Hiking Tours: Full Day Faja de Santo Cristo

About the Experience

Itinerary:

09:30 Departure Velas - Serra do Topo
10:00 stop Factory cheese - cheese tasting
10:30 Serra-Caldeira trail (optional - swim cascade) - 5 KMS
12:00 Caldeira
Lunch - pic-nic (included)
(optional - swim, snorkel, visit cave)
14:30 Triho Caldeira - Cubres - 5 KMS
15:30 Transfer Cubres - Norte Grande
16:00 Visit Casa do Parque S. Jorge / Trail to Fajã Ouvidor - 2 KMS (optional)
17:00 Fajã do Ouvidor
(optional - swim / snorkel - Poça Simão Dias)
18:30 Return Velas - vehicle
* The hours are merely indicative, approximate to the average achieved.

This trail, with a linear route, about 10 km long, considered to be of medium difficulty, begins at the Serra do Topo Wind Farm, passing through the Caldeira de Santo Cristo and ending at Fajã dos Cubres.

The walk begins on the regional road, next to the Serra do Topo Wind Farm. The day starts with departure from Vila das Velas, at 9:30 am, about 30 km from the beginning of the trail, so, on the trip, we passed one of the factories, the famous São Jorge Cheese, for a cheese tasting.

The official trail, known as the PR1SJO trail, starts on a dirt road, with another alternative, for the more adventurous, the Trail of the Inches, known by very few but, being the oldest of the trails to Fajã da Caldeira, with a slightly higher degree of difficulty, it is compensated by the intact nature and silence.

On the trail are several specimens of endemic flora, such as Heather (Erica azorica), Cedro-do-mato (Juniperus brevifolia) and Holly (Ilex azorica). It is also possible to observe and hear some birdlife such as Galician Curlew (Numenius phaeopus), Estrelinha (Calliphlox amethystina) and Milhafre (Buteo buteo rothschildi).

Along the route, in a descending phase, we will cross some fountains and a place from where it is possible to view the Caldeira de Santo Cristo. We continue to the fajã, passing by the Sanctuary of Senhor Santo Cristo and the Environmental Interpretation Center.
In this place, you can visit the Lagoa da Caldeira de Santo Cristo, an area classified as a Protected Landscape and a place of cultural and scenic interest. Known mainly for the presence of clams, the lagoon is an important place for resident birds, as well as for some migratory species. With the increase in tourist activity in the region, the fajã was discovered by the water sports community and classified as a sanctuary for bodyboarding and surfing. Here, you can take a dip in the lagoon (saltwater) before lunch.

Lunch, to be arranged with your Guide, can be in pic-nic (included), transported by us or, if you wish, we can make a reservation at the local restaurant (not included). In the middle of the route, we will cross some streams, where one of them, with a small waterfall and lagoon, allows a dip in the clear and fresh waters that spring from the mountain. A few minutes to rest and refresh.

The route goes in the Northwest direction, along the coast, passing through Fajã dos Tijolos. Leaving Fajã da Caldeira, you can also visit a cave that, in the past, was of some importance for locals and, although in the wild, difficult to access, it is worth visiting, which does not take more than 15 minutes.

Then, after Fajã dos Tijolos, we find Fajã do Belo, a place that remained inhabited until the 1980 earthquake. Currently, a resort is under construction. Along the way, there are steel cables, used in the past to transport firewood to population areas. From this point, it is already possible to view the background of Fajã dos Cubres, where the route ends, next to the church of Nossa Senhora de Lourdes. From Fajã dos Cubres, by car, we follow the North coast, until the emblematic Fajã do Ouvidor, the tourist poster of São Jorge until a few years ago. Before starting the descent to Fajã do Ouvidor, in the parish of Norte Grande, we visited Casa do Parque, an interpretation center with much important information about the Island of São Jorge.

The descent to Fajã do Ouvidor can be made by car or on foot, through the old access, to this fajã, a pedestrian trail, which is part of the mountain trail. Once in the fajã, we go to Poça Simão Dias, one of the most popular attractions on São Jorge Island, due to its beauty. Access is via a small trail in the rocks, or, alternatively, also with a more difficult option, but which allows the viewing of imposing rock formations.

This place, ideal for a unique snorkeling experience, where, with the use of a mask and fins, we can find many of the colorful fish that inhabit the seas of the Azores. After the dive, in these waters, there is still time for a soft drink, in a local bar, above the port, with a stunning landscape, from Fajã da Ribeira da Areia, before returning to Vila das Velas, in a 30-minute journey by car.

Terms and Conditions

Cancellations only up to 14 days prior to activity.