Go Trail - Madeira Running Tours — Attraction in Funchal

Sadly, I had a disappointing experience with Daniel from GoTrail Madeira. In March 2020, I had booked a one-week trail running arrangement with his company. Since there were no other customers, he told me the price per person of 650€ was not possible and the minimum number of participants was two. So I agreed on paying for two persons even though I thought this was exaggerated (I only had this one week and really wanted to to the running trip and he would not negotiate things like the absurdity of paying for the meals of an imaginary second participant). I could understand that transportation for a single person would make the trip for the organizer more expensive, but I would have thought some extra fee would be more appropriate than double the price). But, as mentioned, I really wanted this and only had one opportunity that year so I paid 1300€ for a six-day, all-inclusive running trip instread of 650€. Unfortunately (and this is of course not at all the organizer's fault!) the COVID-pandemic hit Madeira while I was already there and the government shut down all tourist activities. I had been in contact with Daniel and he had asked me if I wanted to cancel the trip with all payments lost. I was already on the island and the situation volatile so I tried to see if the run was still possible - after all I would have stayed in b&b-like apartments and so on. Only 3 days before the start, it was clear that no running would be allowed and GoTrail cancelled my trip, understandably. Now, the really disappointing part began. Daniel Ferreira, the manager, refused to reimburse me for any part of the cancelled trip, even tough under EU law, travel agencies offering overnight arrangements were legally obliged to reimburse customers whose trips were cancelled due to the pandemic. I absolutely understood the pressure the company was under, economically, in this situation and would have been willing to negotiate a compromise, but Daniel (in several exchanged Emails) refused to (even to refund the second "imangary" participant I had paid for) with the argument that he had already paid for accomodation etc. including services I received such as the digital trail maps and gps tracks. After long email exchanges, he agreed to pay back 250 of 1300 Euros, which I still not deemed a fair compromise. The offered a voucher for the cancelled trip, but I was not sure when I could come back to Madeira to do the trip so I would have preferred to settle the issue for now and then try to come back one or two years later. Overall, while I can understand that this was a special situation, I think that GoTrail treated me unfairly and was not interested in finding a compromise that was fair for both sides even though legally (and I believe ethically, too) a refund of a larger portion of the costs would have been warranted. This experience leaves me with an uneasy feeling regarding the business morals of the company. I wish I could write something more positive, but since the manager decided to keep over 1000€ of my trip that never took place, I cannot help but writing a negative review for my experience with GoTail Madeira. I hope other customers will have better experiences and I am glad many reviews are positive (which makes the way Daniel treated my case even less...

First: We are experienced trail runners who are always in for some great runs. So this year we decided for Madeira as the destination of our active holiday in May 2019. In advance we knew we'd have a lot of altitude differences, steepness, a lot of bush and some really technical parts. As it is a holiday however, we were in search of a combination of running where the regular tourist won't hike and having the comfort of not constantly having to navigate on the trails- and find the start of the trails ourselves. That's the reason we contacted GoTrail Madeira.

Pre-booking: GoTrail Madeira offers 3 kinds of trail runs: easy, average and challenging trails. We decided we'd go for the average. The main difference between the trails is the distance. For us this was a good fit.

Before booking our runs with GoTrail Madeira, we decided not to run 5 days in a row. We suggested 2-1-2 days of running with some days in between for our own convenience. With this schedule in mind, GoTrail Madeira suggested a programme of different trails. For us this was great, as it confirmed what we wanted to achieve: technical and beautiful trail runs with time for other site seeing and relaxing as well.

On the spot: Having had online contact before the trail runs, it's always exciting to meet people for the first time. Online the contact was good and efficient, but will there be chemistry in real life? From the start we felt really comfortable with Daniel. He is a relaxed and easy going guy. He takes his runs seriously and he loves the island Madeira. He can tell you a lot about the past, present and future of the island. He is genuinely interested in his guests as well. A couple of times we decided to have a coffee with Daniel after our runs. And ideal way to end a run and get to know more about the island, him, us and future runs. Regarding our pick up by GoTrail Madeira before each run, our guide Daniel was always on time. He fits his schedule in line with the weather forecast which can be very different all over the island. Daniel gave us independent advice on where to (not) eat or drink as well. Or where to book our dolphin and whale safari. Daniel doesn't mind getting asked questions about what to do where.

One of us has a serious eye disability. Daniel was always considerate during our trail adventures and very patient when challenging parts were run.

Advice: Even though GoTrail Madeira knows the local water spots, it's best to bring your own camel bag with water and some food. You'll need it.

For running in Madeira you'll need trail run shoes for both dry rocky terrain as well as wet muddy terrain, so take care of your shoe choice before you come...

My family and I had the great pleasure of spending a week with Go Trail Madeira. As avid road runners we were interested in a challenging running trip with incredible views.

Madeira did not disappoint. Each day Daniel and/or Ricardo took us on one gorgeous run after another. Both guides were so incredible patient and generous as they transformed us city runners into trail runners.

Go Trail Madeira advertises a vacation experience geared toward any runner, at any pace and they are true to their word. Being new to trail running, we had some major adjustments to our normal road running pace. Daniel and Ricardo were so very kind and understanding regarding our growing trail running abilities. They consistently offered encouragement and guidance. We always felt completely supported throughout each run.

Daniel was a fabulous host. Over the course of two years, we exchanged many emails. He made me feel at ease before we began our adventure. Daniel answered every question I had, found us apartment lodging, offered suggestions for post run activities and was always available to help. The transfers to and from the runs were consistently on time and filled with pleasant conversation about Madeira history and life on the island.

The runs…the runs were outstanding! Each day we were brought to a magical landscape of remarkable beauty. Every run was in a different part of the island and offered unique challenges coupled with breathtaking views. We awoke each day so excited to see what was planned for us. Daniel did a wonderful job arranging the runs so our bodies could adapt and recover.

Madeira is a beautiful island. It is quiet and peaceful without any traffic. It’s takes a short time to go anywhere. The people are lovely and kind. Your time off the trails can be well spent visiting Funchal enjoying the idyllic seaside city.

I highly recommend a trip with Go Trail Madeira. You are promised an adventurous experience in a land of overwhelming beauty guided by...