The 6 Best Birdwatching Boat Trips in Portugal

1.Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve Birdwatching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 117 reviews · 3 hours · from $58Our pick

Join Captain Carlos Cera for a three-hour boat trip from Parque das Nações into the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve. With binoculars, a small group of up to 10, and expert bird-spotting, you may see flamingos, spoonbills, avocets, ibis, ospreys, and herons just minutes from Lisbon.

“We saw many great birds with Carlos, the boat was a nice ride, and we appreciated how passionate he is about the National Park.”

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2.Faro: Ria Formosa Eco Birdwatching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 73 reviews · 2 hours · from $47Best value

Join Lands in Faro for a two-hour solar-powered boat trip through the Ria Formosa with a guide such as André or Luis. Use onboard binoculars to look for herons, spoonbills, flamingos, and waders while learning about the lagoon, oyster farming, and local wildlife in a group of up to 10.

“This was a very relaxing outing with a knowledgeable guide and a small group. We saw 19 species of birds. The company was very good about rescheduling us.”

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3.From Faro: 2-Hour Guided Bird Watching Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 71 reviews · 2 hours · from $47

From Faro’s Nautical Club, a local guide leads a two-hour bird-watching cruise through the Ria Formosa. Use onboard binoculars to spot storks, spoonbills, egrets, waders, flamingos, and terns, with a 15 to 20-minute stop at a deserted beach. Guides speak English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French.

“Guide was lovely, saw lots of birds, even a little stop on the beach!”

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4.Birdwatching Boat Tour – Tagus Estuary

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60Top rated

Set out from Doca de Santo Amaro for a 2.5-hour Tagus Estuary boat tour. A biologist guide helps identify birds with binoculars and a picture leaflet. Expect protected wetlands, flamingos, herons, spoonbills, a welcome Muscat drink, and a small group of up to 12.

“We have been keen on birdwatching for few years and were eager to add some new species to our lifelist. Our trip started the oprators winter season (more migratory birds around after summer). Before the trip we got a massage to bring our own jackets, since it will be cooler on the river. The jackets were needed when speeding to birdsites and back, but when moving slowly around the birdwatching sites, it was quit warm. Big rubber boat was steady and going was smooth since the river is seldom rough. You could sit quite comfrotably, a bit like on horseback. Biologist who guided the tour knew well the local birds…”

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5.Azores: Marine Birdwatching & Islet Biologist Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 19 reviews · 3 hours · from $68

Join Terra Azul’s small-group birdwatching trip from Vila Franca do Campo. A biologist-led crew, including guide Alexandra on some departures, helps you spot shearwaters, terns, petrels, gulls, and dolphins from a 12-person Zodiac RIB.

“Enthousiaste leiding met veel kennis! Prachtige dingen gezien incl een grote groep tuimelaars als bonus!”

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6.Birdwatching Boat Tour in the Tagus Estuary

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $58

Join SeaEO Tours for a 2.5-hour birdwatching trip from Doca de Santo Amaro. An ornithologist or marine biologist guides up to 12 people past the 25th of April Bridge and into the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve, with binoculars, lifejackets, and time to spot flamingos, spoonbills, herons, ospreys, and waders.

“Lovely bird watching trip on the river Tejo! We got to see lots of different species, e.g. spoonbills, flamingos, whimbrels, godwits, stilts, pied avocets and most excitingly, several ospreys up close that gave a stunning display! We can definitely recommend the tour, it shows you a totally different side of Lisbon.”

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