3 Reasons to Hire A Guide in Madeira in 2021!

It’s been a couple of rough days, we’ve had stormy weather, some flash floods, some rockfalls, lots and lots of rain and nobody knows what’s going on in the mountains and forests.

This is January in Madeira, at least this is what January used to look like. Believe it or not Madeira is not all sun and blue skies, throughout the year we have rain up in the mountains and sometimes it can rain a little bit too much. A lot of locals actually have commented on the fact that this winter season has resembled a winter that we would’ve seen many years ago in Madeira, with more rain and even snow in the mountains, more on that in next weeks blog!

So you’re coming to Madeira, you wanna see the sights, why wouldn’t you just rent a car and do it yourself? You got google maps, tripadvisor, the fork, you’re part of an elite traveller WhatsApp group… Do you really need a guide?

I’m going to give you 3 good reasons, even though I could probably give you more, on why you should hire a guide in Madeira, even if it’s just for one day.

We know the microclimates and are expert route planners.

I had a sales manager who used to tell me, “you only start doing your job when the prospect says no”. That stuck with me over the years and I’ve related it to my job as a tour guide for the last 10 years here in Madeira as I believe us guides are most valuable when things are looking bleak. When it’s raining your original plan all of a sudden is a no go, what then? What should we do now?

You might have heard by now that there are numerous microclimates in Madeira. Meaning that in can literally be raining in one place and 10 minutes down the road the sun will be out. We’ve got a subtropical, mediterranean climate which can be problematic at times. For the most part, from being outside every day guiding people around the entire island, we know all the tricks. How to get away from the bad weather, how to properly use the webcams, what to do if it’s raining, etc…

A monkey could guide you around the island when the weather’s good, it’s when it starts raining and you gotta pull over, open up google maps, tripadvisor and the fork to make a plan for the next couple of hours that you might be wishing, “If only I had a guide”

It’s safer, in more ways than one.

Our biggest concern, always, is safety. Our island is marketed as a safe destination in so many ways and in 2021 even more so! I have a “motto” or a code of some sort which is 1. Keep them safe and 2. Try your best. As a guide you can’t go wrong following this rule.

The mountains can be dangerous and we’re all exposed, just because we’re guides doesn’t mean we’re immune to the dangers of nature or the road but we certainly know exactly where we’re going and how we’re getting there. We can usually spot if “something’s not right” and of course we know how the weather was like the day before or the week before the adventure. This insider info helps us make the right decisions as to which routes are good to go and which are in bad shape. We know who to call, where to go, when to go there and the fastest way.

You get all of our knowledge.

We’re so much more than just a driver showing you around. We know the interesting stories about the villages and the fascinating  culture in Madeira. We know where all the good food is, where all the tourist traps are and where you can get the best photos. We know the jokes and we even know a little bit about you! We’ve guided over one thousand guests over the last 9 years in our business and learned a thing or two about your culture and what you like. We love meeting new people from all over the world and we’re generally optimistic and fun to be around, you would be too if your job was to show people a good time! (not saying that you aren’t of course!)

If you’re still not convinced, check out our latest YouTube Vlog to see me in action, on the job!

Don’t forget our new year’s special, we’re giving 21% off all of our tours booked directly with us on our website, by using the promo code TWENTYONE at checkout so do yourself a favour and book one of the best experiences in Madeira today!!

I hope to see you in Madeira real soon!!

come on, let’s Hit The Road !!