6 - 12 km
50 - 600 m
8 Days & 7 Nights
Laurissilva Forest - UNESCO World Heritage site
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PARTNERS, CREDENTIALS AND MORE
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- Tour Grade
- Distance
6 – 12 km / day
- Profile
Mostly flat on Levada; hilly but soft climbs
- Route
Hiking trails and Levadas (water irrigation channels)
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Itinerary
Arrival in Funchal
Welcome to Madeira!
Our guide will pick you up at the airport and drive you to Santa Cruz (5 min). Once in Santa Cruz, you will arrive at your first accommodation where you can spend some time at the swimming pool, take a nap or relax with a beautiful mountainous view.
Hike Cape Girão & Levada do Norte
Our day will start with a transfer to Cape Girão (35 min).
Once there, you'll start walking in the Levada do Norte, the largest and most important levada in the island. This is a very pleasant and easy trail to begin with, allowing you to enjoy the island all year around due to its milder climate. Along the way, you'll see fantastic views arising, such as the parishes of Câmara de Lobos and Campanário, the green fields, the carefully worked plantations and a set of houses and buildings that form the villages. Similarly to other walking paths of Madeira Island, the beauty is immense and there is always time to take a break and appreciate the several species of fauna and flora of this site. At the end of the hike, you will be transferred back to your hotel (35 min).
Hike Rabaçal & 25 Fontes
After a 1 hour transfer to the surroundings of Rabaçal, begin your hike and today there will be an amazing hidden secret awaiting!
After gently descending to Rabaçal, you will find a path that will take you to an impressive waterfall as it goes along the Levada do Risco. This path reveals many landscapes, wonderful sensations and a wide variety of endemic species and after a short while, you will arrive at the Lagoa das 25 Fontes (Lagoon of the 25 Springs). The waters that formed this place permeated through the wall that forms the lagoon and also came from the top of the Moutain Marsh (Paul da Serra). This allowed for the construction of the 25 Fontes Levada in 1835 and it has always been a diamond for our eyes. A tranfer will take you to a new accommodation.
Hike from Jardim do Mar to Paúl do Mar
Today you will walk through a route full of heritage, located on the west side of the Madeira Island and was one of the few routes available for the population to access the coastline.
It is an oppportunity to walk calmly and absorb the landscape of the sea shore and the land filled with terraced farm plots which are held in place by stone walls. Designated as a "municipal path", this trail is genuine historical heritage, bearing witness to the isolation of past generations and to the ingenious and difficult trails built by the people to overcome it. The day will end with a short transfer back, but make sure to explore Paúl do Mar, an old fishing village known for the export of tuna which has a small and lovely parish on the seashore and stunning views of the cliffs.
Hike Paúl da Serra to Fanal
The trail reserved for today is included in the area of Laurissilva Forest, which is classified by UNESCO as a Natural World Heritage site since 1999 and a member of the European network of sites of community importance - Natura 2000.
Start in Paúl da Serra plateau and follow the trail to visit several viewpoints that reveal a set of beautiful landscapes, which highlight the valley of Ribeira da Janela and Chão da Ribeira. Pay attention to the area known as "Fio", where visitors can appreciate what is left of an ingenious apparatus of steel cables that were used to carry wood and shrubs collected in the Fanal forest. After, you will arrive at Fanal, a small volcanic crater classified as a resting reserve of the Natural Park of Madeira with the centenary forest of Ocofeafoefens trees.
Hike Levada da Janela
Today is going to be an amazing day!
Along the way you will find several tunnels, where you can feel and hear the water falling from the rocks creating a natural and relaxing symphony of sounds. Enjoy the fantastic scenery that arises, full of maritime pine, eucalyptus and other dense vegetation that is characteristic of the native forest - Laurissilva. On this day you will pass by species such as the Canary Willow, the large Madeira Laurel, Madeira Mahogany and the Lily-of-the-valley-tree, that abound along the Levada. Like looking through a window, at the end of the day you will reach a fantastic view dominated by large rocks that paint the landscape with a soft and pleasant shade of grey - Ribeira da Janela. Your hotel awaits but if you still have energy, do not forget to visit the natural pools of Porto Moniz.
Visit Funchal
After a one hour and a half transfer to Funchal, you will have the day off to enjoy the city!|
This is the most famous city of Madeira and people love to walk the streets of its cosmopolitan city center. Look for its historical sites like the cathedral or find the best ocean view spots. The opportunities are endless. You must also find the market of Funchal and enjoy part of your day tasting the best gastronomy from the islands; from meat skewer, to banana cake or the traditional poncha drink. You will not be disappointed!
Departure
Our splendid program has come to an end.
We hope that the memories and experiences that we have created and shared stay with you forever. Come back soon to discover some more of Portugal's Nature Trails!
