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Sete Cidades: Off-Road Buggy Tour & Volcano Crater Views

3h–4h ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.73 (96 reviews) 85% rated it 5 stars Free cancellationTraveler favorite

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Buggy ride through Sete Cidades crater lakes and volcanic trails

You’ll feel every bump as you drive a shared buggy around Sete Cidades’ crater lakes with a local guide leading the way. Expect muddy trails, huge views from volcanic rims, and moments where silence says more than any photo could. Swap drivers if you want — helmets and insurance are sorted so you can just focus on the ride.

Prices and availability checked: 2026-08-24

3h–4h

Step-by-step itinerary

Meet at meeting point
Pass by the village
Stop at first viewpoint
Stop at second viewpoint
Stop at third viewpoint
View side of the lagoon
Stop at final viewpoint
Optional stop
Return to ANC Guided tours office

The Experience

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.73 (96 reviews)

I didn’t even know what volcanic earth smelled like until we rolled out of the ANC office in Valados, helmets a bit too big and the morning air still clinging to our sleeves. Our guide, Tiago, grinned as he handed over the keys — “Don’t worry about the mud, it’s part of Sete Cidades.” I was nervous (I mean, 500 euros deposit is no joke), but also kind of giddy. The buggy rumbled in my hands — not smooth at all — and we bounced past stone houses where an old woman waved with a loaf of bread tucked under her arm.

The first viewpoint just hit me. You see both lakes at once — one greenish, one blue — and it’s quiet except for the wind off the crater rim. Tiago pointed out something about local legends (I missed half because I was distracted by this weird sweet smell from wildflowers). We swapped drivers after that; my partner stalled twice and laughed so hard she almost cried. There’s something about sharing a buggy with strangers — everyone gets muddy together, nobody cares.

We zigzagged down into the valley, tires spitting up black pebbles. At one stop near the lagoon edge, I tried to say “Sete Cidades” in Portuguese and got it totally wrong — Tiago just shook his head but smiled anyway. The light kept shifting; sometimes you’d catch a glimpse of sunlight on water that made everything else fade out for a second. We took photos but honestly none of them show how it felt to stand there with volcanic dust on your boots and clouds rolling over the crater wall. That view sticks with me.

What’s included

Your day covers everything you need: helmet and insurance are sorted before you set off from Valados with your local guide leading every turn.
Gasoline is included so you don’t have to worry about topping up along those muddy trails.
It’s a small group experience — just bring your license if you want to drive and swap seats whenever you like before heading back at the end.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by ANC Azores Holidays