The high east, peak to coast
Mountain peaks, ridgelines and the drama of the high east. A full day climbing to 1,861m at Pico do Arieiro before the coast opens up below.
The classic, and still the one most people book first
The East Tour is the classic: the day most people book first, and the one that puts the whole scale of Madeira in front of you. You start at sea level and climb to 1,861m at Pico do Arieiro, often breaking through the clouds on the way up, before the eastern coast opens out below on the way back down.
Your guide handles the route, the timing and the weather calls. You look out the window, get out where it’s worth it, and let the island do the rest.
Across the island's east
From the roof of the island down to the sea
Pico do Arieiro
The high point of the day, and often above the clouds. The east's great set-piece and the reason the tour climbs as high as it does.
Peaks & ridgelines
The drama of Madeira's mountainous interior: sharp ridgelines and long views across the volcanic spine of the island.
Faial
Down the mountain to the north coast, where Penha de Águia, the Eagle Rock, rises straight out of the sea beside the village.
Santana
Madeira's postcard town on its green clifftop shelf, famous for the triangular thatched houses the island is known for.
Porto da Cruz
An old sugar-cane village under Eagle Rock: a working rum distillery, dark volcanic shoreline and Atlantic surf.
Machico
Where Madeira's story began. The bay where the first settlers landed, and the island's capital before Funchal took the title.
You can't pick a bad day here
Madeira's weather changes hour by hour and metre by metre. That's not a problem for the East Tour, it's the plan. Your guide reads conditions every morning and shapes the day around where the mountain is clearest.
We prioritise the high viewpoints while the summits are out: the big above-the-clouds moments.
We work the timing and the angles, and drop to clearer ground until the peaks reopen.
On an island this vertical, a better microclimate is usually minutes away. We chase the clear side.
What's included, what to bring
Included
- Full-day 4×4 Land Rover tour, roughly 8 hours
- Local English-speaking guide
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Funchal
- Optional short walks along the way
- Photos taken by your guide, on request
Bring
- Comfortable shoes
- A warm layer: it's genuinely cold at 1,861m, even in summer
- Sunscreen and a hat
- Water
- Camera or phone
- Cash or card for an optional lunch
Questions we get asked
How is this different from the West Tour?
The East is about mountain peaks and coastal ridgelines, climbing high to Pico do Arieiro. The West is about waterfalls, old forest and rugged volcanic coast. They complement each other rather than overlap. Plenty of guests book both.
Do you pick up in Funchal?
Yes. Hotel and holiday-rental pick-ups and drop-offs across the Funchal area are included, free of charge. We don't pick up outside Funchal or at the cruise port.
How cold does it get at the top?
Much colder than the coast: the summit sits around 1,861m, so it can be chilly and windy even on a warm day in Funchal. Bring a warm layer; it's the one thing guests most often wish they'd packed.
Is it suitable for all ages?
This is a group tour built for adults and older children, 10 and up. Travelling with younger kids? A Private Tour lets you shape the day around them.
What should I wear?
Comfortable shoes and layers. You'll go from warm coast to a cold, high summit and back in the same day, so a jacket earns its place in the bag.
Live availability
The whole island story, summit to sea
Check dates & book
Licensed & insured · RNAAT 820/2020 · Running since 2012