Whale Watching: Ethical Encounters in Madeira

Experience the thrill of a high-speed boat adventure while spotting rare whales and dolphins in Funchal. Get up close to these magnificent animals and enjoy the stunning coastline views.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Blue Safari Madeira | Whale and Dolphins Watching - Are you prepared for a whale and dolphin watching adventure that transcends mere sightseeing?
    Join Blue Safari on a custom-built, high-speed vessel crafted specifically for small groups eager for a close, respectful, and meaningful interaction with Madeira’s remarkable marine wildlife.
    Unlike…
What's Included
  • Life Jackets Included
  • All Fees and Taxes Covered
What's Not Included
  • Transfer. We do not organize hotel transfers.
Additional Information

✔️ Small, intimate groups – Guest numbers are limited on board to ensure a more personal and comfortable experience.
✔️ Fast, agile boat – The vessel allows for quick and respectful access to the animals, bringing you closer than larger boats can.
✔️ Prime location in Madeira – Operations are conducted in the area with the highest density of whales and…

Location
Blue Safari Madeira | Whale and dolphins watching
PLEASE ARRIVE ON-TIME Arriving at least 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time, and preferably 30 minutes earlier, is essential to ensure check-in/boarding goes smoothly. The boat will depart exactly on time. The meeting place is located in front of Gate 4, on the east corner of the marina.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(155 Ratings)
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E2136aemarkf
Jul 6, 2025
An incredible experience worth every cent, fun adventure and education all in one. - This was an incredible experience on so many levels. - we got to see a huge pod of of bottle nose dolphins as well as a pod of spotted Atlantic dolphins - the speed boat gave us the chance to move quickly between sightings - the group we were with was small with 18 people - one could see everything from all the seats - the relative small size of the boat enabled our captain Francisco to position the boat perfectly and follow the pods unobtrusively. - The great thing about blue safari is that the guides are marine biologists fulfilling a double role of guiding and educating tourists regarding unobtrusive eco friendly animal viewing as well as documenting whale and dolphin movements. Or Guide Fernanda was an incredibly friendly person whom you could tell loves the animals she is trusted to take care of as well as sharing her love of these creatures with us. All in all the boat ride itself is absolutely worth the price since you get to experience speed action as well as amazing views of the Madeira coastline. Add to that the dolphins and it is an incredible experienced. Thanks Francisco and Fernanda for a memorable afternoon!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Solavino21
Jul 5, 2025
Great experience! - Amazing! We saw bottle neck dolphins. The best part about this tour was that it is guided by a marine biologist. It was educational and fun. It takes place on a high speed boat, which was a little scary for us at first, but we both agreed by the end that we would recommend this tour to anyone. Also, as a bonus, amazing views of Madeira and the landscape.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T1037xynataliaf
Jul 2, 2025
Great experience - It was a great experience, the crew was very nice and told us a lot about the animals, they were very caring too, definitely worth the visit!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nether_heyford
Jul 2, 2025
Best Tour in Funchal - What a fantastic experience! We were lucky enough to see flying fish, pilot whales and bottle nosed dolphins on our trip. Camilla was very knowledgeable and informative and we learned a lot - who knew pilot whales are actually the second largest species of dolphin?
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Voyager42645399779
Jul 1, 2025
Perfect! - I loved it from start to finish. Both the boat and the dolphins. And a big thank you to Francisco for this attraction and Kamila for her joie de vivre and explanations. 10/10 I highly recommend! Obrigado
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tanja
Jun 30, 2025
A unique experience - The tour was fun! There was a lot of background information and I really liked the respectful treatment of the animals. We were lucky and had a few brief sightings. I can recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Etixnnx
Jun 30, 2025
An engraved experience forever - A magic moment. Our guide was exceptional, we learned a lot about animals and the ocean. We were lucky enough to observe 4 species of dolphins and even babies. Animal welfare is considered and everything is put in place not to rush them (engines turned off when approaching the animals, no chasing). We recommend taking the morning excursion in the cold, as the sea is calm and the animals go out to hunt.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarahcb4999ia
Jun 29, 2025
Fabulous Service, Cannot Fault - We had such a fabulous time today with Blue Safari. Our crew were so knowledgeable and accommodating, they could not have done more to give us the best experience. We sighted 2 pods of dolphins and had a near miss on sperm and pilot whales. The ride on the 600hp rib was an adventure in itself! Thoroughly recommend to anyone who wants to explore with a company that are passionate and respectful of these animals.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lucl1134
Jul 1, 2025
An educational boat trip and very friendly guides! - Excursion is perfectly arranged. Good explanation on the boat and a nice boat trip. You have a nice view of the coastline from the boat. Seen a lot of seals.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hamanshi_p
Jul 2, 2025
A little disappointing as... - A little disappointing as didn’t get to see whales , considering it was there feeding ground in the month of June , Also just saw 3 dolphins very briefly , rest of the time felt we were on a boat ride Didn’t see anything else When we booked it , it said small group , max 12 people , instead we were 18 of us in the boat The boat was very clean and comfortable and our tour guides were very informative
Review provided by Viator
From $57
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).