As you make your way along the paths that follow the aqueduct or levada you’ll realize that the Portuguese must have admired the scenic beauty in 1419 when they first explored the unique vegetation of Madeira Island. On your half-day walking tour of Levada do Rei, you’ll be experiencing one of Madeira’s most spectacular levadas. You’ll spend the first half of the walk in an exotic forest that is composed mainly of specimens of introduced flora. After about 30 minutes, you’ll enter one of the most well-preserved areas of the Laurisilva Forest. The forest was listed by UNESCO in 1999 as a World Heritage Site and is considered among the 7 wonders of Portugal. You’ll observe here, in abundance, the large number of endemic flora species of the island. The distance covered on this guided walk is approximately 10 kilometers.

Following a convenient pickup from your accommodation or at Madeira Airport, depart on your private tour to Laurissilva Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, via the Levada do Rei for one of the most beautiful hiking trails of Madeira. Starting at São Jorge, a peaceful village located in the north of the island with spectacular views over the mountains and sea, the first part of the trail consists of a mixture of endemic and introduced vegetation after the discovery of the island. You’ll also get various perspectives on the villages in the distance as you walk along the man-made channels created to carry water for irrigation of agricultural fields around the island. In the second part, the trail penetrates into the interior of the island that stills remains the same since before its discovery more than five centuries ago. On this path you’ll find the natural flora and fauna of Madeira that includes laurel, heather, chaffinch, among many others. Just as you think you’ve reached the end of the levada, keep walking to explore the incredible forest and the exhilarating beauty this unique place has to offer.

This walk situated in the beautiful valleys of São Jorge will take you into the lushest places to be found on the island. Walk through Madeira’s rain forest and experience the profusion of herbs and medicinal plants that abound in these valleys and at the same time learn about the healing properties of these ancient remedies. The first part of the trail consists of a mixture of endemic and introduced vegetation. You can see various perspectives of the village at a distance. Walk through or behind a waterfall and arrive at a true paradise on earth. The sheer beauty of this place where the silence reign supreme, will take your breath away.