Basic Tour 1 - Cais do Sardinha to Quinta do Lorde (one way)

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Upon return we will make a quick stop at Cais do Sardinha where you can take a dip in its crystal clear waters.

   15 min

2. This peninsula is volcanic in origin, and is mainly made of basalt, although there are also some limestone sediment formations. At the end of the Point there are two islets: the Cevada, Metade or Desembarcadouro Islet, and the S. Lourenço Point, Farol or Fora Islet. The stone partition marks where the Regional government’s land begins, and is part of the Madeira Natural Park. The peninsula is classified as a partial natural reserve and the Desembarcadouro Islet is a total natural reserve. All the land and sea by the North coast, up to a depth of 50m, is part of the European network of important community sites - Natura 2000. The semi-arid climate and its exposure to North winds have sculpted the low vegetation and explain the lack of trees, which distinguish this area from the rest of the Island and is a veritable natural heritage. Here you can see the Island’s basal plate at its best and several rare and endemic plants. Of the 138 species of plant identified on the peninsula, 31 are endemic (exclusive) to Madeira island. In terms of fauna there is one of the largest colonies of seagull (Larus cachinnans atlantis) in the region, which nests on the Desembarcadouro islet. Along the route you can often see several bird species such as the Berthelot’s Pipit (Anthus bertheloti madeirensis), the Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis parva), the Common Canary (Serinus canaria canaria), and the Kestrel (Falco tinunculus). Protected marine birds also nest here such as Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), the Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro), Bulwer’s Petrel, (Bulweria bulwerii), and the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo). The Madeiran lizard (Lacerta dugesii), which is the island’s only reptile, is very common here. Another interesting aspect of this area is the high number of endemic land molluscs (24), commonly known as snails. In the sea, you may be lucky enough to spot the world’s rarest seal, known in Madeira as a Sea-wolf (Monachus monachus). The Sardinha house is the base for a group of Rangers who work for the Madeira natural park, and who are responsible for watching over the area. On the horizon to the South you can see Ilhas Desertas (Deserted Islands) and to the North the Porto Santo Islands.

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 13 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Portugal, outside the cities

• Its from-price is 75% below the median of the 1099 experiences we list in Portugal, outside the cities.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 339 of 1099.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.