We will explore part of the island, concentrating our day in the northwest. This tour will be customized to my guests depending on their expectations or places they want to visit. I can also provide an on-time designed tour just after talking with guests. After knowing what my guests would like to do i can suggest some itineraries that will allow you to see the highlights of the region, in a no-rushing experience, avoiding crowds, going off the beaten track that will take us to places only accessible to some locals. The pickup time is merely a suggestion. Travelers can choose the time to be picked up, upon agreement with the guide.
Valdemar is the best person you can ever ask for if you are in Madeira! He woke up to drive me around as early as 6am. And knew amazing spots which are unknown to tourists for great views and pictures. I cannot wait to go back and see the island again with Val. He is kind, caring and made every minute worth it.
We had an amazing experience with this private tour! We travelled with our whole family, using two cars , for two days. Valdemar, was fantastic — extremely knowledgeable, warm and attentive. He adapted the tours perfectly to our family, especially as my mother and mother-in-law cannot walk for long distances. He always found a way for everyone to enjoy the day comfortably. We saw beautiful places away from the crowds and learned so many interesting things about Madeira. Everything was very well organised and felt truly personal. I rarely write reviews, but this experience really deserves one. Highly recommended!
Valdemar was master of this day family experience by tailoring it to the various needs of all family members. We were 5 of three different generations and he managed to make each one feel special and cared for. His English is rich in vocabulary and finely articulated to give us a deep sense of the history, culture and mentality of Madeira and its amazing people. Besides his deep knowledge of the island in all aspects, he is a skillful storyteller and an entertaining performer to capture all family hearts and minds. He selected very scenic sights in the islands carefully avoiding major tourist routes and crowded places. We felt as the only visitors in charming small towns, deep valleys, pictoresque ocean coast with dramatic rock pools, mountain village restaurant with the best sangria, bief barbecue on a bay leave stick and many stories how people live and manage their beautiful island. Blessed with exotic fruits, flowers and trees Valdemar made us fall in love with the island and its people bringing a deep knowledge of history, relationship with great colonial powers and cultural and material imported traditions. The end stop with a glass of poncha drink of lemon and rum in a tiny local place at the heart of majestic mountain. My mother enjoyed her 80’s birthday start fully captured by Valdemar impeccable professionalism.
My friends and I have visited Madeira a couple of times and had already been to many of the main attractions. We were looking for something a bit different to celebrate my ‘special’ birthday in July and the 1 day private hire trip looked perfect for us as we could go where we wanted and miss out some of the more touristy places. Valdemar contacted me before the trip to make sure we both had contact details and to get an idea of what we would like to do. I asked if we could visit Porto Moniz, Fanal Forest and a vineyard and Valdemar was quick to arrange it all. He picked us up at the hotel as agreed and we headed off to Porto Moniz- via a few places we would never have found on our own and definitely not without a 4 wheel drive ! He left us to ‘play ‘for a couple of hours at the pools at Porto Moniz and then picked us up to head over to Fanal Forest, which was amazing! He then took us to a lovely place for lunch that was mainly filled locals. I had some of the best steak and wine Id had on the Island - which is pretty good anyway. We then went to the vineyard and did a tour and a tasting which was really interesting – and even more food! . As a special treat we stopped at a poncho bar on the way back which was a perfect end to a perfect day! I cannot praise Valdemar enough for his knowledge, patience, hospitality and enthusiasm. He was so knowledgeable about the history of the island, the people and the food & wine. I am a bit of a wine geek and it was great to learn more about the table wines of Madeira as well as the much more well known fortified Madeira wine. If you are looking to see the ‘real’ Madeira Id certainly recommend getting in contact with Valdemar as he can take you to places that larger tours cant – or won’t - go to We all had an amazing time and will definitely be back in touch next time I visit Madeira , which hopefully will be soon.
Val is a wonderful guide. Very knowledgeable and very flexible. All 3 of us enjoyed all of the different aspects of the island that Val showed us over 2 days. Cannot recommend him highly enough!
No wonder this island is called the Hawaii of Europe or the Island of Flowers. Such incredible views. We spent over 8 hours with Val as he took us to the most scenic spots on the Island. Since he is a local Madeiran he knew all the ways to avoid the bus loads of tourists. We traveled in his 4-wheel drive vehicle on some very off the beaten path trails. We walked along some of Madeira’s irrigation canals, Levadas, most of which were built in the 16th century. We ate a delicious local lunch and imbibed in a local rum drink, Poncha. Very strong and delicious. Fanal Forest was a highlight and probably made better without the mist that Instagrammers have made famous. Small towns, vineyards and cliff top scenery was outstanding. We would not hesitate booking with Val again. (We actually booked 2 days with him and we were not disappointed.
We couldn’t have asked for more experience or educated guide. Val was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He knew about the history of the island and the history of Portugal, plant life, and wildlife, and the culture. We had limited time on the island due to a cancelled flight. I’m sure there isn’t a better way to see so much in one day!
Valdemar was an excellent guide. He had a very thorough knowledge of Madeira and took us many of the island's top sights while avoiding the spots frequented by large tour groups. Not only was the tour scenic, we learned a great deal about the island's people, history, geology and nature. This was one of those days that you don't forget.
We loved escaping from the typical tourist parts of the West and exploring from a local perspective. Great views and experience. Val is an excellent tour guide and would recommend to anyone coming to Madeira.
The best way to explore West Madeira with ease and explore without hassle from large crowds. Our guide Valdemar provided us with a custom itinerary based on what we wanted to see. Best part is that we avoided all the crowds and were able to experience/explore more in less time. Highly recommend taking his tour if you want to have a relaxing time without having to rent a car to explore the west part of the island.
We had researched various tour providers and Valdemar is consistently highly rated so we booked with him. We booked 2 days; one day on the west side and the next on the east side. We were not disappointed. Valdemar listens to what his guests say and tweaks the tours accordingly. If we wanted levadas but not difficult walks he gave us that. In all aspects his tour was incredible. He is extremely knowledgeable about Madeira and has a contagious enthusiasm for the island. On both days we had lunch in a little village in a hole in the wall with fantastic local food and wine at very reasonable prices. He took us to authentic poncho bars, and of course to the most fantastic scenery we have ever seen. His nimble 4x4 took us on a number of out of the way dirt roads most people will never see. We highly recommend using Valdemar.
A wonderful day. We felt extremely happy with where we went, what we did and what we saw. It was a great trip. Highly recommended. Val’s knowledge of Portuguese history is amazing and combined with his enthusiasm you cannot fail to enjoy your day.,
This tour was, hands down, the best decision we made during our time on Madeira. In addition to being a genuinely delightful person, our guide, Val, was incredibly knowledgeable - a veritable encyclopedia of Madeiran history, culture, flora, and fauna. We were able to see and experience so much more than we could have possibly managed on our own. We are grateful for such a wonderful and informative introduction to Madeira.
Great trip. You can expect spectacular views all over Madeira, but what separates this experience from the rest is the exceptional knowledge of the head guide, Val. He is knowledgeable about every aspect of Madeiran culture, from food flora and fauna, to the politics and history of the island. If you are hoping to learn something, while also seeing the off-road parts of Madeira, book this trip.
Val is an incredibly knowledgeable guy who loves his island paradise and wants to share that love with others. We knew Madeira was magical, but didn’t know the extent until this tour. Many stops, some off-road and a full day of action and adventure. In between the stops he was full of stories and information. Part tour guide, part historian, geologist, geographer, demographer, biologist… I have two regrets… That I didn’t record all the information; how am I going to remember everything?! And that the tour only lasted a day - a long, full day, but I could have spent a week with him! And what an ideal way to ring out the old year!
We spent two days with Valdemar. How important to have a good local tour guide. he can predict weather conditions, navigate away from bad weather, avoid crowds, and provide in-depth information about the island's history, cuisine, and local attractions. Additionally, being a capable photographer adds an extra layer of value to the experience. If you're looking for a well-rounded and competent guide to make your trip to Madeira truly special, GO LOCAL MADEIRA gets a perfect score of 100 from us!!
We just loved everything! The views, the trip, the time spent with Valdemar, he is a very kind, caring, highly knowledgeable person! 🙏
We spent a wonderful day with Val touring the island of Madeira in an open-top Jeep. We got to see and experience the island in a very diverse way and Val asked and took into account our wishes. Val shared a lot of interesting information about Madeira's history, culture, nature, etc. Driving by ourselves or on a group tour, we wouldn't have been able to get to similar places and get so much out of the island. The day was perfect, also according to the family's teens. Among others, the Fanal forest walking route, banana plantations, Porto Moniz, driving on off-road routes were especially wonderful experiences. We definitely recommend everyone this day tour with Val!!
Valdemar is a great tour guide and thanks to him we got an amazing day with a great mix of spectacular views, delicious food and knowledgeable facts. You will learn a lot about the history, economy and drinks of Madeira in the most fun and interesting way. We highly recommend doing a tour with Valdemar, in his vehicles you will come more close to the adventurous Madeira than on any other tour.
Fantastic day with a lovely and very knowledgeable guide. We were taken to lots of ‘hidden’ gems. Val made us feel very comfortable and our highlight was lunch!
This private tour is the best, the cruise line was not offering many excursions in Mediera, so we came across Vals page on Instagram, and it was indeed a great decision. Great job to our tour guide Val, he picked us up at the Cruise port on time, and drove us to some of the best places in Madeira with his 4x4 top down truck, we got to taste the local drinks and food which was amazing! He knows where to take you and what to do. We had a short time before our ship leaves so he made sure we got to see the best highlights of Madeira with no rush and stress and we were able to get back to the ship before all aboard time. Thank you Val for a great and memorable experience of Madeira! We will be back for more! Many thanks, Melanie and Michael
We had an amazing experience! Our guide was helpful, very skilled driver and good storyteller! The tour involves really nice sport of Madeira, with a lot of secret locations! Thank you so much!☺️
Valdemar was an excellent guide, nothing was too much trouble. He went out of his way to show us back roads and sights that we would never have found ourselves, including the proposed golf course location on the western tip of the island. We walked through a banana plantation, which was educational and fun.
Val was such an amazing tour guide. We booked him for 3 days and saw the entire island!!!! He organized everything for us so we could see the most with our time with him. He went above and beyond to ensure we had the best experience possible. You would be crazy to hire anyone else! Val's English is perfect, he knew all about the plants/wildlife, the culture, the biosphere, the list goes on.
Excellent way to explore the island! Relax and let Val do all the driving as you view the beautiful landscape. He knows all the roads, tons of history, and all the best places to visit without lots of other tourists. We saw much of the west side in one day! We walked around Camara de Lobos, Cabo Girao, stopped for homemade poncha near Ribeira Brava, took a short levada walk, stopped at Encumeada, off-roading to Sao Vincente, jumped in the rock pools at Seixal, short walk with the cows in Fanal and finished with a scenic drive to Porto Moniz! Certainly the highlight of our week in Madeira. You can’t go wrong with any personalized tour Val creates for you!
The only way to discover the magic of Madeira is with Val. We did a private tour custom planned to us from off road mountains, hidden vineyards, traditional food, hikes above the clouds and so much more was just the beginning. Val’s history, knowledge and insight is living a real life documentary - his passion and dedication immerses you in all the delights of Madeira. It will run through your veins …. For life. Thank you Val. We will be back. Dominnique & Kyri
Just what we wanted, this tour is amazing. Val’s knowledge of the area is extensive. We had a great time from start to finish. It was the highlight of our holiday. Lunch in the mist lovely restaurant with a superb table overlooking the ocean. We would definitely recommend Val and his trusty 4x4.
We didn't know whether we can even do a tour with a 9month old so were happy when Val said he could do a half day tour and that he would accommodate our potentially changing plans throughout the day depending on the mood of the baby and sleeping patterns. Even before we did the tour he already checked that we have got a car seat or whether we needed to borrow his making sure we were prepared before even going. Throughout the day Val was amazing trying to understand what we enjoyed and wanted to do and amended the plan accordingly. We went so far off the beaten track I dont think we saw other tourists for most of the day. Val is a great driver even with the worst off-road but what makes him special is his incredible knowledge about the islands people, flora, fauna and history. We were so happy we booked a second tour with him 2 days later and he made it work for a whole day despite babies nap times. Just super special experience, we are so grateful!
Our tour of the west side of Madiera with Go Local was the highlight of our holiday! An amazing day from start to finish, Val and his knowledge of the island made it a day to remember, a fantastic host who can even whip up a delicious round of fresh Ponchas! he will take you to beauty spots the tourists do not know about and you'll feel like a local on the island. Standing up in the back of his 4x4 was awesome when going on the off-road trails! We highly recommend this experience if you are visiting the island, and big thank you to Val for an amazing day!
Val, has got to be the most knowledgeable, kind, friendly, enthusiastic, and accommodating tour guide we have ever had on a holiday and we have been to many places over the last 25years. Nothing was too much trouble. The tour was fantastic and Madeira is so beautiful, I cannot recommend this trip enough. A varied country with so much history and we learnt so much, I have been boring all of my friends and family since arriving back in the UK. Even with the extra safety put in place due to Covid, it did not hinder the experience at all. Food was fabulous, sights were outstanding and Val brought it all together for us. We will be back thank you so much. I have even passed in the details to my cousin who goes next week.
What a fantastic off-road tour with go local Madeira. Valdemar is a very professional and experienced guide. He is very passionate about his job. He knows his island very well. We visited great places with fantastic views. Driving the incredible roads with Valdemar‘s excellent driving skills was so exciting and full of adrenaline. The best way to discover this little paradise and its unspoiled nature is an off-road tour. I definitely recommend a tour with GLM. It’s an adventure and fun together.
What an incredible experience we had! Tour was perfectly organized with beautiful sceneries and good food! Valdemar was outstanding and kind! Is a gifted guide with lots of knowledge, good mood and funny! I recomend! Tour was Excellent!
Super nice, informative, and very competent. Very interesting and recommended.
What a fantastic tour. Super nice, competent and through Waldemar we have come to hire that we would never have found ourselves. Highly recommended!
The tour was really great, entertaining and interesting, especially because Valdemar knew which were the most impressive "spots" and "shortcuts". Simply great!👍
Valdemar is a true local with the heart in the right place. His tours are really day-filling and you see things of Madeira that you simply won't find without him. Valdemar is aware of the fact that each group is different in composition and age. He adapts the tour perfectly to this. This has 2 advantages. First of all, you always get a tour that suits you and on the other hand, it is also fun for Valdemar because he does not have to do the same story over and over again. This makes it enthusiastic and when he is happy, so will you as a participant in the tour. An absolute must-do in Madeira! Worth the 5 stars.
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