Hiking Alone in the Azores
Kraig AdamsFeb 29 – Mar 8, 2024 · Solo
- Days
- a week
- Direction
- Point to point day hikes: São Miguel, then Flores from the airport to…
- Cost
- about US$590 (about €530, ECB rate 2026-11-12)
- Lodging
- Tent
Europe · Portugal
The Azores
São Miguel, Flores and Corvo, Portugal
- Distance
- 47.3 mi76.1 km
- Days
- 7 daysa week
- Elevation gain
- 8,150 ft2,484 m
- High point
- 2,772 ft845 m
- Season
- June to September is warmest and driest
- Lodging
- Tent
In late February and early March 2024 I spent a week alone in the Azores, the Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic. I hiked the rim of the Sete Cidades crater on São Miguel, flew to Flores and walked the Grande Rota das Flores in three days, from the airport at Santa Cruz round the north and west coasts to Lajedo, with a night in my tent at Ponta Delgada and a night at Aldeia da Cuada, and then flew to Corvo, the smallest island, to walk the rim of its crater, the Caldeirão. Five hikes, about 47.3 miles (76.1 km) by my GPS. It's the trip from my film Hiking Alone in the Azores.
Kraig Adams
Effort at this pace: Moderate · about 7 mi (11 km) and 1,164 ft (355 m) of climbing a day over 7 days, up to 2,772 ft (845 m). Our grade for the days given, worked out from distance, climbing and altitude a day; it isn't the trail's usual difficulty rating (under Basics) and doesn't rate exposure, terrain or weather.
Where these numbers come from
From Kraig Adams's GPS recording and guide.
From Kraig Adams's GPS
The route, day by day
Elevation16–2,769 ft47.1 mi
From Kraig Adams's GPS. Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (EU-DEM, SRTM) on AWS · Rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors
Tap a day for his map of it
Download GPX1.3 MB · free
Each day and variant (5 files)
- Day 1, São Miguel: from the road by Lagoa do Canário, out to the Boca do Inferno viewpoint, round the crater rim and down to Sete Cidades (8.5 mi / 13.7 km) 228 KB
- Day 2 429 KB
- Day 3 280 KB
- Day 4 200 KB
- Day 5, Corvo: north along the Caldeirão rim and back, then down to Vila do Corvo (6.2 mi / 9.9 km) 180 KB
The film
Watch it first
Hiking Alone in the Azores
Before you go
The basics
- Start
- Lagoa do Canário, São Miguel
- Finish
- Vila do Corvo, Corvo
- Direction
- Point to point day hikes: São Miguel, then Flores from the airport to Lajedo, then Corvo
- Usual difficulty
- Moderate. No scrambling, but steep, slippery climbs and descents on Flores, cliff-edge paths, mud and rain
- Best time
- June to September is warmest and driest. Winter, about November to March, is cheap and empty but wet and windy, with more cancelled flights. Expect rain and cloud on the crater rims in any season.
- Permits
- No permits and no trail fees. No camping outside campsites. Drones need permission in the parks
- Getting there
- Flying to the Azores. Azores Airlines flies to Ponta Delgada (São Miguel) from Boston (about six times a week, about 6 hours), New York JFK, Toronto and Montreal. Round trips from Boston were shown from about $623 for February 2027 (Azores Airlines, October 2026). United flies from Newark in summer only. From Lisbon or Porto, Azores Airlines and TAP fly to Ponta Delgada; Ryanair left the Azores in March 2026 (as reported).
- Lodging
- Tent
From Kraig Adams's guide
Costs and gear
What Kraig carried
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Waypoint 35 · NEMO Hornet 1P · a small stove and a gas canister bought in Ponta Delgada · a bottle and a water filter · PATH Projects Pyrenees T19 Hoodie · an insulated jacket, a rain jacket, a cap, shorts and long pants · trail shoes · Arc’teryx Aerios daypack and 16 more.
From Kraig Adams's guide
Safety
Rescue numbers
- Emergency: 112. Trail posts are numbered every 500 m. SOS Environment 800 292 800.
Phone signal
Not given
Insurance
- Get travel insurance that covers evacuation and delays.
Bail-out points
- Day 1, Lagoa do Canário to Sete Cidades (São Miguel). It's a road almost all the way, with no shelter. In fog you'll see nothing: Boca do Inferno alone, from the road near Lagoa do Canário, is the short version, and you can come back another day. If you only want the view, do that and skip the rim.
- Day 2, Flores airport to Ponta Delgada. Cedros (mile 7.1) and Ponta Ruiva (9.2) are on the road: a taxi can pick you up there. Or stop at the Alagoa campsite (6.1). After heavy rain, streams in the valleys rise fast; wait or turn back rather than cross a strong one.
- Day 3, Ponta Delgada to Aldeia da Cuada. While PR01FLO is closed, the whole day is the taxi to Fajã Grande and the short walk up to Cuada. If it reopens: there's no road or way off the cliff path between the lighthouse and Ponta, so decide at the lighthouse. In rain or strong wind, don't go on.
- Day 4, Aldeia da Cuada to Lajedo. Fajãzinha (mile 2.8) and Mosteiro (mile 5.0) are on the road for a taxi. The waterfalls are the highlight: if the weather is bad, do just Cuada to the waterfalls and back.
- Day 5, Corvo, the Caldeirão to Vila do Corvo. Ride up and down in the van and walk only the rim. In cloud there's nothing to see: wait, or come back up the next day. In strong wind, keep well back from the edge.
From Kraig Adams's guide. For planning, not navigation: check before you go.
Their films and versions
Creators who've done it
1 creator so far: Kraig, 7 days, about $590, tent.
Hiking Alone in the Azores
Walked The Azores? Be the first to share your track: log it with your GPX.
Your time
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Typical: a week (the hike's facts).
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Planning questions about The Azores, answered only from this page's facts, the creators' versions and hikers' public tracks, with where each answer comes from. When the data doesn't say, the answer says "not given".
From hikers
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Answered from the data
Questions people ask
How many days do you need for The Azores?
The official trail is 47 km in two stages, 21 km and 26 km. By my GPS, walking from Flores airport with a detour to the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro waterfalls, it was 32.7 miles (52.6 km) and about 7,240 ft of climbing in three days.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How much does The Azores cost?
Kraig's costs came to about €530.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
When is the best time to hike The Azores?
June to September is warmest and driest. Winter, about November to March, is cheap and empty but wet and windy, with more cancelled flights. Expect rain and cloud on the crater rims in any season.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Do you need a permit for The Azores?
No, not for the trails in this guide. In 2026 there was no permit, booking or fee for Sete Cidades, the Grande Rota das Flores or Corvo's trails; the only Azores trail that needs registration is Mount Pico. Camping is allowed only at campsites.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Is the Grande Rota das Flores open?
Half of it, in October 2026. Stage 1, Santa Cruz das Flores to Ponta Delgada, is open. Stage 2 is listed as closed because the Ponta Delgada to Fajã Grande trail (PR01FLO) is temporarily closed; Fajã Grande to Lajedo (PR02FLO) is open. Check the alerts on trails.visitazores.com.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How do you get to Flores and Corvo?
Fly to Ponta Delgada on São Miguel, then SATA Air Açores flies direct to Flores. From Flores to Corvo there's a short flight or Atlânticoline's ferry, about 40 minutes. Wind cancels Corvo's flights and boats most often from November to March, so keep spare days.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Can you wild camp in the Azores?
No. Camping outside campsites isn't allowed in the protected areas and island parks, and fines can reach about €600. There are free campsites at Sete Cidades and along the Grande Rota das Flores at Santa Cruz, Alagoa, Ponta Delgada and Fajã Grande; Corvo's needs written permission.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.