Madeira Guided Walk

On arrival at Funchal airport, a short transfer is included to the village of Santa Cruz on the east coast. At the beginning of the evening you will have a meet & greet with your guide and the rest of the group. The guide will go through the details for the week. Accommodation: Stay two nights at a small hotel set around a renovated historic house in the town of Santa Cruz a 5 minute drive from the airport. All rooms have private facilities, there is an outdoor pool, a restaurant and a fitness area. Santa Cruz has a lovely white church dating back to the early 16th century. Crossing the village's main road, you will get to ‘’Praia das Palmeiras’’, a pebble beach and you can enjoy a lovely walk through the promenade, flanked by palm trees and by the sea.

After breakfast we embark on our first walk. It will take you along the stunning coast of Madeira. We begin the day with a short transfer to the start of the Levada de Canical, near the town of Machico which you will soon leave to climb to the Boca de Risco pass (300m). From there a cliff hugging coastal path takes you along some of the the wildest stretches of coastline in Madeira, along the Espigao Amarelo, an exposed cliffside path which descends to the village of Larano (200m). There is some subjective exposure on this walk, although there is fencing beside the most exposed areas. There are fantastic cliff views towards the northwest. From Larano we continue to walk down path and road to the small resort of Porto da Cruz, famous for its 'Engenho do Norte' sugar cane mill and rum distillery, and then transfer by road back to Santa Cruz. If the group is not up for it or the weather doesn't allow (very windy conditions can make the cliffs unsafe), there is a shorter alternative.

Time to head up into the high mountains! After a 45 minute road transfer above Santo António, the walk will take you across the crest of three dramatic summits rising above 1,700 metres: Pico do Cedro (1,759m), Curral Martinho (1,785m), and the island’s third-highest peak, Pico do Arieiro (1,818m). The opening stretch offers sweeping views over the deep bowl of Curral das Freiras, the highlands above Funchal, and the jagged spine of Madeira’s central massif, an ever-changing panorama shaped by light, cloud, and altitude. After pausing at Pico do Arieiro, a short detour brings you to the Ninho da Manta viewpoint, one of Madeira’s most spectacular balconies, overlooking the wild valleys of Fajã da Nogueira and the striking rock formation of Penha de Águia. From here, the trail returns briefly to Pico do Arieiro before beginning its long descent through the Ribeira das Cales in changing vegetation zones, ending in the quiet surroundings of the Ecological Park. At the end of the walk, transfer to the hotel. --- Accommodation: the last 5 nights are spent on the southwest coast of Madeira. Our hotel offers a peaceful stay with mountain and sea views. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, and you can enjoy the outdoor pool and traditional Madeiran cuisine at the on-site restaurant.

Transfer to the mountain resort at Encumeada from where we take a winding route with amazing views through the Laurissilva vegetation, along the Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal. There can be some wet areas today: we will pass a number of impressive waterfalls as we follow the Levada do Norte (take a torch for the tunnels). Finally we reach the summit of Bica da Cana one of the most popular (and photographed) viewpoints on the island at 1580 metres. There is a unique view over the São Vicente valley, where the shades of green of the Laurissilva forest are predominant. From here, our bus and driver, familiar friends by now, pick us up to visit the stunning natural lava pools at Porto Moniz (admission excluded). Spend some time in the afternoon before we leave for our accommodation.

After a 1-hour transfer, we walk up steeply from the sleepy village of Ilha onto the Levada Caldeirao Verde at around 880 metres and into the lush laurissilva vegetation. Doing this walk will involve a couple of long tunnels, take a torch and watch your head. It is also a popular route so there will be quite a bit of people passing, however, due to our short transfer in the morning we'll be one of the firsts on the trail. On the way we may do a dog leg out to a beautiful waterfall at the Caldeirao Verde, the caldera is a cove type feature and there are great potential views over the forested peaks of the ridge of Lomba dos Passegueiros. We finally walk out to the cafe and thatched cottage at Queimadas. From there you are transferred back to the hotel.

A morning transfer takes us to the start of the Levada dos Cedros. We follow this Levada up to Fanal. Here you will find a centuries-old Til (Ocotea foetens) forest, some of which was here when the island was discovered. The Levada dos Cedros is one of the oldest levadas in Madeira. Built in the 17th century, it starts in the water outcrops of Lombo do Cedro, at an altitude of 1000 metres. It is excavated in the soil of the hillside, and is only paved in areas where the soil is more friable. There are some ancient 30-40 metre high trees on the way that are known as 'Witches Trees'. It is an intermediate walk that does involve a steep climb of about 500m through Laurisilva forest. We will stay at this level for a circular walk appreciating the views from this plateau at Parque Florestal. At the end of the walk, transfer back to the hotel.

Today you will be transferred to Lombo do Urzal to find the start of the Levada dos Tornos. Via the Faja do Penedo chapel, this levada takes us all the way down to Boa Ventura. A spectacular route through the hills and valleys that connect the towns of Faja do Penedo, and Lombo do Urzal. This levada is a fascinating tour along the paths that break through the green mountains with breathtaking views of the small rural towns in the region. This evening we bid farewell to our guide and group with a communal dinner at the hotel.

After breakfast, a transfer to the airport is organised and takes approximately 50 minutes. If it is your first time to Madeira, we advise you to spend some time in the charming capital Funchal. Please check below 'Options & Supplements' for a package that includes 2 overnights and an airport transfer in the low season, prices per person. Speak to our team for further details.