Funchal: Private Jeep Tour Santana & Laurissilva Forest Full-Day

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.00 (4 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/13

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · PT +3

PickupAt your hotel

What does a mountain look like when you can drive straight into the clouds?

You spend a full day in a private 4x4 jeep exploring Madeira's east side, starting at Pico do Arieiro and moving through Laurissilva Forest, Santana village, and coastal viewpoints. The driver is English-speaking and flexible with the route based on weather and your interests. Hotel pickup is not mentioned, so confirm transport logistics when you book.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full-day Jeep tour of Madeira East

Start Jeep tour from Funchal
Pass Poiso on the way
Visit Pico do Arieiro mountain
Walk in garden and Laurissilva forest
Visit Faial Village beach and views
Explore Santana Village and thatched houses
Lunch at typical Santana restaurant
See waterfall in Santana
Visit viewpoint with sea cliffs
Walk seafront promenade in Porto da Cruz
Visit old sugar cane distillery
See eastern tip sea cliffs and volcanic rocks
Visit Jesus Christ statue viewpoint
Return and finish tour in Funchal

The Experience

Funchal sits at sea level, but the Madeira Island jeep tour climbs you out of it fast. You start in the city and head up toward Poiso, then push higher to Pico do Arieiro — the third-highest peak on the island — where the view opens up in a way that photographs don't quite catch. The driver knows the road; you're in a private Land Rover 4x4, not sharing it with strangers, so the pace is yours. If the weather shifts or you want to linger at a viewpoint, the route bends around it.

The day moves through the Laurissilva Forest on the east side of the island, which is a UNESCO-protected natural park and feels like stepping into a different climate altogether — ferns, ancient trees, and the sound of water channels called levadas running through it. You stop to walk a section if you want, or just stand there and let it sink in. Then the jeep takes you down to Santana village, where the houses have those distinctive thatched roofs you've probably seen in photos, and there's a typical restaurant if you want lunch. A waterfall nearby is part of the stop too. The route keeps moving — Faial beach with views toward Penha de Águia mountain, the northern coast from Vila do Porto da Cruz (there's an old sugar cane distillery there if you're curious), and the eastern tip of the island, which is drier and more volcanic than the rest, with colored rock formations that look almost otherworldly. A Jesus Christ statue overlooks Funchal and Garajau beach from another viewpoint. By late afternoon, you're back in Funchal.

The tour is offered in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, and the driver adjusts the stops based on weather and what you want to see. It's a full day — the kind where you cover a lot of ground without having to navigate or worry about timing. You're not hiking for hours; you're moving through the island in a vehicle that can handle the mountain roads, stopping at places you couldn't reach on your own.

What’s included

Private Land Rover 4x4 jeep reserved for your group.
English-speaking driver (or French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese).
stops at Pico do Arieiro, Laurissilva Forest, Santana village with thatched-roof houses, Faial beach, Porto da Cruz, the eastern volcanic cliffs, and Jesus Christ viewpoint overlooking Funchal.
access to levada water channels for walking.
opportunity to visit a historic sugar cane distillery.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Just Go Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Madeira's mountains, forest, and coastline in one day without renting a car or navigating mountain roads yourself — the private jeep and flexible route mean you stop where the view is best and the weather is clearest.