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Sete Cidades Volcano: Crater Ridge 4x4 Adventure
5.0
12 Ratings
Ponta Delgada
Embark on a thrilling full-day 4x4 tour to Sete Cidades Volcano. Uncover the secrets and legends of this geologic complex, while enjoying breathtaking landscapes and visiting charming towns.
Embark on a thrilling full-day 4x4 tour to Sete Cidades Volcano. Uncover the secrets and legends of this geologic complex, while enjoying breathtaking landscapes and visiting charming towns.
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Ferraria - Explore the Natural Monument of Ferraria, a lava Fajã that serves as a habitat for various bird species, including the Cory’s shearwater and Barolo Shearwater. Enjoy a natural pool nestled among basalt rocks formed by lava flows.
- Sete Cidades - Embark on a 4WD adventure along the North Ridge of the crater. This dirt road offers…
- Ferraria - Explore the Natural Monument of Ferraria, a lava Fajã that serves as a habitat for various bird species, including the Cory’s shearwater and Barolo Shearwater. Enjoy a natural pool nestled among basalt rocks formed by lava flows.
- Sete Cidades - Embark on a 4WD adventure along the North Ridge of the crater. This dirt road offers stunning views of the magnificent crater from multiple perspectives.
- Sete Cidades - Inside the crater, visit the tunnel that regulates the water levels in the lakes.
- Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado - From this viewpoint, enjoy breathtaking views of the Mosteiros Islets and the parish of Mosteiros on the island’s western side. This area is also renowned for its natural pools.
- Mosteiros - Discover this fishing parish located west of the Sete Cidades volcano, famous for its natural pools amidst basalt rocks in a stunning natural setting.
- Sete Cidades - Delve into the caldera, which spans an average diameter of 5.3 km, revealing the volcano and its renowned green and blue lagoons.
What's Included
- Air-conditioned 4WD transport
- Personal accident insurance included
- Complimentary hotel/port pickup and drop-off in Ponta Delgada
- All local taxes covered
- Air-conditioned 4WD transport
- Personal accident insurance included
- Complimentary hotel/port pickup and drop-off in Ponta Delgada
- All local taxes covered
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Lunch
Additional Information
Discover the Sete Cidades Volcano by embarking on a thrilling 4x4 journey along the crater’s ridge, venturing into its depths to reveal the mysteries and legends of this geological marvel. Enjoy stops along the way to take in the breathtaking and stunning scenery.
Additionally, explore the northwest exterior of the crater, visiting Mosteiros, a lava…
Discover the Sete Cidades Volcano by embarking on a thrilling 4x4 journey along the crater’s ridge, venturing into its depths to reveal the mysteries and legends of this geological marvel. Enjoy stops along the way to take in the breathtaking and stunning scenery.
Additionally, explore the northwest exterior of the crater, visiting Mosteiros, a lava delta formed by the eruption of Pico da Mafra, and Ferraria, another lava delta from the eruption of Pico das Camarinhas. These are two of the forty-six eruptions that have occurred around the volcano’s caldera since its collapse 36,000 years ago.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- If canceled due to extreme weather conditions, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- Due to the nature of this tour and the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication; If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund
Location
Portas da Cidade
Praça de Gonçalo Velho
Central square with the City Gates (Arches).
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(12 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Taylor_c
Nov 28, 2025
Our guide was nothing... - Our guide was nothing short of amazing. Very friendly and accommodating, very kind to a small child in our group. Don’t hesitate to book!!
Review provided by Viator
S_h
Jun 22, 2025
Great tour of the west side of the island! Definitely recommend - Jose was a great guide who was knowledgeable and friendly. He picked us up on time and the 4x4 was clean and comfortable. He drove us to the best places on the west side of the island and told us many interesting facts and stories along the way. There are a few optional short walks which we appreciated as it gave us a chance to stretch our legs throughout the day. Jose is patient, gave suggestions and asked what we preferred to do. He suggested a family run restaurant for lunch, serving home made food buffet style which was very good. The tour is worth it even if the weather is unpredictable!
Review provided by Viator
Robinsavesthaday
May 24, 2025
Rain or shine, this tour is unforgettable! - We had an amazing day exploring Sete Cidades and Mosteiros with Felipe, even with the rainy weather! The 4x4 Ford Raptor was incredibly comfortable and handled the off-road terrain with ease—perfect for accessing those remote, dramatic viewpoints that would be impossible to reach in a regular vehicle.
Felipe was calm, kind, and incredibly knowledgeable. He shared so much about the geology, history, and culture of the Azores, and his passion for the island really came through. Even when the clouds rolled in, he made sure we saw as much as possible and adjusted the route to make the most of the day.
Though the weather didn’t allow for all the panoramic views, we still caught some magical glimpses of the lagoons, coastlines, and volcanic landscapes—and the misty atmosphere added its own unique charm.
This tour was a highlight of our time in the Azores. If you want to see hidden spots and learn from a true local expert, this is absolutely worth booking. We left feeling grateful, informed, and inspired to come back (maybe with a little more sunshine next time!).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathryn_h
Apr 14, 2024
Sete Cidades was amazing... - Sete Cidades was amazing and stunningly beautiful. Our guide Jose was one of the very best tour guides we’ve ever had. This tour is highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Daytrip631001
Jun 9, 2023
Once in a lifetime tour - This was by far the best tour I have ever gone on. Jose was so knowledgeable about the island as a locale. We learned about the history, the vegetation, the people, the culture and of course all things volcano. We did two full day tours and would recommend any tour with Jose as the guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richard
May 6, 2023
Excellent Tour - My wife and I joined Jose for his Private Full-Day 4x4 Tour to Sete Cidades Volcano tour. It was a great day. Jose is a great tour guide, and it was a blast going around the crater in has 4x4. He was able to get us to location only a 4x4 could get too. In addition, to the crater rim we fully explored the inside of the crater and had an excellent lunch at a place he suggested in the town. The rest of the day was spent exploring various spots on the Sete Cidades side of the island.
Besides just driving around the island Jose provided a lot of information about the island including the volcanic history, how the people live, and the birds and sea life in the island. It was very interesting and greatly added to the tour.
Booking with Jose was also very easy. He responded quickly and provided excellent recommendations.
If you are considering a private tour in Sao Miguel, I highly recommend booking with Carpe Diem tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Densler
Aug 13, 2022
Amazing experience!! - I have done two excursions with Zeca at Carpe Diem (2019 & 2022) and I wouldn’t book anyone else to show me the island! Impeccable guiding and so accommodating. Zeca loves his island and is so knowledgeable. 5 stars!! You won’t be disappointed. Thank you Zeca!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Global577710
Nov 19, 2019
Great experience with 5 stars! - This trip to the volcano Sete Cidades was the best trip of our lives.
The knowledge of this area and the volcanism that evokes this
beautiful landscape has formed. An experience with the "WOW" effect.Our guide could answer any question! The weather had helped us to take great souvenir photos during the day. Blue skies and blazing sun.
Thanks again to Souza for this informative enrichment about the geology of his "beautiful " country.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cappa69
Jul 27, 2019
Awesome experience - Throughly enjoyed our experience with Carpe Diem Tours. Our driver took us to the rim of the volcano (not Active I might add) and showed us some great views from of the crater and lakes. Gave us a geography lesson on the islands formation, which was interesting along with the villages and there history. The car was a 4wd and with four people in our party it had plenty of space and was comfortable. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about this little piece of paradise in the Atlantic which always makes for a great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Claudine
Sep 22, 2018
Best tour ever - This was one of the best tours we ever had. Jose, our tour guide was amazing. He makes sure to give his customers an incredible time. It is evidently clear that he loves his job & his island. We were with him on the sete cidades full day tour and the views he took us to were all of outstanding beauty and places that one wouldn’t dare go into using a normal car. The tour was very informative and interesting. We will definately recommend this tour. You will not be disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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