Madeira cliffs and valleys 4WD tour

General information

Destination
Madeira, Portugal

Program details

Fasten your seatbelt and prepare for an exhilarating jeep tour of some of Madeira’s most mountainous and hidden-away corners. Touring the southern part of this beautiful island you will visit spectacular places that can only be reached by four-wheel drive vehicles.

The tour sets off in a westerly direction, passing through Estreito de Camera de Lobos and Jardim da Serra for some dramatic views of the village of Curral das Freiras and the celebrated Boca dos Namorados summer palace (the name translates as ‘Lovers’ Nest’ in English). After pausing for some breathtaking views of the island, the tour continues through unspoilt, peaceful and majestic areas that are only accessible to people travelling in 4x4s. The climax comes with Cabo Girao, which at 580 metres above sea level is reputed to be the highest sea cliff in Europe and the second highest in the world. A recently-opened glass-floored viewing platform affords extraordinary 360-degree views and requires visitors to have a certain head for heights! A cultivated strip at the base of the cliff can claim to be the most inaccessible piece of farmland in the world – it can only be reached by boat or by cable car.

You are recommended to bring a cardigan/sweater and a hat; since the tour goes up into the mountains, many different kinds of weather can be encountered - from cold, wet, windy and foggy to very bright sunshine.

Meeting/pick-up point: Hotels in Canical and Machico, Santa Cruz, Canico and Funchal.
Duration: Half-day excursion-morning.
Start/opening time: Between 8am and 8.45am.