Whale & Dolphin Watching in Lajes do Pico (Half-day)

It is in this dark-profiled paradise of basaltic landscapes and silky vegetation that a rough sea awaits to introduce the visitor to some of the most spectacular aquatic specimens, freely swimming in their element. Away from the masses and close to the desirable peace, you will be the guests to our nature guides and marine biologists, certified and, most importantly, sharing such a passion for these islands, its fauna and flora. It becomes contagious. You will, therefore, meet the whales in the integral beauty of their natural habitat.

Difficulty

Languages

Transport Type

BOAT

Tour Starts

Lajes do Pico

Minimum Age

6 on Zodiacs

Season

Available in high season

Transport Type

BOAT

Tour Starts

Lajes do Pico

Languages

Minimum Age

6 on Zodiacs

Season

Available in high season

Trip Overview

Meet the Giants of Pico

Price

70€

Duration

Half day

High Quality Service

Clean & Safe Certified Company

Exceptional & Educational Nature Experience

Free Cancellations

Gallery

Itinerary

Lajes do Pico harbor +

This great adventure starts at Lajes do Pico harbor, in our shop.
Our staff will welcome you and help you checking-in.

Setting sails +

After the check-in, you will be directed to the boat, where our marine biologists will give a briefing. They will tell you about the species that you might see, whale watching history in the Azores as well as how we respect the animals.
Then, we are ready to navigate and look for cetaceans in the wild. On the way, have a look at the coast of our beautiful island, full of magical landscapes.

The deep Atlantic +

That is where you will encounter the biggest animals. Whales are living in the deep ocean. Some of them simply pass by our waters during their migration.
Prepare for awe-inspiring moments where time suddenly freezes and natural magic happens right in front of your eyes.

Back to land +

Back to Lajes do Pico harbor, we will remind you of all the species you saw.

Select your departure

70€ per adult + 4.2€ Online Fee

Why Futurismo

35 Years of Experience

Founded in 1990, we are one of the most experienced companies in the whole Azores Islands.

Pioneers and Leaders

We have pioneered nature-based adventure travel in the Azores, striving to keep helping the Azores take the right path in tourism.

Proudly Azorean Local Experts

Our team is made up of people who live, breathe, eat, and sleep in the Azores. This is our home and we are eager to share it with the world.

MORE ABOUT US

70€ per adult + 4.2€ Online Fee

Premier Whale Watching Operator

Experienced. Passionate. Respectful.

WCA Certified

Our ethical tourism practices recognized worldwide

Cetacean Sighting Guaranteed

98% chance of spotting whales or dolphins. Didn’t see any? Join another tour for free

21.000+ Sighting Records

30 yrs of scientific research. Collabs with 20+ universities

Top-notch Vessels

Best and biggest Whale Watching fleet in the Azores

KNOW MORE

100% stays in the local community

20% to local small companies

Full time, year round, employed guides

What people think about

5.0

1527 reviews

Louis-Martin Dussault 28/10/2026

(Translated by Google) Excellent organization of the outing, from booking to service; very… Read more

Rianne Laura 25/10/2026

(Translated by Google) We had a super fun whale tour here with an enthusiastic team eager to tell… Read more

Melanie Colomes 20/10/2026

(Translated by Google) An incredible experience, passionate and fascinating people! But above all,… Read more

Caleb Glickman 19/10/2026

Highly recommend Futurismo - we had a spectacular day and lots of amazing whale watching, and our… Read more

Elena Castillo 19/10/2026

(Translated by Google) A fantastic experience! The team was incredibly professional, friendly, and… Read more

Satan Buddha 12/10/2026

What I really appreciated was the appeal not to litter and, above all, to dispose of plastic… Read more

simone tielrooij 09/10/2026

(Translated by Google) Really awesome. Such an incredibly enthusiastic and fun guide who showed us… Read more

Max 07/10/2026

(Translated by Google) Had a fantastic experience on October 7th! Our guide was in great spirits… Read more

Laura P 07/10/2026

(Translated by Google) We had an absolutely amazing tour! It was my sixth dolphin/whale watching… Read more

Chris Van Bael 06/10/2026

It was a great whale tour. we saw a lot of dolphins and even several whales. We also got a lot of… Read more

Jessica van Eeten 05/10/2026

(Translated by Google) Great whale watching tour. It was cancelled on day 1 due to bad weather. We… Read more

Andre Kaiser 29/09/2026

(Translated by Google) Highly recommended. Very sustainable and environmentally friendly treatment… Read more

Heike Deparade 27/09/2026

(Translated by Google) It was a wonderful afternoon in September! We had the best company, the best… Read more

Linda 27/09/2026

(Translated by Google) My husband and I were on Pico at the end of April 2026 and enjoyed two… (Translated by Google) My husband and I were on Pico at the end of April 2026 and enjoyed two wonderful whale watching tours with Lynn and César. You can tell that they both love their job and are incredibly enthusiastic about it. They are both very friendly and customer-oriented. Our heartfelt thanks also go to the whale spotters who locate the whales from the shore and report the sightings. We learned a great deal about the many marine creatures we were able to admire. The whale watching was conducted with great respect for the animals; the animals were always well looked after. The animals decided how close they wanted to come to the waiting boat. There was always only a limited number of boats at each location where the marine life was sighted. We were very lucky on our tours and saw sperm whales, blue whales, fin whales, Risso's dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, pygmy killer whales, a loggerhead sea turtle, a shark, and Portuguese man-of-war. ... It was incredibly impressive, and we still rave about it. We'll always cherish these tours and sincerely hope we'll have the opportunity to book more. Best regards (Original) Mein Mann und ich waren Ende April 2026 auf Pico und hatten 2 wunderschöne Whale Watching Touren mit Lynn und César. Man spürt, dass die beiden ihren Job lieben und voller Enthusiasmus dabei sind. Beide sind sehr sympathisch und kundenfreundlich. Unser herzliches Dank geht auch an die „Whalespotter“, die vom Land aus die Wale entdecken und die Sichtungen melden. Wir haben viel Wissenswertes über die vielen Meeresbewohner, die wir bewundern durften, erfahren. Das Whale Watching lief sehr rücksichtsvoll ab; es wurde immer auf die Tiere geachtet. Die Tiere haben entschieden, wie nah sie dem wartenden Boot kommen möchten. Es war immer nur eine begrenzte Anzahl an Booten bei den gesichteten Meeresbewohnern. Wir hatten großes Glück bei unseren Touren und haben Pottwale, Blauwale, Finnwale, Rundkopfdelfine, Große Tümmler, Kleine Schwertwale, eine unechte Karettschildkröte, einen Hai sowie portugiesische Galeeren gesehen. Es war sehr beeindruckend und wir schwärmen heute noch davon. Diese Touren werden wir immer in sehr guter Erinnerung behalten und hoffen sehr, dass sich uns die Gelegenheit bieten wird, weitere Touren zu buchen. Liebe Grüße Read more

jel s 26/09/2026

(Translated by Google) Very enthusiastic staff who are doing a great job with the well-being of the… Read more

Jeroen Wagenaar 26/09/2026

Great whale tour with great and extremely knowledgeable staff. They obviously care about animal… Read more

Alexandra Stefanie Lenz 26/09/2026

(Translated by Google) The whales are treated very responsibly here! There's a really good briefing… Read more

Nico De Pooter 24/09/2026

(Translated by Google) The tour actually lasted an hour longer because we kept encountering new… Read more

Sabrine Petrie 22/09/2026

(Translated by Google) Wonderful trip! Saw a blue whale (very exceptional in September), dolphins,… Read more

simons ben 22/09/2026

(Translated by Google) Very skilled and enthusiastic guide! Great attention to the well-being of… Read more

What people think about

more than 15.000 reviews

Essencial Trip Information

What's Included

Insurance (personal accident and liability)
Life jacket (on zodiac & fiberglass boats)
Marine biologist guides
Pre-tour briefing
Raincoat and pants (if necessary)

Why this Tour

Just some miles off the Pico Island coast, there are big slopes reaching 3 000 m deep in the Atlantic Ocean. This is very favorable for cetaceans, who sometimes appear very close to the island. Other characteristics such as hydrothermal vents and seamounts create the perfect environment for our dear whales and dolphins. Basically, Pico Island is a great whale-watching spot in the Azores.

Departure and Return

Departure Point

Rua dos Baleeiros, nº5, 9930-143, Lajes do Pico. Public parking is available nearby (street parking and public parking lot).

Departure Time

Please select a date on the calendar and arrive at the meeting point at the scheduled time for check-in and a short safety briefing.

Return Point

Returns to original departure point.

How long does the Whale Watching Tour last? +

This is a half-day tour.

The estimated duration is approximately 3 hours, including 30 minutes for check-in and a mandatory safety briefing, followed by around 2 hours and 30 minutes at sea.
In some cases, the tour may last slightly longer if we need to travel farther offshore to improve sighting opportunities, whether to encounter more species or particularly special ones. The experience always takes priority.

What does the tour start time refer to? +

The tour start time refers to check-in time, not the moment of departure.

Guests should arrive at the meeting point at the scheduled time. After check-in and a brief safety briefing, departure will take place within 30 minutes of the check-in time, depending on group readiness and sea conditions.

Are the Azores a good whale-watching destination? +

The Azores are a great whale-watching destination, probably one of the best in the whole world. We have sperm whales all year round. Being in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, lots of cetacean species pass by our islands during their annual migration.

What if the weather isn’t ok? +

If the weather doesn’t allow us to do this activity safely, we will cancel it and suggest an alternative date.

Can I use my drone during this tour? +

You cannot use a drone on our tours with other travelers.

Do you sell medication for seasickness? +

No, we do not sell anything on the boat. If you know that you get easily seasick, it is better to purchase adequate medication before the tour.

Cancellation +

Cancellations up to 48 hours before the tour, no penalties are applied.
Cancellations up to 24 hours: 50% of the total amount will be charged.
Cancellations less than 24 hours or no-show: full amount will be charged.
If the weather conditions do not allow the activity to be done safely, we will cancel it and contact you suggesting an alternative date or provide a full refund.

Booking confirmation +

You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of successful booking.

What to bring? +

Comfortable clothes and shoes.
Warm sweater or jacket.
Sunscreen, hat and backpack.
Water and snacks (we do not sell food aboard).

Advisory +

Restrictions may apply for pregnant women and people with lower back problems because the whale-watching experience is operated in zodiac boats.
Please note that we don’t sell any food or drink onboard.
Children ideally above 6 years old. Once seated, the child’s feet must reach the ground for safety reasons.
The medium level of difficulty is related to be operated on a zodiac boat.