Walking in Madeira

The trip was well planned and gave an opportunity to walk in different parts of the island, including a chance to stay by the sea. All the hotels were comfortable and usually quiet. There were some quirks such as all hotels having terrible coffee machines but in general the standard was high. The group leader Felipe was excellent, friendly, calm and capable in all circumstances, rearranging the programme to suit the changeable weather.

Fantastic walking trip to Madeira. The guide, Joao, was outstanding. Huge thanks to him for everything. The itinerary and walks were a good balance of traditional tourist activities and something a bit different. Hotels were great. Overall, a fantastic holiday.

Organised and efficient, good value

A wonderful holiday in a beautiful location with a fantastic group, the perfect itinerary, an excellent leader, gorgeous food and lovely weather. Can't recommend this holiday highly enough.

Great tour with Joao as a guide, he is definitely one to recommend. The itinerary was moderate but as described, accommodation was good (renovation in the last hotel). I would recommend this trip strongly.

Correctly Graded for me. Not a regular exerciser but have done other Walking holidays. Not easy but doable with a bit of effort. Took a first timer and he had a great time even with stiff legs by the flight home. Really good introduction to a lovely island and not a long flight from the UK. At times it really felt like you were on the edge of a little bit of wilderness but soon back to the comforts we’re used to. Guide (Joao C.) lived his Job not only did it. Excellent. Explore know what they are doing.

The group was large but all had fun and our leader, Joao, was excellent. The hikes were good

Fantastic 7-day walking tour in Madeira! The itinerary was superb — beautiful routes that kept us off the beaten path and away from the crowds in the main. Our guide Benny was exceptional, going the extra mile to support and connect with our group of 15. Accommodation was fine — nothing fancy, but comfortable enough. Highly recommend for anyone wanting a peaceful, scenic, and well-organized walking holiday.

Benny was an excellent walk leader. Very organised, helpful, inspired trust and confidence and gave us all the opportunity to achieve our potential on the walking activities. He also organised our evening meals in a variety of restaurants and all the group ate together every evening. I have been on a few group holidays and this was one of the best. Thankyou Benny and thankyou Explore😊

This was our first trip with Explore! My wife and I found it to be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. The itinerary gave us a chance to see a lot of Madeira and the hikes we went on were interesting and allowed us to experience different terrains and conditions! (Rain in the north and lush forest, sunshine in the south and dry paths). We also got to sample many of the regional dishes and beverages (poncha!) as well as visit some iconic sites on Madeira e.g. the western lighthouse, rumours factory. Our guide, Felipe, was excellent and very knowledgeable and helpful. Easy to talk to and we appreciated how well he took care of the group. Felipe also had some great suggestions for restaurants and things to do on our free time. One of which led to us going whale watching and having a whale go right under our boat! Such a great experience! Overall this walking tour was a terrific experience. It did challenge me to get out of my comfort zone (the 'Stairway to Heaven' walk !) but I'm glad I did it! I'd recommend this tour to anyone who likes hiking and has a good level of fitness (the terrain can be a challenge). You even get to meet many lovely people with similar interests. Walking Madeira with Explore! will live long in the memory.

Fantastic guide, really well organised tour - highly recommend.

A lovely way to explore Madeira - 'Europe's answer to Hawaii'. Phillipe was a great tour guide. Not to be taken as criticism, and all apparent on close inspection of the itinerary, however it's worth noting that that this is a 'drive to a place and go for a gentle walk (and repeat)' trip and not an extended hike from point A to B over several days. The walks are very gentle (the levadas are flat, by definition) and for the 'main event' on the last day, you are driven to the summit of Pico do Ariero. Three of our group were over 70 and were not especially challenged. If you are looking for something a little more hardcore, this may not be the trip for you.

An awesome trip and Explore never fail to deliver the best experiences. From the tour guide to the accommodation to the wonderful itinerary - excellent!!

Excellent and knowledgeable tour leader. A fascinating island and a good range of walks. Although a little more strenuous in places than expected. However, we thoroughly enjoyed the holiday.

Awesome and amazing tour! Our tour leader - Phillipe was incredible! He was personable, knowledgeable, and efficient in every aspect of his job as Tour leader! This is the best way to see Madeira - on foot, walking through amazing landscapes!

Our tour leader was fabulous with his extensive knowledge of the region peppered with anecdotes of his childhood. We felt like we were a fly on the wall for real Madeiran culture.

Our tour leader Benny was exceptional in making this tour a wonderful experience. His attention to all participants' interests and preferences was exceptional. He gave us experiences that felt personal and individual. We rarely met across other tour groups. in some cases, our hikes were completely isolated, which is optimal. His reccommendation for evening meals was excellent and facilitated lively conversations. What a wonderful holiday!!