PRESS PLAY · HIKING & TREKKING
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 8 walking & hiking trips worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to check before you book.
Start before dawn with a shared transfer from Funchal or Caniço to Pico do Arieiro. Your driver explains the route, sunrise viewpoints, and pickup plan, then you hike independently toward Pico Ruivo and Achada do Teixeira. Route closures can mean a PR3 alternative.
“Easy transport, communication and directions! Nuno was great. Would recommend”
Take a shared van from Funchal or nearby towns to Rabaçal, then walk independently along Madeira’s famous 25 Fontes and Risco levadas. Your English-speaking driver explains the route and timing, while an early start helps you reach the waterfalls before the main crowds.
“Really well organised trip, great communication about pick up point, very friendly and helpful driver. Beautiful hike. Plenty of time to complete, do a couple small extra routes (recommend 6.3) and have a coffee at a picturesque cafe. Highly recommend all round.”
Take a shared transfer from Funchal, Caniço, Santa Cruz, or Machico to Queimadas Natural Park, then walk the 15 km PR9 trail at your own pace. Expect Laurissilva forest, waterfalls, four tunnels, narrow sections, and clear route instructions from drivers such as Nuno, Ivan, Pedro, or Adriana.
“We had a great hike, I would highly recommend this trip! Our guide Nuno was super punctual, kind, enthusiastic and a great driver and he provided us with very clear instructions on the hike. The hike itself was very beautiful with so many waterfalls and vistas. The way back was very busy and in some sections it was difficult to pass and the timing did seem tight to get back to the van in time.”
Cruise with Beachcomber Cruises from Picton to Ship Cove, then walk either 17 km to Furneaux Lodge or 12.7 km to Punga Cove. Expect native bush, sound views, historic sites, and skipper commentary, with time for a drink or meal before the return boat.
“Great day on the sound. Solid vessel to get us out there. Very knowledgeable guide.”
Start before dawn with pickup in Funchal or Caniço, reach Pico do Arieiro for sunrise, then hike at your own pace. Drivers such as Pedro, Filipe, Nuno, and Adriana explain the route and weather. Depending on trail access, you may follow PR1, PR1.1, or PR3.
“This experience is a hit and miss. Be very aware the photos are one in a 100 event. If you do get lucky then the views are good otherwise it is not as described.”
Set out on a self-guided walk through Waimangu Volcanic Valley near Rotorua. Use the Wanderer Guide or free app to follow trails past Frying Pan Lake, Inferno Crater Lake, steaming vents, forests, and Lake Rotomahana. Choose a shorter route or spend up to four hours exploring, then ride the internal shuttle back uphill.
“I loved hearing the birds, seeing the earth bubbling, rumbling through the ferns and greenery. There were not many people on the route which made it fabulously intimate.”
Join Do It Madeira for a self-guided walk along Madeira’s famous 25 Fontes and Risco levadas. Drivers such as Adriana, Pedro, Henrique, and Filipe provide maps, trail advice, and island tips, then give you five hours to walk independently before collecting you at the parking lot.
“Take your swimwear 😉go early as it gets really busy later on in the day, take some change for the toilet”
Take a self-guided walk along Madeira’s Levada do Caldeirão Verde from Pico das Pedras. Your driver, such as Vítor or Roberto, handles the mountain transfer and explains the route, while you walk through Laurissilva forest, tunnels, and waterfalls at your own pace.
“The drive to the start of the walk through tight narrow roads was an experience in itself, but our driver Vitor got us there safely. The views on the walk were stunning, as was the waterfall at the end. The walk was fairly easy, but some rough ground and narrow walkways with shear drops one side made it exciting at times. It wasn't too hard to get the on-line hiking passes need for the trip.”
Pick a walk, a drive, a ticket or a game.
