Discover biodiversity and rugged landscapes with this Desertas Islands Schooner Cruise and snorkelling activity. Walk past the colourful rocks and, if we're lucky, meet the friendly monk seals that live on the beaches.
Activity details
At the indicated time, we'll pick you up at your hotel or meet you at pier 8 of the Funchal Marina, whichever you prefer. There, we'll board the schooner that will take us to the Desertas Islands. These three islands, Bugio, Deserta Grande and Chão Island, form an important reserve of Madeira's subtropical flora and marine biodiversity. Coloured rocks, steep cliffs, and crystal clear water beaches are some of the natural surprises we'll find on these islands.
As we sail across the Atlantic in a schooner we'll enjoy the calm ocean and contemplate the silhouette of Madeira while we move away from Funchal. On board the boat we'll enjoy a delicious hot meal to get our strength back before going down to visit the main island.
We'll disembark at Deserta Grande to explore the millenary volcanic formations that give this island a spectacularly rugged landscape. Deserta Grande is famous for being a sanctuary for sea birds, which hosts, among other species, several specimens of monk seals. Hopefully we'll get to see some!
During the excursion, you'll be able to take a bath in these waters and, if the sea conditions allow it, practice snorkelling to discover the great diversity of marine life.
After walking along the beaches and cliffs of Deserta Grande we'll return to the schooner and set a course back to Funchal. We'll conclude this 8.5-hour trip back where we started.
Hotel Pickup
This tour includes pickup from hotels located in the Caniço and Garajau areas. Pickup is also available from Calheta and Ponta do Sol, but with an 11EUR supplement, which must be paid in cash on the day of the activity.
If you prefer not to use the hotel pickup service, we’ll meet at Pier 8 in Funchal Marina.
