Madeira Private Levada Tour - Laurisilva Forest & Balcões Views
Description
Discover Madeira’s lush mountains and levada trails on a fully customizable private tour. Travel in comfort with your personal driver, who shares insights about the island’s unique irrigation system, volcanic landscapes, and natural environment. Begin at Ribeiro Frio within the UNESCO-listed Laurisilva Forest, home to ancient laurel trees and rich biodiversity. Enjoy a gentle walk along the Levada dos Balcões, a historic irrigation path offering scenic forest views. Continue to Balcões Viewpoint for sweeping panoramas of Madeira’s dramatic valleys and rugged peaks. Stop at Portela Viewpoint to admire the north coast and rolling countryside before returning to your accommodation. This private experience is perfect for travelers seeking a relaxed, insightful journey through Madeira’s iconic levadas, forests, and mountain landscapes.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Ribeiro Frio (Laurisilva Forest). A tranquil mountain area within Madeira’s UNESCO-listed laurel forest known for its lush vegetation and scenic surroundings.
Levada dos Balcões Walk. One of Madeira’s most accessible levada trails leading to a spectacular viewpoint over the island’s green valleys and mountain peaks.
Balcões Viewpoint. A breathtaking lookout offering panoramic views across the Laurisilva forest and Madeira’s dramatic mountain landscape.
Portela Viewpoint. A scenic panoramic viewpoint overlooking Madeira’s north coast and lush countryside.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your driver will meet you at the selected pickup location and time, and will wait for up to 30 minutes after the scheduled pickup. If no contact is made within this time, the booking will be considered a no-show, and the driver may leave. Before your ride, you’ll receive your driver’s name, phone number, and vehicle details, so you can easily recognize them upon arrival. Your driver will be punctual, professional, and happy to assist with your luggage and any special requests before beginning your journey. Please note that this sightseeing ride cannot start, end, or include stops at airports, ports, or train stations. If you have any special requirements — such as traveling with a service animal or needing extra assistance — kindly mention them when booking to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- For 1-3 people: A comfortable sedan will be assigned to your group.
- For 4-7 people: A spacious minivan will be assigned to your group.
- Throughout your ride, our drivers serve as informal local guides—sharing stories, history, and local tips at every stop. Please note that drivers are not permitted to enter museums or archaeological areas, but they’ll ensure you make the most of your visit with suggestions and background information before you explore on your own.
- Some stops on your itinerary may be closed on the date of travel due to public holidays, maintenance, or special events. We recommend verifying opening hours on the attraction’s official website or contacting us before your tour. If a stop is unexpectedly closed, we will try to offer a suitable alternative or a refund if the tickets are included in the price.
- Our tours are fully flexible — you decide which attractions to explore inside and which to admire from the outside. Entrance tickets are not included unless clearly specified as a “tickets included” option in the tour selection. Your driver will adjust the itinerary based on opening hours, availability, and your preferences to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Reviews(2)
Friendly driver turned up on time for our private tour. Great drive up to Ribeiro Frio, then we were directed to the walk that led to the Balcoes view point (note: we did not have the required pre booked tickets to do this walk PR11, as we were not informed we needed them). The walk was delightful and the viewpoint spectacular. On returning to the driver he assumed we had finished the whole tour as he had not been provided with our itinerary from Viator. We checked and saw that the walk had been allocated 2 hours (it took 1 hour) with a further 2 hours stop in Ribeiro Frio. Not sure what we would have done for the extra 3 hours and feel this was quite unnecessary. However, our driver happily took us to the last item on the agenda , the viewpoint at Portela, which again was spectacular but little else to do. So we paid for a whole day trip but completed it within 3 hours. No fault of the driver, he was very informative about the sights of Madeira. Overall we feel that this tour was misrepresentated and not worth the substantial amount of money we paid.
Our driver didn’t know what tour we had signed up for. We expected a driver/guide that would take charge since we don’t know Madeira. Our 6 hour tour was 3.5 hours. He was kind enough to drop us in Funchal. We expected 6 hours with a guide and driver that facilitated the experience. That’s not what happened.
