Hiking in Madeira

This trip involves plenty of walking over varied terrain and is best suited to travellers with a good level of mobility and fitness. Comfortable and sturdy walking shoes are a must.

Madeira offers year-round hiking, but weather conditions can vary depending on the time of year. Be sure to check the forecast before your trip and pack accordingly.

The walks in the day-by-day itinerary are the area’s best pick, but your leaders may need to change them, depending on the track and weather conditions.

1. FIRST DAY: Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm on Day 1. Please see Joining Point Hotel listed in the Essential Trip Information for this itinerary.
2. This trip ends on Day 7 after breakfast and you are free to leave at any time.
3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
4. Picnic lunches will be available to buy before every hike.

As well as your underwear, toothbrush and other items you always need to pack for travel, below are some items that you specifically need for this trip.

https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list

MAIN LUGGAGE
You need to bring your main piece of luggage as well as a small to medium backpack for day’s walks (20-25 litres). One with waist strap would be most comfortable for all included walks

ESSENTIALS

- Day pack: for carrying essentials during activities
- Trekking clothing: A mixture covering lightweight clothing and some warm layers is recommended. Your activities will take place in the outdoors, where weather may change quickly. Lightweight, comfortable, and quick drying clothes for the activities are best. Laundry facilities may not be available on every day basis, so make sure you have a few cycles of clothes.
- Hiking shoes with a good grip, (ankle support optional) and breathable membrane that are comfortable to walk for an entire day. Most of the walking will be on sand surface. Light cross-trainer shoe type runner are also sufficient.
- Hiking sandals that can be used on a hot days and shorter walks
- Few pairs of longer socks to stop the sand and dust coming in to your footware
- Comfortable shoes for evenings spend around accommodation
- Light jacket or fleece and base layers in case of colder weather
- Wind and waterproof jacket
- Breathable, non-cotton hiking t-shirts
- Long hiking pants or zip-offs and/or shorts nylon hiking shorts
- Water bottle or bladder: you will need water during activities and it’s best to avoid buying unnecessary plastic. We recommend minimum of 2 litres capacity. If you travel in summer months, it’s better to bring ta least 3 litres capacity
- Sun protection: sunscreen (sunblock), sunglasses, sunhat or bandana
- Swimwear
- Toiletries

RECOMMENDED

- Personal medical kit. A larger kit will be on hand with your leader, but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, antihistamine tablets and any personal medication you may need
- Walking Poles for support on steep uphill sections and longer descents
- Ear plugs & eye mask
- Torch/flashlight/headtorch
- Camera with spare batteries/power bank: You will have access to power to recharge your electrical items daily
- Travel eco-friendly wipes/hand sanitizer

VALUABLES

Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables. It’s also recommended to bring a copy of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a photocopy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary.
If you need some further tips for packing, you can always check out our ultimate packing list.

WATER BOTTLE

Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments.

You’re in for a hiking trip and a good level of fitness is essential. We don't ask travellers to complete a physical participation form for this trip however we do ask you read through the trip notes carefully to ensure that this trip is the right trip for you. You must be comfortable hiking up to 8-9 hours a day, with many steep uphill sections, uneven, rocky terrain and in unpredictable weather.

If you’re already a regular exerciser, it might be an idea to up your game a little. Run those extra laps, or take few longer walks, ideally with a day pack on your back. If you’re not exercising so regularly (2-3 times a week), it’s important to start in the weeks leading up to your departure (4-6 weeks prior at least). Your best choice would be to start walking regularly 2-3 times a week including at least one longer walk (up to 15 km). It’s important to not only walk on flat surface, so if you cannot access a hilly terrain easily, walking up and down the stairs is a good replacement. Top that up with some general fitness exercises and any other cardio related classes and you will see a huge progress in your fitness levels.

Funchal, , Funchal, PORTUGAL

Alternate Joining Point

Santana, , Santana, PORTUGAL

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 6

Lunches included: 

Dinners included: 

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure.

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.

BREAKFASTS
There are some continental breakfasts included on this trip which may simply include bread/toast or pastries, butter, jam, coffee/tea/juice (or similar).

VEGETARIANS
Vegetarians might find the menu selection in Europe less varied than they would see at home. Vegetarianism is not as common in this region and generally the choices are basic, involving vegetables, soups, salads, bread, cheese, fruit, yoghurt, eggs etc. Vegans and those on gluten-free diets may find this region very challenging and may need to supplement meals with their own supplies from supermarkets and markets. Wherever possible we will cater for dietary needs for any included meals, but there may be times when those with special requirements may need to provide their own.

Madeira’s cuisine is as vibrant as its landscapes. Freshly grilled fish, like the famous black scabbard with banana, pairs beautifully with the island’s tropical fruits. Hearty espetada (beef skewers cooked over wood) and bolo do caco, the warm garlic bread, are local favorites after a day of exploring. Sweet treats like passionfruit pudding and a glass of world-renowned Madeira wine round out the experience. Dining here is simple, flavorful, and always rooted in tradition—perfect for travelers who want to taste the island’s soul.

As this is a walking trip, it will be a good idea to stock up on snacks you can fuel on during the day; mixed nuts, energy bars and sweet fruit are usually the best choice for this sort of activity.

Madeira is a year-round hiking paradise, thanks to its mild subtropical climate. Spring and summer (March–September) bring warm, sunny days with lush green landscapes and blooming flowers—perfect for levada walks and coastal hikes. Autumn and winter (October–February) are cooler and a bit wetter, but still comfortable, with misty forests and dramatic waterfalls adding extra charm. Even in the cooler months, trails remain accessible, making Madeira an excellent hiking destination in every season.

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid's Local Operator: +34 960 25 61 55

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.

TWIN SHARE BASIS
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.

CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.

PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.

FACILITIES
Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.

As this is a walking trip the majority of distances will be covered on foot. Some stretches may be done by public bus or private vehicle.