Madeira is a great place to visit! It has long been a popular destination among those seeking respite from the northern European winter, but while its gentle climate has long been celebrated, it is less widely known for its rich marine-life.
Underwater, Madeira’s slopes plummet sharply to form deep canyons and its marine topography, its separation from other landmasses and gentle oceanic subtropical climate all combine to make Madeira a special place for wildlife all year round, as well as a delightful holiday destination.
Indeed, Madeira and its surrounding islands and waters are home to a wide variety of seabirds and cetaceans, which is why in 2009 we decided to launch a new Naturetrek tour focusing on the special seabirds and other marine-life of Madeira Island and the neighbouring, remote, Desertas Islands.
Our first Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza tour ran in July 2009. Local naturalists Filipe and Catarina Alves proved excellent and popular guides, and the tour was full of memorable wildlife-watching … one highlight was encountering a Bryde’s Whale while the group was en route from the Desertas Islands back to Funchal.
NEW: Naturetrek Whale& Dolphin-watching tour – Madeira
In fact, our July 2009 tour to Madeira focusing on birds was such a success, and local guides Filipe and Catarina Alves so knowledgeable about their island’s cetaceans, that we’ve decided to launch a tour which focuses on Madeira’s whales and dolphins. (Full details of this tour are in our Winter Newsletter. Please call 01962 733051 for a copy of the newsletter or for the ‘Whales & Dolphins of Madeira’ itinerary.)
More reasons why we love Madeira …
Madeira’s whales and dolphins are a big attraction, as are its special seabirds such as Zino’s petrel and Madeiran Storm-petrel, but there are plenty of other reasons why we think you’ll enjoy a holiday to Madeira. You’ll be surrounded by subtropical and Mediterranean flowers such as Bird of Paradise and hibiscus before you’ve gone very far, while inland you should see dragonflies, butterflies, Madeiran Mahogany and the island’s indigenous and rare Laurissilva forest.
There are endemic land birds to go in search of such as the Trocaz Pigeon and Madeiran Firecrest, as well as numerous endemic subspecies including the Madeiran Chaffinch and Berthelot’s Pipit.
In addition to the wildlife there are other pleasures to be had, such as sampling Madeira wine, taking an evening stroll round Funchal harbour, or enjoying delicious Portuguese food and friendly hospitality!
Find out more:
Whales & Dolphins of Madeira
A 5-day holiday to Madeira in search of its special whales, including Bryde’s and Sperm Whales, and a rich variety of dolphins.
Departs: Sat 29th May – Wed 2nd Jun 2010
Thu 2nd Sep – Mon 6th Sep 2010
Cost: £895
To find out more about any of Naturetrek’s tours to Madeira call Andy on 01962 733051 or email andy@naturetrek.co.uk