Walking the Island of Madeira

Spectacular

What an excellent trip! The hikes varied in terrain and vistas, from coastal walks to levadas to mystical forests to mountain tops, but all were spectacular and each day was as good as or better than the one before. Paulo was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable about the island, its history, culture, flora and fauna. We were fortunate to have very good weather, and even more fortunate to have a group that gelled beautifully. Not only did everyone get along well, but everyone was fit and hiked at a similar pace. (We understand from other reviews that that’s not always the case.) First hotel in Machico was pretty dated, but good location and breakfast. The hotel at Porto Moniz was the best of the trip, modern, well-equipped, great food – and right across the road from volcanic pools. Very scenic. The hotel in Funchal was fine and in a great location.

Madeira- Diverse and Beautiful Landscape

I went two days in advance to settle in to the time difference and enjoy a holiday before the tour started. While the hotel and Machico is nice, I would suggest staying in Funchal and transfering the day of the tour. I took the public bus into Funchal and did a tour of the City with the University (2 hrs) which was amazing! It was a highlight of the tour for me. Funchal is a great City–old European architecture in the centre with beautiful churches and great squares. In terms of the island itself, I really enjoyed the diversity of the landscape that we saw on our hikes. The flowers were amazing and the food was really good (steak skewers and garlic bread made on local sweet potato bread in particular). Going the 2nd week in May was perfect temperature wise for me as it was in the high 60s low 70s!

The first hike was a rocky peninsula with great ocean views, wildflowers amongst the red rocks, and long grasses that blew with the wind. There were some flat sections but then a lot of ‘rock stairs’ that were tough in parts. We were lucky in that the beginning of the hike was overcast and then the sun came out. There is no shade so definately wear sun protection and a hat!

The second hike was along a levada which was nice in that it was flat. The path was flat with some stone sections and other parts were mud (which is very slippery when wet). The one side had rock garden plants growing in the rock edge and blue hydrangeas and daylilies on the edge and the other side was agricultural fields in the valley. Mid-way you start to climb up a gentle incline to reach the ocean trail. This trail had beautiful views of the ocean and was a more tropical setting. There were a few scattered waterfalls amongst the hike–one of which you go under–that were really peaceful and in the terms of the one you go under a great cool off feature! I found this hike easier than the first hike as there weren’t as many rock ‘stairs’ to climb up and down. The worst part was at the end we had to walk to the Town (another hr). At first it wasn’t bad, but then the slope of the street was too much for my knees (I’m 48 so this normally isn’t a problem).

The third hike myself and others didn’t do as our hike leader said it would be very hard and a harder slope (which others who did it said wasn’t the case–they said it was easier than the 2nd day hike but was very crowded with people and there were sheer drops which they didn’t like). Instead, the group of us that stayed spent the day in the Natural Lava Ponds (the hotel gives you a free pass) which was so enjoyable as the water was warm and the salt made my muscles feel great. We had a relaxing lunch overlooking the ocean, a few had massages, and I spent the rest of my time at the infinity pool, inside pool (heated), and sauna/spa. This hotel (Aqua Natural) was amazing!!!! And they gave us chocolate every night and a parting gift of apple jam that they made.

The fourth hike was again in sun for most of it. The beginning of the hike was in the shade, with the trees having a lot of moss and growing in all sorts of configurations. Then we walked for a long time in wide paths in a rather stunted ‘forest’. This part was really long for me as it was pretty much a straight path and the same sights. There were a few good viewing spots of the valley which was very pretty. There were a lot of steps on this hike so I did get tired and my legs got sore…at one point its a couple hundred to get to a road. We walked along a very open field near the end of the day, ascended a hill, to come to the Fanal Forest. The Fanal Forest was amazing as I loved the misty, forested views and got great photos. The trees are twisted with lots of moss. There are a lot of people here so it’s not a solo experience…and there are quite a few cows too.

We drove into Funchal for a day off. A group of us went to the two botanical gardens which I highly recommend. The municipal gardens have more botanical species, and a linear floral display that is great to see, it also has great views of the ocean and the City. Monte Palace Gardens is really amazing to see. It’s very big but there are winding paths through it. You can buy the ticket to the funicular on-line which saves 1 line-up–it goes fast though.

The final day we got up very early to watch the sunrise on Pico do Arieiro. I’m Canadian and it was freezing at the top–I had brought light gloves to wear (unfortunately my hat fell out of my bag in the bus…and the hoody wasn’t warm enough). The view is amazing–being above the clouds and seeing the sun rise with the mountain tops. The minute it rises it does get warm. There are great views up at the observation point.

We didn’t do the hike that is mentionned in the tour–there were independent hikers doing it. Instead, we hiked downward through a valley. It was a nice hike and there was a waterfall and river near the end to walk beside. The valley did get foggy at one point so that was cool.

Overall, the first 2 day hikes were my favourite in terms of view and I liked the fanal forest at the end of the fourth day hike, and the sunrise on the last day hike.

I would go back to Madeira again–the people are very friendly, the island is beautiful, and the food was great!

Most Inspirational Moment

The first hike as it was a tough one that I was able to do-- once I did it I knew I could do the others:)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Honestly, he was the worst leader I have ever had and I go on at least 1-2 tours a year. I had read the descriptions beforehand so I read both the glorying reviews and the critical ones. My experience was the same as the critical ones. On the first day, Bruno arrived very late for our meeting. He said that the local tour company had a different time than what Exodus had on the sheet. He wasn't positive about the tour...telling us the weather would likely be bad and the hikes would be really crowded. Only 6 of us were there...he didn't wait for the others to come an hour later as he told us he wasn't paid for that and he had to get home (other side of the island). I had eaten before...the others went to a restaurant as a group. They said normally there is a group dinner which there wasn't. It wasn't a 'this is going to be awesome' prep talk. The next morning was chaos as the whole group was there...he didn't give others maps or do a talk like he said he would. For the first hike, he literally took off ahead of us, then chatted with several other tour guides and the park rangers so he was behind us. I had no idea where he was. I waited for someone to take photos...but then I got separated from her. So I ended up being alone in the middle of the peninsula--luckily I knew to hike to the oasis but with hundreds on the trail I wasn't sure who was in our group and who wasn't. When I met up at lunch he told me he knew where I was that he could see me so knew I was ok. There literally is no way as the whole route of the trail is not visible at one time. On the way back he told us we could take our time....then he flipped out at the one girl who had which was the same person who had gone up the trail a the end of the peninsula by herself which he said we could do but then was ticked she wasn't with the group and didn't end when he thought she should. The second day hike he was mad at me when I arrived about 5-10 minutes later than the others at the beach/town. He said he couldn't come looking for me and questioned if I could do the tour. I told him my knees were hurting. He didn't come at all to see how I was doing. The other people in my group knew I as walking slow down the street as my knees were 'locking' and were sore. They said I was literally minutes after them which is what I thought. He was ticked when we got to Aqua Natural and there wasn't a room for him...there was no bag taken off the bus so I question it. And having read he didn't stay with groups other than 1 night it seems to be the pattern as literally he only stayed with our group the next night at what was the fancy hotel. That night he ate dinner with some, then stayed at the table by himself, though he did buy a bottle of Madeira wine that he had the waitress hand out. When we left the hotel to return to Funchal he made a big show of there not being room for the luggage--again...this isn't new as per other comments. For all the hikes, he went at his own pace and only rarely did he make sure that people were ok and with the group. I am in an organized hiking group and the leaders always introduce the hike, what we are going to see, where we are going, and make sure there is a sweep. There was none of this. On the free day in Funchal, he had it off...and literally dropped us at the hotel. After the last hike, he took our group to a coffee stop. He stayed inside the entire time and came out to the group only when someone came out to get him so that they could give him the tip money. He told others it was his last year with Exodus and it showed as he didn't really perform well as a tour leader or hike leader. He did tell us a bit about flora on the second day hike at the beginning and would do a brief intro on the day's plans before ending it with there will be lots of people on the trail and the weather likely won't be good. And he sent a list of google links before we got off the 'bus' at Funchal on our last day not before. He would mention supermarkets but that was really it in terms of providing advice. Literally he was a 9-5 tour leader who was on his own hikes with others just happening to be with him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring hiking poles--you need them. Bring gloves/hat for sunrise. Bring ziplock/plastic containers for lunch....I made my lunch every morning at breakfast. There is lunch type food and the hotels don't care. Make sure you have lots of water...and kleenix if needed while on the trail (there are no bathrooms). I trained everyday for 6 months for this tour...and I found a few of the trails hard to do due to the steps (natural and made with rocks).

Reply from Exodus

We’re so pleased to hear that Julie enjoyed the diverse and scenic hikes in Madeira and that she made the most of her free time exploring highlights like Funchal and the Monte Palace Gardens. It’s great to know she captured some memorable photos and that the landscapes, food, and welcoming atmosphere of the island left a strong impression.

We appreciate Julie’s detailed feedback about her hiking experience, including the busier trails. As the trip took place during a high season in Madeira, some routes can be more frequented by walkers, and we’ll be reviewing this with our local partners to explore options for quieter alternatives where possible.

We’re also genuinely sorry to hear that Julie felt Bruno’s leadership on this trip didn’t meet expectations. This is disappointing, as Bruno is a longstanding and valued leader for us, and the group he led immediately after Julie’s trip gave him an average score of 5 out of 5 for his overall performance in our post-tour survey. We’ve since spoken to Bruno about Julie’s feedback, and he explained that his late arrival on the first day was due to an unexpected motorway accident – something outside his control. He’s very regretful to hear that Julie felt let down by his engagement on the walks and around the group. We understand that Bruno was looking to balance his responsibilities to the wider group with assisting Julie on the walks, though we’re sorry if Julie felt he didn’t quite get the balance right.

Ultimately, we hope that Madeira’s natural beauty, the memorable hikes, and Julie’s positive interactions on the trip will be what stays with her, and that she might consider travelling with Exodus again in the future.

– Danny Bell, Exodus Product Manager

Beautiful hikes with rewarding views!

Best way to spend a week in Madeira. The trip was exceptional with 5 great hikes and extraordinary views at each turn. It was a full bloom season and and that made every hike interesting. Hiking through lush green mountains with the sea always in sight- it was just beautiful. The trials along the Levadas (ancient water channels) were very interesting. Dip in the natural pools at Porto Moniz or in the hotel after the hikes were worth it. Aqua Natura Bay was the best stay and had great meals at the hotel. Till the last hike, everything worked out perfectly.
This is a great itinerary to explore Madeira -its culture and natural beauty of the Island.

Beautiful Madeira did not disappoint!

Madeira is one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen. The hiking/walking was sometimes challenging, but the days were not extremely long. Flowers everywhere and scenery that is spectacular from above. The sunrise hike was chilly, but rewarding!

Awesome Hiking and Views

Fantastic trip with a great guide (Bruno) walking the isle of Madeira.

"Doing the Levada, not the Lambada!"

Glad I have seen Madeira and you will on this trip. The variety of walks is very good, although due to bad weather we could not do the scheduled walk on the final day, the one I was really looking forward to. Such is life and our excellent walk leader, Paulo, took us on another flat Levada walk instead. The rating is right in my opinion for the level of walks, having been on other Exodus walking holidays. I would say that outside of summer arriving on the the early Group Flight is not really worth it as there is not much to do in Machico in the afternoon except for the beach. The first hotel, Dom Pedro, is very tired and needs a refurb in all honesty. Breakfast coffee at the Dom Pedro and Pestana Casino is from a machine and awful, I was not the only one to make that observation. Paulo helped me to sort out a room lock issue at Aqua Natura Bay (the best of the three hotels), some had massages/treatments here and found them to be good. Breakfasts are ok at the hotels, basically as described in the trip notes. We had some pleasant meals out in Machico and Funchal. You can get what you need for a snack lunch in the supermarkets they take you to ahead of each walk. Having paid the single supplement, I did get decent double rooms which is not always the case.

Most Inspirational Moment

Being up high, above some of the the clouds on one of the walks.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Paulo was excellent as a walk leader. Knows his walks very well as being doing it for years and adjusts the pace to suit the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Please do read the Trip Notes as sometimes I think some do not and then get a surprise when they see what the walks are like. Expect the Dom Pedro to be in need of a refurb, it is just very tired but comfortable enough. No tea/coffee on the rooms at the Dom Pedro or Pestana Casinos (this one did have a kettle) maybe take a little of your own, buy some milk and if necessary ask for a kettle. Do walk down Santa Maria Street in Funchal, marvellous painted doors. Three of us had a lovely meal at the Restaurante do Forte in Funchal on the last night.

Reply from Exodus

Thank you for sharing your experience of our Madeira walking trip. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the variety of walks and found the itinerary well-balanced, even with the weather-related change on the final day. We’re especially pleased to hear that your walk leader, Paulo, provided excellent support and adapted the plans to ensure the group still had a rewarding experience.

We appreciate your feedback regarding the group flight timing and the limited activities available in Machico outside of summer. Your comments will help us better guide future travellers on how to make the most of their arrival day.

We’re sorry to hear that the Dom Pedro hotel did not meet expectations and that the breakfast coffee at both this and Pestana Casino was disappointing. We’ll be reviewing this with our hotel partners to explore improvements. It’s great to know that Aqua Natura Bay stood out as the best of the three hotels and that the spa treatments were well received.

Thank you also for highlighting the ease of arranging snack lunches and the quality of meals out in Machico and Funchal. We’re glad you found the single supplement worthwhile and were provided with comfortable rooms.

Levadas and Views

Madeira is a beautiful island and the hikes were just the right length to get in some good exercise but still be able to enjoy going out and about on foot afterwards.

A fabulous trip

This holiday lived up to expectations! It was wonderful to see the whole island with varied walks and hotels and a really friendly group who gelled well from the outset. Bruno was an excellent guide who looked after us well and imparted much local knowledge as we passed through different terrain. The views on the coastal paths were spectacular, and the levada walks, especially the waterfalls one, were unique. We had to adapt due to a storm on the first day making the peninsula unsuitable, but Bruno quickly planned an alternative, and the rest of the week was dry and warm, with some days of sunshine, and some mist on occasion which added to the atmosphere.

Varied walks, knowledgeable guide, great overview of Madeira

We had a very enjoyable week in Madeira with our group of 14 and guide Nelio.
We thought the trip worked really well to be able to stay in 4 different locations across the week to really see all parts of Madeira and allow short transfers for each walk. We enjoyed all the walks and liked the variety – coast line, forest, levadas etc.

The biggest disappointment of the week however was not being able to do the main walk of the week on the final day (Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo) – due to a fire in the middle of the walk a few weeks previously, as well as bad weather.
But the alternative walk Nelio took us on (a levada from Fajã da Ovelha finishing with a steep descent on PR19 Caminho Real do Paul do Mar) was a real highlight and finished in the little town of Paul do Mar for beers in the sun and a refreshing swim in the sea.

The walk on day 4 at Queimadas Natural Park (walking along the Levada do Caldeirão Verde) was really interesting and beautiful, but we felt far too busy and quite dangerous. You walk along the narrow ledges of the levada with steep dropoffs, with two-way traffic so you have to keep leaning out over the rope barriers to let others pass. There have been incidents there, and it could do with either making it one-way, or certain times where people go in or come out, so it stops the 2-way traffic which the narrow ledges cannot accomodate and makes progress very slow.

One point that we also felt could improve the trip was the ability to buy/make packed lunches. The first day in Machino we all had to go to the supermarket to buy food for the following day. We all found this difficult as there was little options for easy picnic food. The rest of the week most of us just made a sandwich at breakfast to bring with us.
We thought it would make the trip a lot simpler if the hotels allowed guests to make a small packed lunch at breakfast, or alternatively provide a packed lunch service for a small fee. Apparently Exodus had mentioned to some others in our group that it would be possible to buy prepared packed lunches from hotels.
It was not always practical to go to a supermarket, and they often didnt have appropraite items.

We found all the hotels to be of good quality and enjoyed all our stays.
We loved the pool at Hotel Dom Pedro which we enjoyed on both afternoons. The spa at Hotel O Colmo and Hotel Aqua Natura Bay were great, and it was lovely to be able to use the large pool and facilites at the Pestana Casino for the final few days.
Our favourite hotel of the week however was the Hotel Aqua Natura Bay which was super clean, modern, great facilities, large bedrooms, excellent staff and great location just across the road from the natural pools. The included dinners here were fantastic and beautifully presented.

The transport for the week worked well and although the trip notes mentioned public transport, we had a private mini bus for the whole trip. Although be aware on the trip from Porto Moniz to Funchal, all luggage was stacked up in one big pile at the back of the minibus which made it cramped for the people at the back, and any bags at the bottom of the pile got squashed.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nelio was a very competent guide and was careful to ensure the walks were within the groups capability and always went at a pace to suit everyone. He was very careful on safety and clearly highlighted any areas to be careful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The weather did change a lot during our week so bring layers, waterproofs and suncream!

Reply from Exodus

We’re really glad to hear that Michelle had such an enjoyable week exploring Madeira, and that she found the itinerary to help showcase the island’s incredible variety of landscapes with minimal transfers. It’s also great to hear how much she and the group appreciated the quality of the hotels, particularly Hotel Aqua Natura Bay, and the added touch of spa and pool access along the way.

While it’s always disappointing when a key walk has to be cancelled, the safety of our travellers must always come first. As with all adventure travel, weather and conditions can occasionally affect plans, but we’re pleased that Nelio was able to provide a well-considered alternative that ended up being a real highlight of the trip!

Michelle’s comments on trail congestion at Caldeirão Verde and the challenges around packed lunches are very much appreciated. These are areas we’re actively reviewing with our local team to improve future departures. We thank Michelle for her thoughtful and constructive feedback, and are glad that overall she had a great time on this trip!

– The Exodus Travels Team

Great walking, Excellent and knowledgeable guide

A great introduction to walking in Madeira with a friendly and knowledgeable guide. All the distances were manageable and the routes were well assessed