Madeira jeep tours: which route to book
A full-day shared jeep tour costs about €65 per person, runs from roughly 9:00 to 17:00 and picks you up in Funchal. If you only do one, take the west route: Paul da Serra, the Fanal forest, the pools at Porto Moniz and Seixal on the way back.
The short version
A jeep tour is a full day with someone else driving the mountain roads, some dirt track along the way and a guide who changes the route when the clouds move in. It suits couples and small groups who want a more active day than a coach tour. It does not suit anyone who hates bumps.
- Full day, shared
- About €65 per person, 9:00 to 17:00
- Half day
- €49 per person, 3 hours
- Private jeep
- €250 to €350 for the whole jeep
- Pickup
- Your hotel in Funchal or Caniço; further out costs extra
Why I wrote this without doing one
I am Madeiran, but I have never done a jeep tour myself, and neither has my family. This page compares the routes and prices that operators publish on their own websites, what people say in reviews after the trip, and the places the tours visit, which I know well. When I do one, I will add what I thought of it here.
The routes, side by side
Most operators run the same four full-day routes under different names, plus half days and a sunrise trip to Pico do Arieiro.
| Route | Main stops | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| West | Paul da Serra, Fanal forest, Porto Moniz natural pools, Seixal, São Vicente | 8 h | €65 per person |
| East | Pico do Arieiro, Ribeiro Frio, Santana, Porto da Cruz | 8 h | €65 per person |
| South-west | Paul da Serra, Rabaçal, Ponta do Pargo, Paul do Mar | 8 h | €65 per person (private only at Just Go Tours) |
| North | São Vicente, Boaventura, Santana, a sugar cane mill in Porto da Cruz | 8 h | €65 per person |
| Half day | The eastern mountains, or Câmara de Lobos, the Estreito vineyards and Cabo Girão | 3 h | €49 per person, with a poncha or Madeira wine |
| Sunrise | Pico do Arieiro at dawn | Depends on sunrise | €250 per jeep (private) |
Prices: MadeirabySafari: jeep tours and Just Go Tours: jeep tours, both checked 22 October 2026. Shared tours unless marked private.
On GetYourGuide
Full-day 4x4 jeep tour of western Madeira
The west route in an open 4x4, from €69 per person, rated 4.9 from 10,052 reviews. It costs a little more than the operators’ own shared price of €65, and you can read what thousands of people thought before you pay.
See the west jeep tourPrice and rating checked on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026. Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
Which route should you choose?
West, for a first jeep tour. It goes up to the Paul da Serra plateau at about 1,400 to 1,500 m, through the laurel forest at Fanal, stops for lunch and a swim at Porto Moniz and comes back along the north coast past Seixal. Some operators add the Cabo Girão skywalk on the way out.
East, if you have no car and want Pico do Arieiro. The eastern route climbs to Pico do Arieiro, goes down through Ribeiro Frio to Santana and comes back by Porto da Cruz. Coach tours cover almost the same stops from about €39, so the jeep is worth it here only if you want the open-top ride and a smaller group.
South-west, for a quieter day. Rabaçal, the lighthouse at Ponta do Pargo and the fishing villages of Paul do Mar and Jardim do Mar, far from the busy stops of the east.
Half day, if you only have a morning. The vineyard route above Câmara de Lobos ends with a poncha or a glass of Madeira wine, and the mountain route stays close to Funchal.
Sunrise, for photographers. The private sunrise trip to Pico do Arieiro starts in the dark and costs €250 for the jeep. Split between four or five people, it is close to the price of a shared full day.
What the tour really costs
The headline price is not the whole bill.
- Pickup outside Funchal
A fuel fee by zone
MadeirabySafari adds a fee per person: €5 from Funchal and Caniço; €10 from the cruise port, Santa Cruz, Câmara de Lobos, Estreito or Ponta do Sol; €15 from Machico, Camacha, Jardim da Serra, Calheta or São Vicente; €20 from Ponta Delgada, Faial, Porto da Cruz, Santo da Serra or Caniçal.
- Lunch
Usually not included
Expect €18 to €25 if you take the operator’s lunch on a full day.
- Children
Cheaper, not free
Half price up to 11 at MadeirabySafari; €40 up to 12 on Just Go Tours’ full days.
- Cancellation
Read it before you pay
At MadeirabySafari, a full refund up to 24 hours before, half between 24 and 12 hours, nothing after that.
Shared or private?
Shared is cheaper for two people. Private is cheaper for a group.
Just Go Tours charges €250 for a private jeep for up to three people and €350 for four to eight. For a group of six, that is about €58 each, less than the €65 shared price, and you choose the route and the stops. For a couple, the shared tour at €130 is the obvious choice.
Miguel is Here runs "semi-private" tours with no more than 4 passengers, if you want something in between.
Six friends, one jeep
Private: €350 ÷ 6 = about €58 each. Shared: €65 each. Source: Just Go Tours, 22 October 2026.
Jeep tour, hire car or coach tour?
All three get you round the island. They suit different people.
- Hire car
If you like driving
Stop wherever you want, for less per day than two jeep seats. Hire cover usually excludes off-road driving, so the dirt tracks stay off your list. Read getting around Madeira first.
- Jeep tour
If you want the tracks
No mountain driving for you, forest and plateau tracks a hire car should not take, and a guide who knows where the sun is that day.
- Coach tour
If price matters most
Fixed stops and a bigger group, from about €39 per person on GetYourGuide. The cheapest way to see the far side of the island without a car.
Who a jeep tour suits, and who should skip it
A jeep tour suits couples, younger travellers, small groups of friends and anyone who wants a day outdoors with a bit of adrenaline, in an open jeep rather than behind a coach window. It is also an easy way to see the north coast without driving it.
Skip it if you are pregnant, have back problems or get car sick on winding roads; operators list these on their own pages. The open jeeps are not suitable for wheelchair users. In reviews, the off-road sections come up again and again as the best part of the day, and the bumps as the main complaint.
What to wear and bring
Layers and a windproof jacket: it can be warm in Funchal and cold and windy on the plateau, especially in an open jeep. Sun cream and a hat. A swimsuit and towel on the west route, for the Porto Moniz pools. Comfortable shoes for the short walks.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Guides change the route. Madeira’s weather is very local: it can be cloudy on the north coast and sunny on the south at the same time, and reviews often mention guides who switched the direction of the day to find the sun. Before you book, ask the operator what happens if the tour is cancelled for weather.
Jeep or buggy?
On a jeep tour someone else drives you around the island for a whole day. On a buggy tour you drive yourself for about three hours on mountain tracks, and you get much muddier. If the adrenaline matters more than the views, read the buggy tours guide.
Questions about jeep tours in Madeira
How much is a jeep tour in Madeira?
About €65 per person for a shared full day, €49 for a half day, and €250 to €350 for a private jeep (MadeirabySafari and Just Go Tours, 22 October 2026). On GetYourGuide, full-day 4x4 tours start at €69. Lunch and pickup outside Funchal can cost extra.
Is a jeep tour in Madeira worth it?
For couples and small groups who do not want to drive the mountains, yes. You see the west or the east of the island in one day, with a guide and some dirt track. If you already have a car and enjoy driving, you can see most of the same places yourself.
Which jeep tour is best in Madeira?
The west route is the most complete: Paul da Serra, Fanal, Porto Moniz and Seixal in one day. Choose the east route if Pico do Arieiro is your priority.
Are Madeira jeep tours bumpy?
On the dirt tracks, yes. Most of the day is on paved roads, but the off-road sections are what people remember, and the bumps are the most common complaint in reviews.
Do jeep tours pick you up from your hotel?
Yes, in Funchal and Caniço. Further away, operators usually charge extra or ask you to meet them. MadeirabySafari charges a fuel fee of €5 to €20 per person depending on where you are staying.
Fit a jeep day into your trip
Pair it with a slow day in Funchal or compare it with a buggy tour. Tell us how long you have and we will put it on the right day. A personal plan from our family is €149 for up to 5 days (€199 for 6 to 8), ready in 48 hours.