Private Madeira tour in a Mercedes: 8 hours, Laurisilva forest

Drive Madeira's old mountain roads through the Laurisilva forest canopy.

A private guided tour of Madeira in a luxury Mercedes MPV for up to seven passengers, traveling eight hours along historic routes that bypass modern highways. You move through the island's ancient roads, stopping to walk among the Laurisilva forest (the UNESCO-protected woodland that gave Madeira its name), and reach viewpoints overlooking waterfalls and cloud-wrapped valleys. A local guide in English, Spanish or French leads the route. Pickup is included.

The experience

Eight hours in a high-end Mercedes MPV means you cover Madeira's interior without the rush of a group tour or the logistics of renting a car yourself. The vehicle's panoramic roof frames the landscape as you climb into cloud cover, and its size lets up to seven people travel together without cramping. Unlimited kilometers and fuel are built in, so the route stretches as far as the day allows: no meter running, no fuel stops to plan.

The tour follows Madeira's historic ancient roads rather than the modern tunnels and highways that cut across the island. That choice is the whole point: it keeps you moving through the landscape instead of under it. You stop to walk into the Laurisilva forest, a protected subtropical woodland where you can touch the vegetation and smell the damp canopy. The guide points out why this forest matters (it is the reason Portuguese settlers named the island Madeira, meaning wood), and what grows there now. Waterfalls and viewpoints punctuate the drive. The guide knows which ones draw crowds and which ones don't.

Your guide speaks English, Spanish or French and knows the island as a local. Pickup from your hotel or accommodation is included in the booking, so you start the day without arranging transport to a meeting point. Water is provided. Bring or arrange lunch separately if you want to eat during the eight hours.

What’s included

• Eight hours in a private Mercedes MPV for up to seven passengers.
• unlimited kilometers and fuel.
• car insurance.
• pickup from your accommodation.
• a local guide in English, Spanish or French.
• water.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by 360º Madeira All Around Tours & Transfers

Is this one for you?Book this tour if your group is between two and seven people and you want to move through Madeira's interior without the pace of a larger group tour or the navigation of driving yourself. The eight-hour window and private vehicle let you linger at the Laurisilva forest or a viewpoint without watching the clock, and the guide's local knowledge steers you toward the roads and stops that matter most.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

What is the Laurisilva forest and why does it matter to Madeira?

The Laurisilva is a subtropical woodland that covers much of Madeira's interior and is protected as a UNESCO site. It gave the island its Portuguese name (Madeira means wood), and on this tour you walk among it to see the vegetation up close and understand why the forest shaped the island's identity and ecology.

Can I fit my family of five with luggage in the Mercedes?

The Mercedes MPV seats up to seven passengers comfortably, so a family of five travels together in one vehicle. All luggage fits inside. The spacious design is built for groups traveling with bags. Infants can sit on an adult's lap, or you can book a specialized infant seat in advance.

How does this tour avoid the modern highways across Madeira?

The route follows Madeira's historic ancient roads that predate the modern tunnel system. These older routes wind through the landscape at a slower pace, keeping you in the scenery rather than passing under it, and they reach viewpoints and forest access points that the highways bypass.