Brand New!
Hike and Wild Swim Madeira's Atlantic Coastline
- Portugal
- 7 nights
Swim at idyllic, permit-only spots in the crystal clear waters around the 'Pearl of the Atlantic'
What's Included?
- Small Like-minded GroupsSolo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 10 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people
From…excluding flights
Highlights
Reach remote spots by boat for otherworldly supported swims along stunning stretches of coastline
Hike spectacular trails between your swims and fuel up with traditional Portuguese feasts in Madeiran tavernas
Be one of only a handful of swimmers allowed to swim in the Desertas Islands Nature Reserve, eyes peeled for whales, dolphins and turtles
Bed down in a luxe cliffside hotel with its own pool and direct access to the cobalt waters of the Atlantic
Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to Madeira
Swimming1hr · 1.5kmHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 1 detailHide detail
Meet your host at Madeira Airport, jump in the van for a short drive to Funchal and check in to your base for the trip. Meet up with your fellow swimmers and swim guides over lunch at the hotel for a safety briefing and a chat through the adventure to come. Head over to the Funchal Lido in the afternoon for an acclimatisation swim in the seawater pool.
Day 2
Ponta de São Lourenço Nature Reserve
Swimming2hr · 3.5kmHiking2.5hrs · 4.5km · 283m up · 320m downHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 2 detailHide detail
Your swimming adventure gets underway this morning as you head for the Ponta de São Lourenço Nature Reserve while surrounded by the imposing cliffs that dominate the landscape. Alongside your swim guides and support kayaks, you will swim along the coast, passing by the impressive Gruta dos Pombos rock formations. The swim ends at the wonderful bay of Cais do Sardinha, where you'll tuck into lunch overlooking the Atlantic. Enjoy some downtime in the afternoon before heading out for a short hike through the São Lourenço Peninsula.
Day 3
Swim expedition to the Desertas Islands Nature Reserve
Swimming2hrs · 3kmHiking45mins · 0.5km · 5m up · 15m downHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 3 detailHide detail
Board a boat with your swim guides bound for the Desertas Islands Nature Reserve - a small archipelago of three islands to the southeast of Madeira. Swimming here is by permit-only, so you'll be one of the few swimmers to experience the waters in the reserve. Hop into the water at Deserta Grande and hug the coast of the small islands alongside your support boat and kayak. Anchor in the bay in front of a research centre and tuck into lunch on dry land, followed by a guided hike around the islands. Back in the boat, keep an eye out for dolphins, whales and turtles which are frequently seen in the waters here.
Day 4
Swim along Madeira's fajãs
Swimming2hr · 3kmHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 4 detailHide detail
Explore the south coast of Madeira island and the hard to reach gem of Calhau da Lapa, where steep cliffs plummet into some of the clearest waters found in Madeira. Experience an unforgettable swim to the Fajãs do Cabo Girão, a 580m-high sea cliff which shelters a network of fajãs - wave-cut platforms accessible only by water, which farmers have cultivated for years. This is a unique and tranquil area, far from the developed parts of the island and it's an absolute dream to swim through. Settle in post-swim for a long lunch in the fishing village of Caniçal and spend the rest of the day relaxing and recharging batteries for the next adventure.
Day 5
Beach swims and valley hikes to hidden waterfalls
Swimming2hrs · 3.5kmHiking3-4hrs · 10km · 250m up · 1000m downHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 5 detailHide detail
Enjoy a more relaxed morning of swimming in the calm and crystalline waters of the stunning Garajau Partial Nature Reserve. Start your swim at Praia do Garajau and make a short crossing to Praia dos Reis Magos along the coast, taking in the diversity of marine life beneath you as you swim. Grab lunch at a restaurant with the best views of the north coast of Madeira, over to the island of Porto Santo. Head back to dry land in the afternoon and hike through the deep mountainous valley of Ribeiro Frio (Cold River), continuing through verdant jungle landscape to the off-the-beaten-track waterfalls of Poço das Pulgas.
Day 6
Ponta do Pargo
Swimming2hrs · 3.5kmHiking3-4hrs · 7km · 300m up · 300m downHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 6 detailHide detail
Another incredible swim spot awaits as you head to the southwest corner of the island. Your morning swim links up Ponta do Pargo with Fajã da Ovelha. You’ll have lunch and visit an old port that once supplied the town of Ponta do Pargo, located on an abandoned beach, before hiking through forgotten and abandoned farms with impressive views to the west coast of the Island.
Day 7
Waterfalls and forests of northwest Madeira
Swimming2hrs · 3.5kmHiking3-4hrs · 10km · 500m up · 500m downHotelTwin shareBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 7 detailHide detail
Today you'll get to know the northwest corner of Madeira. Tackle a swim between Porto Moniz and Seixal, passing by the iconic islet of Ribeira da Janela. After tucking into lunch in the small village of Porto Moniz or Seixal, you'll head for the Laurisilva forest on the north slope of Madeira. Hike through the thick, subtropical forest, meandering through the lush, green canopy of plants and trees.
Day 8
Goodbye Madeira
Breakfast and lunch includedShow Day 8 detailHide detail
Your wild swimming odyssey had to come to an end eventually. After breakfast, your host will transfer you to the airport at Madeira in time for your return flight home.
Getting There
- Nearest airport
- Madeira Airport (FNC)
- Pick up
- Madeira Airport
12:00 - Drop off
- Madeira Airport
10:00
What is and isn't Included?
What's included
Expert local swimming guides, plus support boat and kayak
7 nights in a 4-star hotel in Funchal
All breakfasts, lunches and refuel snacks
To and from Madeira Airport and everything in between
Permits to exclusive swimming locations
Photos and videos of each of your swims
What's not included
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Where You'll Stay
Looking for a private room? See Optional Extras for details and pricing.
Hotel Sentido Galomar
What You'll Eat
Your hotel in Madeira provides a continental buffet breakfast each morning. Lunch is included on every day of the trip, with a combination of meals at local tavernas, cafes or as a picnic. This is done the Portuguese way: with a big quantity of vario…
Optional Extras
Equipment / Kit Hire
- Wetsuit hire
- …
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation
- Double/twin room at Hotel Sentido Galomar
- …/per night
- Single room at Hotel Sentido Galomar
- …/per night
- Double/twin room in Sesimbra (August)
- …/per night
- Double/twin room in Sesimbra (July)
- …/per night
- Double/twin room in Sesimbra (June)
- …/per night
- Double/twin room in Sesimbra (October)
- …/per night
- Double/twin room in Sesimbra (September)
- …/per night
- Single room in Sesimbra (August)
- …/per night
- Single room in Sesimbra (July)
- …/per night
- Single room in Sesimbra (June)
- …/per night
- Single room in Sesimbra (October)
- …/per night
- Single room in Sesimbra (September)
- …/per night
Upgrades
- Optional Private Room Upgrade Madeira
- …
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
Transfers
- Each way
- …
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Ratings & Reviews
This trip is brand new!
So new, in fact, that it's not got any reviews yet. But rest assured, it's been designed with the same care, quality and attention to detail as all of our highly rated adventures.
4.8
Our average trip score5000+ reviews
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What to Pack
Know before you go! Some stuff we'll provide, other things you'll need to bring.
FAQs
What's the water temperature and will I need a wetsuit?
The average water temperature for this adventure is between 20°C (68°F) and 24°C (75°F). Wetsuits are optional at this temperature. You can bring your own or hire one from your host (see kitlist and optional extras).
Click here to read a comprehensive guide on water temperature and required wetsuit thickness.
Can I use a snorkel, paddles, fins, buoy or pull buoy / tow float?
Yes, feel free to use whatever items help you to complete an enjoyable and successful swim each day. For logistical and safety reasons we only ask you to inform your guide on Day 1 if you are aiming to use any supplementary equipment.
What about safety in the water?
You will be guided by two experienced and qualified swim guides throughout the week. They will be by your side for every stroke of the adventure. For each swim, the group will be split into two smaller groups based on swimming ability. At all times, with the exception of the warm-up swim on Day 1 at Funchal Lido, your swims will be accompanied by a support boat and a kayak. If at any point you need to stop to rest or refuel with a snack, your guides are on hand to assist you out of the water for as long as you need.
Your swim guides and local boat pilot will be constantly monitoring the sea conditions. If at any point the conditions are not optimal on any given day then an alternative swim spot will be chosen. As such the itinerary is subject to change.
What do I do about drinking water?
The tap water on Madeira is safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottle to fill up at the hotel and at restaurants to avoid buying single use plastic bottles.
Can I leave my excess luggage somewhere?
You can leave your main luggage in your hotel room in Funchal for the duration of the adventure.
Can I book on my own?
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Who is running the trip?
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
What is the official travel advice?
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
What vaccinations do I need?
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
How are the trips priced?
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
Why are your adventures only for adults?
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
Who else will be on my trip?
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
What's the carbon footprint for this trip?
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 87kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
- A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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