Private island tours by car, for up to 6
Day tours of Madeira from Funchal, with pickup at your hotel: the Pico do Arieiro sunrise, the west, or the east and north.
West or east day €220, sunrise €140, per car for 1 to 4 people. A west or east day for 6 is about €43 each.
- Up to 6 passengers in our 7-seat car
Your driver speaks EnglishPortuguêsРусский
Choose a route
-
4 h Sunrise at Pico do Arieiro
Dropped at the top before sunrise, with no hunting for a parking space in the dark.
- Pico do Arieiro viewpoint
- Coffee at the top or on the way down
- Back in Funchal by mid-morning
About 4 hours, starting before dawn
€140 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €160
-
8 h West Madeira
The longer drive, out to the north-west coast and back over the Paul da Serra plateau.
- Cabo Girão
- Porto Moniz pools
- Fanal forest
About 8 hours from pickup
€220 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €260
-
8 h East and north
The peaks when they're clear, the villages of the north coast and the island's eastern tip.
- Pico do Arieiro, if clear
- Santana houses
- Ponta de São Lourenço
About 8 hours from pickup
€220 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €260
-
8 h Rum Tour
Madeira's sugar-cane rum where it's made, from Porto da Cruz in the east to Calheta in the west.
- Engenhos do Norte
- Engenhos da Calheta
- Engenho Novo, by appointment
About 8 hours, tastings paid at each distillery
€260 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €300
-
4 h Poncha Path
The poncha taverns, from the fishing town where the drink began to the valley of Serra de Água.
- Câmara de Lobos
- Cabo Girão
- Serra de Água
About 4 hours, in the afternoon or the evening
€150 per car, 1–6 people
-
8 h Wine Way
The old Madeira wine lodges, a quinta on the north coast and the vine terraces above the sea.
- Blandy's, Funchal
- Barbeito, Câmara de Lobos
- Quinta do Barbusano
About 8 hours, tastings paid at each lodge
€260 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €300
-
4.5 hWaitlist Snorkeling
Shore entries around the Garajau marine reserve on the sheltered south coast.
- Garajau reserve
- Caniço de Baixo
- Coffee by the sea
About 4.5 hours, masks and fins included
€210 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €330
-
5 h Surf and windsurf
The beach that works for the day's swell, and a lesson with an authorised surf school.
- Porto da Cruz
- Machico
- Seixal
About 5 hours with a school's lesson
€160 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €220
-
Trail running
One-way runs across the mountains, timed to your SIMplifica slot.
- Vereda do Fanal
- PR17 to Encumeada
- The MIUT east end
Drop at the start, pickup at the finish
€160 per car, 1–6 people
-
17 hWaitlist Night camp above the clouds
Sunset over the cloud sea, a night of stars at 1,560 m and sunrise from your tent.
- Bica da Cana, Paul da Serra
- Sunset and the stars
- Sunrise
Late afternoon to 10:00 the next day
€240 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €310
-
4 hOctober to April Cruise day
Pickup at the cruise terminal is in the price, and you're back at the pier at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.
- Cabo Girão
- Câmara de Lobos
- Monte
About 4 hours ashore
€110 per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €130
-
2 h min Your own route
Your own route is priced by the hour, as a half day or as a full day, whichever is cheaper for your plan.
- Monte and its gardens
- Curral das Freiras
- Anywhere else you name
By the hour (2-hour minimum), a half day or a full day
€40/h per car, 1–4 people 5–6: €45/h
How a tour day works
-
1
We check the mountain forecast
The evening before. By 20:00 we send the pickup time, the car's plate and the meeting point, with the forecast for your route.
-
2
The route swaps
If the peaks are in cloud. We tell you which stops the forecast puts in cloud, and you choose the plan that evening.
-
3
Pickup at your hotel
On the day. Your driver waits at the main entrance, or at the map pin we sent for a holiday rental.
-
4
Stops at your pace
During the day. Say what you'd like to see, and your driver suggests an order for the stops. If mountain roads make you nervous, sit in the front and ask to stop whenever you like.
-
5
Back to your hotel
After the last stop. The day ends where it started, at your hotel or rental.
Private car, shared minibus or jeep?
| Shared minibus tour | Jeep tour | Private car | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price for 6 people | €29–€43 per person | Per seat or per jeep, usually more per person than a minibus seat | €260 for the car, about €43 each |
| Price for 2 people | €29–€43 per person | Per seat, usually more than a minibus seat | €220 for the car |
| Who else is on board | Other travellers | Other travellers, unless you book the whole jeep | Nobody outside your group |
| Stops | The operator's list and times | The operator's route, with off-road tracks | Where you choose, for as long as you like inside the hours |
| Pace | Set by the timetable | Set by the operator | Set by you, with stops whenever you ask |
| Roads | Paved roads | Paved roads and dirt tracks | Paved roads only |
| Good to know | Seats sold one by one | Seats, or the whole jeep | Our car, your group only |
-
Price for 6 people
- Shared minibus tour
- €29–€43 per person
- Jeep tour
- Per seat or per jeep, usually more per person than a minibus seat
- Private car
- €260 for the car, about €43 each
-
Price for 2 people
- Shared minibus tour
- €29–€43 per person
- Jeep tour
- Per seat, usually more than a minibus seat
- Private car
- €220 for the car
-
Who else is on board
- Shared minibus tour
- Other travellers
- Jeep tour
- Other travellers, unless you book the whole jeep
- Private car
- Nobody outside your group
-
Stops
- Shared minibus tour
- The operator's list and times
- Jeep tour
- The operator's route, with off-road tracks
- Private car
- Where you choose, for as long as you like inside the hours
-
Pace
- Shared minibus tour
- Set by the timetable
- Jeep tour
- Set by the operator
- Private car
- Set by you, with stops whenever you ask
-
Roads
- Shared minibus tour
- Paved roads
- Jeep tour
- Paved roads and dirt tracks
- Private car
- Paved roads only
-
Good to know
- Shared minibus tour
- Seats sold one by one
- Jeep tour
- Seats, or the whole jeep
- Private car
- Our car, your group only
Shared-tour prices come from public listings for west and east day tours. With 6 in the car, a private car costs about the same per person as the dearer shared tours. For 2, the shared tour is cheaper. The private car gives you your own stops and your own pace.
East or west, and what if it's cloudy?
The west day is the longer drive. It runs along the south coast past Cabo Girão and over the Encumeada pass to São Vicente. Then it follows the north coast to Seixal and the Porto Moniz sea pools, and comes back across the Paul da Serra plateau by Fanal. Choose it for the pools, the north-west coast and the old laurel trees of Fanal, which are often in fog.
The east and north day stays closer to Funchal. It goes up to Pico do Arieiro when the summit is clear, then down to Ribeiro Frio. The short Balcões walk (PR11) starts there, and it needs a SIMplifica slot that you book yourself. After that come Santana's A-frame houses, the north coast at São Jorge and Porto da Cruz, and the viewpoint at Ponta de São Lourenço.
The peaks and the north coast get more cloud and rain than the south, so the summit can be grey while Funchal is in sun. If that's the forecast the evening before, you can swap east and west, stay on the south coast, or move the day.
The rules for a tour day
- What's in the price
-
The price is for the whole car and includes fuel, parking and child seats, and on your own route and tours also waiting at your stops, with no kilometre count.
- Pickup area for your own route, tours and hiking
-
Your own route, tours and hiking transfers include pickup anywhere from Ribeira Brava to Caniçal, including Funchal and the hills above it, and a pickup further out adds the fixed amount shown for your area.
- How long a tour day is
-
A tour's hours count from your pickup, and inside them you stop wherever and for as long as you like.
- Extra time
-
Time beyond the booked hours costs €40 an hour for 1 to 4 people or €45 for 5 or 6, charged per started 15 minutes.
- Weather
-
We check the mountain forecast the evening before, and if the peaks are in cloud we swap the route or move the day at no cost.
Terms reviewed on 25 September 2026
Entry tickets, meals and SIMplifica trail fees are not included. The supplement for a pickup further out is on the prices page.
Before you choose a day
East or west Madeira first?
Pick the day whose stops you want most, and if you have time for both, let the forecast set the order. Choose West Madeira for the Porto Moniz pools, Seixal and Fanal, and East and north for Pico do Arieiro in daylight, Santana and the island's eastern tip.
How many days do we need?
Two tour days show you most of the island by car, one west and one east. The sunrise at Pico do Arieiro is a separate early morning, and you're back in Funchal by mid-morning. If you can, leave a free day between the two tours, so a cloudy forecast can move one of them.
Can we see the whole island in one day?
Yes, the whole island fits into one long day of about 10 hours from pickup. It's priced as a full day plus 2 hours, €300 for the car for 1 to 4 people or €370 for 5 or 6. Most of that day is driving, so two days show you more. To book it, send us the date and we'll plan the route with you.
Jeep tour or private car?
A jeep tour is for off-road tracks, and our car stays on paved roads. Every stop on these tours is on a paved road, from Pico do Arieiro to Porto Moniz, so you don't need a jeep to see them. If the dirt tracks are the point for you, book a jeep tour.
Where do we have lunch?
You choose where to stop for lunch, and meals aren't in the price. On the west day lunch is usually at Porto Moniz, by the pools, and on the east day at Santana or on the north coast nearby. Wine with lunch is fine, since nobody in your group is driving.
Is your driver a tour guide?
No. Your driver knows the island's roads, weather and viewpoints, and can tell you about the places you pass and where to eat, but doesn't give a guided commentary. If you want commentary all day, book a tour with a professional guide.
Can we bring children?
Yes, children are welcome on every tour. Child seats are free, so tell us each child's age when you book and we fit the right seat. Every child counts as one of the 6 passengers.
Tell us which day you'd like, and the date
Your driver picks you up at your hotel and brings you back at the end of the day. Booking is on request: we confirm your date and reply within 60 minutes, 07:00–22:00.
West Madeira: Porto Moniz, Seixal and Fanal €220 per car for 1 to 4 people, €260 for 5 or 6