About Lobosonda
Lobosonda is Madeira's most respected whale and dolphin watching operator, running research-backed marine wildlife tours from the port of Calheta on the island's southwestern coast since 2003. Their name comes from the Portuguese for "monk seal" — a nod to the endangered Mediterranean monk seal that inhabits Madeira's nearby Desertas Islands.
Tours depart from Porto de Recreio da Calheta aboard purpose-built rigid-hulled inflatable boats that provide a low-to-the-water vantage point ideal for wildlife observation. Marine biologists accompany every trip, offering live commentary on the species encountered — which regularly include sperm whales, Bryde's whales, short-finned pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, and Atlantic spotted dolphins. Since 2007, the team has systematically recorded sighting data to contribute to scientific research on cetacean populations around the Madeiran archipelago.
What distinguishes Lobosonda from larger commercial operators is their strict adherence to responsible wildlife watching protocols and their contribution to ongoing marine conservation research. Small boat sizes, science-led interpretation, and a southwest coast departure point — where deep ocean waters come close to shore — give guests some of the best odds of quality cetacean encounters anywhere in the Atlantic.
