Swim with Wild Dolphins in the Azores
Recommended by 94% of travelers
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Sao Miguel, Portugal
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Swim with dolphins in the Azores, where a thriving population of Atlantic spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and common dolphins make this a thrilling place to encounter the marine mammals. Choose between morning and afternoon departures for your dolphin tour, then slip into the water to swim at a safe and respectful distance. This dolphin tour in the Azores is limited to 8 people for a personal experience with minimal impact on the dolphins.
- Dolphin tour from Ponte Delgado
- Swim with dolphins in their natural habitat
- See the Azores coast from the water
- Tour designed for minimal impact on dolphins
- Choice of morning or afternoon departure
- Small group tour limited to 8 people
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup
- Hotel drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Picos de Aventura - Animação e LazerMarina Pêro De Teive Avenida João Bosco Mota Amaral, 9500-771 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Make your way to a departure point in Ponte Delgado, then start your dolphin tour with a briefing on your itinerary, and on how to swim with the dolphins without disrupting their habitat.
Don a swim suit and shoes, then board the dolphin boat for the trip along the coast. With an experienced captain at the helm, the odds of seeing dolphins are great. When dolphins are spotted, climb into the water to swim near the pod, watching the sleek mammals move through the water.
If possible, the captain will loop the boat around so you can swim several times, climbing in the boat between each experience. At the end of your tour, return to shore, where this excursion concludes in Ponte Delgado.
Please note: The necessary equipment for this dolphin tour includes swimsuit, shoes that can get wet, a towel, and dry clothes to change into after the activity. It’s also a good idea to bring a sun hat, water, sunscreen, a waterproof bag for electronics, a windbreaker, lycra shirt, and Neoprene gloves.
Don a swim suit and shoes, then board the dolphin boat for the trip along the coast. With an experienced captain at the helm, the odds of seeing dolphins are great. When dolphins are spotted, climb into the water to swim near the pod, watching the sleek mammals move through the water.
If possible, the captain will loop the boat around so you can swim several times, climbing in the boat between each experience. At the end of your tour, return to shore, where this excursion concludes in Ponte Delgado.
Please note: The necessary equipment for this dolphin tour includes swimsuit, shoes that can get wet, a towel, and dry clothes to change into after the activity. It’s also a good idea to bring a sun hat, water, sunscreen, a waterproof bag for electronics, a windbreaker, lycra shirt, and Neoprene gloves.
1
Picos de Aventura
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Guests must be able to swim in order to join the tour
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Wld_S
What a fantastic experience! I definitely recommend this activity to anyone visiting the Azores, and the best part was that the water was actually warm even on a cool day
Reviews
4.7
based on 190 reviews
Alyssa_K, Oct 2025
This was probably one of the top 3 experiences of my life!! I was hoping to maybe see some dolphins from the boat and then maybe 1 or 2 in the water but holy cow!! We saw SO MANY DOLPHINS while in the water! They were so curious and one got incredibly close to me and looked me in the eyes - it was a moment I will never forget. Even the people working on the boat were freaking out about how cool that was! The boat ride was so fun, the people were incredibly nice and it felt very respectful of the environment and dolphins. I seriously cannot recommend this enough!!
Stefanie_L, Sep 2025
The guide was great, she explained a lot and took care that every group-member (we were only 6 group-members) had enough time to see the dolphins- we had a great experience
Wld_S, Sep 2025
What a fantastic experience! I definitely recommend this activity to anyone visiting the Azores, and the best part was that the water was actually warm even on a cool day
Timothy_S, Sep 2025
Everyone on the Picos de Aventura team was friendly and engaging with us the whole excursion. We were taught proper etiquette on riding the boat, and interacting with the dolphins, while still having a fun, exciting experience. I will definitely take any opportunity to swim with dolphins with the help of Picos de Aventura again, on any future trips to São Miguel!
Mascha_v, Aug 2025
In one word: MAGICAL! This experience was truly amazing. It is pricey yes, but if you can afford it, it is totally worth it. The captain of the boat and the marine biologist are really passionate about the ocean life. However, please note the following: you will be swimming in the open ocean, and the dolphins are wild animals; they do not like humans so they will quickly swim away.
During our tour we also saw multiple Sei whales and one hammerhead shark!! That truly added so much fun to our trip. Overall: do it if you like swimming, the ocean and ocean life ;)
Kelly_S, Aug 2025
Such a cool experience. Loved it! A must do given how unique this is. Highly recommend. Great guides as well.
Kristen_B, Jul 2025
It was so amazing!! We came across a pod we weren’t looking for, and then we got to experience another group for a good 1.5 hours. They were so social, and really wanting to interact! I swam with them, with a partner, 2x and each time was fantastic! However, the 1st time we had dolphins swim right towards us and all around. There had to be 20-25 of them! I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face the entire time!!
Martin_K, Jul 2025
I loved it so much the staff was super nice and they will not leave until you have seen and swam with the dolphins! Really unforgettable experience
Margaret_B, Jul 2025
really fun and unique! the guides were nice and everything felt very safe. we got to see a lot of dolphins.
KIMBERLY_W, Jul 2025
Great experience, I’m scared of the ocean but the adrenaline of seeing the dolphins took that away. There are also government rules they have to follow on how to interact with the dolphins so they are conscious about their well being.
Robert_P, Jul 2025
Incredible and unforgettable experience swimming in the Atlantic with wild dolphins. They really are amazing creatures.
Quimby_W, Jun 2025
The best experience!!!! Hands down, favorite excursion we have ever done. We got to swim with the dolphins multiple times and see them right up riding with the boat. Boat driver and crew so kind and happy to be there. Their excitement made our trip better and Catarina kindly sent us videos after, going above and beyond. Very safe
Laura_N, Sep 2024
The guides were amazing and you could tell they had a lot of experience. They will do what they can to give you a great chance at seeing the dolphins up close in the water while also respecting the dolphins and making sure they are not stressed.
Sam_F, Sep 2024
We got taken out and dropped off in among the dolphins. It was a fantastic experience, and the whole thing felt completely safe and comfortable. Would definitely do it again!
Charles_A, Aug 2024
Really awesome. Great captain and really knowledgeable guide. My wife loved it. You just need to be aware that this is swimming in the ocean but it is very safe. Captain and guide incredible.
Nathan_T, Jul 2024
This is an amazing experience! The tour operators truly care about the wellbeing of the dolphins, and you go out with a boat captain and a marine biologist to help interpret the dolphin behavior. You are on a small speedboat, and there is a good chance you will get wet. You can leave your belongings that you don't want getting wet in a locker at the tour operator's office on the docks. You are provided a heavy rain jacket and life jacket to wear on the ride out to the open ocean and back. This provides sun and wind protection while you are not in the water. You will remove the rain jacket and life jacket when you prepare to enter the water with the dolphins. It is important that you are able to swim to do this tour, since you will have no flotation device while in the water with the dolphins. The time in the water is very brief. You are dropped off two-to-four people at a time and, depending on how quickly the dolphins are moving, you will see them for a few seconds before the boat turns back around to pick you up. You climb a ladder back onto the boat. You are provided a snorkel and mask. I found that it was easier to just not use the snorkel and hold my breath so that I could go deeper into the water and not need to clear the snorkel each time I surfaced. It all happens very quickly, so you won't have much time to fiddle with your gear in the water. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who likes to swim and enjoys dolphins.
Jessena_j, Jun 2024
Definitely the highlight of our trip to São Miguel! We were brought out about 6-7 miles off shore where we found a dolphin pod to swim with. We were a bit nervous about swimming in the open ocean but the boat pilot was very aware of where the swimmers were and made sure to bring the boat near when it was time to get back on. We saw so many dolphins and it was a magical experience. I also appreciated how respectful the biologists were of the dolphins, constantly on the lookout for any signs of stress.
lydia_s, Jun 2024
Matteo and Pedro were phenomenal with all our needs and questions . We saw multitudes of playful dolphins coming right up to the boat . They were so cute . You see them better while in the boat because they don’t stay near people in the water . It was a memorable experience of a lifetime .
Rebecca_S, Oct 2023
Absolutely fantastic experience. Our skipper ( marine biologist) and first mate were completely above all our expectations.
We swam with wild dolphins in the ocean PEOPLE!!
What’s better then that?
Eden_R, Aug 2023
Seeing dolphins was incredibly memorable! We saw pods of common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. On our trip, every person got in the water and saw dolphins at least two times. My first time in the water, I had a very clear view of dolphins swimming below me. The second time, I saw the dolphins as they swam away. It was also possible to see the dolphins from the boat, as the dolphins came very close and we could see them breaching the water multiple times. I captured many memorable photos of this. I do not spend much time around the ocean and so was a bit apprehensive at first about the "swimming" aspect, but as the boat went out into the water I became more and more comfortable, and safety precautions were taken. Getting into and out of the water was not too difficult, and there were instructions about this. I'm very glad I had this experience -- it was beautiful to witness dolphins up close and I will always remember it!
Aaron_W, Aug 2023
The team were very knowledgeable, friendly and made us feel welcome. 12/10! The wild dolphins were incredible to see, and was such an incredible experience.
Devin_V, Jul 2023
We had an absolute blast on this excursion! The guide and captain were both great and worked extremely hard to find a pod of dolphins for us to swim with. We also came upon some false orcas and they stopped and shared information, it was like swimming with the dolphins and whale watching all in one. Highly recommend, would do it again if I return to the island!
Kristiyan_R, Jun 2023
Awesome experience - however - be prepared for a rough ride of about 30 mins to and from the location ( that will vary because you know - the dolphins are not waiting in their office for you to go visit them, they swim around lol ). Water was pretty chilli 65-70F but that's no problem since you're in the water just for a minute or two. We got to get inside multiple times. The whole experience you can see on my YT channel - Travel Made Simple.
Overall it was awesome
FinnGeorg_P, Jun 2023
Great experience and very good guides. Will recommend. A really great opportunity to get close to the dolphins🐬
Brian_M, Aug 2022
Swimming with the dolphins is like being on another planet. When you're in the water moving near them, seeing and hearing them, it's just simply unforgettable. We were blown away by this excursion. The skipper and staff on board were so nice and very informative. We would do this again in a heart beat.
Tabitha_S, Aug 2022
Amazing weather, an exhilarating boat ride (got to sit in the front), and several nursing pods of spotted dolphins with babies. The presence of the calves made them more skittish than usual but I can't blame them being instinctually protective. Just getting near them & seeing them swimming/jumping everywhere around us was worth it. Highly recommend! Note the zodiac boat is not for those who are frail or easily frightened.
Delia_B, Jul 2022
Well worth it for the fun and adventure, but not 100% satisfying if you are really hoping to “swim with dolphins”. The crew was super nice (guide was energetic, great communicator, and helpful — she even jumped into the ocean with one participant who was a bit scared of swimming), and the boat ride was exhilarating (sit at the front if u want thrills! It was like a refreshing amusement park ride, hahaha). We saw plenty of dolphins (beautiful!!!). But you don’t really get to “swim” with them…they drop you into the water and you’re lucky to catch a few seconds glimpse of the animals before they are gone — they are super fast swimmers and they don’t have time for us silly humans). Still, totally worth it — my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
KENDRA_L, Jul 2022
We LOVED this excursion. Our guide Alex was a passionate and knowledgeable marine biologist who shared so much information while ensuring we had a safe and memorable experience. We saw two species of dolphin and got to go In and watch the pods swim by as a safe distance. Would love to do again someday.
Magda_v, Jun 2022
Is was wunderful, we see a group off more than 100 dolfins, with baby, 's, so very special, we never forget..... Yesterday we see no dolfins, but to Day is was so good and the People tell us so many thinks about the dolfins and the captain was great to bring us 5 times in the group dolfins.... Realy wunderful everything
Nika, Aug 2021
We had an amazing time swimming with common and observing striped dolphins. The group was just 7 people so we could swim 3 times with those wonderful creatures - there were even little ones! Natalia was our skipper and made sure the animals are not irritated by us as well as that all of us had a real nature experience. Next time we will do it again, bet on it! Thank you, Natalia!
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