Tag: Madeira Hikes

March 13, 2023 Europe, Hiking, Portugal Post a Comment

How to Hike Levada das 25 Fontes

The Levada das 25 Fontes Hike located in Madeira, Portugal is one of the most popular hikes on the island and for good reason.  With two impressive waterfalls to see along the way and sweeping rainforest views throughout, the 25 Fontes hike in Madeira, Portugal is not one to miss. Here is our guide on how to hike the 25 Fontes hike in Madeira, Portugal.  

Levadas are aqueducts that help with water flow throughout the island. There are many levada hikes throughout the island.  See our Top 3 Levada Hikes on Madeira, How to Hike Levada das 25 Fontes and How to Hike Levada do Caldeirão Verde guides for more information on other stunning levada hikes in Madeira. Also, see our Top Things to do Madeira guide for more on our Madeira trip.

FYI: We took this trip and hike when our daughter was 18 months old.  For more information on exploring with a baby, please see our Top 10 Baby Travel Tips, How to Hike with a Baby, 5 Top Baby & Toddler Flying Tips and Flying with a Baby posts. 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!

How long is the 25 Fontes hike? How much elevation gain? 

Per our iWatch tracking, the 25 Fontes Levada Hike is 6.5 Miles with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain and is an out & back hike.  These stats include hiking to both the 25 Fontes Waterfall and Risco waterfall. This also includes hiking to the trailhead from the parking lot.  Note, the logistics of this hike on All Trails are not completely accurate, particularly elevation statistics which are dramatically higher than the actual elevation gain. 

How long does it take to hike the 25 Fontes hike?

The Levada das 25 Fontes hike took us 3 hours and 15 minutes to hike. This included hiking to the 25 Fontes Waterfall & Risco Waterfall.  This also was with 35+ lbs on one of our backs with baby and gear. Based on most reviews, this hike takes most people about 4 hours.  We hiked this trail on a rainy day but did not find it to be slippery or to need to hike slower because of the trail being wet. 

Can you take a shuttle to shorten the Levada das 25 Fontes hike?

You can take a shuttle from the parking lot to the start of the trailhead for the 25 Fontes hike and this will cut off about 0.8 miles (1.6 miles roundtrip) and about 500 feet of elevation.  This shuttle costs 5 Euros.  However, you can walk the path in less time than the shuttle goes back and forth most times as the schedule is inconsistent and variable.  Due to the shuttle being inconsistent and unreliable, we opted to walk to the trailhead from the parking lot and that was included in our hike statistics above.  We ended up hiking to/from the parking lot faster than the shuttle went back and forth to the trailhead. 

Is hiking the extra 1600m to the Risco waterfall worth it?  

Yes, hiking to the Risco waterfall on the 25 Fontes hike is completely worth it.  The hike to this bonus waterfall is a completely flat walk and the Risco waterfall is truly stunning, arguably more impressive than the 25 Fontes Waterfall as it is much bigger.  We both agree this short and flat detour to see this bonus waterfall is completely worth it! 

25 Fontes Hike

What are the logistics of the hike?

The 25 Fontes Levada waterfall hike starts from the parking lot.  For the first 0.8 miles, you are on a paved road and descending to the trailhead.  Once you reach the trailhead, you hike on a well maintained rocky trail.  You descend further into the valley intermittently from here on several staircases.  The elevation changes on this hike once you are off the paved trail do not feel overwhelming.  You will hike along the levada on a narrow trail. On the trail, you will get sweeping views of the rainforest along the way as well as many forested views along the levada. 

We hiked on a day that was not busy. However, with the narrow nature of the path, it can be hard (and frustrating) at times to pass people going the same way or the opposite way. In many narrow sections on busy days, you will have to wait for others to pass before proceeding on the trail.

You gain almost all your elevation on this hike on the way back to the trailhead and parking lot on this hike so be sure to save some energy.  

Where is the Levada das 25 Fontes hike located? 

This hike is located in Rabacal in the middle, west part of the island.  

What waterfalls do you see on this hike?

On the 25 Fontes Levada hike, you see several gorgeous waterfalls. The stunning 25 Fontes waterfall is the highlight of this hike.  However, you can also see the very impressive Risco waterfall for only an 800 meter detour.

Is the 25 Fontes hike busy? 

Yes, the 25 Fontes waterfall hike is very busy as it is one of the most popular hikes on the island.  Try to get to this hike early or go on a more overcast day.  We hiked on a on/off rainy day with overcast skies and saw few other people and only several groups.

Do you need rain gear on the hike?  

25 Fontes Hike

Yes, we would suggest great rain gear on this hike. It tends to be more rainy on this part of the island and the weather in the rainforest is not always predictable.  Here is the rain gear we use and love.  And Baby G looks pretty cute in her Baby Rain Suit.

Gear we recommend to have to explore: 

We hope this guide helps you plan how to hike the 25 Fontes hike.  Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions.  Please leave us a comment!

Did you find this post helpful? If so, please share it with a friend, like our Always Have a Trip Planned Facebook Page, follow our Always Have A Trip Planned Instagram and subscribe to our emails below.

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March 12, 2023 Europe, Hiking, Portugal Post a Comment

How to Hike Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova

The Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike is a peaceful loop trail along two different levadas that leads you to two different waterfalls.  One of those waterfalls you can even walk behind!  Although not a very popular hike, it was one of our favorite hikes in Madeira.  Besides the waterfalls you see, the valley mountain views are incredible. The Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike is not one to miss while visiting Madeira. Here is our guide on how to hike Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova in Madeira.

Levadas are aqueducts that help with water flow throughout the island. There are many levada hikes throughout Madeira.  See our Top 3 Levada Hikes on Madeira, How to Hike Levada das 25 Fontes and How to Hike Levada do Caldeirão Verde guides for more information on other stunning levada hikes on Madeira. For more information on our Madeira trip see our Top Things to do Madeira post.

We took this trip and hike when our daughter was 18 months old. For more information on exploring with a baby, please see our Top 10 Baby Travel Tips, How to Hike with a Baby, 5 Top Baby & Toddler Flying Tips and Flying with a Baby posts. 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!

What are the stats of the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike? 

The Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova is a 5.6 miles round trip hike with just under 500 feet of elevation gain and is a loop trail.  

How would you rate the difficulty of the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike? 

The trail is rather easy with only one spot when hiking between the levadas where you have to hike up about 300 feet of elevation (several flights of stairs) at one time.  The trail is a well maintained concrete path along the levadas.

Is the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike doable for someone afraid of heights? 

If you are afraid of heights, the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova trail may not be for you. Unlike the other levada hikes we did in Madeira, there are significant areas of the path with large drop offs that do not have fencing along them.  However, we never once felt unsafe on the path as it was plenty wide and stable.

How do I find the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike? 

To start the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova Hike, park outside of Igreja da Lombada da Ponta do Sol. The easiest way to locate this trailhead is to locate this church using Google maps.  The Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova trail then begins behind the church after walking down an alleyway. There is an orange/brown sign clearly pointing to the Levada do Moinho.  This directs you to a small alley behind the church that quickly leads to the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova trail.

Is the trail a loop? Do you hike on two levadas on the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike? 

This trail is a loop, created by combining the trail along the Levada do Moinho and Levada do Nova.  Levada do Moinho is older and located below the newer and higher Levada do Nova. These two levadas parallel one another at different heights.  

How do you get between Levada do Moinho and Levada do Nova? 

The way we hiked the trail, we first hiked on Levada do Moinho and then climbed up a staircase mid hike to join the Levada do Nova trail. 

When you first see this staircase at about 2.5ish miles into the hike, continue on about 300 meters down a small staircase and across the river to see another waterfall in the gorge for very little extra effort.  During the rainy season (when we were visiting), the river may flow more swiftly. However, we were able to cross the river rather easily and safely, though our feet did get wet.  Just be careful of your footing!  The gorge waterfall is pretty yet not the highlight of this hike, more just an added bonus waterfall!  At the waterfall in the gorge, there are some nice picnic areas, and this is the best spot to take a break for lunch or a snack along this hike. 

After seeing the waterfall in the gorge, head back to the staircase and take the steps up to Levada do Nova to make your way to the waterfall you can walk behind.  When you reach the top of the stairs turn RIGHT.  A local we met on the trail helped us navigate this path and we are glad we had his assistance because there was no clear signage . You can also head up the staircase right away instead of heading into the gorge. However, it will make your hike only minimally shorter and you will see one less waterfall.  

Note, early on the Levada do Moinho trail, there is another small staircase that is spray painted saying it leads to Levada do Novo but do not go up that either, it won’t lead you to the right spot. 

What are the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike logistics? 

Vast Open Mountain Views to Start

On the first few miles of the hike, you hike along the cliff-edge.  You have stunning valley mountain views in front of you and sweeping valley views to the ocean behind you.  The drop-offs here are steep but we never felt the trail was unsafe or too narrow even when hand railings were not present. 

Walk-Behind Waterfall

Once you take the stairs from the Levada do Moinho trail to the Levada do Novo trail, you are very close to the main attraction of the trail, the waterfall you can walk behind.  Remember, turn RIGHT once you reach the top of the stairs. You turn the corner on this trail and suddenly BAM there is the waterfall you can walk behind.  It is very pretty sight with lots of greenery in the rainy season. The waterfall cascades over the trail that has been carved into the cliff side.  You will only get slightly wet walking under it (none of us wore raincoats so pretty minimal).

Dry Tunnel

After the waterfall, you head into a short 0.1 mile dark dry tunnel.  Unlike the tunnels on the Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike, this one was completely dry and not as low meaning you do not need to duck as much.  Like the Levada do Caldeirao hike, we do recommend using headlamps here.  

Open Mountainous Views Again

After hiking through the tunnel, you parallel your path you took the way in, only higher up now.  You again get sweeping views over the mountainous valley to the ocean in front of you and the vast mountainous green valley views behind you. Again, be mindful during this part of the hike as more sections of this levada do not have railing in comparison to the Levada do Moinhos below.

The Levada do Novo trail then ends about a half mile up from the church so you have to walk down the road back to the church to complete this loop hike.  It was fun to look at all the different houses up close along this road and made for an easy downhill end to our hike. 

Where is the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike located? 

The Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova Hike is located in the middle southern part of the island near Ponta del Sol (less than 20 minutes from where we were staying in Arco da Calheta).  

Do you need rain gear on the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike?  

No, unless it is raining, you do not need rain gear for the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova hike. The cave is dry on the trail and there are no spots on the trail where you have to go directly under water run-off. 

Is the Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova Hike busy? 

In comparison to the other levada hikes we did, this one was the least busy.  We saw approximately 10 other people on the trail, all very well spaced out.  It felt like we had this hike to ourselves at times, especially on the Levada do Moinho. 

We hope this guide helps you plan how to hike Levada do Moinho to Levada do Nova.  Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions.  Please leave us a comment!

Did you find this post helpful? If so, please share it with a friend, like our Always Have a Trip Planned Facebook Page, follow our Always Have A Trip Planned Instagram and subscribe to our emails below.

And remember, Always Have A Trip Planned!

March 9, 2023 Europe, Hiking, Portugal Post a Comment

How to Hike Levada do Caldeirão Verde

The Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike in Madeira, Portugal is one of the most magical and picturesque levada hikes on the island.  From sweeping mountainous rainforest views, to hiking through narrow tunnels to stunning waterfalls, this hike offers constant views and action.  This hike was recommended to us by several as the ‘best hike on Madeira’ and we would agree. This overall flat hike is not overly strenuous or technical, providing astounding views with less effort.  The Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike in Madeira is a must do hike while on the island. Here is our guide on how to hike Levada do Caldeirão Verde in Madeira.

Levadas are aqueducts that help with water flow throughout the island. There are many levada hikes throughout the island.  See our Top 3 Levada Hikes on Madeira, How to Hike Levada das 25 Fontes and How to Hike Levada do Moinho guides for more information on other stunning levada hikes in Madeira. Also see our Top Things to do Madeira guide for more Madeira tips.

We took this trip and hike when our daughter was 18 months old. For more information on exploring with a baby, please see our Top 10 Baby Travel Tips, How to Hike with a Baby, 5 Top Baby & Toddler Flying Tips and Flying with a Baby posts. 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!

How long is the Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike? How much elevation do you gain on the hike? 

Per our iWatch tracking, the Levada do Caldeirão Verde Hike is 8.5 miles round-trip and essentially flat the entire journey.  It is an out & back hike.  Note that the elevation of this hike is insanely inaccurate on All Trails (this seems to be a theme for levada hikes in Madeira as the elevation was also very off on the 25 Fontes Hike). 

There is an option to hike about 2 miles further round trip to the Inferno but we did not hike further onto this spot and this add-on is not factored into our hike logistics. 

How long does it take to hike the Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike?

The Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike took us 4 hours and 30 minutes to complete.  This was with one of us carrying 35+ pounds on our back the entire time (Baby G plus gear).  This hike takes most people about 5 or 6 hours to complete.  

What makes the Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike unique?

To reach the Levada do Caldeirão Verde, you must hike through 4 narrow, variable length tunnels. All of these tunnels are a bit different in length and height. To safely pass through them, you need a headlamp and to be able to duck down adequately (lowest passage estimated around 4 feet high).  

Tunnel Specifics

The first and last tunnel are rather short and tall whereas the other two are longer and more low, meaning you will need to duck down significantly and must have a source of light.  Being very mindful, we were able to avoid hitting ours or the baby’s head while navigating these with the baby on Sam’s back.  Natalie always walked behind Sam to make sure his and baby’s heads were both safe.  

These tunnels were also rather wet on the ground and dripping from above.  Be sure to have waterproof rain gear including solid hiking boots. 

As mentioned above, these caves are VERY wet and dripping so be sure to be wearing rain gear when you pass through them too. Beyond the tunnels being wet, at several spots along the levada, you have to pass under large areas of water runoff.  Here, if not wearing rain gear, you will get completely soaked.  We are so glad we had our baby’s rain suit and our rain gear with us.  Rain gear we recommend to have to explore: 

We saw some people complete this hike in tennis shoes and their feet must have been completely soaked by the end.  We highly advise against that. 

Other Unique Qualities

What also makes the Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike unique is the waterfall located within a rock clearing at the end of the hike that looks like a cauldron (first picture on post).   Caldeirão Verde translates to ‘Green Cauldron’ and this name is very fitting. 

Is the Levada do Caldeirão Verde Hike safe and/or scary? 

There are some large drop offs next to the levada trail at times but every section of this trail was very well-maintained with railings next to all these drop-offs.  We never felt unsafe hiking along the levadas here.  Even when passing other hikers (on the sometimes very narrow levada trail), you can lean into/over the levada without ever needing to lean out over the railing. 

What are the logistics of the Levada do Caldeirão Verde Hike?

The Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike starts off through the forest and you wind through the rainforest along the levada.  At times you are hiking along a narrow levada path next to steep drop offs (with a railing) and at other times you are hiking on a rather wide path.  The steep drop offs give you some sweeping mountainous rainforest views and the wider parts of the trail you will see variable ferns, flowers and flora.  As mentioned before, you will hike through 4 different tunnels that are variably narrow/low but all very wet.  Be sure to have headlamps for this and to be mindful of your head (and any children you are carrying).  This hike leads you to the Caldeirão Verde or the ‘Green Cauldron’ which is a waterfall flowing into a large cauldron like rock clearing.  This hike is essentially flat and not overly strenuous or technical.

Where is the Levada do Caldeirão Verde located? 

The Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike is located near Santana in the North, Middle of the island.   After this hike, you may consider visiting the traditional Santana houses of Madeira. 

Is the Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike busy? 

The Levada do Caldeirão Verde hike is well-trafficked but neither of us felt it was busy per se.  We certainly saw other people so do not expect to have it to yourself. However, we were always able to have our own space hiking and passed less than 20 people on the trail total.  We were visiting during low season though so this trail would likely be busier during high season.  

Do you need rain gear on the Levada do Caldeirão Verde Hike?  

Yes, we would suggest great rain gear on this hike even if it is not raining.  Not only are the tunnels you will pass through wet and dripping but also at several spots along the levada, you have to pass under large areas of water runoff.  Here, if not wearing a raincoat, you will get completely soaked (especially if it has rained recently and there is more runoff similar to the day we hiked).  We are so glad we had our baby’s rain suit and our rain gear with us. 

Here is the rain gear we use and love: 

We hope this guide helps you plan how to hike Levada do Caldeirão Verde.  Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions.  Please leave us a comment!

Did you find this post helpful? If so, please share it with a friend, like our Always Have a Trip Planned Facebook Page, follow our Always Have A Trip Planned Instagram and subscribe to our emails below.

And remember, Always Have A Trip Planned!

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