Private Monte and Taboggan ride Tour

Monte toboggans, but with a guide.

This private ride pairs all transport with local commentary, so you spend less time figuring out buses and more time enjoying Monte Village. You also get a scheduled stop at the famous Paroquia de Nossa Senhora do Monte, with gardens and city views.

I especially like the small-group feel (up to 3 people) and the fact that your guide handles the practical steps—like getting you to the right ticket office—so the day doesn’t turn into a scramble. A possible drawback: the toboggan ticket is not included and you can still face a real wait once you reach the ride area.

Quick hits before you go

• Private guide just for your party: one driver/guide team, with live commentary during the ride.
• Paroquia de Nossa Senhora do Monte stop is free: about 30 minutes, with gardens and big Funchal views.
• Toboggan admission is extra: $40.00 per booking, bought separately onsite.
• Pickup is easy in Funchal City: free hotel pickup in the city area (cruise port pickup costs extra).
• Wait times can be long: build in time for queues that can run around 75–90 minutes at peak demand.
• Small physical limits matter: total combined passenger weight can’t exceed 210kg, and children must be with an adult (minimum age 3).

Private Monte Ride With Transport You Don’t Have to Think About

This is a private tour, meaning you’re not sharing a ride with strangers or negotiating where to meet everyone. Your group (up to 3) gets its own guide and driver, and you get hotel pickup and drop-off if you select that option. Even without that option, pickup is available for free in hotels/accommodations in the Funchal City area, which is the kind of detail that turns a fun plan into a smooth one.

The route itself is part of the value. You’re not just hopping out at one stop and hoping for the best—you get live commentary during the drive, which helps you understand what you’re seeing around Funchal. On an island, that context can make the day feel less like a checklist and more like a story you can follow.

One extra logistics note: if you’re arriving by cruise ship, you can choose harbor pickup, but there’s an extra 5€ per vehicle tied to port authority rules. It’s not included in the base experience price, so it’s worth budgeting if you’re sailing in.

Paroquia de Nossa Senhora do Monte: Gardens, Views, and a Calm Start

You begin with a stop at Paroquia de Nossa Senhora do Monte, the 19th-century Church of Our Lady of Monte. It’s set amid gardens, and the church sits in a position that rewards you with excellent views over Funchal. The best part is that it’s a relatively calm, meaningful start before the toboggan area becomes a busy scene.

Plan on about 30 minutes here. That’s enough time to look around, take a few photos, and catch the view without feeling rushed. The church admission ticket for this stop is free, which is nice because it removes one more cost you’d otherwise be tracking on your phone.

If your guide is like Gonzalo (name mentioned in the feedback), you may also find they actively manage your pacing—waiting in the toboggan line so you can still get up to the church top and enjoy the stop. That kind of practical patience matters. It turns a stressful “we’re running out of time” moment into a relaxed one.

The Real Deal on Toboggan Tickets: Extra Cost and Onsite Purchase

Here’s the part you need to plan around: Monte toboggan admission is not included in the tour price. The extra cost is listed as $40.00 per booking, paid separately. More importantly, toboggan tickets need to be handled onsite. The toboggan operator does not allow pre bookings or pre sales of tickets, so you can’t simply buy everything ahead of time and show up totally stress-free.

This is why the guide’s role is so important. In the best versions of this tour, your guide helps you get to the ticket office at the right moment and makes sure you understand where to go next. Margarida, for example, was praised for walking the group to the ticket office and making sure everyone knew the route to the ride.

Also, give yourself emotional room for waiting. One timing example from actual experiences: arrivals around 10 a.m. still led to waits of about 75 minutes, and another experience pointed to a possible 90-minute wait. Even if you can’t control demand, you can control your expectations and what you do with that waiting time.

A smart tip for your day

If you’re aiming to reduce waiting, consider whether a different timing option makes sense for your trip. This isn’t about magical forecasting—it’s about choosing a time when fewer people are lining up.

What Your Guide Actually Does During the Toboggan Part

This tour isn’t just transport plus a drop-off. The guide becomes your time manager and your safety net at the busy parts.

Here’s what that can look like in practice:

• You’re guided up to Monte and helped with where to buy the ticket and where to go next.
• Your guide may stay involved through the line or at key turning points, especially if your group needs help finding the correct spot.
• After the ride, your guide meets you at the bottom so you’re not left wandering through crowds figuring out the next move.

Some guides even add a little extra value when time allows. For example, Margarida was described as taking a group to a local bakery for cheesecake after the ride and then to a viewpoint area at a fortress with lovely Funchal views. Another guide, Joao, was praised for helping get tickets, standing in line so the group could still look around for photos, and then allowing time for souvenir shopping at the toboggan ride shop.

Do I expect every guide to add the same extras every day? No. But it’s clear the better guides use any remaining time in a way that makes your morning more enjoyable rather than more chaotic.

Duration and Timing: Why 1.5 Hours Can Still Feel Like a Half-Day

The tour runs about 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.), which sounds compact. But with toboggan rides, that number depends on how quickly you move through the ticket and queue stages.

So treat the 1.5-hour plan as a baseline for the scheduled parts, not a guarantee that you’ll be completely done in exactly 90 minutes. If you hit a longer queue, your guide can help you stay oriented, but your overall flow will still be shaped by what the toboggan operator is running at that moment.

If you have another activity the same morning, I’d keep it flexible. Build in buffer time, especially if you’re also trying to catch photos at the church viewpoint and then get everyone seated and ready.

Price and Value: $120.02 Per Group Plus the Toboggan Ticket

At $120.02 per group (up to 3), this isn’t the cheapest way to do Monte and the toboggan. But you’re paying for private logistics: pickup, a guide, and the transportation piece that can be annoying to coordinate on your own.

The value gets clearer when you add two facts:

1. The toboggan admission is extra at $40.00 per booking.
2. A long wait is still possible, so having a guide who keeps things organized can save you mental energy even if it can’t erase the line.

If you’re traveling as a couple or with a small family, the price can work out well because you’re dividing the base cost across fewer people. If you’re solo, you might compare it to other ways of getting to Monte—but the benefit here is that you’re not navigating the transport steps and timing on your own.

If you’re choosing between this private format and a DIY day, ask yourself one question: do you want to spend your morning making decisions, or do you want to spend it seeing the sights? This tour leans strongly toward the second option.

Where This Tour Fits Best (And Who Might Prefer Another Plan)

This experience is a strong match if you like practical structure but still want some freedom. Because it’s private and the itinerary is guided, it suits people who don’t want to guess at timing, and it fits well for visitors who want Monte Village context rather than just a quick ride.

It also tends to work nicely when you value small-group attention. With up to 3 people, you’re more likely to get the kind of helpful pacing that guides like Gonzalo and Joao were praised for—waiting when someone needs to finish the church stop, or guiding you through the ticket process so you aren’t stuck reading signs while trying to herd your group.

Who might want to rethink? If you hate queues and you’re traveling at a time when the toboggan line is historically heavy, you could end up feeling like the morning is more waiting than fun. You’ll still get the church stop and the ride, but the experience will be shaped by line length.

What to Bring and How to Prepare for All-Weather Operation

The tour operates in all weather conditions, so dress appropriately. That’s not a throwaway line. Monte’s weather can shift, and if you’re waiting in line, you’ll want clothing you can handle comfortably.

Also, keep the weight rule in mind: the maximum combined passenger weight is 210kg. If you’re traveling as a group, it’s worth double-checking before you book, especially if you’re mixing adults and larger individuals.

Finally, there’s a minimum age of 3 years, and children must be accompanied by an adult. If you’re traveling with kids, plan your pacing around the waiting stages, since that’s where patience gets tested.

Should You Book the Private Monte and Toboggan Ride?

I’d book it if you want a guided, private day that reduces transportation stress and gives you a meaningful stop at Paroquia de Nossa Senhora do Monte before you hit the toboggan. The guide support—like helping with tickets and meeting you at the bottom—is where this experience earns its keep, especially if you don’t want to figure it all out on the fly.

I’d think twice if your biggest priority is minimizing waiting at the ride. Since toboggan tickets are handled onsite and queue time can be substantial, your enjoyment will depend on your tolerance for lines. If you’re okay with that trade-off, the private format plus church views makes the overall day feel organized and worth it.

If you do book, do two things: plan your schedule with a buffer, and accept that the $40 toboggan ticket is a separate step. Once you treat it like that, the day usually goes much smoother.

FAQ

How much does the private Monte and Taboggan ride cost?

It costs $120.02 per group (up to 3). The toboggan admission is not included and is paid separately at $40.00 per booking.

How long does the tour take?

The experience runs about 1 hour 30 minutes.

What’s included, and what isn’t?

Included: a local guide, driver/guide, live commentary during the ride, private tour, and hotel pickup and drop-off if you select that option. Not included: the toboggan admission fee ($40.00 per booking).

Where can you be picked up?

Free pickup is available in hotels/accommodations in the Funchal City area. There is also a harbor pickup option for cruise passengers that adds a 5€ per vehicle port fee.

Can you pre-book the toboggan tickets?

No. Toboggan tickets must be purchased onsite, since pre bookings or pre sales are not allowed by the toboggan operator.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Children must be accompanied by an adult, and the minimum age is 3 years.

Is there free cancellation, and when do you get confirmation?

Yes—free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You should receive confirmation within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability.