Lakes of Madeira tour

General information

Destination	Category
Madeira, Portugal	Sightseeing Tours

Program details

With Madeira’s incredible landscape of lush valleys and soaring mountains, it’s not difficult to see why walking is the most traditional outdoor activity on the island. On this tour you will trek through some of Madeira’s most beautiful scenery and visit the island's famed levadas.

As you walk the breathtaking scenery of Madeira, exploring magical forests and admiring dramatic panoramas you will discover Madeira’s network of water canals known as the levadas. Covering a staggering 1500 kilometres, the levadas are hand-sculpted thin channels that are cut into the rocks and over precipices. These ingenious channels were designed to transport water around the island. Acting as important arteries, they redirect water to the drier areas of the island, feeding the fruit orchards, vineyards and gardens. This walk is unlike any other. Deep in the valley of the western plateau, you will marvel at rock pools, which over millions of years have been carved out by the water as they rush down to the sea. Gaze at magnificent waterfalls and cascades and make sure you bring a swimsuit so that you can dive into the refreshing and crystalline mountain waters during summer. You will be inspired by this diverse walking terrain, which ranges from flat plains where the levadas begin, to high mountain tracks. As you make your way up form the valley, embrace forest trekking along unmarked routes and scramble up to the oldest levada on the west of the island. This tour provides you with an unforgettable adventure whose memory will stay with you forever.

Meeting/pick-up point: Hotel lobby.
Start/opening time: About 8.15am in Machico; between 8.30am-8.45am in Caniço; and between 9am-9.15am in Funchal.
End/closing time: 5pm.
Languages: English
Others:Should your hotel be situated at any other area on the island, pick-up points and times are by arrangement only.