Madeira walking holiday
Levadas, the mountain-view Balcony Walk and flowering Funchal – this holiday spends a week walking around the greatest hits of Madeira.
Funchal Sao Lourenco Peninsula Queimadas Forest Park Caldeirao Verde waterfall Porto Moniz Levada do Moinho Ribeira da Cruz Paul do Mar Levada Calheta Balcony Walk hiking, whale watching and rum tasting
Price
£899To£1199 excluding flights
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More info
Prices based on 2 adults sharing.
Single supplement available.
Mimimum age 16.
Single supplement available.
Mimimum age 16.
Last minute
Late availability on these dates: 21 Oct, 27 Dec
Description of Madeira walking holiday
This week-long walking holiday loops around the whole of Madeira, a volcanic island with some seriously scenic vistas. Although the grand cathedrals and near-tropical gardens of Funchal are your start and finish point, it’s really just a very scenic springboard into the mountains and valleys beyond.
There’s no doubt that the levadas are a highlight. These traditional stone irrigation channels double as footpaths through laurel forests, past abandoned mills and to waterfalls like the Caldeirao Verde. The Balcony Walk between the peaks of Pico Ruivo and Arieiro is a tightrope challenge – but worth it for the views deep into the valley below. You’ll also get the chance to hike the volcanic Sao Lourenco Peninsula, with the Atlantic Ocean bracing you on either side.
Best of all, this walking holiday to Madeira is a small group tour, so you’ll be in the hands of a guide who’ll know which village restaurant serves the best banana espada and where to rest your legs with a poncha sundowner.
Map
Price information
£899To£1199 excluding flights
Convert currency:
Prices based on 2 adults sharing.
Single supplement available.
Mimimum age 16.
Single supplement available.
Mimimum age 16.
Check dates, prices & availability
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Holiday information
Small group tour:
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. Those with a two-week holiday, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.
Reviews
19 Reviews of Madeira walking holiday
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 25 Apr 2023 by Tony Ripley
I cannot pick out a single thing as the whole trip was wonderful... Excellent and would recommend to anyone who enjoys walking in a beautiful country. Read full reviewReviewed on 26 Mar 2023 by joy withers
We ate in different local restaurants and shown local products. Our guide was passionate about the environment and Madeira in itself. Read full reviewReviewed on 30 Oct 2022 by Kathleen Bartholomew
Great, will do it again! Never thought I could walk 24 miles in 3 days but with a group, I could easily. Amazing how comradery carries you. Read full reviewReviewed on 19 Sep 2022 by Michael taverner
Excellent and Benny the walking guide was brilliant. Read full reviewReviewed on 05 Jun 2022 by Rosine Arnold
A great success, with lots of memorable times. Read full reviewReviewed on 27 Mar 2022 by Rowena Dark
Fantastic. Really beautiful country and stunning walks with fabulous scenery Read full reviewReviewed on 12 Sep 2021 by Josephine Glover
Great holiday. So good to get away. Amazing scenery inland but Funchal is really disappointing so we could have done with less time there. The Funchal hotel (do Carmo) was grim. Read full reviewReviewed on 01 Mar 2020 by Nancy Wiesenfeld
The most memorable part of the holiday was the balcony Walk and the first walk along the peninsula at the tip. Read full reviewReviewed on 18 Feb 2020 by Sunita Raj
Well organised trip. Good balance of activity and relaxation. Excellent tour guide. Read full reviewReviewed on 20 Oct 2019 by Eldad Rosenthal
The most memorable part of the holiday was the hiking trips in the mountains and along the Levadas. Read full reviewReviewed on 28 Mar 2019 by Anne Monks
Excellent. Felipe is an amazing guide; his love of the island and knowledge of its flora really enhanced the walks Read full reviewReviewed on 21 Feb 2019 by Sarah Withycombe
The whole holiday was amazing, our guide Filipe Gomes was brilliant, and probably the best guide I've had so far, loved and knew everything about his culture, history and plants of the island, and very enthusiastic... Read full reviewReviewed on 25 Aug 2018 by Denise Mahood
The walks were excellent. The hike to the top of the mountain was especially memorable. The lead as we're so interesting. Our guide, Philippe, was absolutely wonderful - better than excellent. Read full reviewReviewed on 07 Apr 2018 by Diana Greer
The highlight was getting to the top of Pico Ruivo (the highest peak in Madeira) above the cloud level. Read full reviewReviewed on 26 Apr 2014 by Anne-Marie Hesmondhalgh
...lots of variety...Extremely enjoyable holiday. One that I would recommend. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet and people
Madeira is a magical island, and the best way to see it is by foot! Our one-week trip aims to offer travellers the opportunity to get to know the lie of the land, without joining a bus-based package tour.We use a local operator, family-run hotels and local restaurants that serve fine traditional cuisine (try the fantastic Madeira Wine and Madeira Cake!), which means that the money our groups bring remains within these small communities. Here, the rural island culture continues much as it has for centuries, and we spend as much time as possible out and about walking and learning more about this island's natural environment.
In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.
As a company we support Cool Earth. Protecting rainforest is one of the most effective actions to tackle climate breakdown. Cool Earth work with indigenous communities empowering them to conserve their forest; keeping CO2 locked in.
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