THE LEVADAS OF MADEIRA—SELF GUIDED WALKING INMADEIRA

Madeira has many sides, the colonial charm of the towns, which explode with the colours of the

local fauna, rugged and dramatic coastal scenery and a lush, deep green interior that evokes the

volcanic beauty of the South Pacific. Madeira is a cosmopolitan island which still manages to retain

a great deal of it’s old world, sleepy charm, making it a unique place to visit and somewhere that will

ensnare your senses.

The walking on Madeira has been made famous by the levadas which form a network of paths across this

sub-tropical, Portuguese island. Levadas are irrigation channels that were built to ensure that the island

had plenty of fresh water and each of these channels has a path to accompany it, allowing you to explore

every corner of this enchanting botanical paradise. Local knowledge has been the foundation of this trip,

ensuring that you are getting to experience the very best walking that Madeira has to offer.

Your first few days are spend walking along the undulating, multi-coloured cliffs of the North coast, where

deep scarlet's rocks mingle with more ochre shades in this mineral rich area. From the stark beauty of the

coast you begin to delve into the interior where bright yellow mimosas contrast the milky blue limpid pools to

a backdrop of deep green. Days 7 and 8 provide some of the most beautiful walking on the trip. The High

Plateau gives you sweeping views of the whole island, while the 25 Fontes (waterfalls) walk takes you into a

forgotten, otherworldly landscape. The deep purples and enchanting scents of hydrangea and agapanthus

lead you back towards the coast where you finish your trip.

Your holiday includes seven nights accommodation, breakfast, luggage transfer, emergency support,

detailed route notes and maps are all included so you can just relax and enjoy all aspects of Madeira.

The forgotten world feel of the 25 Fontes walk.

Walking through the Caldeirao Verde to visit the Palheiro houses of Santana

Sights and smells of the array of colourful flora, native to the island.

The relaxed and friendly charm of the Portuguese people.

WHY CHOOSE A SELF GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAY WITH US?

Macs Adventure specialise in great value self guided walking holidays. As passionate and regular walkers

we know what makes for an unforgettable trip and we pride ourselves on delivering outstanding walking

holidays with every last detail taken care of. Great walking routes, breathtaking scenery and great local food

and welcoming accommodation are all part of our winning formula.

From your first contact with Macs Adventure you will deal with a specialist who knows the area inside out.

They help you plan every aspect of your holiday and to make the most of your time in Madeira with their in-

depth knowledge of the route, accommodation and must-see attractions.

Self guided walking holidays are the very best way to explore the island of Madeira. Pre booked

accommodation of character, insider hints and tips, detailed route notes and maps, baggage transfer and

transfers as necessary and local backup support mean you can relax and enjoy your time walking in

Madeira.

SUMMARY

What’s Included?Accommodation: 10 Nights accommoda-tion in a mix of family run hotels and inns.Meals: A delicious breakfast is includedeach day. 9 Picnic lunches are also suppliedfor your walks. Dinner is not included butalways available nearby.Baggage Transfer: Door-to-doorbaggage transfer.Transfers: You will be transferred to andfrom Funchal Airport and on a couple ofdays there are transfers to and from thewalks. There is occasional travel by localbus, which is not included in the cost of thetrip.Information Pack: Detailed route notes,maps and emergency phone support.

Tour: The Levadas of MadeiraCode: WPSLOMType: Self-Guided Walking HolidayPrice: See WebsiteSingle Supplement: See WebsiteDates: Sep—JuneDays: 11 Days (9 Days walking)Nights: 10 NightsStart/Finish: Machico / Arco da CalhetaGrade: ModerateClosest Airport: Funchal

HIGHLIGHTS

THE LEVADAS OF MADEIRA

WALKING ON PORTUGAL’S FLOATING GARDEN

Is It For Me?Madeira is the ideal relaxing getaway. Withrelatively undemanding, but stunning walksduring the day and tranquil, little towns to eatand drink in at night, you can leave all yourday to day worries on the aeroplane.

Our standard itinerary includes 9 days walking

and 10 nights accommodation in Madeira.

Code: WPSLOMDays: 9 (9 Days Walking)Nights: 10Overnights: Machico, Porto da Cruz, Santana,

Paul da Serra, Arco da Calheta (2 nights at each

destination.)

DAY 1

Arrive in Madeira

Funchal is the only international airport on the

island, so when you land here, on it’s stilted

runway over the sea, you will be collected by our

local representative and driven out to Machico on

the east of the island.

Machico is a tranquil and historical town where

the discoverers of Madeira first landed. With its

ancient forts, beautiful beach and whitewashed

houses, it is an idyllic retreat from which to start

your trip.

The community thrives on fishing and agriculture,

so you can be sure of some delicious fresh

produce when you dine out in one of the

excellent restaurants at night.

Overnight: Machico

DAY 2

Sao Lourenco Peninsula—8 km

A nice short walking day to start you off, which

takes you out onto the Sao Lourenco Peninsula.

Not a levada walk today, but one with stunning

views of the North and South of the Island.

The peninsula also betrays its volcanic roots with

large lava boulders scattering the barren

landscape and some bright mineral colours

shining out from the cliffs.

There is some steep ascents with loose rock

underfoot, so though you will be enjoying the

scenery it is wise to check your footing on these

sections.

Overnight: Machico

DAY 3

Levada Canical—13 km

A transfer after breakfast takes you to the start of

the Levada Canical . This levada takes you up

around Machico, giving you some wonderful

views down into the town. You then walk along

the wild, rugged North Coast to Porto da Cruz.

Porto da Cruz gives off the feeling that life

slowed to a stop here a long time ago. A

beautiful, relaxed retreat from the modern world

where you can visit an old sugar cane factory

that has not changed since 1927.

Vinho Seco Americano, a dry red wine that is

produced locally and can be enjoyed to relax you

into the slow pace of this lovely village.

Overnight: Porto da Cruz

DAY 4

Levaca do Castelejo—9km

Today, the scenery begins to change as you are

now walking with views over the mountains of the

interior, rather than the coast. The unique plant

life of the island begins to shine today as you

walk through the wilderness of Ribeira Frio with

its limpid pools, mimosas and fine leaved laurels.

Overnight: Porto da Cruz

DAY 5

Levada do Caldeiro Verde—18 km

Today is an enchanting walk through the lush

emerald green paradise of the ‘Green Cauldron.’

On a levada that cuts tunnels through the

mountain you will get to see the beautiful mossy

landscapes of Madeira’s most popular trail.

Walking out into the remote area of the Caldeiro

Verde is an experience not to be missed and

definitely make sure your camera batteries are

charged today. After the tunnels and levada

walking comes the Cauldron itself, split and

formed bay a dramatic, pencil straight waterfall.

Overnight: Santana

ITINERARY

Day Route Km

1

2

3

45

67

8

9

10

11

Arrive Funchal and transferto MachicoWalk along Sao LourencoPeninsulaTransfer to Levada Canicaland coastal walk to Porto daCruzLevada do CastelejoTransfer to Levada do Cal-deirao Verde, overnightSantanaWalking around SantanaTransfer to High Plateau,walk to Paul de SerraWalk 25 Fontes, overnightPaul de SerraTransfer to Pazeres, walkLevada Calheta to Arco daCalhetaCoastal Walking near Arcoda CalhetaTransfer back to FunchalAirport and onward travel

0

8

139

1810

13

13

15

13

DETAILED ITINERARY

THE LEVADAS OF MADEIRA

WALKING ON PORTUGAL’S FLOATING GARDEN

DAY 6

Walking around Santana—10 km

Today you spend the day in and around the

lovely town of Santana. There are plenty of

attractions here, most noticeably the Palheiros,

traditional triangular houses, that remain here.

There is also a Madeiran Theme Park, which

gives you a great history of the island, but the

town is surrounded by tons of amazing walking.

Here you will have your choice of the best walks

in the area through the UNESCO world heritage

forests that surround the town.

Overnight: Santana

DAY 7

High Plateau Walking—14 km

Today sees you collected from your hotel after

breakfast and transferred up to the Madeiran

High Plateau. From here you will spend your

day crossing the mountains, though there is no

actual climbing, the route is quite undulating

today.

Needless to say, the views are absolutely

spectacular as you walk down to your resting

place in Paul de Serra.

Overnight: Paul de Serra.

DAY 8

25 Fontes Walk—13km

From your accommodation, today you will walk

down to Rabacal, for the spectacular 25 Fontes

Walk. The levada that you walk beside today

rises high above you at points, sending cooling

drips of water down to refresh you from the

tropical climate.

You continue along the side of this ageing levada

into the heart of this age-old tropical forest,

where eventually you reach your goal, where 25

waterfalls combine to plummet to the ground in

front of you.

Overnight: Paul da Serra

DAY 9

Levada Calheta—Ponta do Pargo—15km

Today is a lovely botanical journey, along a

levada littered with Agapanthus and Hydrangeas.

You will walk in the shade of Eucalyptus and

Pine past banks of sweet smelling lilies.

Though gorgeous all year round, the closer to

summer you can walk, the better as the colours

of the flora erupt to their fullest.

Overnight: Arco da Calheta/Funchal

DAY 10

Exploring the Coast—13km

Today you have a variety of options. You can

take it easy and explore the little town of Calheta

with its rum distillery and its gallery, perched high

above the town.

Alternatively you can take a taxi along the coast

to explore some great coastal walks that we have

outlined for you.

The third option is to take last night and tonight's

accommodation in Funchal, rather than Arco da

Calheta. This gives you a chance to explore the

cosmopolitan capital of the island.

Overnight: Arco da Calheta/Funchal

DAY 11

Depart Funchal

You will be collected from your accommodation

and transferred to Funchal airport for your

departure.

Optional Nights Funchal

The capital of Madeira is a lovely place to stay

and has many attractions making it worth

spending a few days here. You can opt to

transfer your last two nights of the trip to

Funchal, but I would recommend booking a few

extra nights here, which we are more than happy

to book for you.

Additional Nights and Extensions

You can add additional nights at any point along

the walk and we highly recommend additional

nights in Funchal.

Tailor Made Holidays

We are always more than happy to tailor our

standard itineraries to suit. Just let us know what

you would like and we will be happy to arrange

your tailor made holiday.

Grade & Fitness

This walking tour is graded Easy to Moderate.

The walks are predominantly along levadas,

though there are some cliff top walks and some

more mountainous walking.

Navigation

Some of the walks on this trip are way marked

but many are not and you will need to follow the

route notes and maps supplied.

Accommodation

The accommodation on this walk is a

combination 3-4 star family run guesthouses and

hotels. All offer a warm welcome to walkers,

traditional hospitality and an authentic

experience.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms within your party we

would be happy to accommodate you although

there is a single room supplement payable.

Solo Walkers

This holiday is available for solo walkers but we

would recommend that you are more

experienced in walking and navigating alone. If

you are travelling solo the holiday is more

expensive as some costs are not shared.

HOLIDAY INFORMATION

THE LEVADAS OF MADEIRA

WALKING ON PORTUGAL’S FLOATING GARDEN

Meals

A delicious breakfast is included each morning

as are picnic lunches for you to enjoy on route,

dinner, however is not included. Dinner is

available either at your accommodation or

nearby bars, cafes and restaurants.

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred between your

accommodation as per your itinerary. We ask

you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to

20kg per person.

Transfers

You will be collected and dropped off at Funchal

airport and the start/end of the trip. Many of the

days involve a transfer to the start of the days

walking. The details of these will be included in

your route notes.

Equipment

Your information pack has a detailed equipmentlist which includes standard walking gear such asgood walking boots or shoes, warm andwaterproof clothes and a day pack.

Getting to Madeira

By Air—Funchal airport is the only international

airport and can be reached directly from Bristol,

Manchester and London. Flight time from

London is approximately 3hrs 45 mins.

From Funchal Airport to Machico—At each

end of your trip you will be collected and dropped

off at the airport. The transfer time is

approximately 30 minutes.

Travel Insurance

It is a condition of booking with us that you have

suitable travel insurance that covers you for

cancellation, curtailment, illness or injury.

Price & Availability

Please refer to our website for up to date prices.

This trip is available from September through to

June. The summer months are unbearably hot in

Madeira so walking is not recommended.

The best time of year to walk in Madeira is in the

spring or from late September to December as

the weather is a little cooler.

Included

Accommodation for 10 nights in 3-4 star familyrun hotels and guesthouses.

9 breakfasts, 9 picnic lunches

Daily luggage transport of 1 bag of up to 20kgper person as required.

Transfers to and from Funchal Airport.

Other Transfers as noted in the informationpack.

Detailed route descriptions and pre departureinformation pack

Maps of the walks

24-hour assistance by phone

Excluded

Travel to and from Madeira

Dinners, drinks & snacks

Travel insurance

Personal expenses such as drinks, phone calls,extra transfers, tips, etc.

Any items not specifically mentioned in theprogram

Optional Extras

Single room supplement(s) if applicable

Solo walker supplement if applicable

Additional nights during the holiday.

Once you have read all the information in this

factsheet or our website and would like to go

ahead with your booking you can book securely

online at www.macsadventure.com or by

telephone on +44 (0) 141 530 8886

Financial Security

In accordance with "The Package Travel,

Package Holidays and Package Tours

Regulations1992" all passengers booking with

Macs Adventure Ltd are fully protected for the

initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all

monies paid to us, including repatriation if

required (this insurance will not cover repatriation

to the country of origin for the passengers

outside of the EU), arising from cancellation or

curtailment of your travel arrangements due to

the insolvency of Macs Adventure Ltd

ABTA Member Statement

As a Member of ABTA we

are obliged to maintain a

high standard of service to

you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. If you have a

complaint, contact ABTA, 30 Park Street,

London.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

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THE LEVADAS OF MADEIRA

WALKING ON PORTUGAL’S FLOATING GARDEN