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We invite you to explore a unique island, full of unusual places and full of secrets! This is Madeira, which means "wooded" in Portuguese. Here you'll find ancient forests of laurel and eucalyptus and the island is covered with a dense network of original irrigation channels called levades. Most of the hiking trails along the levadas allow you to discover the secrets of the island, hidden among the dense forests and deep gorges.
We will also climb the highest mountains of Madeira, which used to be the top of a volcano and now surprise us with their steep cliffs and sharp peaks. We will get acquainted with the culture of the locals and immerse ourselves in its color.
The route of the hiking in Portugal is relatively easy, because we will hike with light backpacks, and every night we will stay overnight in hotels or guest houses.
This trek in Madeira is not recommended for people with vertigo or fear of heights.
We do not cancel or shift groups. If the manager approved the purchase of a ticket, you can surely buy it. The hike will not be canceled due to our fault.
Experienced Kuluar teamleaders will accompany the group on all route, will make the trip as safe and unforgettable as possible!
A manager will help you prepare for the trip and answer all your questions
All overnight stays will be in pre-booked guest houses and hotels, where you can take a shower, charge your smartphones and cameras, try the local cuisine
The program is specially made for those who want to trek without heavy backpacks, while visiting the most interesting places in Madeira
More than 12,000 participants have already gone to the mountains with the Kuluar and 97,8% were satisfied.
We begin our hike of the Madeira island with the capital city of Funchal. It is a rather cozy and small town on the southern coast. Tidy white houses with tiled terraces sit on a mountain slope. We walk through the city park and along the promenade. In the park against the backdrop of exotic plants quite nice looking pond and fountains, and on the waterfront moored boats of all sizes - from fishing boats and pleasure yachts to large cruise ships. We also visit the Lavrador Market, one of the local attractions, which is quite large by local standards. Depending on the time of arrival on the island, we will choose the best tour program, because you can take the cable car up over the city, visit the botanical garden and enjoy the view of Funchal and the ocean from a height. And then go down from Monte Monte on an asphalt sled! That's right, you heard right. This activity is called "Carros de Cesto do Monte," and since 1850, locals have used such transportation to get down the hill.
In the evening at dinner we get acquainted and find out what lies ahead.
Today is going to be an incredibly busy day! Let's go to the mountains - the trekking across the Maidera begins! On the way to the mountain plateau we will stop for a photo at the highest cape in Europe - Cabo Girao. On a good weather it offers great views of the ocean and the capital of Madeira - Funchal.
We move further and higher up to the mountain plateau of Paul da Serra. On its slopes many mountain streams have their source and afterwards they carry their water through special irrigation canals like blood vessels all over the island. These canals are called levades and were built to irrigate the fields at the time the sugarcane plant, a very water-loving plant, was introduced to Madeira. Later, many of the canals lost their original role and the paths along them were used as walking trails.
Today we will stroll through several of these Levada das 25 Fontes, Levada do Risco. The Levada das 25 Fontes is one of the most popular in Madeira, its name corresponds to the number of small waterfalls you can see along the trail. The highlight is the high Risco waterfall at the end of the Levada of the same name.
After visiting the waterfalls by early booked minibus we move to the next fabulous place - the Fanal laurel forest. Depending on the weather, this forest changes incredibly. It looks especially beautiful and even a little mystical in the fog, which is not uncommon here. We will walk among ancient laurels with bizarre trunks and branches, and then take a minibus down to the ocean. We will stop in the town Porto Moniche.
Distanse: 15 km. Approximate travel time: 5 hours.Climb: 600 m. Drop 600 м.
Today we are resting at the ocean after yesterday's brisk walk through the mountains. The small town Porto Moniche is known to the world for its lava pools. Frozen lava reminds us of Madeira's "hot" past and at the same time protects swimmers from the ocean's harsh temperament by holding back the waves. If you wish, we will climb the mountain serpentine above Porto Moniche to see the coast and the town from above.
We will also visit the beach in the village of Ribeira da Janela today - it will surprise us with quirky high cliffs sticking out of the water. A great photo location!
Distanse: 8 km. Approximate travel time: 4 hours. Climb 300 m. Drop 300 m.
We drive along the coast to the opposite side of the island, to the town of Santana. There is no hurry on the way to visit a beautiful levada called Levada do Rei. After listening to the birds we go to Santana. There we visit the famous open-air museum with beautiful traditional houses. You can enter them and get acquainted with the life of the pioneers of the island.
Distanse: 12 km. Approximate travel time: 4 hours. Climb of 300 m. Drop 300 m.
Are you longing for narrow levards and waterfalls? Today, after a good rest, we will continue to explore the laurel forests and deep gorges of Madeira. We will go to two lakes and the waterfalls that form them. On the way to Caldera Veide we will pass through tunnels that were cut through the rocks in the 18th century.
Caldera Veide Lake is a deep bowl with crystal clear and cool water. This bowl fills the waterfall, falling from a height of one hundred meters. Farther down the levade is a similar lake Caldera do Inferno, much less visited. Of course, we will go there! The walk will take almost a whole day.
We will return to the same point where we started, in Queimadas, where there are very photogenic and traditional-looking lodges. From there a early booked bus will take us back to Santana.
Distanse: 13 km. Approximate travel time: 5 hours. Climb 1300 m. Drop 1300 m.
Today we rest again after trekking through the levads, but still as active and interesting. A minibus will take us to one of the shortest trails in Madeira, leading to the Balconouche Lookout. The name speaks for itself. From this balcony over the abyss you have a stunning view of the deep gorge and the sharpest and highest mountain peaks in Madeira. And we will be there tomorrow! We will appreciate the full scale of tomorrow's trekking and go to see how to grow trout in the mountains. Fed and happy we go to the levada along the route PR 10 Portela - 11 km. The route Ribeiro Frio - Portela gives the opportunity to see the nature that met the first settlers.
Distanse: 11 km. Approximate travel time: 6 hours. Climb 50 m. Drop 50 m.
Today is the climax of our hike, and let's hope we have good luck with the weather. After all, we are going to the two highest peaks in Madeira. Clouds will be strewn at our feet, and the heights and cliffs around us will be breathtaking. A stony trail winds along a ridge between rocks, connecting the two peaks. The views are panoramic - a full 360!
We wake up early this morning, as this fascinating route will take all day. Our trusty minibus will take us to the beginning of the trail at Pico do Arieiro, and will meet us on the descent from Pico Ruivo. In the evening in Funchal we will definitely go to a cafe and share our impressions of the day.
Distanse: 10 km. Climb 650m. Drop 750 m.
The landscape of Ponta de Sao Laurenço is different from the rest of the island of Madeira. There is no forest on the cape, only huge rocks and waves of the ocean crashing against them. The cape looks like a huge dragon that has collapsed into the water and is petrified. The cliffs of the cape are striking for their severity and diverse rock, multicolored layers of which are clearly visible. The trail goes quite close in some places, and although there is a fence in these places, you should be wary of strong gusts of wind, which are not uncommon here. The hiking route on the cape is about 8 km round trip, so the walk will take most of the day. We will see a completely different Madeira.
Distanse: 8 km. Climb 550m. Drop 550 m.
Today is the last day of our fascinating trip to Madeira. If you have a later flight, you can walk along the ocean.
We hug and say "see you soon!" - Because there's still so much to see and do!
The manager will advise you on equipment, help you choose the best flight, share information on hotels and excursions. You make payments and purchases yourself. If you want the manager to buy a ticket for you, then this is possible, but for extra money, because this is a big responsibility. More in the article: additional services and service fee
For citizens of Ukraine to visit Portugal enough biometric passport, insurance and return ticket (you may be asked these documents at the airport). Citizens of other countries need to have a Schengen multivisa or a visa to Portugal specifically for the tour. We provide the necessary documents and help with registration. It is not as scary as it may initially seem ;)
To take part in the tour you must have no illnesses from this list >>.
After the hiking in Madeira, we recommend the following routes:
As always, we recommend that you buy your tickets in advance, but only after we confirm your participation in the hike.
Our recommendations for airline ticketing services can be found in this article
Accommodation on the route - in colorful small towns. These are hostels/hotels in one or two-story buildings; rooms for 2-3 people with internet, hot water, laundry facilities, and breakfast.
Breakfast and dinner are local specialties; for lunch we bring snacks, and when we can, we try local delicacies in cafes. Breakfasts are included in the price of lodging and included in the total cost of the hike. Snack lunches on days where there is no cafe lunch are also included. The rest of the meals (dinners and some of the lunches) you choose according to your taste in the cafe.
You need good insurance to participate in the program. Please do not neglect this item. For some participants, it saved thousands of dollars. You can find our recommendations for taking out insurance here: "Insurance for Kuluar hikers"
Please note: It is not the manager's job to select a separate flight for each participant. The manager gives general recommendations based on his/her experience and shares the flights of other participants, so that you can fly together. It's up to the participant to select and purchase his own convenient airfare. If you want a manager to buy you a ticket, book a hotel or an extra excursion, read the terms and conditions on the page: additional services.
The total amount of additional expenses not included in the price will be about 250 € - depending on how to eat in the cafes and how many souvenirs to buy. In a cafe you can have dinner for about 20 € (at a time). It is advisable to have 100 - 200 € in reserve on your card just in case.
In order to book a place in the group, you need to make an advance payment of 250 euros. We recommend to do it as early as possible. Methods of payment and conditions of return in case of refusal or withdrawal from the route here. The rest of the sum is to be returned to the team leader on the first day of the program.