Walking holidays in Madeira, Portugal
| country: | Portugal |
| location: | Madeira |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 3 Apr, 1 May, 29 May, 28 Aug, 25 Sep, 23 Oct 2011: 16 Apr, 7 May, 28 May, 27 Aug, 24 Sep, 22 Oct |
| price: | From £689 - £719 (8 days) including flights from the UK. From £539 - £579 excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A week’s varied walking on the beautiful and dramatic Atlantic island of Madeira
Levadas & the Far West
Your base for the first three days walking is a warm valley by the sea on the south coast of Madeira. Here you explore the ingenious water irrigation systems called levadas. Following the natural contours, the early settlers brought water down from the highest area to their sugar plantations using these man-made channels. Often flower-lined they meander through the terraced fields and small hamlets offering outstanding views of this mountainous island.
Cliffs, Peaks & Valleys
Driving along the dramatic north coast you change bases, walking through lush laurel forest to reach the beautiful Caldeirao Verde you take the old coastal path to the fishing village of Machico. The finale is an ascent of Pico do Arieiro for sunrise and a dramatic traverse to the highest point in Madeira, Pico Ruivo (1862m) where hopefully you’ll be able to see both coasts at the same time.
Levadas & the Far West
Your base for the first three days walking is a warm valley by the sea on the south coast of Madeira. Here you explore the ingenious water irrigation systems called levadas. Following the natural contours, the early settlers brought water down from the highest area to their sugar plantations using these man-made channels. Often flower-lined they meander through the terraced fields and small hamlets offering outstanding views of this mountainous island.
Cliffs, Peaks & Valleys
Driving along the dramatic north coast you change bases, walking through lush laurel forest to reach the beautiful Caldeirao Verde you take the old coastal path to the fishing village of Machico. The finale is an ascent of Pico do Arieiro for sunrise and a dramatic traverse to the highest point in Madeira, Pico Ruivo (1862m) where hopefully you’ll be able to see both coasts at the same time.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London On arrival in Madeira, you drive across the island from the airport outside Funchal to Ribeira Brava on the south coast. This small, lively town set at the end of a dramatic gorge makes an excellent base for your first few days. It has a choice of restaurants and an attractive seafront. Hotel - 3 nights |
| Day 2: | Ribeira Brava The west coast of Madeira is battered by the Atlantic rollers day in, day out, and as a result has some fantastic scenery. The rocky shoreline with a southern, sunny aspect creates a number of sheltered valleys which have been exploited for fruit production, especially for bananas and grapes. This morning, for your first walk of the trip, you are transferred to a point just above Apresentação near Corujeira on the Levada Nova. This levada follows the south coastal road and is considered to be one of the prettiest. It makes its way through the valleys and the wooded hillsides that rise above, following the southern coastal road. You walk eastwards from Apresentação towards Ponta do Sol (Sunny Point). Not surprisingly this is regarded as the fairest point on the island and is the centre for banana production. From Porta do Sol you transfer back to Ribeira Brava. (B) |
| Day 3: | Ribeira Brava First thing in the morning you transfer to the Boca da Encumeada Pass (1007m). The pass runs from north to south and clouds frequently rush up to the northern side and then spill over it, creating a lovely scene. Arriving early you (hopefully) will not be at the pass when this happens, but as you walk towards the Pico Grande you should be able to look back and see the clouds cascading down the southern side of the pass. The walk today takes you through woods of chestnut and eucalyptus before traversing below the rocky escarpment of Pico Grande. There are fantastic views to the south and west from this path. The trail ascends Pico Grande, taking you round the mountain where the views really open up and give you a taste of the days to come. Out to the east the mountains loom, and to the west you can see the Paúl da Serra. After passing Pico Grande you see the emerald green valley containing Curral de Freiras in the distance; remember this sight as you will be there on day seven!! This is the beauty of Madeira; what you see in the distance today might be where you are walking tomorrow, so you can really get a feel for the lay of the land on this gem of an island. (B) |
| Day 4: | Porto Moniz The morning starts with a transfer to Pinaculo and a short walk to Bica da Cana. This is a lovely little walk of about 6 ½ km and is a good warm up for your walk later in the day. After arriving you head off by minibus to the Rabaçal Valley, a fairytale woodland garlanded with primitive moss and lichen. Your walk (approximately five hours in total) takes you first along the Levada do Risco to the charming Risco Waterfall. Then you follow the Levada 25 Fontes (25 Springs), to the point where numerous (even if it’s not actually 25!) springs and waterfalls meet in watery confusion, before descending to the Levada Rocha Vermelha. Finally you emerge from a levada tunnel above the attractive coastal town of Calheta, once a centre for the export of sugar. Here you rejoin your minibus and drive round the western end of the island to the former whaling station of Porto Moniz at its most northerly point. The attractive old town rises up the hillside from the harbour, whereas the new resort town has spread along the coast. You can stop for a dip in the delicious sun-warmed water of one of the natural sea pools found in the volcanic rock. Hotel – 1 night (B) |
| Day 5: | Santana/Porto Do Cruz This morning you make your way clockwise around the island along the magnificent northern coastal road. This is considered to be the most expensive road in the world due to the engineering feats that were needed for its construction. The road hugs the cliffs or tunnels through them and as a result is one of the most spectacular coastal journeys in the world. As traffic increased, new tunnels were made and where possible it was widened, making it safer. You continue along this road through Sao Vicente and Ponta Delgada until you reach Ilha de Sao Jorge. This is the start point for your walk. You head towards the Caldeirao Verde (Green Cauldron). This path takes you through some of the thick laurel forest that is characteristic of this area. The terrain is dramatic and steep as you make your way along the levadas and through tunnels that have been carved through the mountain sides. There is a large amount of moisture here with ferns and mosses being prevalent (a scene reminiscent of tropical cloud forest), and it is from this plethora of emerald colours that the place gets its name. After soaking up (literally!) the atmosphere you continue on a more gentle path to the second destination on the walk, the Pico das Pedras (Peak of Rocks). As you head back towards the coast the views open up again, welcome after the close laurel forests. You walk for about 5 ½ hours today. You transfer to Santana or Porto da Cruz for the night. Hotel – 1 night (B) |
| Day 6: | Funchal Today you start walking from Porto da Cruz, at sea level and head inland. Your destination is Machico, Madeira’s second town and one-time capital which is also on the coast. As a result of this, you will have to climb approximately 400m and then descend the same amount over the course of the day; this will take about six hours. Porto da Cruz is a lovely fishing village and as you head up the cliffs you will get great views of it. This is a welcome distraction as the climb is relatively steep, but once you get up the cliffs this is an extremely beautiful walk. You pass through Lorano looking out for some of the indigenous plants for which Madeira is famous, such as the house leek and the Madeiran orchid. The scenery changes as you head inland at the Boca do Risco, and make your way over a pass, the highest point on the walk. The descent is through cool pine forests - welcome after the morning’s ascent. Machico was the first spot on the islands to be colonised and was the capital for the first 50 or so years. You have time to explore Machico before transferring to Funchal for the evening. Hotel – 2 nights (B) |
| Day 7: | Funchal Today you head back into the hills above Funchal. This will be an early start as you aim to be on Pico Arieiro (1810m) for sunrise. If it is clear you will have great views; this is one of the highest peaks on the island, and if lucky you can see both coasts. The first section crosses a volcanic landscape along a narrow ridge with steep drops, although the worst are fenced off for safety. The path, which is narrow in places (and thus not advised for sufferers of vertigo), passes through a series of tunnels then ascends steeply across an area of ancient heather trees. From here a path leads up to Pico Ruivo (1,860m), the highest point on the island. The weather is more likely to be clear on the Pico Arieiro due to the early start of your walk but from the viewpoint on Ruivo there’s an even more magnificent panorama on all sides - if the skies are clear. You end the walk in the delightful village of Curral de Freiras (Valley of the Nuns), originally a refuge for nuns escaping the attention of pirates, looking to pillage the convents. The walk today is about 6 ½ hours. After arriving and resting for a while you transfer back to Funchal for the night. (B) |
| Day 8: | Free; Fly To London The trip ends for Land Only clients. Clients on group flights to the UK transfer to Funchal Airport in time to check in for your return flight to London. Funchal is dramatically situated in a natural amphitheatre with exotic gardens, grand buildings and a very colourful flower and fruit market. You may have time to explore the area today dependant on flight schedules (B) |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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We stay in locally-run hotels and eat in local restaurants. These are part of the fabric of the community in Madeira and bring income and visitors to different parts of the island. Our local overseas leaders offer a great way to find out more about the local culture, speak the language, understand the day-to-day life around them and help to ‘open doors’ to a fuller experience. The local trekking guides used in Madeira operate a voluntary system and they have a set of environmental guidelines that they work with. Your Group Leader will share information on this with you during your trip.
Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems.  Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of GB £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you call. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |