Whale & Dolphin Watching: Madeira's Wild Side

Explore Madeira’s wild side with a thrilling whale and dolphin watching tour. Swim with dolphins and learn from expert marine biologists.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Scorpio Madeira Wildlife - Embark on a boat excursion to observe whales and dolphins. While swimming with dolphins is an option, it cannot be assured. The journey lasts between 2 to 2.5 hours and includes a Marine Biologist Guide on board, along with a dedicated spotter on land.
What's Included
  • Professional rain coat included
  • Life Vest included
Additional Information

Embark on a whale and dolphin watching boat tour from Machico city on Madeira Island, exploring the island’s most untamed areas. Under specific conditions, guests can swim with common and spotted dolphins. A marine biologist specializing in cetaceans accompanies every trip, providing insights into wildlife. While sightings are not guaranteed, the team…

Location
Scorpio Madeira wild life
Rua do Leiria
Meeting time 15 minutes prior to trip departure.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(77 Ratings)
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Kristi
Oct 7, 2025
Amazing time!! Book it! - This excursion was fantastic! Especially given the price - you have to do this! The staff was over the top, friendly, outgoing, and fun. Also very knowledgeable about the animals in the water. We not only had fun on the boat, but of course we saw wildlife and at the end of the trip, they let anyone swim that wanted to swim and those that didn’t Also had a great opportunity to get some beautiful photos.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kristinamu2601nf
Sep 28, 2025
Mega experience with guide and captain! - Great trip with guaranteed fun. It was much drier than I thought. 93% chance to see dolphins or whales per tour in the last few years. Always on board: a marine biologist as a guide and a captain. There is great information about the animals and you can tell that animal welfare is very important here. Away from the tour on the mountains, there is a scout looking for whales and dolphins. We were lucky and even saw baby dolphins. They got really close. After a short briefing (in English and Spanish, the guide speaks several languages) we started. The captain sometimes accelerates, but a lot of care is taken to ensure that everyone is well. Life jackets are available on site, which are super comfortable by the way (compared to the other plastic stuff). The guide then also goes through it and offers to take a picture of everyone. Take your phones with you 🥰 it is worth it! On the way back there was great music and some curvy fun and -because there was enough time - a detour to a crystal clear swimming spot with the opportunity to jump into the water. It was just a great trip with a lot of WOW fun and a crew that just enjoys their work. They also offer, free of charge, to send the videos or photos taken by the guide underwater free of charge afterwards. I would definitely stay here again. Fun, kindness, joy, nature, water, naturalness and fascination ❤️ we are still blown away! Thank you for this great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I1319fsjoseluisg
Sep 13, 2025
Ways to enjoy our nature and help in this way to take better care of it!!! - A very nice experience, since we do attend whales. A 10 for Joâo as a performer and animator, lived up to it at all times Thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joyce_m
Aug 30, 2025
Great tour and staff! - We had a lovely time on this boat tour! It started with the great attention from Margarida when I contacted her we may not be able to make the tour due to our flight being delayed nearly 2.5 hours past our originally scheduled arrival time. She handled the situation so well and luckily we made it right on time for the tour with 10-15 minutes to spare! The captain and guide were fantastic and although we did not see as many dolphins or whales (3-4 total) we still enjoyed the time on the water! Thank you all!
Review provided by Viator
Elodie
Aug 19, 2025
Very professional and super nice - Team on top! Very good explanation. We haven’t seen a whale because unfortunately it’s not the time but we have seen great pilot dolphins!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shannon_b
Aug 19, 2025
An unforgettable... - An unforgettable experience! The smaller group (around 14–15 people) made the dolphin and whale watching trip feel personal and relaxed. We were lucky enough to see two types of dolphins, and the views of Madeira from the sea were stunning. Perfect blend of adventure and beauty!
Review provided by Viator
Theresia
Aug 17, 2025
Very nice trip and good guide! - We saw a big group of whales. The guide provided a lot of information and helped our daughter to overcome her seasickness.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariapro1990
Aug 14, 2025
Whales, Dolphins and Even Flying Fish! - Amazing trip with Sienna and Pedro! 🌊 They were so friendly and welcoming, and Sienna’s knowledge about marine life is incredible. We saw whales, dolphins, birds and even flying fish! My son loved these and we created a core memory right there :) Absolutely unforgettable! Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightsee19405539870
Aug 14, 2025
Whale & Dolphin watching - It was an amazing experience. The crew was really nice, experienced, friendly and shared lot of information. I would definitely recommend it. Thank you to the whole team 🙏😊, it was an unforgettable experience. 🐬🐋🌊☀️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anna
Oct 24, 2025
Last minute cancellation, difficulty in refund - We were cancelled last minute, it was our last day and we could not book elsewhere, as everything was full. The customer service girl didn’t make things easy for us to pay back, and that wasted time. Very disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $54
up to 14 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).