When I visited Madeira on a family vacation in January 2024, we decided to go on two of Madeiras famous hiking routes: PR 6 – Levada das 25 Fontes and PR 6.1 – Levada do Risco.

It was the first time that I went on a hike with a professional tour guide.

Therefore, this post is not about planning the hike, but it is about my experience from this guided tour 🙂
Keep reading to see what you can expect from this hike in terms of trail condition, nature and wildlife.

Guided or non-guided trip – deciding when a guide is necessary

We decided to go on a guided trip since it was impossible for us to reach the beginning of the trail without having rented a car or taking a taxi.

The best things about going on a guided trip was that we could do the hike one-way, since we were dropped off at Rabaçal and were picked up at a different location (after walking in an 800 meter long tunnel in complete darkness, read more below!)

We had decided not to rent a car as we were traveling as a group of six people, and we were mostly relaxing in and around Funchal, the main city on the island of Madeira.

Hiking to 25 Fontes and Risco: The start of the hike at Rabaçal

Since we were staying north of Funchal we were the last people to be collected with the mini bus. This was a huge plus, as we skipped the part where the bus picks up people at many different hotels. After the trip, we were also the first to be dropped off, what a win-win situation 🙂

We arrived at the Rabaçal Parking site where the hike began around 10 o’clock, and our group was herded on the way by our skilled guide.

He explained to us how to interpret the wayfinder signs; as there are parts of the hike, you a supposed to go only one-way. This means, you will not return on the exact same road (even though our hike was not a ’round-trip’ this is what you normally do, when you park a car at Rabaçal).

The hike Levada das 25 Fontes length and difficulty

As you can read on visitmadeira.com, the hike lasts about 3 hours if you only hike the Levada das 25 Fontes. If you include Risco, it is only a little longer.

The Levada das 25 Fontes is 4.3 km one way, 8.6 km round-trip and it is considered a moderate hike. Hiking poles may come in handy, and hiking shoes are a minimum requirement for this hike.

Exploring the local wildlife and nature of Madeira

Already a few minutes into the hike I encountered the local endemic bird species, the Madeira chaffinch and the Madeira firecrest. They are very small birds, and the chaffinch was the most dominating bird there.

Frankly, I was surprised by the lack of animals present in the area. We did now have much time to explore the place in detail, because we were hiking in a group within a fixed time frame. 

Thankfully I could make my interest in the ecology of the laurissilva nature known to the guide, and he instantly shared his knowledge of the plants we observed along the hike.

“What is Laurissilva?” You may ask. It is a 20-million-year-old subtropical rainforest which was designated as having UNESCO World Heritage status. Follow the link provided and read more about the fascinating nature of Madeira!

Sharing the space with other tourists

As you can see in the picture below, this place is very attractive among tourists (which includes us of course!).

It was difficult to find a place to sit for lunch, because the place was so crowded. People were feeding the poor chaffinches, which resulted in the cheeky birds almost sitting on our shoulders, waiting to be fed while we ate our lunches there.

Experiencing an 800 meter long tunnel in complete darkness

The long tunnel which was built to as a shortcut through the mountain was a surprise to us on our trip!

Before we arrived at the entrance, he asked if any of us were uncomfortable with darkness and small spaces, and offered us to return to the parking lot as before. Everyone in the group decided to continue the hike and finish after the tunnel!

It was thrilling to experience the tunnel. It took them 14 years to build it and several lives were lost to complete this tunnel.

Back in the day, rich tourists were moved through the tunnel while relaxing on hammocks, while the poor workers would carry them through the dark and damp tunnel. I don’t see that happening today!

The exit with the lush vegetation hanging from the ceiling was a spectacular sight.

Pro tip: Bring a flashlight, head torch or use your phone (if you choose the latter, make sure you have a powerbank for recharging your phone again).

I hope you enjoyed reading my post about our (unfortunately) only hike while visiting Madeira Island in Portugal! We sure had a good time, and a hike is always more enjoyable when you come well prepared.

I wish to return another time to do some more exploring, hiking in less visited places and going at sea to see whales, dolphins and seabirds 🙂

*None of the mentioned places or experiences in this post were sponsored.

© All photos are my own unless stated and may not be used without permission.