Madeira Discovery — Self-Launched (2027)
8 days · Madeira, Portugal
Exodus charges £3,630
No-markup version: ~£435 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 8-day version of Exodus's guided Madeira Discovery trip: Funchal base, Monte and Câmara de Lobos, eastern Madeira with a Laurissilva forest walk, a day ferry to Porto Santo, the western coast with Porto Moniz and wine tasting, and the Levada do Caniçal. Everything the group tour does, booked independently using local buses, the Porto Santo ferry and budget guesthouses in Funchal — at roughly a third of the operator price.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Funchal
Funchal
Land at Madeira Airport (FNC) and take the Aerobus (line 1A/1B, ~€5/£4.30, 30-40 mins) or a shared shuttle transfer to central Funchal. Check into a guesthouse or budget hotel in the Old Town / Sé area — you don't need the seafront hotel tower to enjoy the rooftop-sunset lifestyle, plenty of hostels and family-run pousadas have terraces over the bay. Settle in with a wander down Santa Maria Street, then eat cheap and local: bolo do caco with garlic butter and a plate of espada at a tasca, ~€12-15. Sort your bus pass (Giro card) at a kiosk tonight so tomorrow is smooth.
🚌Aerobus from FNC (~£4.30) or shared shuttle (~£8)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, central Funchal (~£22-30/night dorm or private room double-share)
- →Arrive FNC, transfer to Funchal
- →Evening stroll on Santa Maria Street
- →Dinner at a local tasca
Monte Palace Gardens, Pico dos Barcelos and Câmara de Lobos
Funchal / Monte / Câmara de Lobos
Take city bus 20/21 up to Monte (~€2) and buy a ticket to the Monte Palace Tropical Garden yourself (€12.50/£11) — the gardens match anything the group tour's leader would show you, just without the narration. Alternatively walk up or ride the Teleférico cable car (€12.50 one-way). Optional extra: the famous Monte toboggan ride (€25 for two, split with a friend). Then bus back down via the Pico dos Barcelos viewpoint for the Funchal panorama, and continue on local bus to Câmara de Lobos. In the fishing village, potter around the harbour, find the espada boats, and try a poncha at a bar in the old centre (~€4-5). Return to Funchal on the public bus. Dinner: the PVP-style bread-wine-petiscos concept is easy to replicate anywhere on Rua de Santa Maria — budget ~€15.
🚌Local Horários do Funchal buses 20/21 (Monte) and 142 (Câmara de Lobos), ~€2 per ride; cable car optional at €12.50
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, central Funchal
- →Monte Palace Tropical Garden (€12.50)
- →Pico dos Barcelos viewpoint
- →Câmara de Lobos harbour and fishing old town
- →Poncha tasting (~€4-5)
Eastern Madeira: Laurissilva walk, Santana, Porto da Cruz rum and Machico
Ribeiro Frio / Santana / Porto da Cruz / Machico
The eastern loop is the hardest day to do solo, but it's very doable with the SAM bus network or a shared day-tour booked through GetYourGuide/Klook (~£35-45 covers all the same stops without a private Exodus vehicle). Independent version: bus to Ribeiro Frio, walk the Levada do Balcões trail (3 km each way, flat, ~1.5 hrs) to the Balcões viewpoint over the Ribeira da Metade valley — one of the island's best views and free. Then SAM bus on to Santana to see the A-frame thatched houses, follow the coast to Porto da Cruz where you can tour Engenhos do Norte rum distillery (~€5, tasting included), and finish in Machico for the church and historic centre before busing home. Pack a picnic or eat at a Santana café for ~€8-10.
🚌SAM/RODOESTE buses Funchal–Ribeiro Frio–Santana–Machico (~€4-6 total) OR shared day tour (~£35-45)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, central Funchal
- →Levada do Balcões walk to Balcões viewpoint (free)
- →Santana A-frame houses
- →Engenhos do Norte rum distillery (~€5)
- →Machico church and centre
Ferry to Porto Santo island
Porto Santo
Book the Porto Santo Line ferry yourself in advance (around £45-55 return in high season, less if you travel outside July-August). Aim for the morning sailing so you get to the island by mid-morning — the crossing takes ~2.5 hrs each way. On Porto Santo, rent a bike (~£10/day) or use the local bus to reach the 9 km golden sandy beach, and visit Casa Colombo museum in Vila Baleira (~€5) — the island's nod to its Christopher Columbus connection. There's genuinely not much else here and that's the point: swim, nap, eat grilled fish for lunch (~€12). Take an evening ferry back to Funchal. If you'd rather not do a single-day ferry return, consider staying a night — Porto Santo guesthouses run £35-50/night and break up the day nicely.
🚌Porto Santo Line ferry Funchal–Vila Baleira return (~£45-55); island bus or bike hire (~£10)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, central Funchal (or an optional night on Porto Santo)
- →Porto Santo Line ferry crossing
- →Vila Baleira and Casa Colombo (~€5)
- →9 km Porto Santo beach
- →Optional bike hire (~£10)
Western Madeira: Cabo Girão, Porto Moniz natural pools and wine tasting
Cabo Girão / Porto Moniz / São Vicente
Another classic loop that most independents do by shared tour or by bus with a car-share, since the west has thinner public transport. Shared west-coast day tour via GetYourGuide runs ~£40-50 and includes Cabo Girão Skywalk (the suspended glass platform, entry ~€3), the Madeira Ethnographic Museum (€5), a banana plantation visit, and Porto Moniz with its volcanic lava-rock natural pools (€3 entry, bring a swimsuit — it's worth it). For the tasting, the Quinta do Barbusano winery tasting (~€15-20 for six wines) can also be booked direct if you go independently by bus — MAD/RODOESTE routes connect Funchal to Porto Moniz via São Vicente (~€8 each way) but the timings are tight, so a shared tour is the pragmatic self-booked equivalent of the Exodus day here. Dinner back in Funchal, ~£12-15.
🚌Shared self-booked west-coast day tour (~£40-50) OR MAD/RODOESTE buses Funchal–Porto Moniz (~£8 each way)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, central Funchal
- →Cabo Girão Skywalk (~€3)
- →Madeira Ethnographic Museum (~€5)
- →Porto Moniz natural pools (~€3)
- →Quinta do Barbusano wine tasting (~€15-20)
Funchal city day: markets, cathedral, Old Town and folk evening
Funchal
Do Funchal on foot — all of the Exodus-guided city stops are public landmarks. Start at Santa Catarina Park for the harbour views, walk down Avenida do Mar to Arriaga Avenue, step into Funchal Cathedral (Sé, free), then hit the farmers' market (Mercado dos Lavradores) where the fish, fruit and flower halls are the highlight — go before 11am to see it at full roar. Lunch at any local restaurant along Rua de Santa Maria for Madeiran cuisine, ~£10-12. Afternoon in the Quinta das Cruzes museum (~€3), then free time to wander the Old Town painted doors. For the folk-dancing-and-singing finale, book a Madeiran 'noite folclórica' dinner show through GetYourGuide (~£35-45) — several hotels and quintas run these, and it's the exact experience the group tour gets on day 6, just self-booked.
🚌On foot in central Funchal; local bus if needed (~€2)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, central Funchal
- →Mercado dos Lavradores
- →Funchal Cathedral and Santa Catarina Park
- →Quinta das Cruzes Museum (~€3)
- →Optional folk dinner show (~£35-45)
Levada do Caniçal walk, Ponta do Rosto and the Whaling Museum
Caniçal / Ponta de São Lourenço
Head east on the SAM bus to Caniçal (~€3) and walk the Levada do Caniçal — a flat 5 km aqueduct-side trail through farmland and laurel, about two hours at an easy pace, free and beautiful. Extend the day with the Ponta do Rosto viewpoint, where you can see both north and south coasts at once, and if you're feeling energetic also add the Ponta de São Lourenço headland trail (7 km return, free) — one of the island's most spectacular coastal walks. Lunch in Caniçal's fishing village (~£10), then visit the Whaling Museum (~€3) for the island's whaling past and current whale-conservation work. Bus back to Funchal, and finish with a farewell dinner — the Mediterranean-style Il Vivaldi equivalent is anywhere along the marina, ~£18-22.
🚌SAM bus Funchal–Caniçal (~€3 each way)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, central Funchal
- →Levada do Caniçal walk (free)
- →Ponta do Rosto viewpoint
- →Optional Ponta de São Lourenço trail (free)
- →Whaling Museum (~€3)
Depart Funchal
Funchal
Last breakfast in Funchal — go for a final pastel de nata and bica at a local café (~£3). Take the Aerobus or shared shuttle back to Madeira Airport depending on your flight time. If you have a late departure, use the morning for one last swim or a coffee at the marina before you head out. No airport transfer to arrange in advance — the Aerobus runs frequently and is cheap and easy.
🚌Aerobus to FNC (~£4.30) or shared shuttle (~£8)
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Departure transfer to Madeira Airport
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£435 | £3,630 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,195 per person (88%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£435
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Madeira Discovery — Self-Launched (2027) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £435 per person for 8 days in Madeira, Portugal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £3,630 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £435 — a saving of roughly £3,195 (88%) per person.
How long is the Madeira, Portugal trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Madeira, Portugal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, hiking trip through Madeira, Portugal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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