Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour in Madeira
Description
Whales and Dolphins Watching Tour: Come experience the marvellous nature of the south west sea of Madeira Island on board a refined and comfortable motor yacht. Feel the happiness of being near the wild marine nature: dolphins, whales, turtles, and other amazing animals that we can find! Be there and join them while they cruise along on their journey in the open seas. Enjoy the Atlantic Ocean from a luxurious view and cruise on its waters discovering the Island by sea.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Find our meeting point, on the marina de Calheta, 15 minutes before departure time. Reach out to us in case you need assistance.. You will find us at the end of the harbor, next to the blue building. Drive into the underground car park located right after the tennis courts. Exit the elevator on the ground floor; On Tales is the 1st store on the marina ! Meet our team for a detailed presentation of the activity. We will be happy to clear out any doubts you might have.
Our captain will meet you and guide you to the yacht where he will proceed to a short safety briefing.
Depart the harbor, with two professional crew members on a comfortable, spacious yacht. With a land-based spotter leading the way, cruise the coast to find and observe marine life in their natural environment, sightseeing and exploring Madeira island from a privileged point of view. A true exploration of nature's wonders. - Wildlife Spotting: Search for migratory dolphins and whales - Ethical Observation: Sustainable, expert-led encounters that prioritize marine welfare
Cool off with a swim into the crystal-clear waters, at one of our favorite hidden gems. We select the perfect place based on the day’s sea conditions to ensure the most comfortable and calm swimming experience. Jump from the boat and explore the underwater world. We provide everything you need: soft bathing towels, masks, fins and snorkels.
Focus on the View, our crew will take the photos! Relax and enjoy the scenery first hand. Our sea team captures the best moments of your journey, while our land team sends the digital photos to you afterwards.
Stay refreshed with complimentary drinks served by our attentive crew throughout the trip.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Confirmation will be sent before the tour or 48 hours after booking:
- Subject to favorable maritime conditions (if canceled due weather conditions, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund)
- Family friendly
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Subject to availability
- Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed
- 6/6.30 pm or 7/7.30 pm 19/19.30 departure time: Sunset, Snorkeling and Sparkling wine, NO whale watching
- Guests should understand their duty to exercise reasonable care for their own safety while boarding, exiting and being on-board the yacht.
Reviews(1,248)
Excellent from start to finish. Really well organising and so lovely to sit at the front of the boat watching the waves and spotting bottle nosed dolphins. Great fun to jump off for a swim and snorkel. We were well looked after with drinks and towels, lovely afternoon
The boat is top, comfortable, the assistant on board very helpful. Very nice that he also takes some pictures of participants that are shared afterwards. We had a bag with us for short snorkeling / swimming as stated on the website, but that part did not happen, we sailed directly back and forth. We have seen dolphins, but were only allowed to stay at the spot where the group was and at a considerable distance. I don't know if that's normal or not. The captain gave a good safety instruction but guests who did not comply were not corrected. I personally had hoped for some more info about the animals in this area during the trip. It was nice but we thought it was quite an amount for what you get.
Thank you so much for your valuable feedback regarding your recent cruise with the On Tales team. We are delighted to hear that you found the Gringo yacht comfortable and enjoyed the complimentary photos captured by our attentive onboard crew. We appreciate your honesty regarding the dolphin encounter. At On Tales, we operate under strict, exclusive licenses dictated by the IFCN and official whale watching regulations. To protect these incredible marine mammals, the local regulations strictly limits observation time to a maximum of 10 minutes per pod, from a respectful distance, and furthermore prohibits returning to the same group twice. Our records confirm our crew maximized your viewing to the full legal limit before our dedicated spotter was already searching for a new pod. Regarding the swimming stop, while conditions are often perfect for cruising, unpredictable coastal winds and sea swells can sometimes make it unsafe to stop near the shore for swimming. On ocean charters, our routes adjust dynamically to where the wildlife is, which can occasionally alter the timeline for a swim break. Guest safety and comfort are always our absolute priorities when making these captain's calls. While safety and marine conservation are our highest priorities, we always aim to deliver a seamless and educational luxury cruise. Your comments regarding the wildlife commentary, and the reinforcement of onboard safety are incredibly important to us, and we are addressing them with our captain and crew to ensure our premium standards are always met. Once again thank you fro choosing an trusting On Tales with this day of your precious holiday.
Went on this trip with my family of 5. Very easy to find and access the boat. Captain and crew were very professional. Beautiful ride on water. We saw dolphins, whales and flying fish. Stopped to snorkel— not really a good spot to see fish or coral but water was crystal clear. After trip we received photos of sights and family.
Great experience, we have seen dolphins a whale and a sea turtle. On the way back we also saw flying fish. The crew was very friendly and provided us with drinks and a clean towel after swimming. This was really a highlight of our holiday in Madeira.
Great experience with guaranteed encounters with whales (fin whales) and dolphins. Competent and very friendly team. Always available to answer your questions. Large and safe boat 2.5 hours of outing including wildlife observation and ending with a swim by the cliff. In short, I recommend it.
Great experience, very nice and helpful staff, the boat is comfy, we saw lots of dolphins and one whale. We loved it!
It was amazing! Very nice boat, very nice staff and fantastic to see dolphins swimming.
This boat felt more adventurous compared to other whale watching experiences as its such a small boat that (comfortably) sits 12 people. You’re much closer to the water compared to bigger boats and can hold on to bars on the boat for stability. We saw many dolphins and Bryde whales and had a lovely swim. The guides were great. Would def go again!
What a fantastic experience! We were lucky enough to see several different species during our excursion, including bottlenose dolphins, very active spotted dolphins, and even a Bryde’s whale. The captain and guide were excellent—friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about the wildlife. They took the time to explain the animals we were seeing and share interesting facts about their behaviors, which made the experience much more meaningful. The scenery along Madeira’s coastline was beautiful, and seeing dolphins swimming and jumping around the boat was a highlight of my trip. We also had the opportunity to swim or snorkel near the end of the cruise in the shadow of an extinct volcano, which was a unique experience. I would highly recommend On Tales to anyone visiting Madeira. The crew clearly cares about both the animals and their guests, and this was one of the most memorable experiences of my visit.
This was an amazing experience. Starting at the port watching crabs and even Seeing a stingray was fun. The boat wasn't crowded at all which made visibility amazing. Very knowledgeable crew who respected wildlife. The crew provided drinks, towels and took great photos that they shared. Seeing a brydes whale so close was something oir family will never forget - it made our holiday. Jumping in the sea for a swim was also a highlight.
