Madeira Dolphin & Whale Watching Tour

Posted By : Jenna J
Very nice tour with an amazing guide. We saw spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. 4 stars because our driver drove the boat a little bit too fast for my opinion and I got a little bit sick.. but if you are ready for speed (and hey it is called a speed boat after all 🤭) and seeing some amazing marine species. Recommend 5/5 Also possible to swim with dolphins.. not on this trip though because the first group had a baby and I don't know about the bottlenose group. I didn't mind, it was amazing to see the animals so close! Spotted dolphins wanted to play with our boat in the waves
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-05-16

Posted By : Nomad36575147289
Really enjoyed this trip it was a little bumpy because of the wind but we spotted 5 different species of dolphin which was so lucky, common, spotted, striped, bottlenose and the really rare Russo dolphin not sure if spelled correctly but they have really bright white on their body. Was incredible to see! The captain said he only seen them a handful of times last year! 5 out 5 just for that.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-05-12

Posted By : Jill_B
Excellent experience. Very knowledgeable and helpful guide. We had fantastic views of two species of dolphins.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-05-04

Posted By : 760taylorb
Beautiful day on the water where we saw a large pod of sperm whales. Boat was comfortable and guides were very knowledgeable.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-24

Posted By : 647demif
My partner and I booked this trip after reading all of the positive reviews. It was a little more expensive than other similar boat trips, but we thought that it would be worth the extra cost. On the day of the trip, it was a little windy in Funchal, but not so windy that we thought anything of it. During the safety briefing, the marine biologist that accompanied us did note that the seas may be a little rough due to the weather. They suggested that we wear coats as there will be water in the boat and it may get a little cold, particularly on our return journey. They also suggested that anybody with back problems or possible sea sickness sits towards the back of the boat. Our tour was almost full and so my partner and I ended up sitting on the row second to the front (we do not have back problems and do not usually suffer with sickness, so this seemed fine). Nobody sat in the front row and all other seats were full. As we exited the harbour, the waves were immediately huge, the movement of the boat was intense, and sea water was splashing in. The waves then calmed down somewhat as we travelled further down the coast. After a while, we stopped by some birds, as we thought that they may indicate that dolphins are near. After bobbing around for some time, we started to move further down the coast. The marine biologist then explained that we are going to try another site. Due to this, they said that we will get back to Funchal late and asked if everybody was okay with this - whilst I appreciate that they asked, I think that it would have been difficult to ask to go back to Funchal when already heading to another site and when on a tour with so many others. So, we continued down the coast. Eventually, we reached a pod of bottlenose dolphins who were feeding by fishing boats. After spending some time with the dolphins, we made our way back to Funchal harbour. Due to the waves and wind, the journey back was very difficult and almost unbearable. It was clear that the captain was trying their best, but the huge waves were unavoidable. The entire journey -which must have been around 1 hour- was wet, windy, and very painful for your back. There was little you could do to avoid the pain, as it radiated from your spine throughout your entire body as the boat slammed down. We had not been warned about this. I appreciate that we were sat towards the front of the boat where movement is worse, but this was unavoidable given that the tour was almost fully booked - the only alternatives were the very front seats. Moreover, once we reached the harbour, it did not seem that others who had sat towards the rear of the boat had had an easy ride either. Everybody appeared a little shell shocked. Of course, I understand that the weather and wildlife sightings are out of Ventura Nature Emotions' control, but I cannot help but think that the decision to continue with the tour and to venture even further from Funchal were based on a desire to avoid having to cancel and provide refunds or -due to the guarantee of sightings- the wish to avoid having to offer the opportunity of doing the tour on another date (albeit I'm uncertain many passengers would have risked putting themselves through it). Although we were pleased to see dolphins, this was certainty not worth the pain that we went through on the return journey to Funchal, which the crew must have known would be unavoidable. Despite this, the captain told us that we had beaten their record of the longest journey to see wildlife. I am almost certain that everyone on the tour would have rather saved their spines than have had the dolphin sighting. I understand that the crew tried their best and that the tour would likely have been an entirely different experience had it not been for the weather. The marine biologist on board was very friendly and helpful, as was the boat captain. However, I am disappointed that Ventura Nature Emotions appears to have prioritised profit over passenger safety on this occasion. I would therefore advise very carefully checking the weather before booking the tour.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-17

Posted By : Boudicca_9
Comfortable fast RIB with excellent guide Felipe. We saw three species of dolphins leaping and Felipe showed us pictures which was great, but the piece de resistance was the humpback whale . There was an universal Wow! It reared up out of the water, rolled and slapped its tail down with almighty splashes. I have a lot of photos showing large splashes where the whale had been seconds before. That was the best boat trip I've ever had in all my 81 years. Thank you Ventura and a special thank you to Felipe.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-13

Posted By : H1655CHmeganr
Great experience! The team were enthusiastic and had good knowledge, they were respectful of the animals, the boat ride was fun. Very lucky to see a humpback whale breaching, we stayed with it for 10-15 minutes then left it alone. Also saw three species of dolphins. Highly recommend!
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-07

Posted By : hightower875
Excellent. Thank you guys not only for having enabled us to see humpback whale and 3 different kind of dolphins but doing so in a respectful and caring manner, setting a good example for our 4- and 9-yr old children! Obrigado
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-04

Posted By : mariedH8160SG
Really excellent trip, safety a priority & well informed commentary & up to date research information. Brought to pods of dolphins & pilot whales with opportunities for lots of viewing wherever you sat on the rib. Great return trip along the south west coast so lots of sights along the way. Tip: finding the office was a bit tricky - it’s on the marina berths opposite an ice cream kiosk - see the photo! Go to the loo before you leave! Enjoy the memories 🐬 🐋😊
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-19

Posted By : Resort53964679920
Trip booked for my husband's birthday. Was a brilliant experience, professional company, communicated via whatsapp with updates. Guides had really good knowledge. Saw two different types of dolphins - Fun boat trip overall, would recommend.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-14