Madeira Dolphin & Whale Watching Tour

Recommended by 95% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Madeira, Portugal

High interest

Booked 5+ times today.

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· Jerzy_S ·

Jul 2026

Really good experience!! The boat crew were punctual, friendly, knowledgable and safety concious. We saw lots of Atlantic dolphins and Pilot whales very close to the boat. Nice route along the coast on the return trip and really enjoyed the surprise at the end !! Great value for money and the speedboat was better than the catamarans.

· Stefano_S ·

May 2026

Great experience overall. We manage to spot a lot of dolphins and two whales along the way. The guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Comfortable seat and navigation. Very recommended

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Overview

Madeira’s strategic placement in the North Atlantic Ocean makes it a great location for dolphin and whale watching. On this exciting tour, observe the cetaceans in their natural habitat without disturbing them. You can also observe other wildlife such as fish, sharks, and birds during your adventure.

Learn about whales and dolphins from a marine biologist
Take in the views of Madeira's coast while you sail
Choose from several sail times to suit your schedule

What's Included

Life jacket

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

VENTURA | Nature Emotions
Cais 8, Marina do Funchal, São Martinho, 9000-055 Funchal, Portugal
Pier 8, Marina do Funchal, 9000-055 Funchal VENTURA NATURE EMOTIONS KIOSK Please arrive at the kiosk 30 minutes before the trip.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Jill_B

Excellent experience. Very knowledgeable and helpful guide. We had fantastic views of two species of dolphins.

Reviews

4.8

based on 569 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Sort by: Most insightful

Very kind staff and lovely experience

Juliana_C, Aug 2026

what I loved about this tour was the energy of the guides! And the animals ofc haha We did not see whales, but we saw different species of dophins very close to us. The captain Andre took us also to check the Garaju bay and did his best to make us see the dophins. The guide Francisca had a lovely energy! She gave us very interesting information about the animals and looked so passionated about the her work that was impossible to not transmit her happiness I would definitely come back!

Fantastic trip, well organized, plenty of information about dolphin, Francesca very friendly,funny would recommend brill

Lisa_H, Aug 2026

Amazing seen lots great tour guide,safe , lots of information about area Francisco funny , brilliant

awesome boatride with whale, dolphins, and an awesome Crew!

Maximilian_T, Jul 2026

We saw a whale and the lokal dolphins where jumping close to the boat. The Crew made it an fantastic experience, they sure like their jobs and happily share that Feeling.

Really good experience !!

Jerzy_S, Jul 2026

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you very much for your fantastic review! We are delighted to hear that you had such a great experience with us.Thank you for highlighting our crew and the speedboat experience. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you on board again for another adventure!

Great whale and dolphin watching Experience

Satty_A, Jun 2026

Great experience- saw 2 whales (Blainville’s beaked whale and Short finned pilot whale) and lots of Atlantic Dolphins. As it’s a ribbed boat recommend you take a cover up as gets cold when going at speed. Great female guide who explained everything well (sorry can’t remember her name). Really enjoyed it. Great Fun on the boat. They recommend you sit at the back if you have neck or back problems

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you very much for your fantastic review!

Great outing.

Pauline_B, Jun 2026

Don't bring a hat unless you can tie it on! A really good outing - warn, helpful, knowledgeable guide and driver, and we saw dolphins. No whales but still good value.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had a great outing and enjoyed the trip with our team.

Great experience and enjoyed all the whales and dolphins

Robert_P, Jun 2026

We had a great trip this morning with skipper Cristiano and the cetacean biologist expert Julia. They were both wonderful and experts in their roles. Julia was very attentive, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, as we all were when they spotted two different species of whales and a large pod of dolphins. They were very respectful of animal welfare and nature. The boat was was well maintained, safe and we had a wonderful morning. Highly recommended. Thanks you guys.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are very happy to hear that you had such a memorable morning with Cristiano and Julia.

Excellent tour

Menki_E, Jun 2026

Was afraid there will be nothing to watch, but our guide managed to take to the right spots and there many dolphins and whales to watch, plus a bonus sea turtle! Great tour

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your lovely review!

Great trip, the tour...

Morgan_J, Jun 2026

Great trip, the tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable- good amount of time at sea and saw a few coastal sights too

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you so much for your kind review! We're delighted that you had a great time . We'll be sure to share your kind words with the team ! We hope to welcome you on board again soon!

Great experience overall....

Stefano_S, May 2026

Great experience overall. We manage to spot a lot of dolphins and two whales along the way. The guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Comfortable seat and navigation. Very recommended

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your kind review! . It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed the journey and found it comfortable and engaging. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again in the future!

Was a wonderful tour! Saw...

Vanathi_R, May 2026

Was a wonderful tour! Saw two species of whales, and got a coastal tour as well. Our guide went above and beyond and was so friendly and informational. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, May 2026

We’re really happy to hear you enjoyed the tour, the whale sightings, and the coastal experience. We’ll share your kind words with our guide. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you on board again soon!

Great dolphin and whale watching trip

dgruden401k, May 2026

Saw both dolphins and whales. It was a great time for our group of 8. The weather was good which helped too. Our guides were kind and very informative.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you very much for your kind review! We’re glad to hear you and your group enjoyed the experience. We’ll share your kind words with our team. Hope to see you on board again soon!

Not as knowledgeable as we would like

Karishma_J, Apr 2026

It is a basic boat with no other facilities and you have to sit in one position for 2 hours so not very comfortable. Lack of explanation of what is happening and information about the dolphins and whales. Personally was not very enjoyable as a family. Beautiful views and enjoyed siting of a fin whale.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your feedback. Your comments are important and will be taken into account as we continue to improve the experience for our guests.

Brilliant

Justen_F, Feb 2026

It was brilliant! Guide was excellent and kept us informed about the whales we saw and the driver gave us an added extra by doing doughnuts around the harbour at the end, great fun! Thoroughly recommend.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you so much for your fantastic review and recommendation! 🤍 We’re delighted to hear you had such a brilliant time and that you enjoyed the information shared by the guide, as well as the extra fun at the end in the harbour! It was a pleasure having you on board, and we hope to see you again soon for another great adventure at sea. 🌊🐋

The tour was almost...

Souganthika_S, Jan 2026

The tour was almost canceled due to the weather but the Captain decided to go ahead with it as they spotted wildlife and asked the folks who were ready to get wet to proceed with the tour. I am so glad I didn’t back out - we saw plenty of short finned pilot whales and a couple of bottle nosed dolphins. Only complaint is that the tour is advertised as being a 3hr cruise but we got back in 2 hrs. Apart from it, the entire experience was enthralling and the rough waters we experienced that day added to the thrill!

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your feedback and for joining us. We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the experience . We also appreciate your comment , as guest feedback is very important to us. It was a pleasure having you on board, and we hope to welcome you again in the future.

All was perfect, our 8...

Laimonas_K, Jul 2025

All was perfect, our 8 years old daughter liked the ride and the dolphins as well as we did. Thanks, great experience.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Hi, Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that we could provide a good experience on your holidays. Thank you, Ventura Team.

Great Tour!

AC_C, Jun 2025

This was a great tour! The guides were kind and great at spotting wildlife. The boat was comfy enough. Remember to bring a wind breaker on the boat as it can get chilly!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you so much for your lovely review! 💙 We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the tour, felt well taken care of by our guides, and got to spot some wildlife! Great tip about the wind breaker, the ocean breeze can definitely surprise you. Hope to welcome you back on board soon for more ocean magic! 🐬🌬️⛵

Ok if you don’t want much interaction

Sarah_L, Dec 2024

Trip was changed from a 1pm start Saturday to 930am Sunday morning … and asked to check in at 9am. Not convenient but no other availability. The staff then arrived 15 mins late. Trip was ok - after an hour saw dolphins and a whale . Staff were average. Not that enthusiastic or knowledgable. Not much interaction . Done similar tour before that was much better.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We’re sorry for the inconvenience caused by the schedule change and the late arrival of our staff. We understand how this affected your experience and appreciate your honesty. We’re glad you were able to see dolphins and a whale during the trip, though we regret that our team didn’t meet your expectations in enthusiasm and interaction. We continuously work to improve our service and will take your comments on board. We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future. — Ventura Nature Emotions Team

Very knowledgeable and organized

amber_s, Aug 2024

We saw many animals including 4 sperm whales and lots of bottle nose dolphins! An experience to remember!

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Thank you for your feedback and your kind words. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

Great experience, would recommend

Greta_D, Aug 2024

The tour was really enjoyable, guide was knowledgeble and helpful. It was very exciting to see the wildlife (especially the dolphins jumping out of the water). Tip for travellers - if you have any doubts about getting seasick, make sure to pack some medicine, because when the speedboat's engines are off, it's rocking quite vigorously.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Thank you for your feedback and your kind words. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

Excellent Trip

Michael_B, Jul 2024

We had a great time and you get a great close up of the Wildlife at eye level. Very respectful of the wildlife legislation and informative. We got to see Bottlenose Dolphins and had a great encounter with a large pod of feeding Atlantic Spotted Dolphins

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Dear Michael Thank you for your feedback and your kind words. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

Brilliant trip. Highly recommended.

Wendy_S, Jun 2024

We thoroughly enjoyed our boat trip. Raquel was friendly and informative. The trip as a whole was very well organised and we were made to feel safe by the crew throughout. The boat itself was a lot of fun but in addition we got to see bottleneck dolphins and Atlantic Spotted dolphins to include a baby dolphin. Could not fault and highly recommend.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

Dolphins

Jill_B, May 2024

Excellent experience. Very knowledgeable and helpful guide. We had fantastic views of two species of dolphins.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

Great program

Eszter_W, Feb 2024

Everybody was really kind! It was a great program! You could see a lot of beautiful views also from the ocean to the cities and cliffs

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Dear Eszter, Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

Go….. it was great fun!

Matt_D, Feb 2024

We went on this trip on a sunny February morning. We saw some common dolphins hunting and playing and it was magical. I’d really recommend going. The guides really tried to find the wildlife and we spent a good amount of time with the dolphins when they were spotted. The speedboat in itself is a fantastic experience.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Dear Matt, Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

A great trip

Phil_L, Feb 2024

A great trip with very informative tour guide - Raquel. Definitely recommended. Always prefer the rib to get up close.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Dear Phil, Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

A whale of a time(groan)!

Peter_S, Feb 2024

Finding the Pilot whales miles out in choppy seas took an experienced team. I don’t know how they located the family of whales, and at one point thought I was just going to enjoy a high speed boat ride with a sea view of Madeira. But much to everyone’s delight our target was located. The guide was knowledgeable and informative about these Pilot Whales and everyone had a good time.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Dear Peter, Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

Lots to see on the sea.

Frank_G, Oct 2023

Great tour. Lots of action. Saw many pilot whales and two different schools of dolphins on a three hour tour. Our tour guide was very knowledgable and made the whole experience memorable.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you have enjoyed this experience. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ventura Team

Great boat ride with great communication.

Lee_S, Sep 2023

Great experience great price great tour guides. Slight issue with the starting point, wrong link for the destination. But guide rang and all was good.