A fantastic jeep trip on Madeira ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - We had an unforgettable experience on our jeep trip in the western part of Madeira! From start to finish, the tour was filled with spectacular views, exciting routes and lots of interesting stories about the island. Our guide (Ricardo) was simply outstanding – incredibly sweet, knowledgeable and passionate about his native island. He shared exciting stories, stories, local secrets and funny anecdotes. His welcoming being made us feel in the best hands all the way. We were only 4 participants on the tour, so individual needs were also taken into account. The Jeep made it possible to get away from the larger roads and experience places you would not otherwise have seen. We visited impressive viewpoints, beautiful forests, charming villages, tasted Madeiravin, bathed in lavapools, and experienced the beautiful nature in close proximity. All in all, it was a fantastic trip, which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to experience Madeira in a unique and adventurous way! P.s. we were also on an excursion to the eastern part of Madeira with the same provider, and it was just as good an experience.

Must-see spots and information all rolled into one neat package. - This tour included many of the "must-see" attractions of the west and northwest of Madeira but what made it more special was the way it was conducted by Nature Connection Tours and our guide Ricardo. Ricardo's experience in this role brought with it a wealth of information. The tour took us through some "off the beaten track" roads which made it even more interesting and thrilling. The booking experience was flawless and communication re meeting points and times was shared promptly. Ricardo was constantly in touch with the weather predictions and changes and it seemed that good weather followed us everywhere...or did we follow IT? I would recommend this company, guide and tour without hesitation.

Trip West and North West - The full day trip was amazing, our guide Ricardo was very knowledgeable and not only showed us the sites but with his local knowledge was able to provide history and context which was very useful. His English was impressive and he also speaks French and German along with Portuguese. His 4x4 was very comfortable and allowed us to use old roads and see areas that are very inaccessible. I have no hesitation in recommending him and his firm and will use them again on our next trip.

The Best Tours in Madeira - Exceeded All Expectations - For our January visit to Madeira my wife and I booked two consecutive day tours with “Nature Connection Tours” after reading the excellent reviews on TripAdvisor. On the first day, we booked the “Madeira West and Northwest Tour” and the “Madeira East and Northeast Tour” on the second day. On the first day we were picked up at 8:50 am by our guide “Ricardo” at our hotel for our Jeep tour and because another guest had cancelled we had a private tour and Ricardo’s full attention (for both days). The Jeep was actually a Land Rover so I guess the open Jeep is only for the summer months but we were very lucky that the days were warm (up to 20c) though it did get a little chilly on the higher peaks so a jumper or light jacket is advisable. The first thing to mention is that Ricardo is incredibly friendly and helpful and speaks perfect English - it was a joy having him as our guide for the two days. His knowledge about Madeira’s history, geography, flora and fauna is exemplary and he kept us fully informed about everything we were seeing throughout the trips. He clearly is passionate about his beautiful island, and rightly so. The first-day trip took us first towards the southwest of the Island to Camara de Lobos and then on to the ‘skywalk’ which is one of the highest sea cliffs in the world with a 580m sheer drop and you get to stand on a glass platform to look down, which is quite unnerving (there is a €3 charge for this but you can pay by card). We then went on to other points of call, Ribeira Brava and Serra de Agua. The scenery in all parts is stunning and thanks to the Land Rover and Ricardo’s excellent driving we often took roads that the casual tourist would never see. Many are single-track roads with 45-degree inclines and hairpin bends that look over the edges to drops of hundreds of metres. I would be terrified driving on these roads but thanks to Ricardo’s driving skill we felt perfectly safe all the time. At more than one point we went “off-road” on the “Caminhos Reais” (Royal Paths) which were the original roads built up to 600 years ago. Ricardo has special dispensation to use these tracks so a casual tourist could never take these routes as they are protected. We then proceeded to Seixal which has a black sand beach. There are very few beaches in Madeira and those that exist are either pebbles or volcanic sand (although there are a couple of artificial beaches that have yellow sand imported from Morocco). This particular beach has recently become popular because of an Instagram post. Onwards then to Port Moniz where there are lava pools that you can bathe in. The pools were closed on the day we went due to high waves, but that just made it look more spectacular. We had lunch in a beautiful restaurant overlooking the lava pools and the sea. Ricardo has some influence in these restaurants to ensure you get a good seat - everyone seems to know him. In the afternoon we proceeded to the high Fanal forest at an altitude of over 1,150 metres. This is a sparse forest of ancient Laurisilva trees, some over 500 years old. It is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric spots on the island, usually shrouded in mist which gives it an enchanted fairy-tale-like feel. Here we got out and walked amongst the trees. A jumper or jacket was required here as it was quite chilly. We then drove more to Paul de Serra and Ponta de Sol which is a charming town on the South West coast known for being the sunniest place on the Island. We then returned to Funchal to end the day at 5 pm. The day was exceptional and exceeded our expectations. We had toyed with the idea of hiring a car and doing our own touring but after this tour, we were so glad we had not. I would be terrified driving on some of the roads we went on and many places could not even be reached without a 4x4 so you get to see so much more in safety. On the second day, Ricardo picked us up again from our hotel in the morning to start our “Madeira East and NorthEast Tour”. We first went to Eira do Serrado which is a stunning viewpoint 1,095 metres above sea level overlooking Nun’s Valley. Ricardo took us there early morning to avoid crowds which was wise as we had the place to ourselves, but as we left some tour buses were arriving. Nun’s Valley is a deep valley surrounded by mountains where hundreds of years ago the nuns of the island retreated to and settled for safety. There are still small villages at the bottom but the depth of the valley means they are always in shade so not a great place to live. But the scenery is magnificent. Our next stop was Pico do Arieiro which is the third highest peak on the island at 1,818 metres and the highest point accessible by car. There was some cloud out to sea but here we were actually above the clouds which made for wonderful views. It was a little windy here and also chilly so a jumper or jacket was advised to get out and walk about. We then went on to Ribeiro Frio where we were able to get out and do a Lavada walk. Lavadas are the water channels built hundreds of years ago to distribute water around the island and as they all have paths beside them they are ideal places to do hikes. Some are quite challenging but this one was just over half an hour and mostly on level ground. It ended at a fantastic ‘balcony’ viewpoint. We then went on for more ‘off-road’ experiences down some of the Royal Paths through the forest and then on to “Santana’ which has examples of the old traditional triangular-shaped houses and is very nice to get out and walk around. This would normally be the stop for lunch but as we had told Ricardo it was my wife’s birthday in the morning he suggested we lunch in a special spot he knew which was the hotel Quinta do Furao where the restaurant overlooks the sea with incredible views - a very special place. Again, Ricardo ensured we got a good table. At the end of the meal, Ricardo brought in a lovely cake with a candle which he had got for my wife’s birthday which was such a kind and thoughtful gesture. In the afternoon we went to Faial which has another skywalk viewpoint followed by Porta da Cruz and a visit to one of the island's two rum factories. Here we got to taste the lovely rum with some Madeiran biscuits. The tour of the factory was fascinating, and again Ricardo’s knowledge about it all was extremely enlightening. We then went on to Ponta de S. Lourenço which is the easternmost tip of the island where the dry, rocky terrain is completely different from the rest of the island. Here there are breathtaking coastal views where you can see both the northern and southern tips of the island. At every stop we were able to get out and walk around at our leisure and never felt rushed by Ricardo - it felt like no matter how long we wanted to linger he would happily wait. Finally, we returned to Funchal and back to our hotel at 5 pm but were so sad that our tours had finished. I cannot recommend Nature Connection Tours and particularly Ricardo enough. As I said, the tours exceeded our expectations. We saw the hugely varied landscapes and experienced the different microclimates of the island. We went to places that the casual tourist could never reach. Ricardo’s vast knowledge and expert driving made the tours a real joy. We were very lucky that we had clear sunny warm weather even though it was late January. Only at some of the peaks did we see some clouds and mist. If we return to Madeira we will most certainly try to connect with Ricardo and Nature Connection Tours again and experience some of their other tours and experiences. There are several such tour companies on the Island but I cannot believe that any could be better than Nature Connection Tours.

The best tours! - After a fantastic day ”East and Northeast” with Nature Connection and the superb guide Ricardo, I had high expectations. And surely was not disappointed! This tour operator and Ricardo are, hands down, the best in the business. If you want to get up close and personal with the fantastically beautiful island of Madeira, this is the right choice. You visit the classic places but also get to experience several treasures truly off the beaten track. While the East and Northeast tour focuses on the awesome natural wonders, geological and natural (oh the wildly growing avocado & al!), the West and Northwest complements that with cultivated areas; pretty fruit gardens in the South and vineyards in the North. We also visited several lovely villages on the oceanfront, each nicely situated and with local vibe. Even when I’ve now done these two tours, I would and will try to come back and participate again. Thank you so much for the truly memorable experiences!

Great jeep day trip - Great day trip with Ricardo as our driver/ guide. He was very knowledgeable and helpful and took us to some very inaccessible spots where the 4x4 traction control was very much in use! Plenty of photo ops. Our only criticism is that the two hour stop at the lava pools at Porto Moniz was too long - as it was cool and dull at that point and we didn’t want to swim. A highlight after lunch was the 1600 metre descent from the high plateau to sea level.

Truly Amazing! - Wonderful Tour This is the second time we use Nature Connection and we love it! With no question it was the highlight of our holidays, Ricardo it’s so passionate and knowledgeable about his island a true gentleman. We had requested something unique and he personally customised our tour taking us to the most wonderful places in unreal off-road tracks with his amazing driving skills we always felt extremely safe and comfortable with their well equipped and spotless jeep. I truly recommend this company and I doubt you will find any other that will offer a service with this quality. Thank you so much Ricardo. We will definitely be back.

A wonderful Day - We can highly recommend Nature Connections. So much information about the beautiful island . Ricardo was so professional and a total pleasure to spend time with. You won’t be disappointed with any of the tours on offer ..

A fabulous experience - We recently took a 4WD tour of the Western part of Madeira. Our tour guide was Ricardo. One of the best excursions we have ever done; the scenery was spectacular- from seaside cliffs to breathtaking mountains. Hugely varied and extremely interesting. Our guide clearly loves his job and was keen for us to experience the very best of his island. What a great day!

Absolutely First Class - We did both the West and East day tours both driven by Riccardo. Cannot speak highly enough of his depth of knowledge, presentation and friendliness. We thoroughly enjoyed both tours and would recommend without hesitation.