based on your preferences and in consultation with chaperones and Padma staff.

Electronics:
There is little time for playing on screens during a Padma trip. That being said, be sure to have a camera or phone to take pictures throughout the trip. Feel free to bring GoPros and camera drones if you want. With a simple power converter (ask the omniscient Google for options) all US chargers can be used on your trip. Trip leaders will have local cellphones for your use if needed and to communicate with families back home. Smartphone apps such as WhatsApp, and WeChat offer free international voice messaging and calling from anywhere with internet access. Trip leaders' and chaperones' primary international means of communication is through WhatsApp.

Meals & Water
Most meals are eaten together at reputable restaurants, or prepared by chefs at our accommodations. A special focus on hygienic, nutrient rich, and clean food is our goal to help avoid any gastrointestinal issue during the trip. We are careful to provide, and remind trip members to only drink, clean water. With abundant activity and the often humid and warm locations of our trips, it is important to drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration. Although we strive to provide ample food, many trip members also bring snacks from home. There are also opportunities for trip members to explore local restaurants on their own.

Alcohol & Drugs
Padma maintains a zero tolerance policy on illicit drug use, and it will not be tolerated. Depending on the severity of the incident, trip members may be immediately expelled from the trip at their family's expense. In many countries and areas we travel, trip members can legally drink alcohol. On such trips, students are allowed to drink alcohol responsibly unless parents/guardians inform Padma otherwise. No drunkenness, inappropriate, or disrespectful behavior is allowed and if it occurs, students may lose privileges or be sent home if Padma trip leaders conclude the situation warrants expulsion.

Disciplinary Policy:
Padma Organization reserves the right to expel any trip participant from the trip at Padma trip leaders' discretion. This trip is not a party. Padma trips are intended as an opportunity for students to serve others while representing themselves, their school, Padma, and the United States as cultural ambassadors. Any behavior that disrupts this purpose, brings danger to themselves, or other trip members, along with any illegal activity are not allowed. The family of any student expelled from the trip is responsible for all costs to bring their student home. A first warning and removal of privileges will be given for minor offences, while larger incidents may result in immediate trip expulsion.

Day 1:

Depart U.S. for Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island, Azores

Day 2:

Arrive in Ponta Delgada in the morning. Spend one day exploring the town, establishing group culture, and taking a guided tour of the city.

Day 3:

After breakfast, we head into the mountains for a 22km ridge hike around Sete Cidades. Our hike ends in a small village for lunch. We then head to the coast to soak in Ponta da Ferraria thermal hot springs, a natural oceanfront stone pool.

Day 4:

After breakfast, a marine biologist will lead a short talk about dolphins and whales before we head out into the sea to swim with a local pod of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins. After lunch we head back to the mountains for an afternoon hike to the shores of Lagoa do Fogo, a UNESCO protected site.

Day 5:

Today we fly to Faial Island. After an island tour we’ll set up camp by the beach and have a picnic barbeque with some locals.

Day 6:

We head to the highpoint of Faial to hike around Caldera Faial and enjoy views of the whole island and the Atlantic Ocean. We then descend into the dormant volcano to the base while learning about endemic flora. The afternoon includes an introduction to freediving, starting on the beach, then heading into the ocean to hang with the fishies. The day concludes with a cliffside local dinner followed by night bird watching (trust me, very cool stuff).

Day 7:

We head to Pico Island by ferry in the morning, where we’ll meet the all-star team of Pico Me Up and begin our ascent of Pico Peak. We’ll camp at the second summit and enjoy the sunset before heading to bed.

Day 8:

A 5:30am wakeup call begins our final push to the summit to watch the sunrise over the Atlantic. One of the greatest sunrises you are likely to witness in your life. After the descent, we’ll grab a quick lunch on Pico, and head back to Faial to catch a flight to Sao Miguel.

Day 9:

After waking up in Ponta Delgada we’ll head to Furnas village to check out some waterfalls, unique forests, and boiling thermal pots. A thermal vent cooked feast awaits us in the village, followed by a tour of the botanical gardens and the hot springs of Terra Nostra. The last supper will be held back in Ponta Delgada.

Day 10:

After too many life changing and fun experiences to count, we head back across the ocean to tell our families and friends as many stories as their ears can handle.

Medical Considerations
Medical staff are part of every trip. Based on the medical forms submitted as part of each trip member's application, a Padma medical staff member will contact every participant who may require an individualized medical plan. Each student is provided travelers medical, emergency, and evacuation insurance. Any medical, psychological or physical conditions that might impact a student's trip participation must be communicated to your Padma trip leadership before your trip. Prescription medications must be brought with you as availability is not guaranteed during trips. If you wish to purchase international medical insurance to cover any additional costs in the event of an emergency, contact your Padma trip leader for recommendations. Here are a few:

World Nomads
Allianz
AIG Travel Guard

Vaccinations:
There are currently no required vaccines to travel to Portugal and it is up to parents and students to decide what vaccines to get. We recommend consulting the CDC website for suggestions on vaccines and details on additional travel information on the Azores. Below is a link to the CDC's Azores Island vaccine information:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/azores

Recommended for all trip members:
To be up-to-date on COVID vaccinations and routine vaccines such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

Trip members can cancel for any reason up to sixty (60) days before their trip, and receive a 50% refund of all paid tuition, less the $200 non-refundable deposit. Cancellations made less than 60 days prior to the trip cannot be guaranteed a refund. In case trip members are unable to join a trip due to medical or emergency related reasons, a full refund may be considered at the discretion of Padma staff. If trips must be canceled due to unexpected travel restrictions, or for any reason such as a natural disaster, social unrest, etc., full refunds will be offered, pending refunds from trip partner companies and organizations, contractors, and third party vendors.

Water Safety:

During your trip, there may be opportunities to swim, snorkel, scuba dive, and surf in the ocean, or swim in rivers and lakes. Currents, sudden depth changes, riptides, large waves, sharp reefs, stings and bites are some of the inherent risks we will face. Trip participants are never to swim alone and careful consideration of individual swimming ability and experience must always be considered.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria:

Padma’s Bali Reef Restoration Expedition includes outdoor and/or physically strenuous activities in various environments such as snorkeling, surfing, hiking, and building large or heavy structures. Following instruction, trip members must also be able to work independently for up to four hours a day and be capable of completing or participating in the specific activities of this trip.

Azores Adventure Education

Azores Islands, Portugal

Dates

Year-Round Two Week Trips

Group Size

10-20 Student 4 Trip Leaders Max 8:1 Student/Adult

Tuition

$4850 *not including airfare

THE TRIP AT A GLANCE

Ponta Delgada​​

Sete Cidade

Hot Springs And Waterfalls

Pico Peak

Horta

The Ocean

Welcome to the Azores!

FAQ

Year-Round
Two Week Trips

10-20 Student
4 Trip Leaders
Max 8:1 Student/Adult

$4850
*not including airfare

Ponta Delgada