Madeira West Jeep Tour: Porto Moniz & Fanal Forest

We had a great day out on the west side of Madeira. The trip included a number of off road sections and interesting urban street routes. Although we are regular travellers to Madeira the trip still managed to include some places we hadn’t been before, together with some great local stops for coffee and lunch. Ricardo has a detailed knowledge of Madeira which he shares with the group. Recommended 👍

One day tour with Ricardo. Ricardo is one of life’s good guys. Passionate and a genuinely nice person. I can see why he has so many 5 star reviews. Can’t fault the day tour, seen some amazing places and learned so much about the Madeira culture and the countryside. Would highly recommend this tour and being in Ricardos company for a day. Paul & Karen

Me and my girlfriend had such a great day with Andre as guide! Everything from the pickup to the drop off went perfect, Andre told us a lot about Madeira while driving to the different locations and was a funny guy too! The time spent on the different sights was also just perfect! I do recommend booking with them, big thumbs up!

My Husband and I and friends were in Madeira in Mid Sept on a cruise. We had prebooked a Jeep tour with Ricardo a few months before our arrival. He was able to pick us up right at the port in Funchal.He asked if we had any thing in mind that we wanted to see.We told him he could be our guide. He took us on a tour of the mountains, hillsides,local places and shops. The scenery was amazing.We had the best day ever. Thank you Ricardo for a wonderful tour. S&S Taylor From Canada

An outstanding, incredible experience that I truly believe couldn't possibly be as brilliant with anyone else! During our first week, Ricardo picked us up at 8.50am outside our hotel. As we were the first collected, we sat forward facing, but sitting in the back was huge fun too! Having a bad back, I needn't have worried, because Ricardo is s an excellent driver. Offroading through the forests was huge fun! We all opted to avoid the touristy, crowded Funchal forest. We went to Ribiera Brava, we're told about the history and floods, experienced wild fennel (Funchal!!), then stopped at Taquinha da Poncha (rude not to have one!) and had coffee and delicious fresh orange/lemon poncha. Ricardo stopped at 1400m for us to take in the view and take pictures. So beautiful. Offroading through bay forests was a sensorial experience, the fragrance moyai be experienced! Next we went to St Fatima church. 176 steps up was worth it! We were stunned to see wedding preparations taking place! Seixal was heaving with cars, so we swerved it and went for an incredible espetada BBQ lunch at Talho Seixal. Delicious! The best we had on the island! An experience not to be missed. Porto Moniz was busy, but not crazily busy. Beautiful refreshing experience! On to Ribeira da Janela for incredible ocean views. Then onto Cascata do Corrego da Furna. This is just a snippet of what we did. Ricardo made it so very good. He taught us so much about the island. He's really lovely. I cannot recommend highly enough. Do not miss this tour. We loved it so much, we booked the following week to do the east! Do it. You can't get off road in your hire car! Thank you Vitor and Ricardo!

We had a fantastic day touring the west of Madeira in a 4x4 Jeep. Ricardo made the experience for us. He was so knowledgeable, great stops for views, nature , beaches, lunch and waterfalls. We would highly recommend this tour when visiting Madeira

We had an absolutely fantastic day exploring the west of Madeira! From the winding old roads and spectacular ocean views to the breathtaking mountains, valleys and forests, every stop was more beautiful than the last. The off-road Jeep adventure made the whole experience even more exciting, and visiting the natural lava pools at Porto Moniz and the stunning black sand beach at Seixal were definite highlights. Our driver Ricardo was brilliant — knowledgeable, friendly and great fun — making the day feel like a real adventure rather than just a sightseeing tour. We saw parts of Madeira we would never have discovered on our own. A wonderful experience from start to finish and one we would highly recommend to anyone wanting to see the hidden treasures of Madeira!

Ricardos off road tour was excellent and well worth the money. A big shout out abs thank you to Lukas who went above and beyond to give us an brilliant day and memorable trip

It was one of our most interesting days on the Island. Our guide, Lucas, was a great guy. He proved to be not only a good driver but also a good guide and interlocutor. I fondly remember stopping somewhere off the main roads, where we could enjoy a coffee at a small local restaurant and admire the beautiful views. We also had the opportunity to try a local dish, espetatda. Thanks Lucas!

Lucas was the best. Amazing guy, waited for us , greeted us , and was fun to be around

Amazing, you should go! Ricardo is a fantastic guide and has the best local spots if you ask for them.

We had a fantastic day with two 15 year old boys, my 76 year old mother and my two daughters (10 and 12). We all agreed Ricardos off road adventure was the highlight of our trip. Ricardo was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and thoughtful. He brought us to small villages and shared his extensive knowledge about the flora and history of Madeira. The open top car was so much fun - but if you are seeking a comfortable seat you may need a sit up front. Great fun

We had a brilliant time on the 4x4 tour with Lucas. I went with my 81 year old father, brother and teenage son and Lucas talked to us all with ease. He was very knowledgeable about the island, it history and its flora. He took us on a mixture of motorways and off road and we saw lots of sights. We stopped off for a poncho and a Nikita on the way home which was a lovely way to finish the day. Thank you Lucas for a great day.

When we saw this tour it immediately caught our attention as we wanted to explore the island of Madeira and they did just that. Our tour guide was Lucas and he gave us a great tour with amazing knowledge of the island providing facts and taking us down off-road trails and stopping at breathtaking views. He was very funny and made our overall experience much better. We explored the west side of the island and he was very flexible and let us spend lots of time at Porto moniz and the village of seixal. During our tour we also trailed behind Ricardo in which he spoke to us with great energy and enthusiasm. The tour felt very authentic as he took us in a 4 by 4 off-road truck which matched the feel of Madeira. Along the way we stopped at many waterfalls and ate the amazing food of Madeira. I would definitely recommend this tour as it ticked all the boxes we wanted and our tour guide was lovely

Lucas was an absolute star! He told us he had newly joined the company yet his knowledge and ability to tailor the tour to suit our needs was brilliant! He was friendly, polite, well-mannered and chatty and loved our play list! We were a group of 5 friends who wanted to see the pools at Moniz but were happy to visit other spots as suggested. Ones that were not busy with excellent views! Lucas also took us for some local Poncha to an off the tourist track cafe which was so authentic! We then stopped for a Nikita..beer, wine and ice cream in a half pint glass. Delicious! We rumbled through the forest, took the tiniest roads through villages, stopped at the fishing village and several view points, and of course..the pools! Couldn't recommend this high enough!

What a wonderful day we had with Ricardo. Having visited Madeira numerous times (and having toured with other companies) he tried to ensure we visited new places, those which are less traveled and not the usual tourist spots… We thoroughly enjoyed his easy manner and felt relaxed and very well cared for. I highly recommend this tour company and will definitely be booking again on our next visit! Thank you Ricardo 😊

We had the most amazing time with Vitor exploring places on the island that we would otherwise never have seen. This was easily the highlight of our trip so far despite how incredible everything else has also been. We highly highly recommend Ricardo Offroad Madeira!!

Wonderful experience! Our guide Lisa was wonderful! She was fun and had a wealth of information about the island. Our driver Lucas was awesome too- even when we went off road, he made us feel very secure. We had a blast, ate some delicious food and saw so many beautiful sights. Highly recommend this tour! 😊

Ricardo - what a guy ! Thanks so much for our trip today to the West Side of the island. Lots of fun, beautiful sites and delicious food. Ricardo knows all the best places and has so much knowledge of the island. He was happy to tailor make the tour for us but mainly we went with his suggestions. Beautiful waterfalls, bbq food by the roadside, lots of information about the local plants., stunning views. Throughly enjoyed our day and would highly recommend.

The ad for the tour implies this to be an open air jeep tour but it was not so in that way it was disappointing. The jeep was also not the right size for 6 people as 2 were crammed into the back storage area. The tour guide however was great and the tour itself was very good.

Filipo God bless you and thank you so much for patience and all the places shown and informations about Madeira and her culture, you make us our day , But them moments when you showed a lot of kindness with our kids where was when you get my respect 🫡 thank you so much , obrigado

This was a great tour.Filipe took us to some magical places , and showed us the real, authentic Madiera only the locals know about. Our 2 kids loved it,they wanted to go again! We had an amazing day with Filipe Would highly recommend! Thank you Filipe for the tour!

This was a great tour. Ricardo took us to some of the places that we would never have found on our own, and showed us the real, authentic Madiera only the locals know about. Would highly recommend!

So 7 of us decided to do the West of the island with Filipe and his jeep! That man can drive!!! What a day we had, climbing up the steep mountains of Madeira, Filipe knew every back road and dirt track and made it his business to give us an unforgettable day! Brought us to a beautiful spot for lunch and of course a poncha, or 2! He's so passionate about the island and told us so much interesting facts as he drove up steep roads! Amazing day, would highly recommend

We booked a private West Madeira 4x4 adventure with Richardos Off Jeep Tour and it was, without a doubt, one of the absolute highlights of our trip. From start to finish, Ricardo was incredible. Not only is he a fantastic driver (we felt completely safe the entire time, even on some of the more adventurous routes!), but he’s also so knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about Madeira. He shared so much local insight, history, and culture with us throughout the day - it felt like we were seeing the island through a completely different lens. Because we booked a private tour, Ricardo was able to tailor the experience to us, taking us to some amazing hidden spots and adjusting the route to avoid the busy tourist areas wherever possible. That made such a difference, it felt much more authentic and relaxed, and we got to take everything in without the crowds. The scenery was just unreal. From the dramatic coastal views to the lush, mystical forests and the stunning areas, every stop felt like something out of a postcard. We honestly couldn’t believe how much we managed to see and experience in just one day. A special mention as well for the local restaurant Ricardo recommended, it nearly ended up being the best food we had the entire trip, which is saying a lot! Also… his jeep deserves its own shoutout — we absolutely loved it. It made the whole experience even more fun and unique. On top of everything, Ricardo was just great company. We got on so well, had a lot of laughs, and it really felt like spending the day exploring with a friend rather than being on a tour. We genuinely couldn’t fault a single thing. If you’re visiting Madeira, this is an absolute must-do, we’d recommend it to anyone without hesitation!

We had a lovely day out with Filipe. It makes such a difference to the quality of the tour to have true local guide who knows all the best points on the island. Would recommend!

I fully recommend this company. You will not be disappointed! Our driver Vitor was amazing. Friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable and professional. His itinerary was a perfect bled of must see attractions and hidden gems. Worth EVERY penny!!!

It was just us two as others cancelled, and the weather was ok, wind, sun, cloud and drizzle depending where we were. We let Ricardo guide us to best advantage, given the weather, and it was great, loved it all, including coffee/cake and lunch stops. He’s very knowledgeable so learned many things along the way, including about some plants here, as we’re very garden orietated. He’s also kind and considerate, drives well, felt very safe, lovely guy. Had a great day.

What an excellent trip with Philip. Best tour guide in Madeira! Highly recommend. Definitely ask for Philip. We seen much more of the island than we imagined. Thanks. We look forward to see you again.

May sons, daughter in law and I booked a private tour to experience the western part of Madeira. Lucky us - we got Filipe as our driver. Not only was he a safe and knowledgeable off road driver, he also entertained us with informativ and fun facts about the sights we visited. Unfortunately, due to bad weather conditions, we couldn't experience the hgher elevated view points like the Fanal. But Filipe had a plan B. He remembered our conversation about our interests in maderic wineries and organised spontaneously a wine tasting at the Quinta do Barbusano winery. We definitely would book this tour again in the hopes that we catch better weather and get Filipe as our driver again.

Just back from a really lovely day trip with Vitor around the west of the island. The trip exceeded our expectations and we can recommend highly going with this company. Communication was great before the trip and Vitor was both friendly and informative. Thank you very much

Vitor was amazing. He and his jeep off-roaded us to experience mountains, forests, tide pools, black sand beaches, incredible vistas and more. He shared his experiences as a proud Madeiran and gave us a great insight to this beautiful part of the world. Highly recommend…

We booked by going into town and through a tour operator, we wanted to tailor tour to something I had done previously, they made this happen but the weather changed on the day and we could not go to the highest peak, but we enjoyed with Ricardo who took us to places we hadn't planned to go. Lunch was at the bbq that he had recommended but there was only salad for our vegetarian so it wasn't really fine for us. If you get the chance and you stop at Port Moniz have lunch there or in a village. Thank you to Ricardo for looking after us and showing us beautiful Madeira. Trip was private for for of us 9:30 - 5:30 picked up from Hotel

We had an amazing private jeep tour on the west side of Madeira with our guide Philipe. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience fun and relaxed. The tour combined breathtaking coastal views, charming villages, and exciting off-road tracks that took us to places we would never have found on our own. The jeep was comfortable and well-maintained. Highly recommend this experience and especially Philipe – he made it unforgettable!

We had a wonderful tour with our driver Filipe . He was friendly, knowledgeable, and showed us beautiful places we would not have found on our own. Highly recommended!

Amazing tour. Our amazing and professional guide / driver Filipe made our three days full of impressions, advetures, fun and tastes 😉

Rate 5 *****… high profesional guided tour, excelent driver by off road and maximum knowledge about the island Funy and friendly to clients.

We all agreed this was a fabulous day out with our friendly and expert guide Filipe. It was a great way to experience Madeira with a local guide who grew up on the island and clearly loves his job. He took us off he beaten track to places we would never know about or find on our own: a small Poncha bar, remote tracks high in the mountains, beautiful villages and topped off with a swim in the sea pools with the the waves crashing in behind us. This was definitely a wonderful way to experience Madeira and find out some more about the island. Thanks you for a fabulous day

Spent the day with Fil on a private tailored tour from Funchal, across to the southwest, up through the north and across to west Madeira. The full day tour was full of highlights, epic scenery, amazing Espetada (traditional meat skewers), all expertly guided by Fil - it was a highlight day of the 10 days we spent in Madeira. Would highly recommend booking …

A brilliant day of touring & laughter! Ricardo was an excellent guide who showed us the west side of the island away from the main tourist traps. His recommended stops for coffee, cake & lunch were perfect & great value. The open top jeep gave us the opportunity for standing up while off road which was great fun! Ricardo was very knowledgeable about the floral & fauna on the island & taught us alot about the plants & herbs grown on the island. We couldn't have asked for a better experience!

My husband and I had a superb time in Madeira and the highlight of the trip was our tour with Felipe! It’s so great to be guided around the island by someone that knows the best spots and people that make it so great. We saw SO much in the half day tour, even stopping to zip line in the middle and closed with a gorgeous sunset. The open air jeep is great for being able to see the towering views in their entirety and he would pull over whenever a view was particularly incredible. I loved that Felipe customized the experience for us and our interests (we made a point to want to try a few poncha spots along the way!) I highly recommend it for enhancing your Madeira experience!

Great day out really enjoyed ourselves with great company well with the Money would recommend anybody to do it!! 5*****

We recently did the West Tour with Ricardo from Off Road Madeira Jeep Safari Tours, and it was hands down the best tour we've ever done as a family! The views were absolutely breathtaking – from dramatic cliffs to lush valleys, every stop felt like a postcard come to life. Ricardo was an exceptional guide – incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about Madeira. He made the experience extra special by taking us to hidden spots, sharing fascinating facts about the island, and even stopping along the way for us to smell and learn about local herbs. His attention to detail and love for nature really stood out. If you're visiting Madeira, don’t miss the chance to book a tour with Ricardo and his team. It's an unforgettable way to explore the island’s beauty and culture. Highly, highly recommended!

This was amazing! We spent almost three weeks in Portugal and had a wonderful time but this tour was by far the highlight of the trip. Our guide, Vitor, was funny, knowledgeable and so much fun. His family goes back generations in Madeira so he knows the island's best spots, history, backroads, and quirky sites (hello Elvis shrine). We had morning coffee with the locals, walked alongside the lavadas, swam in natural pools, and ended with the best poncha in Madeira. The next time we are in Madeira, we will seek out Vitor or his brother Ricardo to tour the other side of the island.

The trip was excellent, Ricardo was a fun tour guide and very knowledgeable. His 'short cuts' in his jeep were especially interesting! Would fully recommend Ricardo and his company for a jeep tour of Madeira.

Me and my friends had an amazing time during the jeep tour, we loved having Andre as our guide, he was lovely and so friendly, he showed us around and it was gorgeous. We hope to be able to visit this island at least once again and we will definitely book another tour!! Thank you so much once again for having us!!

Fiz um passeio com a minha família à volta da ilha foi uma experiência espetacular! Recomendo a todos! Visitamos vários locais com uma explicação pormenorizada pelo guia turístico que é muito prestável e simpático, obrigada pelo dia maravilhoso! I took a trip with my family around the island, it was a spectacular experience! I recommend it to everyone! We visited several places with a detailed explanation by the tour guide who is very helpful and friendly, thank you for a wonderful day!

Incredible private full day tour with Miguel. Prompt pick up, great knowledge of the island, knew all the great spots to explore off the beaten path. It was nice not to be in overcrowded places. Great to have a personal photographer too. Highly recommend to those that want to explore the island. I am glad not to be driving, but be driven on these crazy narrow roads.

A fastistic experience from the moment we first contacted the tour operator. As someone who works in the activities industry im really pleased we booked with a small local company with a personal touch. Our guide Miguel was great and so many highlights - skywalk, pools, offroading - but the views!!