Madeira · WHALE WATCHING
The 15 best whale watching tours you can book right now, with what each costs, how long it runs and how far it is from Funchal. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Eco-friendly dolphin and whale watching from Funchal on a hybrid-electric catamaran with silent cruising, big viewing nets, and expert spotting.
“A lovely afternoon and highly recommended. The highlight was seeing pilot whales 🐋”
3-hour catamaran cruise from Funchal to Cabo Girão, chasing dolphins, whales, and turtles with a swim option and onboard drinks.
“We loved our morning out on the boat and we’re lucky enough to see a pod of short finned pilot whales right up close to the boat ! There was plenty of space on the boat to move around and for everyone to take photos. It was a beautiful and memory-making experience. We enjoyed the swim stop - the sea was lovely and warm and some of the guests had fun diving off the boat . I used the steps which were very easy to use. All in all a lovely trip and great value for money.”
Luxury catamaran dolphin and whale watch from Funchal, with snorkeling at Cabo Girão and big ocean views in 3 hours.
“Very nice cruise, unfortunately no dolphins but we saw a flying fish.”
Luxury catamaran from Funchal to Cabo Girão for whale and dolphin spotting, plus an included open bar, snacks, and a swim.
“You a pay a premium but with only a limited number of people in board makes it so much better & relaxing. Best way to see them without a crowd”
Madeira dolphin and whale watching from Funchal on an eco-friendly catamaran, with land spotters, quiet hybrid-electric cruising, and sea-cliff views.
“Highly recommended! Excellent value for money. Experienced and professional tour guides. Special thanks to Salvador, a truly pleasant and knowledgeable member of staff! The boat wasn't overcrowded. Everything was extremely well organized. We received a lot of information and even saw dolphins and whales several times.”
Luxury catamaran whale and dolphin watching from Funchal, with snacks, drinks, and a swim at Cabo Girao for up to 17.
“Enjoyable trip. Super friendly and knowledgable staff. Where Abel to quickly get to a sort to see a bunch of whales/ dolphins. Didn’t have a ton of li o after that but what we saw was super cool.”
Luxury catamaran sailing from Funchal to Cabo Girão to watch dolphins and whales, with an onboard guide and summer swim stop.
“A wonderful tour with a fabulously charismatic and knowledgeable marine biologist. We saw dolphins and experienced a beautiful day on the stunning catamaran. Absolute bargain, highly recommended!!! 10/10”
3-hour Madeira dolphin and whale cruise from Funchal, with a Cabo Girão swim stop and a free second trip if wildlife is missed.
“We really enjoyed the experience. We booked for the first day of our holiday and were glad of this as we weren't able to spot any wildlife. On the second trip (Complimentary if you dont see Dolphins or whales) trip, we saw both!”
3-hour Funchal sailing trip from Praça do Povo, snorkel near Cabo Girão, and cruise up to 3 miles offshore for dolphins and whales.
“My husband and I had a fantastic 3 hour trip on this lovely sailboat. We weren’t lucky enough to spot any sea life, but nevertheless, the crew took good care of us, and were very skilled and knowledgeable. Seeing the island from the ocean gave a whole new perspective, and snorkeling in the warm waters was a special touch! Definitely recommend 🫶🏼”
Whale and dolphin watching from Funchal on a fast small-boat with marine biologists, spotters on land, and a chance to swim.
“A fantastic trip. So much more informative than previous similar trips. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would go again and hopefully see different species although we understand there is no guarantee as they are wild animals.”
2-hour speedboat off Funchal to spot Madeira whales or dolphins, with snorkeling and possible dolphin swims.
“Everything very well organized. The guide Camilla and the captain Mark were very helpful and nice. We got a lot of information and the whole trip was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend trips with this agency.”
RIB whale and dolphin watching from Calheta, Madeira. Expert crew, live commentary, small groups, and real odds at cetaceans.
“I had an absolutely amazing experience dolphin watching with H2O Madeira! From start to finish, everything was incredible. Seeing Madeira’s coastline from the Atlantic Ocean is simply breathtaking — the views are remarkably beautiful and unforgettable. I was beyond happy to see dolphins swimming so close to us, especially in January, which made the experience even more special. The weather was sunny and pleasant, making the trip perfect. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and shared many interesting facts about the dolphin species around Madeira, which added so much value to the tour. A special mention to our skipper, who made sure we had plenty of fun during the boat…”
Small-group Madeira yacht trip from Calheta with snorkeling, warm clear water, and chances to spot dolphins and sometimes whales.
“The advertised cruise was not what we received. We have booked a tour on a small boat up to 6 people with snorkeling. But we were placed on a boat with more than 10 people, we wer able to dip in the ocean for 5 minutes, they had no snorkeling equipment on board. I adressed everything upon boarding but was told by the staff and the captain that this was what I had booked. It still was a nice cruise. Later back at our apartment I checked my booking and saw that we had actually not received what we had booked and adressed it via Whatsapp with the staff. They…”
Responsible small-group RIB whale and dolphin watching off Funchal with marine biologists and spotters, plus a free return ticket.
“We were very pleased. Rosa and Vlad were excellent guides. The motorboat ride alone was a fantastic experience! We saw two species of dolphins and learned some very interesting things. We highly recommend it.”
A 2-hour Madeira speedboat cruise from Funchal with a marine biologist, fast offshore tracking, and a shot at dolphins, whales, turtles.
“We saw pilot whale family and dolphins, some of them very close to the boat and unforgatable experience. Return to Funchal the sea was a little bit rough and the boat was bumping what was a really fun experience. The boat driver and the guide were very good. 5/5 for whole experience :)”
Every kind of day on the island, and the best of each.
