Part of our complete guide: Activities and tours on Madeira
17 options from around €31, mostly as a tuk-tuk tour with the toboggan ride.
How it works
Getting up: the cable car from Funchal’s seafront to Monte (about 15 minutes, superb views), or by tuk-tuk, or on bus 20/21.
At the top: the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, with the carreiros starting alongside. The ride ends in Livramento, not in Funchal — from there it is a taxi or bus back, or a 20-minute walk downhill.
The toboggan itself costs about €30 on the spot for two people, €25 for one. That is the number against which the combo deals do or do not add up.
The combos
| Option | from | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tuk-tuk to the toboggan + old town | €33 | 1.5 h |
| Monte Tropical Garden + toboggan (tuk-tuk) | €110 per pair | 3 h |
| Nuns’ Valley, Monte and toboggan | €44 | 4 h |
| Private: cable car, toboggan and skywalk | €195 per group | 4 h |
The four-hour tour to Curral das Freiras (the Nuns’ Valley) with Monte and the toboggan has over 2,000 reviews at 4.7 — it pairs the ride with the Eira do Serrado viewpoint, which makes a whole day of it.
What to watch for
- The toboggan is often not included in the combo price. The commonest complaint in this category: the tour takes you there, the ride is extra. It is in the details — read them.
- Photos are taken en route and sold afterwards. No obligation.
- It is not a bobsleigh run. It is unhurried, braked, on a public road in traffic.
- Queues on cruise-ship days. Go early morning or late afternoon.
- The cable car (about €12.50 one way, €18 return) is worth the trip on its own.
Book it or do it yourself?
Yourself is easy here: cable car up, pay for the toboggan at the top, add the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, bus back. One morning, no booking.
Book the tuk-tuk version if you are unsteady on your feet — Monte is steep — or the Nuns’ Valley combo, because Eira do Serrado is awkward to reach without a car.
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Next: Funchal walking tours · Cabo Girão and viewpoints · Funchal
