Madeira tours and excursions. 🚙 Which ones are worth booking

In Madeira I’ve been on two jeep tours: to the east of the island in November 2023 and to the west in February 2026. I’ve also been out on the water a few times and seen plenty of dolphins. I’ve ridden a tuk-tuk around Funchal’s viewpoints and once slid down from Monte in a toboggan.

In this guide I compare the most popular tours and excursions: how long they take, what they cost, what’s included and where to book them. I checked prices on 17 October 2026 with local operators, travel agencies and on GetYourGuide, and the rules for dolphin-watching trips in the regional legislation.

Which tours are worth booking? A comparison

Tour	Duration	Price (Oct 2026)	Best for	Offers (affiliate links)
Jeep, half day	about 4 h	€45–55	when you have one free morning	See offersaffiliate link
Jeep, full day	about 8 h	€69–75 + lunch	mountains and coast in one day, without driving yourself	See offersaffiliate link
Catamaran cruise	about 3 h	see offers	families, people prone to seasickness	See offersaffiliate link
RIB boat trip	2–2.5 h	from about €60	small group, faster to the animals	See offersaffiliate link
Tuk-tuk around Funchal	1–1.5 h	about €60–70 per tuk-tuk (2 people)	viewpoints without the climb	See offersaffiliate link
Monte toboggan	about 10 min	€30 / €40 / €60 (1 / 2 / 3 people)	once, for the fun of it	See offersaffiliate link
Desertas cruise	8.5–9 h	about €80–120	nature lovers with good sea legs	See offersaffiliate link
Porto Santo day trip	8:00–18:00/19:00	ferry €58.90 return (Oct–Mar)	the beach and a quieter island	My guide

A full-day jeep tour shows you the most of the island in one day. A dolphin cruise fits easily into half a day in Funchal, while the tuk-tuk and the toboggan are short activities for an afternoon in town.

Jeep tours in Madeira: east or west?

A jeep tour usually means riding in a group in an open Land Rover or Defender with a driver who doubles as your guide. None of the passengers has to drive the steep hairpin bends, and the driver knows the back roads and the off-road stretches. The two most popular full-day routes go to the east and to the west of the island.

East: Pico do Arieiro, Santana and Ponta de São Lourenço

I went east on 10 November 2023 with an organised group. The route led from Pico do Arieiro through a forest with little stone bridges and the area around Faial, with views of Penha d’Águia, to Santana, and ended at Ponta de São Lourenço.

Santana was packed with tourists. At Ponta de São Lourenço the jeep dropped us at the trailhead. I didn’t walk the whole PR8, but I was surprised how steep and hot it was there, because there’s no shade on the peninsula.

1

2

3

4

1: Pico do Arieiro on a jeep tour to the east of the island, November 2023, 2: A stone bridge in the laurel forest, November 2023, 3: An unexpected host at one of our stops, November 2023, 4: A cat and Penha d’Águia, November 2023. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

A typical full-day eastern route takes in Pico do Arieiro (1818 m), Santana, the rum distillery in Porto da Cruz and Ponta de São Lourenço. Local operators charge €69–75 per person. Half-day tours (about 4 h, €45–55) usually only go up Pico do Arieiro, for example combined with Cristo Rei or the Nuns’ Valley (Curral das Freiras).

West: Paul da Serra, Fanal, Seixal and Porto Moniz

I went west on 10 February 2026, again with an organised group. Our first stop was Ponta do Sol. Then we drove up a forest track to the Paul da Serra plateau, where a whole convoy of Land Rovers wound its way between the wind turbines. Next came the Fanal forest and the descent to the north coast at Seixal. I only dipped my feet in, but my husband and our travel companions went for a swim.

Lunch was espetada (beef skewers) at a little restaurant with its own patch of laurel forest, open only to groups. The place was amazing, but sadly I can’t remember its name. On the way back we stopped at waterfalls tumbling down right next to the road. The last stop was the tiny Museu do Mel (Honey Museum), with honeys from all over the island.

1

2

3

4

5

1: Along a forest track towards Paul da Serra, February 2026, 2: The view from Paul da Serra over the ridges inland, February 2026, 3: The north coast from the jeep, February 2026, 4: A roadside waterfall on the north coast, February 2026, 5: The honey map at the Museu do Mel, the last stop of the tour, February 2026. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

A typical western route covers Paul da Serra, Fanal, the lava pools at Porto Moniz and Seixal with the Véu da Noiva (Bridal Veil) waterfall. The price is the same as for the east: €69–75 per person with local operators. The programmes differ in the details: Ponta do Sol wasn’t on any of the routes I checked online.

What’s included and what you pay extra for

• Hotel pick-up is usually included only in Funchal and Caniço. From further afield, operators add about €5–20 per person or don’t pick up at all.
• Lunch is usually paid separately, about €15–24.
• Entry tickets are sometimes extra too: Cabo Girão, for example, has cost €5 since 2026.
• PR trails: if the programme includes a walk on an official trail, the IFCN fee of €4.50 per person applies (€3 through an operator with an agreement). Ask whether it’s included. More in my guide to Madeira trail tickets.
• Children: the minimum age is usually 3–6, depending on the company. Some operators charge half price for children up to 11.
• A private jeep for a group of up to 6 people costs about €375 for half a day and €495 for a full day.

A word of warning when searching online: in GetYourGuide’s jeep category, half of the most popular offers are buggies, which you drive yourself or with an instructor for 2–3 hours. That’s a completely different trip from a full-day guided jeep tour.

Dolphin-watching cruises in Madeira

I’ve seen plenty of dolphins on my boat trips. On 7 November 2023 I went out on a catamaran from Funchal: dolphins were swimming below the Cabo Girão cliff, and we sailed back into port at sunset. In February 2026 I took a yacht east, along the cliffs east of Funchal, with views of the Desertas islands. That trip lasted over two hours.

1

2

3

4

1: Dolphins below Cabo Girão on a catamaran cruise, November 2023, 2: A dolphin on a boat trip from Funchal, November 2023, 3: From the catamaran deck: Funchal seen from the ocean, November 2023, 4: Back to port at sunset, November 2023. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Catamaran, RIB or wooden boat?

	Catamaran	RIB boat	Wooden boat, sailing ship
Duration	about 3 h	2–2.5 h	about 3 h
Price	see offers online	from about €60	from about €50
Pros	stable, toilet and bar, often a swim stop in summer	gets to the animals fast, small group (12–18 people)	gentle pace and a proper sailing feel
Cons	large group	bounces on the waves; not recommended in pregnancy or with back problems	slower to reach the animals

Most trips leave from Funchal marina, and getting to the port is usually up to you: none of the 12 most popular offers on GetYourGuide included hotel pick-up. Boats also leave from Calheta and Caniçal.

Which dolphins and whales can you see?

All year round you’re most likely to see bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales. Seasonal visitors include Atlantic spotted dolphins (spring to autumn), common dolphins (winter and spring) and Bryde’s whales (in the warmer months). Around 30 Mediterranean monk seals, an endangered species, also live around the archipelago.

Nobody can guarantee the animals. Some operators promise a second trip for free if you don’t see anything, but usually “subject to availability”, so check the conditions before you buy. According to one operator’s data, morning trips have the most successful sightings.

1

2

3

1: A yacht trip at sunset, February 2026, 2: Cliffs east of Funchal from the yacht deck, February 2026, 3: Surfacing into the sun on a yacht trip, February 2026. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

If you get seasick easily, sit in the middle of the boat, keep your eyes on a fixed point on the horizon and don’t eat a heavy meal before the trip. A pharmacist can recommend tablets or patches. It’s cooler at sea than in the harbour, so bring a jacket, a hat and sunscreen.

Tuk-tuk tours in Funchal

I booked my tuk-tuk in advance through GetYourGuide and rode around the viewpoints above Funchal. It was great. It’s a good way to reach the higher spots that are a long, steep way from the centre.

1

2

3

4

1: A tuk-tuk ride around Funchal, February 2026, 2: A tuk-tuk in Funchal, November 2023, 3: Tuk-tuks waiting for passengers, November 2023, 4: Funchal bay from a viewpoint on the tuk-tuk route, February 2026. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

A typical ride lasts 1–1.5 hours. With local firms the price is usually for the whole tuk-tuk: about €60–70 an hour for 2 people and €90–105 for 3 people. Online you more often pay per person, usually with hotel pick-up. A tuk-tuk takes 3 people at most.

Popular routes include the Old Town (Zona Velha) in Funchal, the Pináculo viewpoint, Cristo Rei in Garajau and Câmara de Lobos. Some offers combine the tuk-tuk with the Monte toboggan. If so, check whether the toboggan ticket is included.

The Monte toboggan

I’ve done the toboggan ride once. It was fun, but once is enough.

The wicker toboggans are pushed and steered by two carreiros in white outfits and straw hats, who brake with their rubber-soled boots. The route is about 2 km long and runs from Monte to Livramento; the ride takes about 10 minutes. According to the operator’s website it costs €30 for 1 person, €40 for 2 and €60 for 3 people. The toboggans run Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 18:00, and tickets are only sold on the spot.

From Livramento I walked down to the centre of Funchal and I recommend it, because the views are great and you can stop at little local bars on the way. It’s a steep descent, though, so it’s an option for people with strong knees.

On 7 October 2026 a toboggan came off the track and two tourists from the UK were injured. According to a DNotícias round-up, the media reported 11 accidents over 12 years, most of them minor.

The easiest way to get to the start is the cable car from Funchal (€16 one way, €22 return). The ride combines well with the Monte Palace garden.

Other trips from Madeira

Desertas islands cruise

A full-day cruise (8.5–9 h) to the Desertas nature reserve costs about €80–120 per person, usually including lunch and snorkelling gear. You can only go ashore at Doca bay on Deserta Grande, and only walk on marked paths with a member of the reserve staff. The crossing takes 2.5–3 h each way, and in high swell the trip is moved or cancelled.

Porto Santo as a day trip

The Lobo Marinho ferry leaves Funchal at 8:00 and sails back from Porto Santo at 19:00 (from 26 October 2026 at 18:00), so you get a few hours on the beach. A return ticket costs €58.90 from October to March and €72.02 from April to September. In October 2026 the ferry spent a week in the shipyard, and in November it doesn’t sail on Tuesday 10, 17 and 24 November, so check the timetable before you buy. More in my Porto Santo guide.

Sunrise on Pico do Arieiro

Sunrise tours pick you up from your hotel at about 5:10–6:00 and last 3–4.5 hours. It can be below zero at the top, so dress in layers. I’ve described what dawn above the clouds looks like in my Pico do Arieiro guide.

Guided levada walks

You don’t need a guide for the levadas, but PR trails require booking on SIMplifica and paying the IFCN fee: €4.50 per trail (€3 through an operator with an agreement), and €10.50 for the whole PR1. A guided walk usually costs about €38–48 plus the ticket. I explain which levada to choose in Levada walks in Madeira, and before you set off, check the trail status.

Canyoning, paragliding and Madeira wine

• Beginner canyoning: about €60–80, about 4–5 h including transport, usually from age 7–10. Equipment and insurance are included.
• Tandem paragliding: take-off at Arco da Calheta, landing at Madalena do Mar, a 15–30 minute flight for about €150–250. Flights depend on the wind and are sometimes rescheduled.
• Madeira wine in Funchal: a tour of the Blandy’s cellars with a tasting costs €17, €23 or €59, depending on the number of wines.

Where to book a tour in Madeira

Where	Pros	What to watch out for
Through your holiday rep (on a package holiday)	hotel pick-up, a rep you can contact	jeep tours and boat trips are usually run by English-speaking local crews, even when sold by tour operators
Directly with a local firm (website, kiosk at the marina)	direct contact, often smaller groups	cancellation usually 24–48 h in advance; check the RNAAT number
Online, e.g. GetYourGuide	reviews, price comparison, usually free cancellation up to 24 h before	this applies to most, not all, offers; guides speak English or Portuguese
Private guide	a programme tailored to you	pricier; ask about their licence (RNAAT) and reviews

On GetYourGuide the cancellation deadline is counted back from the start time, in Madeira time. If the organiser cancels a tour because of the weather, you get a refund.

Every legally operating tour company in Portugal must be listed in the RNAAT register (Registo Nacional dos Agentes de Animação Turística, the national register of tourist activity operators), and dolphin-watching operators also need an IFCN permit.

What can you do without a tour?

You can see many of the places on tour itineraries on your own: by hire car, by bus or on foot with a trail ticket from SIMplifica. A tour makes sense when you don’t want to drive on steep roads, want to see a lot in one day or need a boat.

Madeira tours: frequently asked questions

Data checked on 17 October 2026: prices from operators, travel agencies and GetYourGuide, the ferry timetable, the rules on watching marine animals and IFCN fees.

Sources I used (26)

• Carreiros do Monte – toboggan prices and hours
• Visit Madeira – the Monte toboggan
• DNotícias – toboggan accidents (8 October 2026)
• Funchal – Monte cable car
• Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 15/2013/M
• Portaria 46/2014 (trip limits)
• IFCN – rules on watching marine animals
• Madeira Birds – whale and dolphin species by month
• VIP Dolphins – sightings calendar
• DNotícias – monk seals (20 May 2026)
• Green Devil Safari – jeep routes and prices
• Adventure Madeira – jeep prices
• NHS – motion sickness
• DNotícias – −3.3°C on Pico do Areeiro (19 March 2026)
• Barceló Experiences – tuk-tuk around Funchal
• Civitatis – tuk-tuk around Funchal
• Ventura do Mar – Desertas cruise
• DLR 27/2021/M – Desertas nature reserve
• Porto Santo Line – November 2026 timetable
• Porto Santo Line – ticket prices
• IFCN – trail fees (FAQ)
• Epic Madeira – beginner canyoning
• Madeira Paragliding
• Blandy’s Wine Lodge – tours
• GetYourGuide – general terms (cancellation)
• gov.pt – RNAAT register