Private Tour | Full Day 4x4 Tour | Up To 6 Persons

Wow!! Cannot say enough great things about our tour. From start to finish we had the absolute best time with Hugo. Who knew stumbling upon a random YouTube video would land us the perfect experience. Booking was so easy and all of our questions were answered, not one detail was overlooked and we appreciated it. If you have any to see the real Madeira, you have to book Hit the Road, otherwise, you are just missing out. Thanks again for making our day in Madeira the absolute best! Amanda and family

We've been coming to Madeira for years, and this was around our fourth trip with Jeff from Hit the Road Madeira. The fact that we keep going back to him probably says it all! Once again, we had a fantastic day. We started in Funchal high spots, explored the spectacular mountains around Nun's Valley, travelled along the dramatic north coast through São Vicente and Seixal, discovered beautiful waterfalls and hidden viewpoints, visited Chão da Ribeira and finished around Porto Moniz. What makes Jeff different is that he doesn't just take you to the usual tourist stops. He knows the island incredibly well and has a wonderful way of finding those little places you would never discover on your own. We even visited an unusual viewpoint created by a local architect, which was one of those lovely unexpected discoveries. There was plenty of time to enjoy the day, including a stop for coffee and pastel de nata and a delicious lunch by the sea. But the real highlight is Jeff himself. He's knowledgeable, friendly, relaxed and genuinely passionate about Madeira. You never feel rushed, and the day feels more like exploring the island with a friend than being on an organised tour. We've travelled extensively and really appreciate the difference a great guide makes. Jeff is one of those people who turns a lovely day out into something memorable!!!! If you're visiting Madeira and want to experience more than the standard tourist attractions, we cannot recommend Jeff and Hit the Road Madeira highly enough. Thank you, Jeff, for another brilliant day. We'll certainly be booking with you again on our next visit!

Fab day, saw lits of different parts of tge usland. Great guide. Wonderful all round

Jeff the owner is so knowledgeable and passionate about the island he grew up on and knows it like the back of his hand! From the time we were picked up from our desired location we got a thrill experience that made our visit here extra special! We can’t say enough good things about Jeff and the experience as he took us to places and views that took our breath away and we got to eat and drink at special local places we never would’ve known about!! We highly recommend him!!

Full Day Tour Saturday Sept 11 with Fabio. Excellent tour guide, informative, funny and great driver. Personal touch. Saw the secret spots. Stayed away from throngs of people. Dont get jammed into a jeep with other tours. These guys are aces!

We booked with Hit the Road after seeing some of their online content and reading some good reviews and we’re not disappointed - it was a great day! Hugo was such a great guide and driver tailoring our experience to suite the weather conditions and our requests and interests. He went out of his way to ensure we had a fantastic trip and ‘the beast’ defender was such a cool ride! He met us at our accommodation bang on time and we immediately knew we would have a great time thanks to his lovely personality:) we saw some incredible places and made memories that will last a lifetime.

This was our first time visiting Madeira. Our tour with Hit the Road was an incredible experience and a fantastic way to explore the island in a very relaxed way. A special thanks to our guide Jeff, who was very friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about Madeira. He shared so many interesting facts and stories throughout the whole day, which made the experience even more enjoyable for all of us. Thanks to this tour, we were able to see Madeira in a fun, sometimes bumpy, unique and authentic way. The stunning views, hidden gems beautifull colors, and local insights made it an unforgettable day. It is the perfect way to experience the beauty of the island. Thanks again, Jeff, for making our first visit so special. We have a new memory for life :-) Till the next time we visit! Márcio, Chantal, Milana & Kyara

We had such a wonderful and refreshing private tour with Tiago. It was not only educational, but also a truly personal and unique experience. What made the tour so special was Tiago himself: his passion and love for his country, nature, animals, people, and the environment really came through in everything he shared with us. Thanks to his personal knowledge and connections, he took us to the place we would never have known existed, way from the typical tourist routes and into places that felt authentic and truly special. What we valued most was his genuine passion for life and his country, as well as his rich and inspiring way of thinking. His stories, knowledge, and perspective added so much value to our experience. In short, we thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Tiago and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic, personal, meaningful experience

We had such a great experience with Hit the Road Madeira! Our tour was one of the highlights of our time on the island. Our guide was fantastic—friendly, funny, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about Madeira. We especially appreciated having a local guide who could share stories, history, and insights about the island rather than making the experience feel like a typical cookie-cutter tour. The day was well paced, relaxed, and a lot of fun. We were able to see some absolutely beautiful parts of Madeira while learning more about the island along the way. Our guide made everyone feel comfortable and kept the day interesting and entertaining. We would absolutely recommend Hit the Road Madeira to anyone visiting the island, especially if you want to get beyond the typical tourist experience and see Madeira with someone who really knows and loves it. A wonderful day and a great memory from our trip!

Had a brilliant day with Fabio on the private day tour! The “Camel”, as they call it, is an old yellow 4x4 and honestly adds so much to the experience. It’s a bit of a character in itself! Being a solo traveller, I really appreciated how relaxed the whole day was. Fabio knows the area really well and took me to some amazing places, including a few local spots that I probably wouldn’t have found on my own. He was also really good at timing things to avoid the busy periods, which made a big difference. Nothing felt rushed and the day was just really easy and enjoyable. It was great to be able to take things as they came and see so many beautiful places along the way. I haven’t included all my photos as I don’t want to spoil everything for anyone thinking of doing the tour — some things are better left to discover yourself! Would definitely recommend it and hopefully I’ll get to see Fabio and the Camel again!

First Class experience from start to finish. We booked a full day and got Fabio and The Camel (the vehicle) which made the trip memorable. Fabio was great, very knowledgeable and clearly loves the Island and heritage. We captured all the key West Isle sights without the hassle of crowds and queues, this is priceless. Picked up 0900 and dropped off just before 1700 with our input taken into consideration. Beating the crowds is a huge benefit. Complimented with a terrific lunch and some local drinks…..🍷

Our group of 3 couples had a wonderful experience with Hit the Road Tours. The communication was great beforehand. We booked a private tour for the 6 of us which priced out very reasonably. We went mostly to the west side of Madeira and the popular sites. Fabio was our guide. He was energetic and so friendly, and offered a lot of inside information from his experience and knowledge. Two of the favorite spots to see was Fanal Forest and Porto Moniz. Such diverse ecosystems on this island. So incredibly beautiful. Such a fun experience with Fabio, who wanted it to be a perfect experience for us. And it was a nice rugged jeep to ride in. We were glad to not be driving those curvy roads on our own!

We had a fabulous day full of stunning scenery, great driving and excellent guiding. We were a family group where some had been to Madeira and some had not and the tour that our guide Hugo put together suited us all. We stopped off at stunning viewpoints in the Ecological Park and Pico Arreiro then dropped down to The North side of the island which was great and generally not travelled to by tourists. We drank Poncha and popped into a traditional Madeiran house. The Rustic restaurant for bbq lunch was delicious and had incredible views. Hugo was professional, knowledgeable and good company and covered so much ground for us. We all had an excellent trip and would definitely recommend Hit The Road.

Amazing day with Vitor ! Had a blast :) Vitor was kind, funny and treated us like VIP’s Strongly recommend, took the full day private tour and did not regret it Worth the price for a incredible day on an amazing island ! Hit the road madeira is a must

Guide didn’t get out for sunrise tour because he was cold and had no idea what was open or close a totally wasted day.

We toured the east side of the island the first day and the west side the second day. The experiences on both days were fantastic. So many awesome places and views. You can't really described them until you go. Hugo was our guide both days. He was super informative and lots of fun. You will not regret doing these tours!

"Hit The Road Madeira" tour with Hugo was an awesome experience and one of the best ways to discover the island. His deep knowledge of Madeira gave us so many insights into the culture, history, landscapes, and local way of life that we never would have learned on our own. One of the highlights was taking the off-road routes, which allowed us to avoid spending the day traveling through tunnels and instead experience Madeira's incredible scenery up close. Every stop felt authentic and carefully chosen. The lunch experience was unforgettable—not only was the food fantastic, but the view was absolutely breathtaking. It was one of those moments that perfectly captures the beauty of Madeira. What really made the tour special was Hugo's genuine passion for and pride in his country. His enthusiasm was contagious, and it was clear that he truly loves sharing Madeira with visitors. If you're looking for an authentic, fun, and memorable way to explore the island, I highly recommend Hugo and the "Hit The Road Madeira" tour.

Best day of our entire trip! Our guide Tiago was AMAZING and his love and knowledge of all things Madeira was out of this world! We spent almost 9 hours together and learned so much and saw more than we could have hoped for. We opted for the private tour so we could customize it and see the more off the beaten path spots on the West side of the island. We promised not to share any of the secret places! Hopefully, Jeff won't share in any of the videos either. LOL! Tiago did a great job of listening to what we wanted out of the day and what we had already seen. We were able to just sit back and enjoy the ride, learn and take everything in we could. Obrigado, Tiago and Hit the Road!!!

Our guide Vitor was an excellent driver and very knowledgable of the local area, customs and history. He was very personable, informative and helpful throughout the day. We thoroughly enjoyed the day tour of Madeira. His choice of a traditional restaurant and tavern were highlights of the day along with recommended hikes and Fanal Forest tour.

This 4x4 full day tour of Madeira Island was a fantastic way to get a flavour of the culture, landscape and history of Madeira. It is impossible to see the whole Island in a day, despite the advert for this trip hinting this is the case. We focussed on the north and north west. As well visiting top tourist attractions such as Fanal Forest and Porto Moniz, our driver took us to some spots we never would have thought to visit or even noticed on our own. Having a guide made a huge difference- Fabio was very chatty, informative and attentive to our interests. We had time to take in a few short walks, lunch at Fanal and an impromptu visit to a local bar to try Poncha (there was no heavy sales pitch to buy local items as has been the case on guided tours in other countries). We finished the day inspired to visit some places again for longer, and with confidence to try some driving for ourselves on our next visit. Highly recommend!

Vitor was an awesome guide! Our family thoroughly enjoyed the experience! I would recommend this tour. It was the highlight of our trip to Madiera!

Fantastic experience! Everything went very well from the reservation process where we had great communication with the team to the two full day tours we took. Our guide, Hugo, was excellent- very informative and amusing. Despite the rainy, windy weather he made sure we had an amazing experience- he took us to all the possible highlights and a few we never knew existed. His driving skills are excellent and his meal suggestions were perfect! Highly recommended!

Very nice guide who took us great places. Good driving and very friendly. We saw great views, experienced a rum factory and a very nice restaurant.

We’ve explored many of Madeira’s popular spots on our own, but when a friend came to visit, we thought it would be fun to book a private tour and let Vitar handle the driving. We mentioned that we’d already checked out Cabo Girão, hiked Pico do Areeiro, Nuns Valley and the like, but we were eager to discover the “Hidden Gems” Hit the Road talks about. Vitar then took us west for a lovely tour, stopping at peaceful and beautiful places along the way. We enjoyed some delicious poncha at a roadside bar and had lunch in a quiet restaurant serving traditional Madeiran food. It was such a treat not to drive!

My husband and I chose a private tour. A day long private tour. We were in awe all day long. Beautiful views, knowledgable driver, what more could we ask for. We booked the tour directly from their website. This was the perfect way to book the tour as what I thought I needed, and thought I needed to pay for was actually not correct. I overpaid. They contacted me to ensure the information was correct, and reimbursed me for my overpayment. Chances are you only get that type of great service when you're dealing direct with the company. Book the tour. Book direct. You won't be disappointed. We now have outstanding photos that we share with our friends back home.

Hit the road Madeira are amazing from the minute you start emailing for information on tours, to updates on pick up times, individual requests and to then providing an amazing experience. Our request was a half day tour of the island to get an insight into Madeira. One of our party of four needed this to be very accessible and our tour guide Hugo was just incredible in how he delivered this. He has an in depth knowledge of the island and not only showed us many aspects of the beauty of Madeira but he also made the experience interesting and fun with all the information he could impart. His attention to detail to make sure everyone’s needs were met was outstanding . Thank you for a fantastic day.

Hit the road is an excellent company if you want reliability and a true personalized experience. My husband and I chose the private full day tour for 3 days which allowed for flexibility due to weather changes and opportunities to visit any side of the island thoroughly. Our tour was completely customized to fit our desires, such as sightseeing along the coasts as well as high elevations to include a sunrise tour and a Lovada walk to say the least. Fabio was our main guide who is highly knowledgeable about the island and was very talented at knowing what our abilities and interests were. If you wanted exciting and challenging, he delivered! Fabio was near our side to help with any language barriers, but yet knew when to give my husband and I private time. He showed us local places to have our favorite food and poncho’s, of course! Quero mais tosta mista e espetada de carne. Obrigada pela sua ajuda e continue à procura de trutas, Fábio. Mantenha a sua personalidade amigável e excitante!

We had an amazing day with Hugo in Madeira! He knew all the great spots and when they were not so busy. We got to see so much more of the island just because he knew it so well. We avoided most of the other tourists in rental cars and traffic. Felt like we had island mostly to oursevles.....We would have never been able to navigate on our own in the same way. The views and the island are just spectacular. I highly recommend these people when visiting Madira and ask for Hugo, he's great!!

It was an amazing day, from the initial contact with Emilio and our driver Fabio was excellent. They are very flexible with locations and the stop offs for food and drinks were great and very reasonably priced. Thank you

Fabio took us around to the eastern side of Madeira and the views were unbelievable! We loved it! We hope to come back some day and do the western side some day with him.

WOW! What a day we had with the wonderful Fabio from Hit the Road Tours! Both Fabio and his treasured Jeep gave us the best day exploring the East of Madeira on our private tour - as a multi-gen family he catered to our needs perfectly with a mixture of beautiful gardens and viewpoints, fun drives on narrow roads and even rum and Poncha tasting! As a travel agent, I will 100% be recommending my clients book with Hit the Road for their Madeira tours!

The tour was amazing. We did a full day tour with Vitor on the north and south central portions of the island and had a blast. The views were incredible and Vitor taught us so much about Madeira, the history, culture and people. We stopped at a great place for lunch with literally priceless views of the ocean from a cliff. Of course, you have to finish the tour with poncha! The next day our plans got messed up with a different activity, so we reached back out to hittheroadmadeira. We explained our situation to Jeff and Emilio- just seeing if they had any immediate openings for a half day tour. They were so nice and were able to put a half day tour for us on the west side. Hugo was our driver that day and he was also amazing. Again, the views, the views, the views. Hugo also told us many stories about the island’s history and his experiences. This island is incredible and we feel fortunate to have seen as much as we did. Save yourself the aggravation of trying to drive to these places on your own. Pay the professionals to get you around the island to the places you want to see, and to places you didn’t know that you wanted to see, but are more beautiful than the ones you did. No joke, if you do not know the island, there is no way you see as much as we did in roughly 12 hours on your own. It is worth the money, promise. Thanks Vitor, Hugo, Jeff, and Emilio! Thank you all for an amazing time!

Great Tour with many beautiful spots. Hugo is very knowlegable and entertaining. Had a Great time. Would recommend him any time.

Wilson, our driver, was friendly, funny, flexible and fantastic with the kids. He drove well, we felt safe even when roads were tricky. We had a lovely experience, it was like visiting Madeira with an old friend. The places we visited were breathtakingly beautiful. It’s really worth it.

We got to see and experience places & things we never would have been alle to without a local guide!

Vitor, our guide, was so much fun, created the perfect tour for us on the west side of Madeira and showed us local points of interest that we would not have discovered on our own. Native to Madeira, he was able to share so much history, interesting island facts, a fantastic lunch spot and to end our day, we stopped for a traditional poncha made by a master. It was the best mix of physical activity, amazing viewpoints, eating, drinking and fun. We so appreciated leaving the driving to someone who knows how to negotiate the roads safely! I would recommend Hit the Road Madeira to everyone visiting there! It was my favorite day of the week we spent there.

Excellent experience of exploring Madeira east and west areas with Wilson!! Our tour guide, Wilson was very knowledgeable and enjoyable to be around.

Wilson was our driver, friend, confidant. His concern for our enjoyment of each day was evident in every stop along the way. He guided us to his favorite locations in addition to our requested itinerary. He was kind and funny and full of knowledge about his home, Madeira. His love of his work shines through. We were so lucky to have him two days for both our west and east private tours. In addition, communication with Hit The Road was excellent. They even recommended some wonderful local restaurants. I highly recommend Hit The Road to anyone looking for a special day!

We had a fantastic day out with 'Hit the Road Madeira'. Our driver (Vitor) was a super chilled guy and very knowledgeable about the island, its wildlife and top spots to see. Would recommend a day to everyone who wants to get off the beaten path and see some Jurassic like landscapes.

Had the best time on our 8 hour tour with Victor. Wonderful views at our stops, walks at the lavada, good food at our stops for lunch. We have to say, Vitor was simply the best guide, always attentive to what we needed to see, a real gentleman, and handsome to boot... His knowledge was excellent. Would recommend him to anyone... Thanks Vitor.. you were a star....

Private tour for 2 people with Fabio as our driver.......what can we say but brilliant!! He showed us so many highlights and view points hard to remember them all but here goes... Banana plantation......natural swimming pools......waterfall by the side of the road was amazing and Fanal forest was brilliant even though it rained. Fabio managed to miss all the crowds and always found somewhere to try local drinks and food. We'd recommend Fabio and the Hit the Road company to anyone visiting Funchal.

My husband and I were thrilled with our Hit the Road Madeira experience. We spent three unforgettable days exploring the island with Tiago, whose love for his homeland shines through and made us fall in love with it too. He’s personable, knowledgeable, and such a joy to spend time with, whether for a single day or several. From the coastline to the mountains, through lush rainforests and charming parishes, we truly saw it all—including the amazing sunset ABOVE THE CLOUDS (wow!) at Pico do Arieiro. In addition to the must-see highlights, Tiago introduced us to hidden gems, breathtaking viewpoints and authentic local restaurants we never would have found on our own. We’ll be forever grateful for the experience and memories, and we cannot recommend Tiago and Hit the Road Madeira highly enough!

This excursion was one of the best of our trip! Vitor, our driver, was great, and helped us plan the route of the things we wanted to see around the island. He took us to a beautiful location for lunch, with delicious food and a great view.

We had an unforgettable 8-hour tour of Madeira with Vitor as our guide, and we cannot recommend him highly enough! From start to finish, Vitor was warm, knowledgeable, and incredibly generous with his time and energy. He took us well beyond the typical tourist spots, sharing hidden gems and stunning viewpoints that showcased the island’s natural beauty. Along the way, we stopped at the Santo da Serra market, sampled the best freshly made bolo do caco we’ve ever had, and enjoyed a perfect glass (or two!) of Poncha at a local spot that felt like a true insider’s find. Lunch was another highlight — a delicious octopus meal at a charming, authentic restaurant we never would have discovered on our own. What really stood out was Vitor’s passion for Madeira. His deep knowledge of the island’s history, culture, and landscapes brought every stop to life. He went above and beyond to make sure we had a rich, personal, and relaxed experience. Thank you, Vitor, for making our time in Madeira so special. If you’re visiting the island, do yourself a favor and book a tour with him — you won’t regret it!

Great day with Vitor! We visited many beautiful places, tasted espetada and drunk the best poncha in the island. The road from the see to the mountain was the real experience with his Land4x4. Highly recommended!

We did the private tour with Vitor and covered the West plus the Cristo Rei. Vitor was amazing, at each stop he said take your time, and we never felt rushed. We did some exciting ‘shortcuts’ in the jeep and swam in the volcanic rock pools. Thank you Vitor for such a lovely day, you are a credit to hit the road Madeira and really appreciated your time and patience with us. Our first day in Madeira and you helped us to fall in love with this beautiful island. We had originally booked both west and east tours but due to a sprained ankle just before arriving we upgraded to private. Jeff and the team refunded the original excursions quickly. I would 100% recommend Hit the Road Madeira and really Looking forward to our tour of the East on Tuesday.

Hugo was our guide and he led us on a very full day tour of the West side of the island. He was very kind of my children and very informative. He even gave us ideas of less popular options/hikes to do with the kids during the remainder of our stay in Madeira. Thank you for the great day!

I don’t know where to begin. Our driver was Tiago, and we were a family of four (with our 16- and 9-year-old daughters) visiting Madeira for the first time. We had landed the night before and booked this tour first thing in the morning. Tiago took us to the east side of the island, with our first stop at Pico do Arieiro. It was absolutely breathtaking. Honestly, I don’t even know why I said “yes” when Tiago asked, “Shall we go to a place above the clouds?” — I’m terrified of heights. I’d seen the photos of this place before, and while the idea sounded lovely, I truly believed it would be impossible for me to visit. But it seems it was meant to be. We went. Tiago noticed I was nervous, but his calm and reassuring presence helped me stay grounded. I had to close my eyes at a few points — and I’m fairly certain his seat and dashboard now bear the permanent imprint of my fingers! What else did we do: Visited several other stunning scenic spots Drove through beautiful forest side roads Took a gentle 40-minute walk through the forest Saw a variety of local fruits and vegetation Stopped for a delicious lunch Thank you, Tiago, for an unforgettable experience. Madeira now holds a special place in our hearts. See you again soon!

We did a private tour largely of the west of the island last week and it was so very good we asked for a second tour this week too, mostly on the east side of the island. Hugo Rodriguez was an amazing, knowledgeable and personable host and guide who always knew or would suggest great locations to visit, often off the regular tourist routes, with spectacular scenery and views, also consistently top-drawer restaurants and poncha bars. We all felt we had seen much more of Madeira, the landscape and the people than if we'd chosen an alternative. So glad we didn't. Thoroughly recommend.