Flores Island tour: Eight hours, waterfalls and local guide

Eight hours on Flores Island at your own pace, with a guide who knows where to stop

An eight-hour guided tour of Flores Island in the Azores with a local guide who leads small groups through waterfalls, viewpoints and lagoons at a pace that lets you absorb each place. The route includes Ribeira do Ferreiro Poço with its cascade of waterfalls, Bacalhau Waterfall (90 meters high with a swimming pool at its base), Rocha dos Bordões rock formation, Black Lagoon, two caldeiras, Lomba Lagoon and Albarnaz Lighthouse. Hotel pickup is included. The guide speaks Portuguese and English and adjusts timing at each stop so you're never rushed.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Flores Island's natural sights

• Park at Ribeira do Ferreiro Poço
• Walk to main viewpoint and admire waterfalls
• Rest and take photos at viewpoint
• Return along the same trail
• Park at Fajã Grande
• Hike to Bacalhau Waterfall
• Stop to appreciate landscape and swim
• Return to parking lot
• Park near Rocha dos Bordões
• Walk to Mirante de la Rocha dos Bordões
• Observe rock formation and take photos
• Return to parking lot
• Park at Black Lagoon access
• Visit Miradouro of the Black Lagoon
• Stop for photos and contemplation
• Return to starting point
• Park at Caldeira Funda and Caldeira Rasa access
• Walk to viewpoints of Caldeira Funda and Caldeira Rasa
• Observe lagoons and take photos
• Return to parking lot
• Park at Lagoa da Lomba access
• Visit Lagoa da Lomba Miradouro
• Stop for photos and contemplation
• Return to parking lot
• Park at Albarnaz Lighthouse access
• Walk to Albarnaz Lighthouse
• Enjoy panoramic ocean views and explore
• Return to parking lot

The experience

Eight hours sounds long until you realize how much ground Flores covers and how little time you want to spend moving between stops. The tour strings together seven natural sites across the island, each one a different kind of landscape: waterfalls that drop from green cliffs, a 90-meter cascade you can swim in if you want, rock columns that look like organ pipes, two crater lakes side by side, and a lighthouse with views to neighboring islands. A local guide drives and walks with you, sharing how Azoreans live on an island where the weather changes by the hour and the land is always green.

What makes the pace work is flexibility. You don't move through on a schedule. Instead, the guide reads the group and gives each stop what it needs. Ribeira do Ferreiro Poço gets time for the dozens of waterfalls to sink in. Bacalhau Waterfall, the centerpiece, holds up to an hour if you want to swim or just sit with it. The viewpoints (Rocha dos Bordões, Black Lagoon, the caldeiras, Lomba Lagoon) each get 10 to 15 minutes, enough to photograph and absorb the quiet. Albarnaz Lighthouse closes the day with ocean views and time to wander. Transport between sites is comfortable, and the driver knows the roads.

Bring water and snacks. Lunch is not included but the guide can stop at a local restaurant if you arrange it in advance. Wear layers, Flores weather shifts fast, and shoes that grip wet stone if you plan to swim. The tour works for anyone comfortable walking short distances on uneven ground and standing at viewpoints. It is not recommended for people with spinal injuries or serious heart conditions.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return.
• comfortable transport with an experienced local driver.
• a local guide in English and Portuguese.
• stops at seven natural sites including waterfalls, viewpoints and lagoons.
• time to swim at Bacalhau Waterfall if you want.
• flexibility to linger at each stop.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 4 May 2027

Book up to4h before

GroupUp to 6 · max 4 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomeNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by D. JuliaTours

Is this one for you?Small groups mean the guide can adjust timing and pace to what the day needs, so you're never rushed through a waterfall or hurried past a view. This works best for travelers who want to move slowly through a landscape rather than check off a list of sights.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Portuguese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I swim at the waterfalls on this tour?

Yes, swimming is optional. Bacalhau Waterfall has a deep pool at its base and is the main swimming stop. You can also swim at Ribeira do Ferreiro Poço if you want. Bring a towel and change of clothes if you plan to go in.

What is Bacalhau Waterfall like when you reach it?

Bacalhau Waterfall is about 90 meters high and drops into a pool of clear water at the base. The guide gives you up to an hour there, so you have time to photograph it, rest, swim if you choose, or simply sit and watch the water fall.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is not included in the base tour price. If you want to eat at a local restaurant during the day, the guide can arrange a stop and you pay separately at the restaurant.

How much walking is involved?

Most stops involve short walks from the parking area to the viewpoint or trailhead, typically five to ten minutes on foot. The longest walk is the trail to Bacalhau Waterfall, which takes about 20 minutes each way on an uneven path.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, the tour includes pickup from your hotel and return at the end of the day.