The 4 Best National Park Tours in Madeira

1.Garajau Nature Reserve Kayak and Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 906 reviews · 3 hours · from $41Our pick

Paddle from Funchal toward Garajau Nature Reserve, then swim and snorkel among Madeira’s native marine life. The three-hour outing includes kayak and snorkel equipment, a guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, and a break at a pebble beach. Guides such as Marco, Hugo, and Luis have led trips, though your guide may vary.

“It was a great experience! The water was so clear and the snorkeling spot had a lot of colourful fishes. There also was enough time to explore and enjoy! Our guide gave us information about the fish we could observe. The kayaking was a nice workout and not too challenging. Thanks a lot!”

Check availability →Read our full verdict

2.Kayak and Snorkeling Tour in Underwater Nature Reserve Garajau

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 111 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $59

Kayak along Madeira’s rocky coast with Lokoloko Madeira, then snorkel in the Garajau Underwater Nature Reserve. Your guide supplies a life jacket and snorkeling gear, and may point out fish such as parrotfish and sea bream. Guides including Pedro, Hugo, and Luis have led trips, but sea conditions shape the route and whether kayaking can go ahead.

“Smooth pick up and admin. Kayak was fun and during snorkelling we saw lots of fish, including parrotfish. Our guide Bosco was super friendly and fun!”

Check availability →Read our full verdict

3.Kayak & Snorkeling in Garajau Nature Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 68 reviews · from $34Best value

Paddle from Funchal toward Ponta do Lazareto, then snorkel in the Garajau Nature Reserve with a guide and a group of up to 10. The 2.5-hour outing includes kayak and snorkel gear, safety support and coastal ecology insights. Expect to get wet, wear your swimsuit from the start and bring water shoes for the rocky shore.

“Absolutely fantastic. Our guide was nice, didnt talk much, but was always very keen on helping us with questions. The ride was super chill. Getting out turned out to be interesting, as the waves were suddenly a bit bigger then expected and made us flip over. You will need to be able to handle that situation, as the waves can be pretty cruel. Pro tip: You will definately need watershoes for the rocky landscape over there if you don't want to break your ankle. And I've learnt not to keep my sandals on. :) Maybe the description could also mention that for the ride one needs to be IN swimming…”

Check availability →Read our full verdict

4.Garajau national park – certified divers

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $50Top rated

Join a small group of certified scuba participants for a 2.5-hour boat outing from Funchal to Garajau Marine Park. Expect a safety briefing, a short ride east, and a guided underwater session in a protected area known for large dusky groupers. The group is limited to six, and the center supplies tanks and weights.

“Niks dan lof voor deze mensen. Als beginnende duiker was mij aangeraden om eerst een duik vanaf de kant te doen voordat ik aan de Maracuja-duik begon. Helaas kreeg ik tijdens deze laatste duik last van paniek. Hier werd direct adequaat op gereageerd, waardoor ik de duik toch heb kunnen afmaken onder begeleiding. Na afloop werd er op de boot continu gecheckt of ik oké was, en ik werd aangemoedigd om een nieuwe duik in te plannen om mijn angst te overwinnen. Ook tijdens die tweede duik, een paar dagen later, werd ik goed in de gaten gehouden, zonder me ongemakkelijk te laten voelen. Mijn speciale dank gaat uit naar…”

Check availability →Read our full verdict