Lisbon Hippotrip review – amphibious tour with kids

There are countless bus tours and boat trips in Lisbon – but for something combining a bit of both, it’s hard to think of many more fun than a Hippotrip with kids.

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You’ll spot the bright yellow amphibious vehicles as you wander around the city (similar to the Duck Tours of other cities), and the thought of being able to drive straight into the water meant it shot to the top of my daughter’s wishlist.

A mix of city tour and cruise along the Tagus river, we finally managed to fit it in on our final day in the city – and as my Hippotrip review shows, it’s hard to beat for families.

For more of the best things to do in Lisbon with kids, check out my top picks

Lisbon Hippotrip review – the essentials

The tour itself takes around 90 minutes, with most of the first hour driving around on dry land, the last section in the water.

The meeting point is at the docks, the Doca de Alcantara, which is approximately half-way between Praca do Comercio in central Lisbon, and Belem.

It’s worth allowing some extra time if you’re using public transport: there are buses and tram routes which run nearby, then you need to cross under the underpass passing the Alcantara-Mar station over to the waterfront.

And while you can buy tickets there, the journey means it’s also much easier to get your tickets online before you go – for the cheapest options, check out the discounted rate from tiqets or GetYourGuide, where they cost from £15 for kids, £25 for adults.

You can also book direct with Hippotrip, which may also have additional tour times available on its site – there are usually at least two tours per day even out of season, with four or more per day during the summer months.

The bus-boat has seatbelts which have to be worn on land (there are lifevests under the seats for water).

Kids are also given booster seats, partly to ensure they get a good view from the high-sided vehicle – the tour is a great way to get a different perspective on the city and some of its colourful buildings.

While the meeting point isn’t near much else that you’re likely to visit, it’s well signed and well organised when you arrive.

The vehicle is marked with the tour time and one of the members of staff calls out the names of those who’ve booked before you board – you get an assigned seat so there’s no mad rush at the start either which is good.

Oh, and yes… be warned: you might very well get wet!

Check out my complete guide to Portugal with kids here

Lisbon Hippotrip with kids – the experience

I’d originally planned to do our Hippotrip tour earlier in our stay in Lisbon, but as we’d inevitably packed the itinerary as full as it could go, it ended up being the last activity of our holiday.

So I’d wondered whether it might feel a bit like we’d seen and done a lot of what was included on the tour – but my nine-year-old was determined that this was what she most wanted to do with our final few hours.

And honestly, there’s always something a bit special about being able to drive straight into the water on an amphibious vehicle so she didn’t have to work too hard to convince me.

Realistically, I was there for the experience and the fun rather than any information from the tour, but with our enthusiastic upbeat guide chatting away, we still picked up a few fun facts along the way – and had gentle fun poked at a few of the adults.

Our guide managed a seamlessly bilingual chat as he delivered the quirky commentary in English and Portuguese (plus some bonus Italian thrown in for a few other passengers), as we discovered how the Rato district got its name and learned some of the symbolism of the statue in Pombal Square.

As well as a glimpse of the Estrela gardens, there was a chance to spot the Elevador de Santa Justa and some street art along the way too.

Needless to say, it’s not the kind of tour where you all sit there politely and listen: there is plenty of audience participation involved.

We’d already practised loudly shouting ‘Hurrah!’ and punching the air every time our guide yelled “Hippo hippo!” – somewhat to my daughter’s embarrassment, and much to the surprise and amusement of passers-by as we called out in unison along the route.

But having spotted a few of Lisbon’s key landmarks and sights, it was time to head back down towards the river and over to Belem.

With our driver now kitted out with a captain’s hat, and dramatic music playing, it was time for our amphibious vehicle to live up to its name as it plunged – about as gracefully as a hippo – into the water.

I’m just glad we weren’t sitting on the left hand side of the bus, which definitely felt the force of the splash as we touched down on the waves.

Having already seen the Monument to the Discoveries and Belem Tower from land earlier our visit, we got a new glimpse of them from the water as we chuntered past the boats cruising more sedately along the river.

There’s something about a bright yellow amphibious bus which makes everyone smile and wave though, even the passengers on the most elegant yachts.

Off in the distance was the dramatic doubledecker 25th of April bridge, with trains running along the bottom section, cars driving above – looking all the more dramatic against the moody cloudy skies of our February tour.

The Hippotrip tour goes round in a loop so whichever side your seat is on, you still get a good view of both the opposite bank and the monuments and buildings of Belem.

The guided commentary continues on the water too, so I learned a little more about why there’s one woman among the figures on the Monument to the Discoveries – an Englishwoman, no less: Philippa of Lancaster, grand-daughter of Edward III, wife of John I of Portugal and mother to Henry the Navigator.

For ideas of more things to do in Belem with kids, check out my top picks

Plus we got an answer to the question of what does happen to the wheels once the vehicle takes to the water. Let just say that if you’ve got visions of high-tech Bond-style technology, you couldn’t be more wrong!

Then the tour ventured further on beyond any of my visits on land, passing the Champalimaud Foundation – where the curving white modern building looks a little like a ship itself when seen from the waves.

And on past the little beach at Alges, towards the dramatically leaning VTS tower, which controls all the river traffic – very different from the more traditional lighthouse, with its tiled stripes, which we’d spotted earlier in the tour on the Belem waterfront.

Then time to emerge from the water once more – although there was one little surprise up our driver/captain’s sleeve (I won’t spoil the surprise though).

And then the short drive to head back to our starting point: by this stage, it was starting to get a little chilly after the February breeze on the water, so it’s definitely worth wrapping up out of season.

The tour doesn’t stop for bad weather either (although chances are it’ll be dry in Lisbon anyway), but blue skies and sunshine are certainly a bonus.

Despite the occasional shiver, it had been huge fun. And with a last cry or two of ‘Hippo! Hippo!’ ‘Hurrah!’, it was time to disembark, still grinning.

Lisbon Hippotrip tour: Need to know

The sightseeing tour is suitable for passengers aged two + and who can climb aboard the five fairly steep steps to get into the bus.

As well as booking tickets direct with Hippotrip, including a discount for family tickets, you can also find deals if you book through tiqets or GetYourGuide.

You’re advised to prebook, especially during the summer (even in February our tour bus was almost full) and to get to the meeting point at least 10 minutes before the start of the tour. If you do miss your tour, you can rebook for the same day, subject to availability.

Tours take place regardless of the weather, and usually run at 10am, 12 noon, 2.05pm and 4pm between October and March, plus a later 6pm departure between April and September.

At peak times, especially weekends and summer weekdays, there may be up to five additional tours, while at other times tour departure may be changed slightly depending on the tides, so always check the day’s schedule to be sure.

If you’re inspired by your jaunt onto the water to wonder what lies below the waves, Lisbon’s aquarium, Oceanario, is one of the best in Europe – check out my review of a visit to Oceanario

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission. We paid for our own tickets, and all opinions in this Hippotrip review are my own.

Images copyright MummyTravels

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