Half-Day Small-Group Madeira Village Safari from Funchal

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Funchal, Portugal

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

3 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· Warren_K ·

May 2026

Excellent trip. Gabriel our guide was brilliant. Kept up well informed and brought us to some excellent viewing spots and we also stopped in a bar ip in the hills for a local poncha which was the best we had on our entire trip. We had such a good laugh on the trip. Really a good three hours spent.

· Niamh_C ·

Apr 2026

Wonderful way to spend a half day in Madeira- collected from hotel, brought to some beautiful places like the 500 metres above sea level glass floor lookout- some fun off roading too- good value go for it- our tour guide was excellent

Overview

Venture off-road to explore the rugged mountains and rural villages of Madeira, without having to worry about driving, on this small-group safari from Funchal. Travel around in an open-top safari vehicle, take in the views from Boca dos Namorados, and pass through traditional villages such as Camara de Lobos, and visit the famous glass walkway at Girao Cape that towers 1,970 feet (600 meters) above the sea.

Let an expert plan the logistics and itinerary to explore Madeira
Choose from a morning or afternoon tour to fit your schedule
Travel in small group for a more personalized experience
Hotel or port pickup and drop-off is included

What's Included

Hotel/port pickup and drop-off
All activities
Driver/guide

Food and drinks
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Pick up outside of Funchal will be charged extra Tax, request the information at the time of booking.

Meeting point

J2RX+C3 Funchal
J2RX+C3Q Funchal, Portugal

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Baia de Camara de Lobos

25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cabo Girao

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Miradouro da Boca dos Namorados

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infant seats available
Not wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Most travelers can participate
Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults

Children must be accompanied by an adult
At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
Refunds will not be issued if tour/activity is missed due to late or non-arrival of cruise ship
May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
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

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Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Adrian_F

Great tour with lovely driver. Saw some amazing views and had fun in the off road bits. The back side seats weren’t very comfy but plenty of break points to recover. We learnt lots of facts about the island and saw some great fruit and veg along the way. Highly recommend :-)

Reviews

4.8

based on 312 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Roadtrip to Madeira mountains

gabriella_g, May 2026

This is a roadtrip to the area surrounding Funchal in a jeep. You will be seated in the back of a jeep: and need to be able to climb into and out of it. The position can be uncomfortable if you have knee pain or other leg issues , definitely not good for customers with mobility issues. The road trip was a lot of fun as you travel inland thru roads, narrow streets, up steep slopes and eventually off-road thru a forest! We enjoyed our tour of Madeira! Wish there was more information with the trip, like data about the island and since when it was inhabited, etc.

Cruiser review with one day in port

Sina_C, May 2026

We booked this excursion through Viator after carefully reviewing multiple options. The cruise line offered a very similar experience at a higher price through their own vendors, so we felt confident booking independently. The excursion organizers reached out the day prior with meeting instructions, directing us to exit the cruise port and walk toward flowerpots 52 and 54. This is an area where the experience could have been improved—clearer directions (such as exiting the terminal and turning left) would have saved time and confusion. Several participants, including us, initially walked in the wrong direction before turning around and eventually locating the meeting point. Once we arrived, the guides informed us that our assigned vehicle and driver had not yet arrived, so we waited a bit before getting started. The tour began shortly after, but the vehicle itself appeared somewhat run down, and the driver seemed to struggle with operating a manual transmission at times. One positive aspect was that our vehicle had a removable top, which other groups (who booked through the cruise line) did not have. They actually commented on how nice that feature was. However, due to rainy weather and the nature of the terrain, there was very limited opportunity to fully enjoy that benefit. The tour route included several stops: a fishing village (with time for souvenir shopping and restrooms), a nuns’ village, a cable car area, a scenic viewpoint, and a restaurant/bar stop where local poncha and wine were offered. While the stops themselves were decent, the overall experience lacked depth in terms of information. Our driver provided minimal commentary, and most of the explanations came from the lead driver, who would walk over to our group during stops. At the restaurant stop, we felt some pressure from the organizer to purchase drinks, as we were repeatedly asked if we were going to buy something. This came across as a bit pushy and detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the excursion wasn’t terrible, but it did not fully deliver on expectations—particularly the “off-road adventure” aspect, which felt less engaging than advertised. Additionally, there was a missed opportunity to provide more meaningful insight about the island throughout the tour. Given the experience, I would not choose to book this excursion again, though it may still appeal to travelers looking for a casual overview rather than a more informative or immersive tour.

Excellent trip

Warren_K, May 2026

Fabulous!

Niamh_C, Apr 2026

Nice way to spend an afternoon

Paula_G, Jan 2026

Very informative. Takes you to several parts of the island that you couldn’t get to walking on your own. Guide is very responsive. Experience the local drink ( your cost) and the glass overlook where you can see for miles (again your cost). The four wheel part of the excursion is on a road that isn’t a road. It is barely a track. You will be jarred to the bone for a few minutes. Some people find that exhilarating. Others not so much. If you are taking this tour, be prepared and be ready so you don’t sit and complain and ruin everyone else’s good time

Good tour

Alexey_S, Jan 2026

It was a good tour experience. We had better tours and worse. Not recommended for elderly people who may find the sitting arrangement a bit challenging. Otherwise it is well worth it.

Not worth the money

John_G, Oct 2025

Both myself and my wife are restricted to a walker and a cane the jeeps were too small and too high for us to get into, we could not go on the tour the driver told us that the tour money would be refunded our booking #1290834733

Very Misleading and Disappointing Tour

Christian_R, Oct 2025

We booked this Jeep tour in Madeira expecting an exciting open-air adventure based on the description and photos, but it was nothing like that. The vehicle may be “open,” but anyone sitting in the front cannot stand up at all, which completely defeats the purpose of the experience and eliminates a key viewpoint. We only went off-road for about 5–7 minutes, and that was the only time we were allowed to stand up. The rest of the time we were just sitting, driving on regular roads. It felt very deceptive and not at all what was advertised. My family was extremely disappointed that they stood for less than 10 minutes total. The only positive I can mention is that our tour guide was friendly and informative, and none of this was his fault. Unfortunately, the overall experience felt misleading and not worth the time or money. I would strongly encourage others to look elsewhere for a more authentic Jeep adventure in Madeira.

Save your money!

WAYNE_M, Oct 2025

Terrible experience. Old vehicle, bad driver, way too much wasted time traveling as a convoy. Would not recommend.

Great way to see the outskirts of Madeira!

Laurie_H, Oct 2025

What a wonderful way to see this amazing island. We’ve been here two other times and see something different every time! I love this area. The weather didn’t quite cooperate but we made the best of it. Our guide Gabriel was great!!!

Great day in Madeira

Lori_M, Oct 2025

Had a fabulous day with Rodrigo. He had a great personality and gave us a wealth of information. Had a very fun time!

Getting to know your neighbors

Howard_C, Oct 2025

The tour was good. It would have been better had the tour operator managed the size of the group better by ensuring that none of the vehicles had too many passengers! In our case there were six adults, and we were in a vehicle with two smaller benches in the back. My wife was especially uncomfortable as she was forced to share what appeared to be a four foot long back bench with another passenger. We noticed that at least one and perhaps two of the other vehicles only had a total of three passengers.

Madeira through the eyes of a local

Eva_C, Aug 2025

Lovely experience, seeing Madeira through the eyes of a local. Brian brought us to places we would never have seen

Half day Jeep safari

micheal_w, Jul 2025

Miguel our guide was friendly and charming with a good sence of humour which made the experience much more fun.. we went off road and had an amazing time with lots of laughter .stopped at a bar for poncho and watched the local lady make it for us. Saw some small villages and amazing view points.Would definitely recommend this trip

Great tour, very friendly and knowledgeable driver

Adrian_F, Jul 2025

Fun and Educational!

Wendy_H, Jun 2025

I was able to see and learn about so many beautiful places. I love the open Jeep since you can see a lot more. Plus it is fun! Wonderful guides and great experience. Highly recommend!

Amazing experience. So...

Brandon_C, Apr 2025

Amazing experience. So much fun. Plenty of time to stop for souvenirs and a drink along the way. 5 stars

Madeira

paul_h, Apr 2025

What an excellent trip today, John, our driver, was very informative. Would i us him again, most definitely.

Funchal's charming rural villages

Paul_C, Mar 2025

For about three hours, Victor guided the three of us—a UK couple from a hotel and me from the cruise port—through Funchal’s charming rural villages. Along the way, we enjoyed local treats like Poncha, Lima beans, and peanuts at a small shop. Entry to Cabo Girão’s breathtaking 589-meter-high skywalk was just 3 Euros. Victor never rushed us and was happy to accommodate pit stops. He is knowledgeable, friendly, and provides a relaxed yet enriching experience. Don’t miss the chance to grab a seat next to Winston Churchill at Pestana Churchill Bay! Highly recommended and reasonably priced. Was this helpful?

Guide very personable and...

B_J, Mar 2025

Guide very personable and knowledgeable, skilled driver on narrow, winding roads. Scenic drive on one part of island; worthwhile trip.

Good way to see the island….but not great.

Cherie_D, Jan 2025

Good tour of island. But not exactly a safari. We were off road for about 5% of the tour. Driver was good but he was really rude. He basically yelled at us the whole time and when he did talk, we couldn’t understand much.

Great experience. Better seats would be great!

David_M, Dec 2024

A good tour and excellent guide (John). He was a wealth of information. We learned about things modern, old, and ancient. Definitely try to the Consha! At first, I thought the off road component was going yo be silly/gimmicky but it turned out to be one of the best highlights if the trip! The only reason I rated a four is that the jeep is quite uncomfortable in the back.

Riding in an...

Darryl_M, Nov 2024

Riding in an uncomfortable 4x4 which really wasn't required, the short distance over unpaved road didn't require a 4x4 but seemed to be a token "off road" experience. Was a rather forgettable experience.

Great Tour

Abimael_R, Oct 2024

Great Experience!! Well organized tour. They provide good time to enjoy every stop included in the tour. Driver were well educated

Fun fun fun.

Ann_L, Oct 2024

We had an excellent day. Loved our guide and our group. Just know that bathroom time is limited and some people (4) have to sit in the back of the jeeps. Even with these issues we loved it.

Great all round

Peter_S, Sep 2024

Great trip, great driver, great views. And great Poncha! So good we would do it again if we get the chance.

Madeira half-day safari

Jane_P, Sep 2024

We went up to Nun’s pass, literally at the edge of the clouds! Our guide Ernesto made us feel safe at all times, even when centimetres from a precipice! At every stop we were allowed all the time we wanted. A great adventure!😃

Great half day trip

Catherine_I, Sep 2024

Had a great time on the safari and particularly loved the drive around the eucalyptus forest where I got to stand up and feel like I was flying. The host was very knowledgeable and stopped at some very scenic places. I would definitely recommend!

Awesome experience both off road and on- road. Charming village to start , glass walkway,;multiple breathtaking views.

Bernard_G, Aug 2024

The ride off-road into the eucalyptus forest was amazing but there was so much spectacular scenery along the way that even without the off-road portion this trip would have been great! Paulo could not have been nicer or more knowledgeable. — with lots of stops for pictures. He and his friend Manny kept pointing out the incredible range of fruits and vegetables grown on the island and gave us some delicious wild blackberries. This was a great trip and despite the poor roads -including dirt roads in the forest- the ride remained comfortable thanks to Mercedes suspension system and unbelievably skillful driving.

Great tour and guide

STEPAN_G, Aug 2024

We had a great time during this tour. Afonso was an awesome guide, showed us a few places around the island with stunning vewis and interesting surroundings. We learned a lot about the llife of locals and got a great advice on other things to do in Madeira. The peak above the clouds was absolutely stunning