Frequently Asked Questions

Our Ribeira Brava is a beautiful, traditional fishing boat made entirely of wood and containing a lot of love and care. On this boat, our maximum of 16 guests and two crew members have a great freedom of movement. The Ribeira Brava is excellently suitable for families, allowing even easy accommodations of strollers. The Ribeira Brava has a toilet (but it’s a bit of an adventure to get in/out). The boat has a lot of “goodies” on board including our snazzy sombreros for protection against the sun and acupressure bands to help prevent seasickness. Our 2.5-3h tour is comfortable and relaxing and, as with all our other tours, always includes a German / English speaking guide, an experienced captain and a spotter who locates the animals from land and directs the boats to the sightings.

Price: 45 € (adults) / 25 € (children from 2 up to 15 years old)
Departure times (depending on booking position)
Winter (Oct.-June): 09h00 – 13h30 / Summer (July-Sept.): 09h30 – 13h30 – 17h00

Our Stenella is a sporty speedboat that covers a wide range, offering an adventurous ride of 2 hours. This boat is well-suited for guests who are prone to seasickness due to its gliding movement over waves. The boat carries a maximum number of 12 passengers and 2 crew members. Life jackets and, if necessary, rain jackets / rain pants are available. On every tour you will find a German / English speaking guide with specialist knowledge. As with all our other tours, always includes a German / English speaking guide, an experienced captain and a spotter who located the animals from land and directs the boats to the sightings. 

Price: 57 € (adult) / 35 € (kids from 5 up to 15 years old) – Babies and children up to 60 months are not allowed on board for safety reasons
Departure times (depending on booking position)
Winter (Oct.-June): 09:30 -13:30 / Summer (July-Sept.): 09h30 – 14h00 – 17h00

According to our statistics, we have a slightly higher sighting rate during our morning and evening tours. However, beautiful encounters are possible at any time of the day, so it is best to base your decision on your day-plans and weather conditions. Keep in mind that in the morning the sea is often calmer and the sun not so strong, which can be an important aspect for guests who are prone to seasickness. If you drive in the morning, you can use the rest of the day for other activities. 

On the Ribeira Brava it is possible to take children of all ages. On the Stenella we take children from 4 years of age.*

* As a parent, you can best estimate how well your child feels in a limited environment. 

Both our boats are equipped with life jackets, safety rings, rescue rafts and an EPIRB (Emergency position-indicating radio beacon station). Specific safety procedures for each boat will be explained by the responsible guide during the briefing before the tour.

Our trips go out 2 or 3 times daily throughout the year. Due to our policy, which is working only with small groups, our tours are well booked so please make sure to book in advance. We would love to welcome you on board and have the pleasure to share this experience with you and your family during anytime of the year.

At present we do not offer transfers. 

Yes, you can find all the details about our packages contacting us. 

No, but aboard our Ribeira Brava we offer traditional straw hats with a wide brim that provide protection from the sun. Please also remember to apply sunscreen (high SPF) and/ or a loose long sleeved blouse/ shirt to protect yourself from the sun.

We have a toilet below deck aboard our traditional fishing boat, the Ribeira Brava. The entry / exit to / from the lower deck is not suitable for guests with restrictions.

We do not offer or sell drinks on board and therefore recommend our guests to bring enough liquid to avoid dehydration at sea. The consumption of alcohol is prohibited on board.

Whether you can participate in a whale-watching tour during pregnancy depends on the month of your pregnancy and your own personal assessment of your physical state. For medical indications, please seek the advice of your doctor. On our Ribeira Brava you can travel safely with a pregnancy. If your doctor has warned you of any possible problems or complications (risk pregnancy, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, etc.), please follow the advice of your doctor. Bear in mind that a ride on the Stenella can get quite bumpy under certain weather conditions, making it less suitable.

A stroller can be accommodated well aboard our traditional boat. It is not possible to bring a stroller on board our speedboat due to lack of space.

Please contact our booking team for advice on which boat might be more suitable for you.

If you are prone to seasickness we recommend our speedboat “Stenella” on a wavy ocean.

To avoid seasickness, it is good to have a good base so make sure you eat wisely (not too much / too little) before the tour. A lot of coffee, alcohol or fruit juices are not recommended. Take a piece of dry bread with you; it may help prevent seasickness if you chew it slowly when the first symptoms arise. Sun protection for the head is highly recommended. For our speedboat we recommend a fixed cap or a cloth. 

Ginger (capsules, tablets) has also proven itself a great precaution against seasickness. Homeopathic medication for seasickness also include Tabacum LM12, Vomitus Heel, Vertigo Heel and Nux Vomica.
On the Ribeira Brava we also offer sea bands that use a very effective acupressure technique to avoid seasickness. 

Of course, tablets for travel sickness can also be used but please keep in mind that these are chemical drugs that can lead to fatigue. Do not take them if you have to drive or are pregnant and do not exceed the recommended maximum quantity of intake. For women, half the recommended amount is often sufficient. Please consider carefully whether you wish to give this medication to your children. In case you do decide to give your child such tablets, a quarter of such a tablet is often enough.
One of the best tips to avoid seasickness is to focus on a fixed point on the horizon or close your eyes. You will see for yourself whichever of these two options is more helpful.
Another little tip; focusing on your camera or mobile phone may increase the risk of seasickness and missing out on incredible moments out at sea.

On the Ribeira Brava we offer sea bands that use a very effective acupressure technique to avoid seasickness.

We are very fond of animals here at Lobosonda. However, since Madeira’s coast regulations for the observation of marine mammals came into force, dogs or cats are no longer permitted on board during a whale watching tour.

CANCELATION BY THE CLIENT:

If you have no sighting of cetaceans during the trip you will receive a “mermaid pass “ granting you a discount for future tours. 

If a tour is canceled by Lobosonda due to bad weather conditions at sea, our team will either rebook or refund (total amount) the client.

The company name Lobosonda originates from two Portuguese words; “Lobos” and “onda”. The word LOBOS comes from the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos, where many monk seals (Lobos marinhos) lived and where our traditional boat, the “Ribeira Brava”, was rebuilt. ONDA is the Portuguese word for wave. 

Around 45 minutes but we advise to plan a bit more time in case of traffic or lack of parking spots close to the marina.

Please be at the meeting point (the Lobosonda kiosk) 30 minutes before the tour to check-in and attend the obligatory safety briefing by the responsible guide.

This depends on the weather conditions, the time of the year and day as well as on which boat you have selected. 

In winter we recommend you to wear something warm since it can get rather fresh out at sea. In summer it can not hurt to bring a light jacket along in case the weather changes. A long-sleeved blouse / shirt can be a suitable protection against the sun. Whether you prefer shorts, sturdy shoes or flip-flops, depends entirely on you. A hat / cap and sunscreen with a high sun protection factor is advisable.
We often have sea-spray on Stenella tours so a light waterproof jacket is always a good idea.

Sun protection – a hat – enough water – proper clothing – a lot of joy.

Of course you are welcome to bring your camera or phone with you to capture your experiences with marine mammals. Please take precautions against splashing water since salt water can damage technical equipment. The team will also take photos during the tour which will be published on our online Blog and on Facebook so you can also relax and enjoy the encounters at sea. 

For safety reasons and for the welfare of other guests our boats are a smoke-free zone.

On each of our tours we have an experienced English-speaking guide on board, who will give you information about the encountered animals. We look forward to your questions.

Our search for marine mammals begins on land where our spotter, or vigia, scans the oceans surface for sightings using large, powerful binoculars. He then guides our boats to the sighting area and provides the skippers with important information to ensure that we approach the animals carefully and correctly. 

The pictures taken by us on board every tour are posted a few days later on our blog and on our facebook page. The pictures remain on the blog for several years. You can download these photos directly onto your computer. 

Participants must be able swimmers and familiar with snorkeling equipment (mask and snorkel) and the open ocean. We advise inexperienced snorkelers to practice using the equipment prior to the scheduled tour.

In the winter months, the water is a little fresher ranging from 17 to 20 degrees while in the summer the water temperature may be between 21 and 24 degrees. If you wish to know the exact temperature of the water during your stay in Madeira you can check the following websites:

Madeira Sea Temperature

Tábua de Marés

Underwater cameras can be used during the snorkeling but we encourage guests to bring the correct accessories for the activity that may prevent damage to or loss of their equipment. Guests are responsible for their own or borrowed, Lobosonda does not claim liability for any lost or damaged equipment.

If you have sightings but do not go snorkeling during the tour, it will be calculated as a regular Stenella whale-watching tour by our staff and you will be refunded the difference of 15 euros that are charged extra for a snorkeling tour. If you have no sighting of cetaceans at all during the trip, it will handled exactly like a whale-watching tour without a sighting, where you will receive a mermaid pass granting you a discount for future tours.