The Madeira Nature Festival runs from Tuesday 5 to Sunday 10 October 2027: six days of guided outdoor activities put on across the island by the regional government, each booked on its own rather than with a festival ticket. Some are free and some are paid. In 2026 there were 23 kinds, from hikes, canyoning and coasteering to surfing, yoga and sunrise boat trips, in eight of the region's eleven municipalities, Porto Santo included. It suits anyone who wants a guide into the mountains or onto the sea.
- CostSome activities are free and some are paid, priced one by one. There is no festival pass or ticket.
- Best timeBook the day the programme opens, with a second and a third choice. The popular walks and the sunrise slots go within hours, and there is no waiting list.
- Getting thereA few activities lay on transport from a pick-up point and say so in the listing. For the rest you need a car: trailheads are not on bus routes, and a north-coast walk can be an hour and a half from where you sleep.
- With childrenThe easy walks and the sea outings take them. Canyoning, coasteering and the harder mountain routes set a minimum age, which is on the listing before you book.
- If it rainsWalks go ahead in cloud, which at altitude is normal rather than bad weather. The sea trips and the canyoning are what gets cancelled, and you are told that morning.
Madeira Nature Festival 2027, day by day
| Day | Time | What | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to | Every day | Guided activities on land, at sea and in the air, each booked separately | Meeting points across the island | Some free, some paid |
Each activity's day, time and meeting point comes out with the programme on festivaldanatureza.pt. The 2026 programme was presented on 30 September, six days before the festival began; we add 2027's here when it is out.
Stay in Funchal and drive out to each meeting point
What people ask us about the Nature Festival
When is the Madeira Nature Festival in 2027?
From Tuesday 5 to Sunday 10 October 2027, on the tourism board's calendar. Each activity has its own day, time and meeting point, which come out with the programme on festivaldanatureza.pt; in 2026 that was presented on 30 September.
When is it in 2028?
From Tuesday 3 to Sunday 8 October 2028, on the same calendar. It also gives 2029: Tuesday 2 to Sunday 7 October.
How do I book an activity?
On festivaldanatureza.pt, one activity at a time: there is no pass and no ticket for the festival as a whole. Some activities are free and some are paid, and the popular ones fill fast, so book your first choices the day the programme opens.
Do I need my own gear?
For the walks, yes: boots with grip, a waterproof and your own water are on you, and trainers are not enough on wet basalt. Canyoning, coasteering and diving come with the equipment as part of the activity, and the operator says what to bring on top of it.
Are the guides in English?
The groups are mixed and the guides work in Portuguese and English. Where an activity is more talk than walking, the listing says which language it is led in, so check that one before you book it.
Sources
Dates from Visit Madeira’s Nature Festival page and the tourism board’s Tourist Entertainment Calendar 2026 to 2029. Checked .
