Santa Cruz, Madeira

Tours

Hike at your own rhythm on a self-guided trek in Madeira with pick-up and dropoff at your accommodation. Explore Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, for the sunrise and view unique landscapes between Madeira's highest mountains (up to 1862 m). Get picked up at your accommodation with a shared transfer (up to 8 guests per van) and head to the 2nd highest mountain, Pico do Arieiro. Get instructions and map explanations from your host along with a schedule. Hike for 5 hours from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo and then Achada do Teixeira (10 km). Be picked up after the hike at Achada do Teixeira in the parking lot. Hike information: • Duration: 5 hours • Extension: 10 km • Starting point: Pico do Arieiro (1818 m) • Ending point: Achada do Teixeira (1600 m) • Max elevation: 1862 m (Pico Ruivo) • Min elevation: 1548 m Transfer information: • Capacity: 8 people • From the city to Pico do Arieiro: average 1.5 hour • From Achada do Teixeira to the city: average 1.5 hour • Pick-up/Dropoff limits: Funchal and Caniço areas exclusively

Sunrise at Pico do Areeiro & Flexible Hiking Adventures Start your day by meeting your Madeira hiking transfer at one of the pickup points in Funchal, Caniço, or Garajau. From there, you'll be transported directly to the trailhead for a magical sunrise at Pico do Areeiro. Witness the golden hour amidst the dramatic peaks of Madeira as the day awakens around you. *Temporary Route Adjustments! While part of the PR1 trail is currently closed, you’ll still have time after sunrise to explore the accessible section up to Pedra Rija (1.2 km, also known as the "Stairway to Heaven") before returning to our bus. Next, we’ll take you to an alternative hike: - Vereda do Larano (a scenic coastal route) https://walkmeguide.com/en/madeira/trail/45/vereda-do-larano/ OR - PR1.2 Pico Ruivo Hike (a stunning mountain trail) https://walkmeguide.com/en/madeira/trail/17/vereda-do-pico-ruivo-pr1-2/ These options offer equally breathtaking experiences until the full PR1 trail reopens. --- **Classic PR1 Experience (when reopened): After the sunrise at Pico do Areeiro, you’ll follow the thrilling PR1 trail to Pico Ruivo. This well-marked path leads you through Madeira's stunning landscapes to its highest peak, with unforgettable panoramic views along the way. - Distance: 10 km - Duration: 3-5 hours - Difficulty: Moderate - Elevation Gain: 637 meters - Essential Gear: Headlamp or phone torch for early morning hours. Your hike concludes at Achada do Teixeira, where timed transportation will bring you back to your chosen stop. --- **Important Notes: Madeira’s high mountains are subject to sudden and severe weather changes. For safety reasons, we may occasionally need to cancel or adjust the hike. In such cases, you’ll receive a full refund or the option to rebook for another day. Please wear clothing suitable for changeable weather conditions and prepare for an unforgettable adventure in Madeira’s stunning outdoors!

Discover the highlights of western Madeira's beautiful landscapes and charming towns on a guided day tour from Funchal. Admire the wonderful scenic views with stops at Camara de Lobos, Cabo Girão Skywalk, Ribeira Brava, and many others. After pickup from your select hotels, relax and enjoy the scenic views as you travel to Câmara Lobos Village, admire the seafront, where the small fishing boats are docked. Drive along the narrow roads of Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. Admire the banana plantations and sugarcane crops on the steep terraces. Next, visit Cabo Girão, the highest sea cliff in Europe and the second-highest in the world. Enjoy the sweeping views over the mountains and sea and old agricultural terraces, still cultivated today. Descend town to the town of Ribeira Brava. Explore this charming settlement and visit its historic monuments, including the local church. Continue the drive through to Paul da Serra Madeira's popular flat plateau at 1500 m above sea level. Embrace the beautiful laurel forest views through Fanal, where the oldest laurel trees and endemic vegetation grow. See the sea and the mountains, then continue to Porto Moniz Valley, well known for its natural volcanic pools, where you will enjoy a swimming stop. After a lunch stop, head along the north coast, where you can see numerous flowing waterfalls. Drive through the village of Seixal, well known for its black natural volcanic beach, with a stop for photos. If weather conditions permit, discover Portugual's Encumeada Pass, where the north meets the south at 1,007 meters above sea level. Relax on the return journey to Funchal, you will be dropped back off at your hotel.

Welcome to our Mountain Sunrise Service, where you can experience the beauty of a mountain sunrise and hike at your own pace. If you're someone who loves to witness the first light of the day and embark on a breathtaking hike, then this is the ideal service for you. Our pickups begin bright and early, starting at 5:20 a.m. during the summer and 6:00 a.m. in the winter. We will pick you up from your location and transfer you to Pico do Areeiro. You will receive a time confirmation the day before your scheduled pickup. After enjoying the awe-inspiring sunrise, we’ll arrange a pickup at the other end at 12:00 midday in the summer and 1:00 p.m. in the winter, allowing you to hike at your own pace. Your hike will start from Pico do Areeiro and end at the Pico Ruivo car park in Achada da Teixeira. If you don’t show up until the time of planned departure, you will be classified as a "no-show" and the bus will leave you behind. We make sure everyone is fine. Please be at the bus stop 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive otherwise, we will take no responsibility for any circumstances not related to the transfer (that you might be missing etc). Once you've completed your hike, will be waiting to transport you back to Funchal, ensuring a comfortable and convenient return journey. Join our Mountain Sunrise Service and let us take care of the logistics while you focus on enjoying the majestic sunrise and the freedom of hiking at your own pace.

Explore the most incredible Natural Reserve of Madeira - PR8 Vereda da Ponta São Lourenço on a self-guided hike. Enjoy a convenient transfer to the start of the trail and get picked up and driven back at the end. Hike at your own rhythm, exploring the eastern coast of the Island. It is a peninsula of volcanic origin, mostly made of basalt, but with some limestone sediment formations. At the end of it, there are two islets: Desembarcadouro Islet and Farol Islet. The semi-arid climate and exposure to northern winds explain the low vegetation and the absence of trees in this place, contrasting with the rest of the island. It is classified as a Partial Nature Reserve heritage site, home to rare plants and a diversified fauna. Get picked up at your accommodation (Funchal, Caniço, Santa Cruz, Machico) with a shared transfer (up to 8 guests per van). Arrive at your destination and receive your hike instructions with scheduling and map explanation. The hike is a round trip trail totaling 7.5 km in length. This hike will take you roughly 4 hours to complete. The elevation gain is not much and the altitude is around 100 meters sea level. Due to the easy level of hike experience, its family, senior and child friendly.

After pickup, travel to Pico do Arieiro where you will enjoy the sunrise. This is the highest viewpoint of the island at 1818 meters of altitude. See the sunrise while enjoying a hot cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy a buffet-style breakfast of sandwiches, homemade cake, biscuits, water, orange juice, fruit jam, cheese, and ham at a very special location : a rustic old mill that was refurbished in order to accomodate people and a perfect spot to enjoy your breakfast in privacy and sheltered from the cold. Then, travel back to Camacha and go for a lovely walk in the Paradise Valley area. Admire the views of some endemic trees from the Laurissilva forest. Then, head back to the city center with drop-off at your hotel or at a central point. We have now introduced an option without breakfast available from Monday to Saturday for those that do not wish to have breakfast and just want to see the sunrise and return to the hotel in time for breakfast, this option is ideal for those who only wish to see the sunrise and do other activities during the day. Our Sunday sunrise tour has breakfast included and it also includes a visit to the Sunday Market of Santo da Serra which is a weekly event so Sunday is the only day it is available to visit. We replace the levada walk for this so please bear in mind when choosing the tour on Sunday.

During this 2 day tour, from 9AM to 5PM each day, you will have the change to experience the best of Madeira. Here are a few highlights that you will discover - Cabo Girão: Our first stop, we travel up to the magnificent 580m high, glass balcony view point of Cabo Girão, famous for being the highest in Europe and second highest cliff in the world. - Ribeira Brava: Traveling along the coast of the island we soon arrive at the village of Ribeira Brava, where we can visit a church dated in the 15th century. - Madalena do Mar: Next we make our way to Madalena do Mar, a smnice visit throught the lush green banana plantations. - Fonte do Bispo: From an altitude of between 1300-1500 meters we find the tourist attraction of Paúl de Serra and it's initiation of several levada walks that connect to different points of the island through the Laurissilva forest. - Porto Moniz: Home of the largest volcanic natural pools of Madeira. On our decent towards the town we can enjoy fantastic views, especially those of the volcanic pools in their entirety. Lunch stop / free time, about 1.30 to 2 hours stop. - Seixal: Next we enjoy a brief stop in Seixal. Along the way, we have the pleasure of passing several waterfalls, particularly the famous and stunning Bridal Veil waterfall. - São Vicente: Thereafter we visit the picturesque neighbouring village of São Vicente, where you can visit a beautiful church dating from the 17th century before returning to Funchal. - Câmara de Lobos: Situated 5km from the city of Funchal, our last stop is the quaint and famous fishing village of Câmara de Lobos; a favourite painting spot of the late Winston Churchill! - Cristo Rei in Garajau: Situated in one of the most surprising places on the Island of Madeira, the statue of Christ the King of Garajau is one of the most emblematic monuments on the east coast. - Machico: A historic city, it was here that the first settlers loved in 1420 and Funchal only became the capital in 1508. - Ponta de São Lourenço: Ponta do Rosto, the easternmost point of Madeira and is a natural reserve with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and spectacular rock formations; it is a unique landscape very different from the rest of the island. - Porto da Cruz: A small village located in the North Eastern part of Madeira, an ancient rum distillery testifies the importance of sugarcane for Madeira. - Faial: A small and picturesque village on the northeast coast of the island that was named after a local beech tree. The colonizers arrived here only in 1519 and were mostly of Moorish and Galician origin. - Santana: Santana is a charming village on the northeast coast of Madeira, well known for its colorful, thatched, triangular houses. Lunch stop / free time, about 1.30 to 2 hours stop. - Ribeiro Frio: Ribeiro Frio is a natural park located in a deep valley in the north of the island surrounded by mountains. - Pico do Arieiro: Pico do Arieiro is the third highest peak on the island of Madeira, with an altitude of 1818 meters. The views are fabulous, with clouds hovering over the fantastic rock formations - an impossible scenario to describe.

Choose a departure point that suits you. Then, go to the bus stop near you and wait for the vehicle to arrive. After that, get in the vehicle, sit back, and relax on the drive to Fanal Forest, an ancient laurel forest famous for its spectacular viewing points, lakes, and grassy fields. Decide if you want to go hiking on the trails, such as Vereda do Fanal PR13, a 6-mile (10 km) hike that ends at a volcanic crater. Explore Levada dos Cedros PR 14, another moderate hike that passes through mossy forests. Alternatively, relax in the forest if you don't want to go hiking. Get back on the bus at the end, and choose where to get picked up near the end of the trail or at Fanal Forest. Drive back to Funchal at the end.

Immerse yourself in the heart of Madeira with our Level 2 Canyoning tour, set in the stunning landscape of Curral das Freiras or the “Nuns Valley Village”. A scenic 20-minute walk takes you to the beginning of your adventure, allowing you to soak in the beauty of the towering Massif Central Mountains – a grand spectacle that remains with you throughout the activity. Experience the thrill of descending eight impressive waterfalls, each a unique challenge, with the two largest standing at a breathtaking 15 meters. Sprinkled throughout the descent are opportunities for optional jumps, enhancing the adrenaline-filled journey. The highlight of this adventure is a spectacular toboggan ride or an optional 6-meter jump at the end. The best part? You can repeat this exhilarating finale, making this canyoning experience truly unique and unforgettable. The tour takes place in Ribeira do Cidrão and lasts about 3 to 4 hours. Just bring a bathing suit and a positive spirit – we’ll take care of the rest, providing everything you need for this memorable adventure. Join us any day of the week to experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Madeira like never before! Pick ups outside Funchal have an extra cost of 15€ per person •Where: Ribeira do Lajeado Or Ribeira do Cidrão •Number of waterfalls: 6 to 10 •Number of jumps: Máximum 6 (all optional) •Longest abseil: 20 meters •Duration: 5 to 6 hours •To be brought by clients: bathing suit and good mood •Included: everything you need for the activity.

Begin the tour with pickup at your hotel in Funchal, Machico, or Santana. Then, sit back on a scenic drive through the countryside. Stop in a rural cafe for a cup of coffee. Drive up to Pico do Arieiro, which is the highest mountain in Madeira, at a height of 5,965 feet (1,818 meters). Marvel at the incredible view of rugged cliffs and misty mountains from some of the best viewing platforms. Watch the sunrise and then go on a drive along countryside roads. Take in the scenery of Faial, known for its high mountains along the coast. Go for a hike if the weather is good. Finally, return to your hotel at the end.