Madeira Trail – accommodation, stages and guide
- Christian Sommer
- Nov 25
- 10 min read
The Madeira Trail is wild and adventurous: it takes you along narrow paths, spectacular mountain ridges, the highest mountain and moss-covered levadas through one of the most diverse landscapes in Europe. From dense laurel forests to panoramic peaks, you will discover an island that combines the forces of nature with tranquil beauty. Madeira is rugged, green, wild – and simply incomparable.
Content
1. Journey
2. Route
3. Accommodation
4. Weather and best time to travel
5. Further information
6. Recommended stages
7. Packing list
8. GPX and map information
9. Conclusion
Madeira Trail
The Madeira Trail is a long-distance hiking trail or trekking route consisting of interconnected hiking trails on Madeira. For this route, you need to plan for 15 stages, covering 280 kilometres and 12,400 metres of elevation gain. In my estimation, the difficulty level of the trails is mostly between T1 and T3. On this long-distance hiking trail, you will experience all the major highlights of the island: the impressive peaks of Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo, numerous magical waterfalls, the 25 springs, a 1-kilometre-long tunnel through a mountain and the mystical laurel forest of Fanal. The route also takes you across the plateau, along the cliffs at Caniçal and through the levadas of Rabacal. Traditional villages and unspoilt nature make Madeira's island crossing an unforgettable experience. With a mix of tents and accommodation, the tour is easily manageable.
Here you will find the ProCic Madeira app. This app provides you with notifications and warnings about road closures, weather, etc.
Madeira Trail arrival
Flight: The best option is to fly to Funchal, to Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC). To find cheap flights, I highly recommend Skyscanner – a first-class app that gives you a quick overview of the best flight deals.
Taxi: You can take a taxi directly from the airport to the starting point in Machico. The journey costs around £10 with a Bold taxi.
Bus: There is also a bus from the airport to Caniçal. I highly recommend the OMIO app for booking bus and train tickets.
On foot: You can also walk to the starting point. Leave the airport via the stairs and follow the pavement next to the motorway to Machico.
Tip: If you still need food or a gas cartridge, I recommend the ‘Modelo Continente Machico’ supermarket in Sitio da Queimada de Baixo, 9200-017 Machico. Please check for yourself before starting your tour whether gas cartridges are in stock. There are also several outdoor shops in Funchal.
Remember to insure your trip well – because a fall or other typical hiking injury can quickly result in high rescue costs. Auras Insurance offers you worldwide hiking and trekking insurance, specially designed for active travellers.
Use the discount code HIKINGFEX to get 10% off your insurance.
As always, I recommend watching my video about the tour:
Madeira Trail stages
The Madeira Trail is an impressive hike that takes you through the island's varied landscape in several stages. Each stage offers unique views of Madeira's coastline, mountains and valleys. The route is divided into several stages, each offering different levels of difficulty and landscapes.
Stage 1: Machico - Canical (20km und 540 m ascent)
Stage 2: Canical - Porto da Cruz (15km und 600 m ascent)
Stage 3: Porto da Cruz - Ribeiro Frio (20km und 1060 m ascent)
Stage 4: Ribeiro Frio - Pico Ruivo (20km und 1500 m ascent)
Stage 5: Pico Ruivo - 21km und 1100 m ascent)
Stage 6: Encumeada - Seixal (15km und 160 m ascent)
Stage 7: Seixal - Port Moniz 23km und 1500 m ascent)
Stage 8: Port Moniz - Ponta do Pargo (21km und 900 m ascent)
Stage 9: Ponta do Pargo - Paul do Mar (17km und 400 m ascent)
Stage 10: Paul do Mar - Lombo do Doutur (19km und 900 m ascent)
Stage 11: Rundwanderung zu den 25 Quellen (22km und 1100 m ascent)
Stage 12: Lombo do Doutur - Ponta do Sol (21km und 1050 m ascent)
Stage 13: Ponta do Sol - Ribeira Brava (21km und 730 m ascent)
Stage14: Ribeira Brava - Estreito de Câmara de Lobos (20km und 770 m ascent)
Stage 15: Estreito de Câmara de Lobos - Funchal (12km und 100 m ascent)
Take a look at the following images in the slider:
Madeira Trail accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation along the Madeira Trail, from charming guesthouses and hotels to cosy campsites. Many of these accommodations also offer spectacular views of the sea or mountains. In Ribero Frio, Boca du Encumeada and Seixal, it is not so easy to find accommodation, so I recommend a mix of tents and accommodation for the entire tour. You can book your accommodation directly here via my partner platform ‘Booking.com’ using the links below.
Starting point: Machicho
Stage 1: Canical
Campsite – Ponta de São Lourenço
Stage 2: Porto da Cruz
Stage 3: Ribeiro Frio
Campsite - Ribeiro Frio
Stage 4: Pico Ruivo
Berghütte - $
Campsite - Pico Ruivo
Stage 5: Boca du Encumeada
Campsite - Chão dos Louros – São Vicente
Stage 6: Seixal
Campsite - Fanal
Stage 7: Port Moniz
Campsite - Port Moniz
Stage 8: Ponta do Pargo
Stage 9: Paul do Mar
Stage 10 und 11: Lombo do Doutur
Stage 12: Ponta do Sol
Stage 13: Ribeira Brava
Stage 14: Estreito de Câmara de Lobos
Stage 15: Funchal
Registration for the campsites: The island offers a number of campsites that can be used free of charge by adventure-seekers. All but a few of the trekking campsites on Madeira are free of charge. For your trekking adventure, however, you must register once at the following link and reserve a pitch. You will then receive a pdf document for your reservation. In rare cases, rangers come by and check the trekking campers.http://www.madeiracamping.com/permission/
Facilities at the trekking camps: The campsites are all equipped differently. On the official homepage you will find signs and information about what is available on the campsites and in their surroundings.
Mountain hut on Pico Ruivo: There is a mountain hut and a small campsite on Pico Ruivo where you can spend the night. The hut is called "Casa de Abrigo Pico Ruivo" and can be found under the following link: https://picoruivo.com/pt/
Madeira Trail weather and best time to travel
Madeira often has a mix of sun, wind and clouds. Temperatures are usually between 18 and 30 degrees. July and August have the least rainfall. April, May and June are also excellent months for hiking. In general, you can do the tour all year round, but there may be snow on the mountains in winter. So check before you start your tour.
Proverb from Madeira. Come into my garden. I want my roses to meet you. Richard B. Sheridan 1751 - 1816.
Further information about the Madeira Trail
Money: ATMs and credit cards are accepted in many places. However, you should still take enough cash with you on your trip. The mountain hut at Pico Ruivo only accepts cash.
Mobile phone reception: I had reception almost everywhere, even with LTE. Only in the mountains are there some areas without network coverage.
Taxi: In an emergency or if there are changes to the route or road closures, it is best to call a taxi if there is no alternative route. Bolt works wonderfully on the island!
Water: Unfortunately, you won't always find it. Make sure your water container is always well filled. I usually carried around 2.5 litres with me. You should not drink the water from the lavendas. This is water used for agriculture. There are also waterfall basins or fountains along the way at times. However, you should definitely use a water filter. No matter how clear the water may be, it can still contain contaminants, such as animal excrement or dead animals. However, you can also boil the water.
Water at campsites: There is no water at the trekking camps themselves. You won't always find water along the route either, but we never had any real problems getting hold of it. In the mountains, it was possible to fill up at waterfalls (note: use a filter anyway!). Otherwise, there is a well or local supply in every larger village. Sometimes there is also a tap at houses. Thanks to the friendly residents, I was allowed to refill my water supply. Nevertheless, I always used a water filter to be on the safe side.
Food: There are local shops in every larger town and at the hut on Pico Ruivo.
Animals or vermin: There are practically no pests on the island and it is free of dangerous insects and beetles. However, be careful when pitching your tent. I had a damn big spider in the undergrowth. It was a bit of a shock.
Madeira Trail packing list
Here I recommend the most important hiking equipment that I own, have tested myself and have also bought myself. I pay a lot of attention to the weight and quality of my equipment. The equipment should simply feel good on longer tours and also be light. I can recommend the equipment for women because my wife uses it and it is basically the same as the equipment for men.
Note: Please keep in mind that the packing list is general and you will have to adapt it depending on the season and your needs!
Advertising note: These product links are affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, I will receive a small commission without you having to pay more. This is for the maintenance of my blog and you support me with my project, for which I am very grateful. Thank you very much!
Clothes
Hiking boots
Hiking shorts
Long hiking pants
Functional shirt
Hybridjacket
Fleece-jacket
Rain jacket
Functional underwear
Hiking socks
Other hiking equipment:
• Sun cap
Hiking backback (approx. 60 litres or as required)
by EXPED - unfortunately not available on Amazon.
• Backback - Ospray (was my old one and is also good)
Technology and orientation:
• Compass
• Headlamp
• GPS device or GPS watch if necessary
• Binoculars if necessary
Catering:
• Sweets to keep up morale :)
Health & first Aid:
• First Aid (small and light)
• Tape
• Bivouac
• Toilet paper
Other:
• Passport/Insurance certificate
• cash
• Gas cartridge
Film equipment:
• Camera
• Drone
• Tripod
• Clip
Long-distance hiking trails in Europe: 90 routes, all countries
Safety advice
Madeira Trail GPX and map
The GPX files are available for download from the following providers.
Outdooractive:
Komoot:
Madeira Trail conclusion
The Madeira Trail, which is almost 300 km long, is a fantastic long-distance hiking trail that has so much to offer. It showcases a cross-section of Madeira's beautiful landscape. I wish you a wonderful time and every success ;)
As always, I would be very happy to receive feedback via one of my channels.
You are also welcome to leave me a comment here.
Hello, I am Christian, the chief globetrotter of this Site and an enthusiastic adventurer, hiker and filmmaker. I love to explore new paths and inspire people with them, and I love to share my hiking knowledge with you! You can also find my videos on YouTube! On my blog you can find tips for beginners and professionals on the greatest and most beautiful hiking tours there are. I want to encourage people to explore the world as a hiker, whether in the countryside, through the forest or in the mountains. True to the motto: If you haven't hiked, you haven't seen the world,
On my blog, I also write about hiking gear, the right summit training and nature conservation, as well as tips and information about hiking.