Tour Description:

Madeira is an island made for walking: a dramatic volcanic landscape where high mountains, ancient forests and the Atlantic Ocean come together in astonishing proximity. This journey explores the island on foot, following some of its finest trails through a succession of remarkably different landscapes. We will walk high above deep valleys, beside historic levadas cut into the mountainsides, through waterfalls and dense subtropical vegetation, and across open ridges with sweeping views over the island.

The traverse between Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo is one of the defining experiences of the trip. Here the trail follows a spectacular line through Madeira’s highest mountains, at times tracing narrow ridges suspended above steep valleys and a shifting sea of cloud. It is a landscape of extraordinary scale, rugged and exposed, yet intensely beautiful.

Hikes in Madeira satisfy all hiking levels. Each walking day offers two carefully chosen hiking options, allowing guests to select a gentler route or a longer and more demanding alternative. The emphasis throughout is on rewarding walking, exceptional scenery and well-paced days rather than technical difficulty. We also explore the natural and culinary richness of the island, by embarking on a whale watching trip (optional) and visiting a local winery. With its verdant hills, mountain ridges, ancient forests, waterfalls and immense Atlantic horizons, Madeira offers an intensity and diversity of landscape that few European destinations can match.

Tour Cost:

$5,800, Single Supplement $850

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March 6 – March 14, 2027 – 8 Nights

Destinations: Santo da Serra and Porto Moniz, Madeira (Portugal)

Enjoy the Mountains, Gorges and Levadas Walks of Madeira

March 6: meet guides in Funchal and transfer to Santo da Serra by private bus
March 7-9: hikes mountains in Central Madeira
March 10: transfer by private bus to Porto Moniz (visiting a traditional Madeiran winery on the way)
March 11: hike mountains in Western Madeira
March 12: optional whale watching boat tour or hike
March 13: hike mountains in Western Madeira
March 14: private bus to Funchal for flight home or on to next destination.

Stone hiking trail toward Pico Ruivo at sunrise above the clouds

Wildflowers and yellow broom with Madeira's peaks rising from a sea of clouds

Levada path through Laurisilva forest to the Caldeirão Verde waterfall

Viewing platform on the Pico do Areeiro trail above Madeira's jagged central peaks

Red volcanic cliffs and turquoise Atlantic water at Ponta de São Lourenço, Madeira

Tour Highlights & Details:

Hotels:
– Santo da Serra: Enotel Santo da Serra
– Porto Moniz: Aqua Natura Madeira

Highlights

• Pico Ruivo and Pico Areeiro
• Levada do Caldeirão Verde and its spectacular waterfall
• The Laurisilva forests of Madeira, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Watch the jagged peaks of the island emerge from a sea of clouds
• Whale watching tour
• Sweeping vistas over the Atlantic Ocean

Santo da Serra: Santo da Serra is a small countryside village set on the verdant slopes of Eastern Madeira. Vineyards, lush vegetation and rolling hills dotted with colonial style homes define an idyllic landscape that you will only find in this corner of the island. The town is only half an hour drive away from most trailheads and from the legendary Pico Ruivo – Pico Areeiro trail. The Enotel Santo da Serra offers spacious rooms, delicious food and a very extensive wine list.

Porto Moniz: This little fishing village sits on the Western edge of the island, in front of the grand stage of the ocean. Here, where the Atlantic extends beyond the horizon and the background is framed by the silhouettes of the Western Madeira mountain ranges, nature reigns supreme. Dolphins and whales can sometimes be spotted from the shoreline and the volcanic rocks along the shore come in all shapes and colors. Porto Moniz is truly a unique place, blending the rugged beauty of nature with the traditional life of the fishermen’s village and the comforts of our 4-star hotel.

Logistics:

Madeira’s international airport is in Funchal (FNC), where the group meets on the first day and returns on the last. Funchal has frequent flights from Lisbon and other European hubs, which in turn connect to the USA and Canada. Transport to and from trailheads, as well as between our two base villages, is by private bus, with a stop at a traditional Madeiran winery on the way across the island.

Guides: Shannon Harris, Cristiano Berta

TOUR 2: Portugal / Madeira Hiking Tour