Jeep Safari East vs West Madeira: I Did Both, Here's the Honest Comparison

For official trail conditions and travel information, visit Visit Madeira, the UNESCO Laurissilva Forest page, and ICNF, Portuguese Nature Conservation Institute.

I Did Both and Here Is What Nobody Tells You

I spent a week in Madeira comparing the two most popular full-day jeep safaris: the East tour (Pico do Arieiro, Santana, Ponta de São Lourenço) and the West tour (Fanal, Porto Moniz, Seixal, Cabo Girão). I booked both through Viator, and I came away with a clear winner for my hiking-focused style. But the right choice depends on what you actually want from a day out. Let me break it down.

The East tour is the one that promises mountain views, the highest peaks, and the famous thatched houses of Santana. The West tour leans into forests, natural pools, and dramatic coastal cliffs. Both run about 8 hours, include lunch, and pick you up from Funchal. But the experience is completely different. I booked the Full Day Jeep Safari East tour on a Tuesday and the Full-Day Jeep Safari West tour on a Thursday. Here is how they stacked up.

The East Tour: Pico do Arieiro, Santana, Ponta de São Lourenço

The East tour starts with a drive up to Pico do Arieiro (1,818m). Our guide, a local named Rui, drove the jeep up the winding ER103 road while the rest of us held on in the back. We arrived at the summit around 9:30 AM. The view was clear: the clouds sat below us, and the sun was already high. We had about 45 minutes at the top. I walked to the first viewpoint and took the classic shot of the radar station against the sky. But I knew from experience that the real magic on this mountain happens earlier. At 9:30 AM, the light is already harsh, and the heat starts building. The guide told us the group before us had seen a sunrise, but we were on the late schedule. If you want the golden hour, you need to book the sunrise transfer version of this tour, not the standard full-day. The standard tour gives you the view, but not the moment.

From Arieiro, we drove down to Santana. The thatched houses at the Santana theme park are the real deal, but they are also surrounded by souvenir stalls and a queue for photos. We spent 20 minutes there. I slipped away to the bakery next door and grabbed a bolo do caco fresh off the griddle, slathered in garlic butter. That alone was worth the stop. Then we drove to Ponta de São Lourenço for the coastal hike. This is where the tour earned its keep. We walked about 1.5km of the PR8 trail, past the volcanic rock formations and the turquoise water. The guide pointed out a monk seal basking on the rocks. The wind was strong, and the sun was hot, but the trail is well-maintained. The downside: we turned back before reaching the far tip of the peninsula. The full PR8 walk is 6km round trip with serious elevation gain. The tour only covers the first section, which is flat. If you want the full hike, you need to do it on your own. The tour gives you a taste, not the whole meal.

Who this tour is NOT for: anyone who wants a detailed look into one location. The East tour is a sampler platter. You see three very different spots in one day, but you don't spend more than an hour at any of them. If you prefer to linger, skip the tour and rent a car.

Why the West Tour Nearly Won Me Over

The West tour started in Fanal Forest. We arrived at 8:30 AM, and the mist was just starting to lift. The gnarled laurel trees stood in the fog like statues. The guide let us walk for 30 minutes on the short loop trail. I remembered my own disastrous hike in Fanal in January, when thick fog trapped me in a circle for 45 minutes. This time, with a guide and a group, I felt safe. The forest is genuinely atmospheric, but it is also small. The loop takes 20 minutes. You can see the famous trees in that time. The tour gives you enough to appreciate it without overstaying.

From Fanal, we drove to Porto Moniz for the natural pools. This is the highlight of the West tour for many people. The volcanic rock pools are filled with clean, cold Atlantic water. We had an hour to swim. The water was bracing, even in late spring. I sat on the edge and watched the waves crash over the outer wall. The pools are well-maintained and have lifeguards. The changing rooms are basic but functional. The downside: Porto Moniz gets crowded by 11 AM. By the time we left, the pools were packed with families and tour groups. The West tour gets you there early enough to enjoy it before the rush. That is a real advantage.

Then we drove to Seixal for lunch. The guide took us to a small restaurant overlooking the black sand beach. The grilled limpets (lapas) were fresh and garlicky. The bolo do caco came with the meal. The lunch stop was 90 minutes, which felt generous. After eating, we walked down to the beach for 20 minutes. The black sand is volcanic and fine, and the water is calm in the bay. It is a nice contrast to the wild pools at Porto Moniz. The final stop was Cabo Girão, the highest sea cliff in Europe at 580m. The glass-floored skywalk is free and open to everyone. We spent 15 minutes there. The view over Funchal and the ocean is expansive, but the glass floor is a gimmick. You can see the same view from the regular platform without the queasy feeling. Still, it is a good photo stop.

Who this tour is NOT for: anyone who hates being in a vehicle. The West tour involves more driving than the East tour. The roads between Fanal, Porto Moniz, and Seixal are narrow and winding. If you get carsick, this tour will test you. Also, if you are not a swimmer, the Porto Moniz stop loses its appeal. You can sit on the rocks, but the main draw is the water.

The West Tour: Fanal, Porto Moniz, Seixal, Cabo Girão

The West tour felt more cohesive. The locations flow geographically: forest to pools to beach to cliff. The guide, a woman named Carla, was born in Porto Moniz and knew every cove and tide pool. She pointed out a sea cave near the pools that most tourists miss. The East tour, by contrast, jumps from mountain to village to peninsula. The geography is less logical. Both tours cover about 100km of driving, but the West route feels like a story: you start in the misty forest, descend to the coast, swim, eat, and end with a panoramic view. The East route feels like three separate postcards taped together.

That said, the West tour has less physical activity. There is no real hiking. The Fanal loop is flat and short. The Porto Moniz pools require swimming, not walking. The Seixal beach is a stroll. The Cabo Girão platform is a 2-minute walk from the parking lot. If you want to move your body, the East tour gives you more: the PR8 coastal walk, the stairs at Arieiro, the walk through Santana. The West tour is for relaxing. The East tour is for exploring.

The Moment I Made My Decision

I was sitting on the black sand at Seixal, eating a bolo do caco with honey, watching a family build a sandcastle. The sun was warm. The water was calm. I thought: this is a good day. But then I remembered the morning at Ponta de São Lourenço, where I had walked on volcanic cliffs with the wind in my face and the ocean below. That moment felt more like Madeira to me. The island is not just about relaxing. It is about the drama of the situation. The East tour captures that drama. The West tour is pleasant, but it is not as memorable.

For me, the East tour won. But I am a hiker. I want elevation, exposure, and a challenge. If you are a beach person or a family with young children, the West tour is the better choice. The natural pools are safe and fun. The driving is scenic without being stressful. The lunch stop is longer and more relaxed. The East tour demands more from you: you need to be comfortable with heights (the PR8 trail has exposed sections), and you need to be okay with a faster pace. The East tour is not for anyone with mobility issues or a fear of heights. The West tour is accessible to almost everyone.

What I Wish I'd Known Before I Went

First, book the sunrise version of the East tour if you can. The standard departure at 8:30 AM means you arrive at Pico do Arieiro after the best light has passed. The sunrise transfer sells out weeks in advance during peak season (May to September). I checked Viator and saw that the Pico do Arieiro Sunrise Transfer and Hike was already full for the week I was there. I had to settle for the later departure. If you want the iconic photo of the sun rising over the clouds, you need to book that specific tour, not the general jeep safari.

Second, check the weather before you go. Madeira's microclimates are real. The West tour goes to the north coast, which is often cloudy and rainy even when Funchal is sunny. I did the West tour on a day when the IPMA forecast said "partly cloudy." At Fanal, we were in thick fog. At Porto Moniz, it was overcast. At Seixal, the sun came out for exactly 20 minutes. If you are set on swimming, check the webcams for Porto Moniz before you book. The IFCN trail condition hotline (291 211 800) also gives road and weather updates for the mountain areas. Call it the morning of your tour.

Third, bring cash for the lunch stop. Both tours include lunch, but drinks and snacks are extra. The restaurant at Seixal did not accept cards. I had to borrow €5 from another guest for a coffee. The ATM in Porto Moniz was out of service. Madeira is generally card-friendly, but the small villages on the north coast are not. Keep €20 in your pocket for emergencies.

Fourth, if you are prone to motion sickness, take a tablet before the West tour. The road from Fanal to Porto Moniz is a series of hairpin turns with steep drops. I sat in the front of the jeep and was fine, but two people in the back looked green by the time we reached the pools. The East tour has winding roads too, but the drive is shorter and the elevation changes are more gradual. The West tour is the rougher ride.

Finally, do not expect solitude on either tour. These are commercial jeep safaris. You will be in a group of 8 to 12 people. You will share the viewpoints with other tours. At Cabo Girão, we overlapped with three other jeep groups. At Santana, there was a queue of 20 people for the thatched house photo. If you want a private experience, rent a car and go early. The tours are efficient and convenient, but they are not intimate. I use them when I want to cover ground without driving myself. They are a tool, not a wilderness experience.

Quick Verdict: East vs West

Feature	East Tour	West Tour
Best for	Hikers, photographers, adventure seekers	Swimmers, families, relaxation seekers
Physical activity	Moderate (coastal walk, stairs)	Low (flat loop, swimming)
Scenery variety	Mountain, village, coastline	Forest, pools, beach, cliff
Crowd levels	Medium (peak times at Arieiro)	High (Porto Moniz pools by 11 AM)
Best time of year	Year-round (avoid summer heat for PR8)	Spring/autumn (winter rain on north coast)
Who it is NOT for	Anyone with vertigo or mobility issues	Anyone who wants a real hike or hates driving

Both tours deliver what they promise. The East tour gives you the mountain drama and a taste of coastal hiking. The West tour gives you the forest, the pools, and the cliff views. If I had to pick one for a first-time visitor who wants to see the most iconic spots in one day, I would recommend the East tour. It covers more ground for elevation and variety. But if you want to swim and relax, choose the West tour. Either way, book ahead and check the weather. Madeira does not forgive bad planning.