Walking is a great way to see Madeira. The paths were in generally good condition, and the drops... Helen Rogers, 2018 See more reviews
First time Exodus traveller and I was not disappointed. Madeira was every bit as beautiful as I... Kerry Daly, 2018 See more reviews
I very much enjoyed my week in Madeira, despite having 'Storm Emma' lash us for days. ... Maureen Pinder, 2018 See more reviews
A really good trip, the walking is fairly easy going as the levadas have only a slight incline... Collette Allen, 2018 See more reviews
I really enjoyed this trip. We had a full (15) and varied group, two couples, an American family... Brian Helsdon, 2018 See more reviews
A very interesting and beautiful walking trip led by a very knowledgeable leader, Andre. Each... DAVID BELL, 2017 See more reviews
I read previous reviews prior to going on the trip, and they are all accurate. I would add that I... Pam Bennett, 2017 See more reviews
I really enjoyed this trip. I have had other exodus walking holidays but this was the first one... Eunice Poole, 2017 See more reviews
Perfect walking holiday in Madeira. This was my first walking holiday, first group holiday and... Joanne Elmer, 2017 See more reviews
It was my first walking trip with Exodus so I was not sure how easy or difficult the walks would... Juliusz Chroscicki, 2017 See more reviews
Itinerary Expand all Machico to Funchal Day 1 Start Machico. We start at our hotel in Machico which overlooks the beach of Machico Bay and is close to the picturesque historic fishing village.Comfortable Hotel Day 2 Walk along Ponta de Sao Lourenco, where rocks contrast with the blue of the ocean. Today we walk the classic route along the Ponta de Sao Lourenco. Although challenging, this path takes us through some fantastic scenery as we admire wallflowers, stalwarts and many other tiny plants that resist this windy environment and manage to grow in soils with high levels of salinity. Rocks, sculptured by nature, have a great diversity of colours ranging from black to red, and are in stark contrast to the blue of the ocean. Madeira's Nature Park rangers watch over the plants and animals that belong to this eastern extremity of the island, around Casa do Sardinha. We return to Machico for the night. Walking time approx 3h30 (Elevation +170m, -270m) Total distance approx 8 kmComfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Spectacular walk along the north coast path to the fishing village of Porto da Cruz. This morning we will walk a scenic route along a cliff trail, up to the north coast. We set off along the little Levada do Caniçal, more modest and quieter than yesterday's, then begin a gradual climb up to the crest of the cliffs at Boca do Risco where we enjoy some amazing views along the north coast and may even be able to see the nearby island of Porto Santo. We then head west along the coastal path, a spectacular route in many places cut right into the cliff. We finally descend to the small town of Porto da Cruz, once a bustling port but now a sleepy little town. Later, we transfer to Santana for the night. Walking time approx 4h30 (Elevation +200m, –350m) Total distance approx 12 kmStandard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Transfer to Queimadas; walk along Levada do Caldeirao Verde to the remote village of Ilha. From Santana we take a short transfer (stopping to admire the famous thatched roof houses) to Queimadas natural park where we will walk along the Levada do Caldeirao Verde. We finish this walk at the isolated village of Ilha before returning to Santana for the night.Walking time approx 5h (Elevation +90m, –500m) Total distance approx 12 kmStandard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Early departure for sunrise at Achada do Teixeira; ascend the island's highest mountain, Pico Ruivo; follow a stone staircase down to Encumeada. Today we make the most strenuous walk of the trip. Starting with an early departure to see the sunrise at Achada do Teixeira, we ascend the island's highest mountain, Pico Ruivo (1862m). Our descent follows a spectacular ridge via Torrinhas Pass and over the saddle of Pico do Jorge to Encumeada. As we descend, bees buzz in 'Lily of the Valley' trees and the smell of wild thyme fills the air. After a long day in the hills, we arrive via a long series of stone steps at Encumeada, where we will spend the night. Walking time approx 7h30 (Elevation +650m, –1200m)Total distance approx 16 kmStandard Hotel Day 6 High level walk through beautiful chestnut and eucalyptus woods to Corticeiras; panoramic local bus ride to Funchal. We enjoy another fine high-level walk. From Encumeada we walk through woods of chestnut and eucalyptus and then traverse below the rocky escarpment of Pico Grande, enjoying fine views to the south and back to the west. Eventually, we come to a superb viewpoint overlooking the spectacularly situated village of Curral das Freiras and then descend to the village of Corticeiras. We get the bus to Funchal where there will be time for exploration of the town, a visit to the market or shopping if you wish. We overnight in Funchal.Total walking time 6h (Elevation +400m, –650m)Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Free day to visit the bustling 'Mercado dos Lavradores' (workers' market), Sé Cathedral or for wine tasting in Madeira's Wine Lodge. Our last day is free for you to explore Funchal, the Madeira archipelago's capital. The city is easily explored on foot and the must-see sights include the Sé Cathedral which was built between 1493 and 1514, and the magnificent statue of the man who discovered Madeira, Joao Goncalves Zarco, on the Avenida Arriaga.Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 End Funchal. The trip ends in Funchal. Meals included: Breakfast
Hotels & Pensions Throughout your trek you will stay in good quality hotels and sometimes in standard pensions with en suite facilities. List of hotels normally used: Machico: Hotel Dom Pedro Baia Santana: Hotel O Colmo Encumeada / Serra de Agua: Estalagem Encumeada or Pousada dos Vinhaticos Funchal: Hotel do Centro *Please note that on the 21st April and 22nd December departures a different hotel (Quinta da Serra) will be used and this will be located approx. 16km from Funchal. A complimentary shuttle bus to/from Funchal will be offered for those wishing to travel to Funchal for sightseeing.*
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Reviewed April 2018 Helen Rogers Trip: Walking in Madeira A beautiful island Walking is a great way to see Madeira. The paths were in generally good condition, and the drops were not as daunting as I had expected - although you definitely need to look where you are going! The weather in Madeira is much more localised than I had realised - if it's important to you, make sure you look at the forecast for specific places. The mountains were rainy, and colder than expected - be prepared for anything! Most of the group went whalewatching in Funchal - this wasn't mentioned in the trip notes, but was great fun. No whales, but several dolphins - also a great way to get a view of Funchal from the water. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I enjoyed all of the walking. The cherry blossom above Funchal was superb. What did you think of your group leader? Add me to the Andre fan club. Very sociable, generous with his time and knowledge. He had to substitute a couple of walks due to weather and rockslides, and we were not disappointed, even though we had been looking forward to the published itinerary. He's an excellent walking guide, well aware of everyone in the group. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Most of us used trekking poles, and were glad of them. Be prepared for anything - the weather is the boss of the itinerary. Most of the hotels were very pleasant, one was slightly disappointing - but the obvious place to stay given the itinerary. Is there anything else you would like to add? It's a beautiful place, well worth the visit.
Reviewed April 2018 Kerry Daly Trip: Walking in Madeira Dramatic trekking in the mountains of Madeira First time Exodus traveller and I was not disappointed. Madeira was every bit as beautiful as I had hoped: sea vistas (with huge waves on our Day 2 coastal walk), exotic flora and fauna, and at times, dizzying mountain heights that take your breath away. People in our group of 12 were delightfully friendly and supportive. Excellent leadership on this trip. Overall, a very satisfying travel experience. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? walking the cliffs on the northern coast with a raging sea below What did you think of your group leader? Andre, our leader, is a native of Madeira and he was very generous with his knowledge of the history, culture and nature of his beloved homeland. As others have commented, he has a wonderful sense of humour, is very effective in bringing the group together, and went out of his way to check in with each member of the group to ensure that they were safe and content. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Given the heights and some the slippery conditions (we had several days of rain), trekking poles indispensable. Need to be prepared for changes in itinerary (we had two days that were changed) as the weather in the mountains can be unpredictable (ie. cold, wet, fog). Fortunately our leader had good back up plans. Is there anything else you would like to add? Accommodation was comfortable. Breakfasts however, were very uneven - some excellent with hot buffets, others really on the skimpy side which wasn't ideal when you had many hours of hiking ahead.
Reviewed April 2018 Maureen Pinder Trip: Walking in Madeira A fun week despite stormy weather! I very much enjoyed my week in Madeira, despite having 'Storm Emma' lash us for days. It's a beautiful island, with great views. We saw wild canaries, firecrests, blackcaps, lizards and lots of lovely flowers as we walked. Unfortunately the storms made some of the planned itinerary, such as the highest peak, impossible. So guide Andre had to invent more sheltered walks for us, and we managed 4 days walking instead of the planned 5, which was pretty good in the circumstances. Andre was great, all the hotels were nice, and the group (full at 16) were all good fun. I'll definitely go back - in the summer! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The one sunny day, and out walk along the cliffs of the north coast. What did you think of your group leader? Andre was great: knowledgeable and funny. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't expect great weather. I think we were very unlucky, but it's known to be changeable in general.
Reviewed March 2018 Collette Allen Trip: Walking in Madeira A great holiday A really good trip, the walking is fairly easy going as the levadas have only a slight incline/decline. The hardest bit is getting to the start point or descending to get the bus. Sometimes the path is narrow without a handrail but we all managed fine. The trip is good as it moves around the island. No two days were the same so there was good variety. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? None What did you think of your group leader? Andre was excellent Do you have any advice for potential travellers? A good trip!
Reviewed January 2018 Brian Helsdon Trip: Walking in Madeira A great if (for me) a strenuous trip I really enjoyed this trip. We had a full (15) and varied group, two couples, an American family and ages ranging from late twenties/early thirties to seventies. They were great fun and helped to make the trip. We were also extremely fortunate, no rain in what is the wettest month in Madeira, sun and above average temperatures for the first half of the week. All the hotels were of an acceptable standard with generally very good and varied breakfasts. The exception was the hotel in the centre of the island where the choice at breakfast was very limited and the food quality poor. The walks offered varied terrain and fantastic views but certainly merit the grading moderate. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I enjoyed the end, the two days in Funchal, maybe because I felt I'd earnt it! We did an optional extra dolphin boast trip, went on the cable car and generally soaked up the atmosphere. Funchal at night during the Christmas period was lively with very tasteful decorations. The views of the north coast from several of the walks were spectacular. What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader was Andre a very experienced mountain guide. He was extremely friendly and helpful and considerate to those of differing walking abilities and experiences. The walks all went well without incident because of this. He was also good at recommending places to eat which accepted 15 individual bills. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't do this without either regular walking experience or some preparation before hand. There are five walks. I ducked out of the most strenuous one ( I wasn't the only one) but the last was also for me hard going, too many rocks, too many tunnels and too many hills. To be fair it was not the route in the itinerary which we could not do because of road closures. Definitely consider walking poles, invaluable especially for the down hills. Is there anything else you would like to add? I did this walking trip over the Christmas period 2017. I have nothing but praise for the Exodus sales staff, Lucy. When I first inquired the trip was fully booked. I persisted and she promised to let me know if anyone dropped out. They did. The problem then was getting a flight, the return fare was £550 for a so called budget airline but Exodus mitigated this by further reductions in the main price so affordable but pricey my fault for a last minute booking. Following on from my comment above I would suggest Exodus consider a less strenuous option for the last walk whilst the one in the itinerary is off limits. Finally a small beef, the hotels near Funchal, Machico and in central Funchal both charged for a key to the room safe. In this security age I find this unacceptable. I hope Exodus and its agents can negotiate this away in future.
Reviewed October 2017 DAVID BELL Trip: Walking in Madeira Walking in Madeira A very interesting and beautiful walking trip led by a very knowledgeable leader, Andre. Each walk was different and Andre provided a wealth of knowledge as we went along. Hotels and food were very good. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? All the walks were interesting but I particularly enjoyed day 2 on a levada and then a path high up on the north coast with great views all the way. What did you think of your group leader? Andre was very passionate about Madeira and his knowledge of the plants, birds, history, etc. was very good. He was well organised and everything ran smoothly. He was great fun too. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Walking poles, good boots and waterproofs are always useful. There are some steep accents and descents but everyone in our group managed the distances okay.
Reviewed October 2017 Pam Bennett Trip: Walking in Madeira Stunning varied scenery I read previous reviews prior to going on the trip, and they are all accurate. I would add that I was borderline fit enough for this holiday so found it challenging at times (it was a late decision to go), but I would not have missed a moment of it. I completed all the walks, which are all different from each other. The group I was with was very supportive. Andre the guide made one unit of us from the first night, and was watchful, prepared, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. As he said 80% is in your head, 20% in your walking ability. Apart from Andre, the other essential was walking poles, especially on the long downhill Day 4. I had not been on an Exodus holiday before, nor had I been on one without a companion. Any reservations I had were blown away very quickly. It was so enjoyable,I just love Madeira. I am looking for my next holiday already. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The feeling after the walk along the levadas to the Green Cauldron. After a days walking in the laurisilva it was like having been bathed in green for a day.Like no where else I have been. What did you think of your group leader? Andre was the best. I say this even though it was my first Exodus holiday, I cannot imagine a better guide, professor or group leader. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? I wore my walking boots every day after one day in walking shoes. The support and shock absorption of the boots made such a difference for me. I have already mentioned how useful I found the walking poles Is there anything else you would like to add? Do it, go there, enjoy.
Reviewed June 2017 Eunice Poole Trip: Walking in Madeira Walking in Madeira I really enjoyed this trip. I have had other exodus walking holidays but this was the first one on my own since I lost my husband. I need not have worried as the people in the group were friendly and welcoming. The views were amazing and a abundants of wild flowers. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I think the whole trip was great and so very difficult to pick out spercific moments just the amazing views of the mountains and coastline. What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader was Andre who was fantastic. He was always smiling and his love of his island and knowledge of the flowers, mountains and history was very infectious. Andre made sure we were all safe and enjoying the walks from the fast walkers to the slow and always stopped at the end for a welcoming cold beer! He even gave up his day off on our free day to show us around Funchal Do you have any advice for potential travellers? I was a bit older than the rest of the group, being 73 and did find the very rocky descents a bit difficult at times but if I can manage it anyone can Is there anything else you would like to add? I don't think so, just that as usual exodus gave me a very organised and enjoyable trip
Reviewed May 2017 Joanne Elmer Trip: Walking in Madeira Perfect Adventure Perfect walking holiday in Madeira. This was my first walking holiday, first group holiday and first loan trip. I wouldn't have changed anything. Andrej, our guide was fantastic. He showed of the island with 5 different walks that showed of everything Madeira has to offer. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Difficult as was all so good. At one point I said "Every time we turn a corner there is another beautiful view which was completely different and awe inspiring". What did you think of your group leader? Fantastic. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his island and all it has to offer. Made everyone feel comfortable and created a good team atmosphere. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Lots of stone steps. Need strong knees and lots of energy! Is there anything else you would like to add? Organise another Madeira trip to explore other more challenging areas of the island. I would love to go back and see more.
Reviewed May 2017 Juliusz Chroscicki Trip: Walking in Madeira Great walks, beautiful island It was my first walking trip with Exodus so I was not sure how easy or difficult the walks would be for me based on the moderate rating. It turned out I managed just fine. As usual with Exodus trips everything was very well organised, hotels were clean and comfortable, food was good and plenty and the company delightful What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Even though very walk could be the highlight of the trip, if I were to select one, it would be the middle part of the Porto Cruz walk on day 2, a traverse of a mountain face dropping towards the ocean. I think the day 4 could have been the top pick if it were not for the weather. We did not see much that day as we walked mostly in a cloud and fog but that is something we have to accept when hiking in the mountains.And it was still a good day What did you think of your group leader? Andre is a pure delight. From the first moment he picked me up at the airport I knew he enjoys his jobs and takes pride of his island. He readily shared his vast knowledge of Madeira. He liked to joke but he also made sure that we were always safe and comfortable. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Trekking poles helped me a lot, especially during the descents on day 4.
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