Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions apply to the use of Madeira by Locals and to any tour, experience, availability request, partner recommendation, affiliate link, travel guide content or booking service presented on this website.

Madeira by Locals is focused on Madeira Island and the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal.

By using this website, sending an availability request, following partner links or making a booking, you confirm that you have read and accepted these Terms and Conditions.

Madeira by Locals may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The version published on this page applies at the time you use the website, submit a request or make a booking.

Madeira by Locals may act as a direct tourism operator, reseller, intermediary, booking channel or affiliate publisher depending on the specific tour, experience, article or partner recommendation.

Madeira by Locals is registered under RNAAT no. 630/2024.

Some tours and experiences may be operated directly by Madeira by Locals.

Some tours and experiences may be sold or promoted by Madeira by Locals but operated by third-party local guides, operators, activity providers or partner platforms.

The Madeira Travel Guide may include articles, recommendations, affiliate links and partner links for travel services, experiences, platforms or operators.

When a tour or experience is clearly operated directly by Madeira by Locals, Madeira by Locals is responsible for delivering the service according to the confirmed details and these Terms and Conditions.

Directly operated tours are subject to weather, safety, road, trail and operational conditions in Madeira.

Activities operated directly by Madeira by Locals are covered by the legally required insurance where applicable.

Participants must follow all safety instructions given by Madeira by Locals, guides, drivers or local authorities.

Madeira by Locals may sell, resell, promote or facilitate bookings for selected Madeira tours and experiences operated by third-party providers.

Unless clearly stated otherwise, the tour or activity is operated by the third-party provider, local guide or operator responsible for that experience.

Madeira by Locals may collect information, forward booking details, provide customer communication or act as reseller or intermediary.

The operating provider remains responsible for the safe and proper delivery of the experience.

The provider’s own terms, cancellation rules, refund policy, safety instructions and operational conditions may apply.

The Madeira Travel Guide provides general information, travel tips and recommendations for planning a trip to Madeira.

Some articles may include affiliate links or partner recommendations. If you book through those links, Madeira by Locals may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Affiliate links and partner recommendations do not automatically mean that Madeira by Locals operates the service.

When you book through a third-party platform or affiliate partner, that third party’s terms, privacy policy, payment rules, cancellation policy and refund conditions may apply.

Sending an availability request through the website does not automatically confirm a booking.

A booking is only confirmed when Madeira by Locals or the relevant operator confirms the date, details and availability, and any required payment has been completed according to the confirmed payment instructions.

You are responsible for providing accurate information, including your name, email, phone number, pickup address, number of participants, preferred date and any relevant health, mobility or special requirements.

Please check all booking details carefully before payment. If you notice an error, contact us or the relevant provider as soon as possible.

Unless otherwise stated, prices shown on Madeira by Locals are displayed in euros.

For manually confirmed tours, Madeira by Locals may send a secure payment link or other agreed payment instructions after availability has been confirmed.

If payment is required, availability is not guaranteed and the booking is not confirmed until payment has been completed.

Prices may change depending on season, availability, group size, partner conditions, public access fees or provider updates.

If a booking is made through an external platform or third-party provider, payment terms, card fees, currency conversion, service fees and refund timing may be controlled by that provider or platform.

Madeira by Locals is not responsible for bank fees, card fees, currency conversion costs or charges applied by third-party payment providers.

For tours operated directly by Madeira by Locals, cancellations requested at least 24 hours before the confirmed departure time are eligible for a full refund, unless a different cancellation condition was clearly stated before payment.

Cancellation requests made less than 24 hours before departure, late arrivals that prevent the tour from running, and no-shows are non-refundable.

No refund is due if a participant misses the agreed meeting point or pickup location, provides incorrect pickup details, is not ready at the agreed time or fails to attend the tour.

If Madeira by Locals cancels a directly operated tour because of unsafe weather, road conditions, trail conditions, safety concerns or operational reasons, we will first try to reschedule the tour. If no suitable alternative is agreed and payment has already been made, a full refund will be issued.

Refunds, where applicable, are processed to the original payment method whenever possible. Refund timing may depend on banks, card issuers or payment providers.

For tours, activities or experiences operated by third-party providers, the cancellation and refund policy of the relevant operator, provider or booking platform applies.

Madeira by Locals cannot guarantee refunds for services operated, sold or confirmed by third-party providers outside the applicable provider policy.

Any cancellation or refund request for a third-party operated experience may need to be handled by the responsible operator or booking platform.

If Madeira by Locals acts as reseller or intermediary, we may help communicate with the provider but the provider’s policy remains the applicable policy unless clearly stated otherwise.

Some Madeira experiences may involve mountain areas, levadas, viewpoints, protected areas or classified walking routes managed by public authorities.

Access to certain classified walking routes in Madeira may require prior registration, booking, access fees or compliance with rules set by the competent regional authorities.

Unless clearly stated in the tour details or confirmation, public access fees, official trail reservations, parking fees, entrance fees or other public charges are not automatically included in the tour price.

Official access rules, trail availability, fees and booking requirements may change. Participants are responsible for following the rules communicated by Madeira by Locals, the operator, the guide or the competent public authority.

Tours and experiences in Madeira may be affected by weather, wind, fog, rain, road conditions, mountain conditions, trail closures, sea conditions, landslides, public restrictions, traffic or other events outside our control.

Madeira by Locals and third-party operators reserve the right to change routes, schedules, meeting points, pickup arrangements or itineraries when necessary for safety, weather or operational reasons.

A change of route, viewpoint, walking section or schedule for safety reasons does not automatically create a right to a refund if the experience is still provided in a reasonable alternative form.

If an experience cannot take place as planned, the applicable refund or rescheduling option depends on whether the tour is directly operated by Madeira by Locals or operated by a third-party provider.

If pickup is included or agreed, you are responsible for providing a correct pickup address, hotel name or Google Maps link.

You must be ready at the agreed pickup time and location. If you are late or at the wrong location, the tour may depart without you and no refund can be guaranteed.

Pickup times in Madeira may vary due to mountain roads, traffic, weather, parking restrictions or operational routing.

If your pickup details change, you must inform Madeira by Locals or the responsible provider as early as possible. Last-minute changes may not be possible.

Outdoor experiences in Madeira may involve walking, hiking, mountain roads, viewpoints, uneven terrain, stairs, narrow paths, levadas, tunnels, changing weather and natural exposure.

You are responsible for choosing an experience suitable for your fitness level, health, mobility and personal circumstances.

You must follow all safety instructions given by guides, drivers, operators or local authorities.

You are responsible for wearing suitable clothing and footwear and for bringing any personal items required for the experience.

Participants under the influence of alcohol or drugs may be refused participation without refund.

You must inform Madeira by Locals or the responsible provider before booking if you or anyone in your group has a medical condition, mobility limitation, pregnancy, allergy, fear of heights or other requirement that may affect participation.

Some Madeira tours, hikes, viewpoints and outdoor activities may not be suitable for all participants.

Madeira by Locals or the relevant operator may refuse participation if there is a reasonable safety concern.

Travel insurance is not included unless clearly stated.

We recommend that travelers have suitable travel insurance covering cancellation, medical expenses, personal accidents, lost belongings and activities planned during the trip.

Personal belongings, luggage, phones, cameras and other equipment remain your responsibility at all times.

We aim to keep information on the website accurate and useful, but we cannot guarantee that all content is always complete, current or free from errors.

Images, descriptions, times, routes and availability shown on the website are for guidance and may vary depending on weather, operators, public access rules and seasonal changes.

You should always check current conditions, official rules and provider details before travelling or booking an experience.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Madeira by Locals is not responsible for losses, delays, injuries, cancellations, missed connections, weather disruption, road closures, trail closures, third-party operator failures or events outside our reasonable control.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability where it cannot be excluded under applicable law.

When a service is provided by a third-party operator or platform, that provider is responsible for operating the service according to its own terms and applicable law.

If you have a problem with a booking, tour, guide article or recommendation, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can review the situation.

Where applicable, consumers may use the Livro de Reclamações and the competent consumer dispute resolution entity in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

For consumer disputes connected with Madeira, the Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo da Região Autónoma da Madeira may be competent where legally applicable.

These Terms and Conditions are governed by Portuguese law, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protection rights that may apply.

Where applicable, disputes connected with Madeira may be handled by the competent Portuguese courts or competent consumer dispute resolution bodies in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.