Trips run all year at EUR 40 to 66.63 per adult, and Bryde's whales visit from April to October. Spotters on Madeira's high cliffs guide licensed boats, and each boat may stay 10 minutes with a group.
Dark months are the peak for that species, light months are the rest of its season. October is marked.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sperm whale | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: in season |
| Short-finned pilot whale | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: in season |
| Bryde's whale | January: not usually seen | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: not usually seen | December: not usually seen |
| Sei whale | January: not usually seen | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: not usually seen | October: not usually seen | November: not usually seen | December: not usually seen |
| Bottlenose dolphin | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: in season |
Peak In season
From wwhandbook.iwc.int. Whales turn up outside these months too.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Boat | If no whales | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dolphin and Whale Watching from an Eco-Friendly Catamaran (3h) |
€40 per adult |
About 3 hours (180 minutes) |
All ages | Magic Dolphin Eco, 22 m x 10 m two-deck hybrid catamaran with toilets and bar; capacity not stated | Another tour for EUR 10 per person if no dolphins or whales are seen | Cancel or change at least 24 hours before departure; if sea conditions cancel a trip, the operator tries to reschedule. | Check dates | ||
Whale & Dolphin WatchingIncludes Insurance, Educational briefing before departure |
€48 per adult |
2.5 hours |
Minimum 6 persons; RIBs carry up to 12 (Tiger I) or 18 (Tiger II) |
RIBs Tiger I (7.4 m, max 12) and Tiger II (10 m, max 18) | Second trip free if no cetaceans are spotted | Trips may be changed, postponed or cancelled in bad weather; refund terms not listed. | Check dates | ||
Sea Safari |
€50 per adult |
2 hours |
Power boat with 2 x 250 hp engines; capacity not stated | Advertises a sightings guarantee; check the terms when booking | Check dates | ||||
Ribeira Brava whale watching tour |
€51.83 per adult |
2.5 hours |
Up to 16 people plus 2 crew |
Ribeira Brava, a traditional wooden fishing boat, up to 16 passengers | None; sightings can't be guaranteed and no-sighting tours are not refunded | Check dates | |||
Steno whale watching tour |
€66.63 per adult |
2 hours |
Up to 18 passengers plus 2 crew |
5 | Steno, premium RIB with hydraulic suspension seats, up to 18 passengers | None; sightings can't be guaranteed and no-sighting tours are not refunded | Check dates | ||
Ribeira Brava private charter |
€613.46 per group |
3 hours |
Up to 16 people |
Ribeira Brava, a traditional wooden fishing boat | None; sightings can't be guaranteed and no-sighting tours are not refunded | Check dates | |||
All Inclusive 3H Dolphin and Whale Watching from Funchal with Luxury CatamaranIncludes Open bar (cocktails, sparkling and table wine, beer, Madeira wine, soft drinks, coffee), Handmade local snacks, Snorkelling gear for a swim break, Beach towels, Wi-Fi and charging station, Photo report by email |
Not listed |
3 hours |
Up to 17 guests with 3 crew |
Children under 3 not permitted | Luxury motor catamaran, up to 17 guests | Not stated | Weather cancellations are rescheduled, or refunded if rescheduling is not possible; full policy on a separate page. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Most of Madeira's whale watching operators are based at Funchal Marina, in the capital. VisitMadeira lists VIP Dolphins, RECMAD and Ventura Nature Emotions there, and Magic Dolphin sells from a kiosk on the marina at Praça do Povo, asking guests to arrive 30 minutes early. Ventura's meeting time is 30 minutes before its 9:30 am and 1 pm daily departures, with a 4 pm trip added from May to October.
Lobosonda and On Tales sail from the Porto de Recreio in Calheta. Lobosonda closes check-in 30 minutes before departure and picks among Alamar dos Canhas, Alamar do Morno and Alamar do Paul do Mar according to the weather and sea. Scorpio Madeira Wildlife sails from the Porto de Recreio in Machico, and Mar Dourado is listed on Porto Santo.
Boat numbers are capped by area. Under Portaria 46/2014, the regional government allowed up to 21 whale watching boats across Machico, Santa Cruz, Funchal and Câmara de Lobos, and 6 across Ribeira Brava, Ponta do Sol and Calheta. Porto Moniz and São Vicente share another 6, Porto Santo gets 4, and each boat may run at most 3 trips a day. The same ordinance closes about 1,021 km² north of Madeira to whale watching.
Madeira has 28 recorded cetacean species, Ventura says. The IWC handbook lists sperm whales, short-finned pilot whales, bottlenose and striped dolphins as present all year, with Cuvier's and Blainville's beaked whales also seen all year but hard to spot. Bryde's whales come from April to October and sei whales from June to August. Fin whales and common dolphins are mainly winter and spring animals, and spotted dolphins appear from spring to autumn.
Blue whales, humpbacks, minkes, orcas, false killer whales, Risso's and rough-toothed dolphins are not very common, the handbook says. VisitMadeira adds loggerhead turtles and notes the Mediterranean monk seal colony on the Desertas Islands, which Ventura visits on day trips. Lobosonda has logged its sightings since 2007 to support scientific work.
VisitMadeira describes the trips as sailing in calm waters over a sea that reaches 3,000 m deep. Weather still moves trips. Ventura may change, postpone or cancel in bad weather, and Magic Dolphin tries to reschedule when sea conditions cancel a sailing. Lobosonda chooses its route each day by the weather and sea. VIP Dolphins reported 2025 sighting rates of 95 percent on morning trips, 91 percent in the afternoon and 67 percent on summer sunset trips.
Lobosonda does not recommend its Steno RIB, which has suspension seats, for pregnant women or anyone with back problems. Magic Dolphin's 22 m catamaran has toilets and a bar, and VIP Dolphins includes an open bar, snorkel gear and towels for a swim break. Ventura keeps warm jackets on board its sailing trips for cooler days.
Magic Dolphin is the cheapest here, at EUR 40 per adult (EUR 20 for ages 5 to 11) for about 3 hours on a 22 m two-deck hybrid catamaran. Its engines switch to electric once animals are found. The catamaran runs September 1 to June 30, and a repeat trip after a blank one costs EUR 10. Its 2-hour Sea Safari power boat costs EUR 50, and Magic Dolphin says it sees dolphins, whales or turtles on 98 percent of trips.
Ventura Nature Emotions charges EUR 48 (EUR 30 for ages 5 to 10, under 4 free) for 2.5 hours on its RIBs Tiger and Tiger II, which carry 12 and 18. Its crews work with land-based spotters, it needs at least 6 passengers, and it gives a second trip free if no cetaceans are seen. VIP Dolphins takes up to 17 on an all-inclusive 3-hour luxury catamaran but shows no prices outside its booking widget.
Lobosonda, running trips since 2003, has marine biologists aboard and guides in English plus German or French. Its traditional boat Ribeira Brava takes 16 for EUR 51.83 (EUR 30.67 for ages 2 to 15), and the Steno RIB takes 18 for EUR 66.63. Private charters cost EUR 613.46 on the Ribeira Brava and EUR 1,047.12 on the Steno. Lobosonda gives no refund when no animals are seen.
from €40 per adult
Dolphin and Whale Watching from an Eco-Friendly Catamaran (3h) and 1 more option
Eco Catamaran season runs September 1 to June 30
from €48 per adult
Whale & Dolphin Watching
Daily departures at 9:30 and 13:00, plus 16:00 from May to October
from €51.83 per adult
Ribeira Brava whale watching tour and 2 more options
Running whale watching trips since 2003 and recording sightings since 2007
Price on request
All Inclusive 3H Dolphin and Whale Watching from Funchal with Luxury Catamaran
Departures 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 17:30, plus an 18:30 sunset trip from June 1 to September 30
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.
