Europe is not exactly famous for marine mammals and yet there are many of them!
The trip to Madeira not only gives us the opportunity to get to know a beautiful island, but also an unexpected variety of marine life. Every day we have the opportunity to encounter several species of dolphins and even have the chance to see large whales!
Bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins and pods of dolphins can be spotted very regularly. Sperm whales and fin whales also appear more frequently in spring! There is also the chance of seeing orcas and beaked whales.

During our week in Madeira, we also want to show you something of this magnificent island and introduce you to Portuguese-Atlantic cuisine!

We are accommodated in a beautiful hotel a little west of Funchal in a quiet area by the sea. We use small, agile motorboats for the tours, which we can also use to cover long distances. We use a comfortable people carrier for transportation.

Various species of dolphins can be found around the waters of Madeira all year round! In spring, large whales are also more common!

We find one or more dolphin species on every tour. These include the bottlenose dolphin, common dolphins and the common dolphin. These sociable animals often come very close to the boats or even into the bow wave! These are always great experiences.
We also frequently encounter pilot whales up to 6 meters long! These impressive dolphins often swim along the coast in families of up to 30 animals.
With a bit of luck, we may also catch a glimpse of the larger inhabitants of the oceans during our week. Sperm whales are increasingly found off the coast in spring and summer and baleen whales such as fin whales, blue whales and humpback whales also occasionally pass by.
We also have the chance to see the shy and rare beaked whales!

During our time on the south coast of Madeira, we stay in a beautiful hotel right by the sea. The rooms are furnished to a very high standard and the hotel impresses with its great service and fantastic views of the sea.
We enjoy the extensive breakfast buffet and one or two evening meals in the hotel's own restaurant.
We also get out and about on the island and eat in other selected restaurants.

Assuming good conditions, we go out to sea twice a day to watch whales and dolphins.
The first tour starts at around 9 am and lasts for about 2-3 hours.
After lunch, we go out again in the afternoon for 2-3 hours. Back on land and after a well-earned shower, we enjoy a drink and round off the evening with a good dinner and hopefully lots of whale stories!
On one or two days, we swap the afternoon trip for an island exploration tour to discover Madeira's impressive coastline and mountains!

The climate in late spring on Madeira is quite pleasant and almost summery! During the day we enjoy 20-25 degrees. It can get cooler out at sea, so a jacket won't hurt. In the evening it cools down, so long clothing is advisable.

For photographers we recommend medium lenses (200-300mm). The dolphins and whales often come relatively close to the boats and quickly fill the viewfinder with their size!

If you want, you can also bring your GoPro on a stick to record dolphins swimming underwater in the bow!
Drones are great for landscape photography.