Madeira Jeep Tour: Exploring Madeira with Lazermar
Updated: Sep 24
A Madeira jeep tour is a great way to get away from the island's main tourist roads and see some of its spectacular scenery from a different perspective. I joined a four-wheel-drive sightseeing tour with Lazermar, which included a morning pick-up from my hotel followed by lunch at Ponta da Calheta.
Madeira is an island that rewards getting off the beaten track.
The spectacular mountains, deep valleys and winding roads are one of its great attractions, and a jeep tour provides a different way of experiencing the landscape from the conventional sightseeing trip.
I joined a sightseeing jeep tour with Lazermar, with the day beginning with a hotel pick-up at 9.30am.
The four-wheel-drive vehicle took us away from the more familiar tourist routes and into the Madeira landscape.
A different way to see Madeira
One of the attractions of exploring Madeira by jeep is that you get a very different perspective on the island.
Madeira is famously mountainous, with roads climbing and twisting through a landscape that can change dramatically within a relatively short distance.
There are steep slopes, deep valleys, agricultural terraces and spectacular views towards the Atlantic.
A jeep tour gives visitors the opportunity to explore some of the less conventional routes without having to worry about driving themselves.
For someone visiting Madeira for the first time, it can be a useful way of getting an introduction to the island's varied scenery.
Lunch at Ponta da Calheta
The morning sightseeing tour was followed by lunch at Ponta da Calheta, with the itinerary scheduled to arrive there at around 12.30pm.
Ponta da Calheta is on Madeira's south-west coast, close to the village of Calheta.
It is an area particularly noted for its dramatic coastal scenery and views across the Atlantic.
And after a morning exploring the island by jeep, it made a very pleasant place to stop for lunch.
Is a Madeira jeep tour worth doing?
If you want to see more of Madeira than the obvious tourist attractions, a jeep tour is an interesting option.
The island's mountainous terrain means that there is plenty to discover away from the main roads, while travelling with an experienced local driver means you can concentrate on the scenery rather than navigating unfamiliar mountain roads.
It also provides a good complement to Madeira's famous levada walks.
I've written elsewhere about walking the island's levadas, but the jeep tour offered a completely different way of seeing Madeira.
My Madeira jeep tour
My trip with Lazermar was part of a wider visit to Madeira, when I was exploring the island's scenery, food and attractions.
The day's itinerary was straightforward:
09:30 – Pick-up from hotel for sightseeing jeep tour with Lazermar
12:30 – Lunch at Ponta da Calheta
I took a number of photographs during the experience, which give a better impression of the scenery and the character of the trip than words alone.
More about Madeira
Madeira is one of those places where it pays to explore beyond the obvious attractions.
I've written about the island's spectacular Atlantic Festival, its famous fireworks and its levada walks elsewhere on this website, as well as Madeira's food and drink.
If you're planning a visit, have a look at those articles too.
Frequently asked questions about Madeira jeep tours
What is a Madeira jeep tour?
A Madeira jeep tour is a sightseeing excursion using a four-wheel-drive vehicle to explore parts of the island beyond the main tourist routes.
How long does a Madeira jeep tour take?
Tour itineraries vary considerably. The sightseeing tour I joined began with a 9.30am hotel pick-up and was followed by lunch at Ponta da Calheta at approximately 12.30pm.
Where is Ponta da Calheta?
Ponta da Calheta is on Madeira's south-west coast, close to Calheta, and is known for its coastal scenery and Atlantic views.
Are jeep tours a good way to see Madeira?
They can be particularly useful for visitors who want to experience Madeira's mountainous interior without having to drive the island's more challenging roads themselves.
This article is based on my own Madeira visit and the itinerary information I retained from the trip.
