Buggy to Pico da Cruz at 845 m and the Old Whale Factory

A half day in a side-by-side buggy, on tarmac and off it, around the high ground that rings the Sete Cidades volcano. Two seats or four, depending on how many people are on the booking. It suits families and couples who want the adventure without the endurance. The route starts and ends at Fenais da Luz on the north coast. Pico da Cruz is the high point at 845 metres, with the Lagoa Rasa, the Lagoa de Santiago and the Sete Cidades lagoon below, and in clear weather a view over the lakes and the ocean at the same time. The Vista do Rei and the Miradouro das Cumeeiras look over the same crater and the green and blue lagoons. Cerrado das Freiras is where the tracks run close around the lagoon. On the way back the route passes Capelas and returns to Fenais da Luz. Two conditions. Drivers need a licence, and the operator asks that this be treated as a way of seeing the island rather than a rally stage. The guides handle the safety side and explain each stop briefly as it comes.