Azores Hiking Tour Review: Salto Do Prego & Sanguinho (2024)

Thinking about hitting the trails in the Azores, are you? In that case, maybe you’re eyeing the Salto Do Prego and Sanguinho hike, so it’s pretty popular for pretty solid reasons. It provides, like, a peek into some pretty cool, unspoiled parts of São Miguel Island, complete with a waterfall, some cool views, and a feel for what island life in the Azores is often like. So this review has got all the info you could want, or at least quite a lot of it. We’re talking what you should bring, what you might experience, and whether or not you want to go with a group.

What Makes Salto Do Prego & Sanguinho Special?

Okay, first things first: this trek isn’t just another walk in the park, see, it’s kind of got something for everyone. It is, after all, not only is it not too physically intense but it does, apparently, lead you past a nice waterfall – Salto Do Prego. You even get to hike through Sanguinho, which, like, is this abandoned village. It all feels kind of frozen in time, like your walking back, in a way. Also, just the views, so they’re pretty amazing, particularly when you start going higher.

For anyone, apparently, even remotely keen on some greener scenery, trust me, it’s beautiful here. As you walk you’re fully, surrounded by the local stuff – vibrant plants that just, seemingly, pop with colour. It’s that, so just being in the middle of all that quiet can really, perhaps, feel like a great way to chill out and almost forget about stuff for a while, you know? It feels both, seemingly, a little bit active but very restorative.

Choosing a Guided Tour: Is it a Good Plan?

So, do you need, perhaps, to have a guide show you around? Good question! For hikers who might be pretty new to trails, I would probably advise doing so. Because going with somebody that’s done it before can be just very reassuring, like your less likely to get tripped up on the way. I mean, like, also, getting local insight is, like, super cool! As it gives you so much information on plants, the history of places you’re seeing and the local tales associated with them! It does definitely improve your experience and knowledge in the long run.

But! It’s perfectly cool if you feel alright with the path as it is. It usually looks, after all, quite easy to understand. But just so you know, that a guide will probably give some fun history behind what resulted in Sanguinho Village, a story for sure. The tour, as such, almost feels like a very cool shortcut into knowing more that really gives some insight.

What To Look For in a Guided Tour?

If the decision has, very much, been made to proceed onwards in guided company, check these, possibly, points when scouting available guided options;

• Small Group Size: Is this very often important? So, more of a ‘you’ thing? Basically, this is for a better experience because its a less busy path and its much more calm!
• Local Guides: Basically, Local guides almost have a better hold on giving important and accurate details related to trails, wildlife and vegetation.
• All Inclusive: Basically, lunch and transport helps remove a lot of effort that may, very well, interfere with experiencing the best that Azores hiking has on offer.
• Good Reputation: This one has, usually, got a good amount of easy signs of confirmation: Reading what people say from previous hikes with the touring body, what star ranking has, you. Its so that that all culminates to create a clear outline of an outstanding guide from another.

Getting Ready For The Hike: What To Bring

So, thinking of prepping? That is what the smart person always does! Think of things that you should have in place and equipment too:

• The Shoes: I’m not being funny, your gonna NEED something very strong that you won’t mind a bit of dirt, as such, just something very firm as such for the off beaten path as sometimes its gonna get a little slippy!
• Rain Gear: Do bear in mind that it may often, very often, start raining randomly on your trek. Best come armed because it’s never nice, that, like, being soggy and miles away from base.
• Hydration + Food: Water is a super definite on this route! It’s all to so you don’t exhaust as fast, right? So, basically bringing some snacks might also go a long way.
• First Aid: Almost more useful for the hiker that’s super prone to scrapes or injury but yeah! As such, you might want a plaster or bandage if you fall into the more reckless class like you usually may tend to do.

The Salto Do Prego Waterfall: Swimming and Scenery

So, when the trek shows the prize that lies at its middle that, seemingly, is a great thing to experience! It’s very cool when you start, so it’s often good, for example, at times of warmer, dry weather. Although there is that understanding of you probably not diving straight in the water. If you can withstand the temperatures I feel its really all yours! This may require more thought of bringing a warmer body suit of something.

Its an amazing photo op, for that special, seemingly, kind of ‘in-the-moment shot’, very cool. This can, like, become some solid memorabilia of any travels done over to the Azores in general.

Sanguinho Village: History and Exploration

Okay so, why this town is pretty unique, you can guess. A ton of years ago this place was a busy, thriving spot on the island where, back then, this spot played, basically, its vital part! With it all having this one major plot twist of becoming fully left without a thing being said! It could just, like, come from people choosing to drift elsewhere on the search to obtain jobs and the sort, the common sort of reason. Sanguinho right now is kept as almost like one kind of historical thing, it’s kinda a frozen point. Seeing the area just maybe help you see it better so its pretty easy that it really, definitely gives off an after-the-bom vibe almost that helps set the mind running with the possibilities it once possessed when busy. It also provides some thought to the many people who called this location there house! Its also really interesting for photography also. With the landscape and greenery set everywhere, its some solid content of travel.

How Difficult Is The Route Really Though?

Yeah it might be easy-rated path but sometimes this should also, perhaps, be treated carefully to a good degree, specifically for walkers having lesser mobility: There’s an expected few spots that do steep or come slightly worn. The route needs the common sense as some areas can slip your way as I hinted at earlier. Taking care is, surely, to assist the walk by far and very wide by quite a good shot. You may just not like, trip down in certain bad spots. Being ready with decent footwear seriously mitigates and assists this difficulty factor far far easier for each step taken though.

Views Along The Route: A Photographer’s Paradise

It’s amazing and almost a massive guarantee, as much, to have photo places on almost any part of the walk: the Sanguinho village gives cool sights, which it always will. Its good and ready just to go at the press of your capture option. But you probably would of never witnessed so great like such scenery. Then its likely you may want these captured for future looking back for sure. Any plant types are pretty, any little flowers. Always feel almost totally sure about documenting every sight. This creates your travel timeline or your social accounts too with your personality shown for all the new.

Is The Azores Hike for you?

To reiterate, consider! If you have not often traveled but that want an opportunity and excuse too start or are at some sort of stage within your adventures on land, give it shot or to maybe tick something off as goals! Always, think also. Will there some things needed to pack which maybe I’ve maybe forgot as what’s above?! If, like, there all put for an amazing run. Be ready in seeing so much. It will very surely pay as a massive win to you in the end!! Just all the views, so there a super plus from all that may of just read. Do that bit! Do a walk! Hike!!