Madeira Boat Tours!
Sailing in Madeira is especially memorable for its breath taking island scenery! And the wealth of marine life complements the island backdrop! Because we want to help you make the most of your stay in Portugal, we offer many options! Our sailing trips offer you the chance to appreciate the natural beauty of the islands, watch the wild dolphins, whales, turtles, seals and marine birds go about their daily lives. To make the most of your trip we recommend bringing a camera and binoculars if you have them. Love dolphins? Why not join us on our dolphin and whale watching tours?
Looking for something exclusive and special?
Maybe you are coming out in a group, or looking to celebrate a special event – seems like our private charters are the perfect option! We have a variety of options such as modern sailing yachts, traditional motor/sailing ketches, luxury yachts and also fast RIB boats!
Is sailing probably not your thing?
Why not look into other options such as scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking or stand up paddling? If you’re not much of a water person, we do have a wide variety of on land activities as well! Have a browse through our website and let us know what you like!
Above all, we want to make sure your planning is stress free, so contact us at portugalsportandadventure@gmail.com and we will help you plan your ideal Madeira boat trip from start to finish!
This full day trip takes you to Madeira’s aptly named Ilhas Desertas (Deserted Islands). The islands are a nature reserve and important breeding site for birds and monk seals and this trip offers you the opportunity to observe some extraordinary marine birds and mammals in their natural habitat. The boat trip lasts 3 ½ hours each way with spectacular views across the archipelago. We then anchor in a sheltered bay on the island of Deserta Grande where you can swim in the cyrstal clear water. A traditional lunch will be served on board followed by a 45 minute guided tour of the island. Sailing back to Madeira you’ll arrive back in Funchal as evening falls. You’ll find that travelling at different times of the day means that each journey offers you new and interesting sights. A great opportunity to enjoy Madeira’s wild side!
Every Friday all year round, Wednesdays and Sundays June to Sept, other days on request for groups
9.00 am – 19.30 pm
price per person: €85
Includes experienced guide, insurance, lunch, drinks, and 2 € donation for the Monk-seals Conservation Program
Minimum: 6 people Maximum 20 people
We also offer a 2 day Ilhas Desertas Tour with overnight on the Deserta Grande Island. This trip takes place on Tuesdays and Saturdays and is 150 euros pp includes experienced guide (naturalist and/or marine biologist), dinner (with drinks), breakfast, and and a €3 eco tax to the Madeira Natural Park.
Tuesday to Wednesday or Saturday to Sunday -Between May and September
Another day by request for groups (10-16 pax)
10:00h to 16:00h of the 2nd day
Sailing tours to Selvagens Islands to observe and photograph wildlife, with particular interest on seawatching and birdwatching.
At about 165 nautical miles south, Selvagens Islands are composed by Selvagem Grande and Selvagem Pequena, classified Natural Reserve and Net Natura 2000, and they are under the protection of the Madeira Natural Park – NPM. A permanent research station with two wardens is the only human inhabitants on the islands. Due to its isolated geographic localization, the Selvagens Islands are a wonderful region for marine life, flora and fauna, especially for seabirds, which is known by “Seabirds Sanctuary”. This is an extraordinary 6 day tour for those who love the sea!
Price per person: 1150€
Maximum: 7 persons
Includes meals, insurance, licenses, taxes, fuel, snorkeling equipment, and all non mentioned expenses related to the boat.
Madeira Sea Birds Cruise
If your main interest is to watch seabirds we will recommend you to book this tour, as you will get a closer look at the various species of birds, and the chances to see Cory’s and Manx shearwaters, Bulwer’s and Fea’s petrels or even Madeira-storm petrels. You will be accompanied by specialized guides onboard to make the most of your birdwatching experience!
It will take about 2 hours to go from Funchal to Desertas Grande bay or maybe a bit more if dolphins or whales are seen on the trip. Once you arrive at Deserta Grande, you will have the opportunity to swim in crystal waters sided by a rocky cliff, where we will disembark after lunch. Lunch is served on board and afterwards, a visit on shore will take you through a very short path around the Madeira Natural Park Desertas Conservation Center, were you may admire the Desertas Islands geological formation and the continuing rockfall just at the back of the house, while a member of our crew will talk you about history, wildlife conservation and other interesting aspects. Canaries, Berthelot’s Pipits and Madeira Wall Lizard are usually the creatures that will receive you on land! Around 3:30 pm the boat departs towards the marina and will look for more cetaceans on the way. Arrival to Funchal Harbour is between 5:30 and 6:00 pm.
Transfers from Câmara de Lobos, Funchal, Caniço and Machico are available upon request. The boat used on this trip is a 23 meters wooden caravel built in 1996 with two masts and with capacity for 50 people. It has a large solarium with mattresses at the bow and a shadow area with armchairs at the stern. Inside it has 9 cabins, toilets, a saloon, a mini-bar and a kitchen.
Tour days: Wednesday and Saturday
Departure times: 9:30am
Typical duration: 8 hours
Space: maximum 50
Staff to Guest ratio: 1:15
Tour Languages: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese
Pick up location: Free pick up is available from all Funchal, Caniço, Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol*, Ribeira Brava*, Calheta*, Machico hotels or similar accommodation but is subject to availability. *Specific areas of these councils.
Return details: Funchal Harbour or original point of pick up.
Friendly advices: Take warm jumper, sun protector, hat, swimming suit, towel and appropriate footwear for a wet feet landing in Desertas
Photography: Allowed and recommended. There is a possibility of your equipment getting wet with salt water spray.
Petrel Pelagic Expedition
Three afternoons at sea to ID and photograph Zino’s, Fea’s and Bulwer’s Petrels, White-faced, Madeiran and other Storm-petrels.
This is a package of three long afternoons of a pelagic adventure on the Western North Atlantic Ocean, around Madeira Island. An ultimate birdwatching experience that consists in observing closely the greatest number of tubenoses on the Western Palearctic and some close encounters with whales and dolphins too.
Since 2008 our guides have been researching the Madeiran seas to find the hot spots for seabirds as Zino’s Petrels, Fea’s/Desertas Petrels, Madeiran Petrel and White-faced Storm Petrel. During these long days at sea they developed the chum technique, found the right and safest boat for these kind of trips and now Catarina and Hugo form the most experienced team to organize and run deep sea pelagic trips in the North Atlantic aboard the 11 meter rigid-hulled inflatable boat ideal for this kind of sea expedition.
On the first two afternoons of this pelagic expedition around Madeira island we will search for different bird species at different hot spots, being one day for Zino’s Petrels and Madeiran Storm Petrels while on the second pelagic trip we look for Fea’s Petrels and White-faced Storm Petrels. The third afternoon at sea is kept for missing species or to increase the sightings of bird species. Everyday we will look for cetaceans and if we spot any whales or dolphins we will spend some time watching them.
This trip is run over 3 days with approx. 8 hrs per day and costs €595/person. The guides speak English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Below is a list of pelagic birds and sea mammals seen during the pelagic trips, since 2010:
Procellariidae: Zino’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira, Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta, Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, Macaronesian Shearwater Puffinus baroli, Bulwer’s Petrel Bulweria bulwerii, Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris borealis, Scopoli’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea, Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus, Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus, Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
Hydrobatidae: Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro (winter & summer populations), European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus, Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma monorhis, Wilson’s Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus, Leach’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa, White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina, Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica (1st Record for the Western Palearctic)
Laridae: Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini, Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis, Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea, Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii, Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis, Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Stercorariidae: Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus, Great Skua Stercorarius skua, Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus, Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus, South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki
Scolopacidae: Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
Sulidae: Northern Gannet Morus bassanus, Brown Booby Sula leucogaster
Mammalia: Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus, Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus, Bryde’s Whale Balaenoptera edeni, Cuvier’s Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris, Blainville’s Beaked Whale Mesoplodon densirostris, Gervais’ Beaked Whale Mesoplodon europaeus, Short-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala macrorhynchus, Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus, Atlantic Spotted Dolphin Stenella frontalis, Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba, Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis
Note that some of these bird species are rarely seen in the Western Palearctic or even in the North Atlantic Ocean making these pelagic expeditions so special and memorable
Private Guided Tours
If you prefer to have a VIP experience with and expert guide and run the tour according to your preferences, the best option we have to offer you is a private tour. From romantic sightseeing with your partner, to exclusive excursions to celebrate your anniversary, or if you’re travelling in a cruise ship with limited time, or you just feel like knowing Madeira by your own exclusive way, choose a full-day private tour!
Private Van passenger capacity 8 persons.
Currently in promotion we offer a free 3 course meal for every passenger, have the opportunity to taste traditional dishes.
Tour days: Any day if booked in advance
Departure times: 7am to 2pm
Typical duration: 8 hours
Space: maximum 8
Staff to Guest ratio: 1:8
Tour Languages: English, Spanish, French and Portuguese
Pick up location: Anywhere in Madeira Island
Return details: Tour concludes at original point of pick up.
Friendly advices: A jacket is always useful for the altitude cold and a hat.
Photography: Allowed.
In Madeira, there is nothing like watching the Fireworks show from the sea… The Guiness award winning Madeira New Year’s Fireworks are spread along the natural amphitheater of Funchal! What better way to enjoy the festivities then aboard our 23 meter long catamaran! This gorgeous boat has a large solarium on the nets at the bow and an area with seats at the stern. It also has toilets and a bar onboard.
Price: 120eur pp
Includes: Sparkling wine, Madeira wine, traditional Madeira cake (with sugar cane syrup) and soft drinks.
Our program:
31st December at 10:30 pm – Boarding at Funchal marina
At 11:00 pm – Departure for a short sail to admire the shining landscape with Funchal Christmas lights.
11:50 pm – A stop at the best position for observing fireworks
Mid-night – The Great Madeira Fireworks display!
1st January at 0:15 am – Greetings, toasts and sightseeing of Funchal by sea
Between 0:30 – 1:00 am – Arrival to Funchal marina
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