Epic Canyoning Experience on São Miguel, Azores
If you’re thinking of going to the Azores, chances are you already know what an awesome destination it is for outdoor adventures. That was one of the things that made us want to go to the Azores in the first place!
And one thing in particular we were super excited about was the canyoning! São Miguel is known to be one of the best canyoning places in Portugal, so if you’re up for a bit of an adventure, this is a must-do!
Since the canyoning is so good here, there are a bunch of different experiences to choose from and different canyons to go in. So in this post, we’ll share our personal experience canyoning in São Miguel in the hopes that it makes your planning a bit easier.
You’ll learn more about what you can expect, our honest thoughts on the experience and company we went with (what we liked and what we didn’t), and everything else you need to know before going on this fun adventure.
Disclosure: This post has been created in collaboration with Visit Azores. Everything in this post is based on our personal opinions and experiences. This post also contains affiliate links, which means if you decide to use the links and make a valid purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Everything you need to know about canyoning in São Miguel
We booked our canyoning for our second day in São Miguel since we decided to go on a whale watching tour on our first day (we wanted the option to reschedule in case of bad weather).
Canyoning is slightly less weather-dependent, so we thought this was the best way to do it. But you can, of course, plan it however you prefer.
So what do you need to know before you go? Well, first of all, there are a few different spots around São Miguel where you can go canyoning.
The main difference between them is the difficulty level based on the layouts of the canyons. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about this – you just need to know which level you are.
The difficulty levels are often ranked as level 1, level 2, etc. And if you’ve never gone canyoning before, I suggest just booking level 1. That’s a nice and easy entry into what canyoning is like.
We’ve gone canyoning in Madeira a few times (where we did both level 1 & 2), but since it had been a while, we decided to go easy and do level 1 this time around.
There are a few companies that provide canyoning experiences on São Miguel. We went with Azorean Active Blueberry, as organized by the local tourism board, and they were so fun and made the whole experience memorable and safe.
The tour started in Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande, which is roughly 30 minutes from Ponta Delgada. They do offer to pick you up at your accommodation, but we highly recommend renting a car in São Miguel so you can go explore more of the island before or after your tour.
When you book your experience, you can select whether or not you want pickup included (€20 extra per person).
💦Don’t have time to read the full post?
If you’re looking for a fun canyoning experience, this is the tour we did & recommend! 🧗🏼
What to expect on a canyoning tour on São Miguel
As we mentioned before, the meeting point for the tour varies depending on which level you’re doing (more on this below), but if you book the same tour as us, the tour starts in Caldeiras Ribeira Grande.
Once you’re there, you will follow the guides in their van about 5 minutes down another quiet road to get to the actual starting point of the tour. This is where you’ll get a briefing and all your gear.
A good tip is to come dressed in your swimsuit (or bring a poncho towel) since there are no changing rooms. This will make the whole process of putting on your wetsuit a lot easier and more comfortable.
Once you’re all geared up, it’s time to head down towards the canyon, where you’ll get a quick safety briefing before your canyoning starts.
One thing to know is you will be in a group unless you book a private tour (contact the company directly to organize this), so there will be sections where there’s a bit of waiting around as the guides help the other guests rappel or go down.
We had a bigger group, so our tour got slightly delayed, which was a bit of a shame since we had a tight schedule – so that’s just something to keep in mind. Make sure you plan a bit of a buffer after the canyoning.
As for the canyoning itself, there’s a bunch of rappels and one zip line included, and those were so much fun. I do believe these change slightly depending on the season and water levels.
The guides will always assess the canyon and go with the safest option.
Other than the rappels & zip line, a good chunk of the experience is walking through the water in the canyon (don’t worry, shoes are provided), where you’ll have time to admire the beautiful canyon, the greenery, and the stunning waterfalls.
One thing we thought was super cool was that, because of the geothermal activity on the island, there were sections where extremely hot water was flowing into the canyon, mixing with the cold stream.
There was one spot where we could see steam come up from the rocks and where we could feel the hot water. It was so cool! I’m sure your guides will show you this, but feel free to ask them about it too!
All around, we really enjoyed the experience. Next time we visit the Azores, we want to try out level 2 and compare the two experiences.
When is the best time to go canyoning in São Miguel?
The beautiful thing about canyoning in the Azores is that you can go in almost any type of weather and at any time of the year. We went on a moody December day, and it was perfect.
This tour runs all year on São Miguel, with the summer season being busier and the winter season (November – February) being quieter simply because fewer people visit the Azores during that time.
Also read: Azores Packing List – What do You Need to Bring? 🎒
What canyoning level is best for you?
We briefly talked about this at the beginning of this post, but this is probably the most important thing to know before booking your tour. If you know your level, you can maximize how much fun you’re going to have canyoning here in the Azores.
Level 1 (easy): This is perfect if this is your first time canyoning. It’s a great entry-level experience where you’ll get a feel for what this sport is all about.
You’ll get a taste for the adrenaline but still be within your comfort level! The guides will be there with you every step of the way to make sure you’re comfortable on every obstacle, all while making sure you’re having a great time!
Level 2 (moderate): If you’re outdoorsy, love some adrenaline, and relatively fit, you should be able to do Level 2 with no prior canyoning experience.
The rappelling and the abseiling will be a bit tougher on level 2, but the guides will still be with you every step of the way. The main difference will be the height and difficulty of some of the rappels, and how many you’ll be doing.
If you’re in doubt, go with level 1. That way, you know you won’t push yourself too far out of your comfort zone. Even if you are capable of level 2, you’ll still have a great time doing level 1.
You can check out the different tours and times in this widget 👇🏼
Final thoughts on our canyoning experience on São Miguel
As you can probably tell by now, we always look for fun, adventurous activities wherever we go, and this canyoning experience is definitely one of them! Next time, we’ll try out level 2 and compare the two experiences.
After your canyoning tour, we’re sure you’ve built up a big appetite, so in that case, you can either head to Furnas for lunch or check out one of these delicious restaurants in Ponta Delgada.
We hope you will have an awesome time! The green nature inside the canyon mixed with the waterfalls is so beautiful, and canyoning is such a unique way to see more of the island in ways you otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
If you have any questions about the canyoning tour or the Azores in general, please leave a comment below, or send us a DM on Instagram, and we’ll get right back to you.
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