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Walking the Waterways and villages of Madeira

Walking the Waterways and villages of Madeira

Walking the Waterways and villages of Madeira Expert Local Guides
Walking the Waterways and villages of Madeira Award Winning Adventures
Walking the Waterways and villages of Madeira Nature First Adventures
Walking the Waterways and villages of Madeira Support Local Communities
New
8 Days from
8 Days from
CAD 1,945
incl. Taxes
Walking & Trekking
Ways to Travel :
Self-Guided Holidays
Activity :
Walking & Trekking
Activity Levels :
2 out of 7 - Leisurely / Moderate You are reasonably fit, enjoy the outdoors and are looking for some exercise. Some previous experience is preferable for activity based trips.
Group Size :
1
Ages :
12+
Trip Code :
W07MS
Overview
Itinerary
Gallery
Essential Info
Accommodation
Dates & Prices

Surging from the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira offers a temperate sub-tropical paradise perfect for year-round walking.

One of Madeira's many charms is its infinite variety; each day's walking and every levada - the island's unique network of water channels - is different. Landscapes vary from cultivated vine terraces and verdant slopes dotted with white hamlets to coastal cliffs with balcony views over the azure seas. Also a nature lover's paradise, there are over 120 endemic species of flora and fauna including the pride of Madeira, the bird-of-paradise, along with jacaranda, tiny bisbis birds, chaffinches and hawks - the list is endless.

On this self guided walking holiday in Madeira you are free to explore at your leisure as car hire is provided and you drive to and from the start of the walks each day. Walking many of the levadas for which Madeira is so famous for you explore the best the island has to offer. With fantastic vistas of the island from Paul do Mar in the west to the hills on the Eastern side of the island around Machico which was originally the capital of Madeira. Discover the lakes of Madeira and the impressive Lagoa do Venta waterfall and walk to one of the highest peaks on island the Pico Grande. Take time to discover the capital Funchal, known for its historical centre and bustling market place.

Highlights

  • Wonderful walking along the levadas of Madeira and seeing the most beautiful waterfalls on the island
  • Known as the floating garden of the Atlantic, Madeira offers a wealth of flora and fauna and unforgettable beauty
  • Excellent 5* hotel with an exclusive and refined feel, relaxing spa and wellness centre, just 30 minutes from Funchal

Key Information

  • 7 nights single centre accommodation in a 5-star hotel
  • Management by your local Headwater appointed agent
  • Headwater navigation app
  • Countries visited: Portugal

What's Included

  • All breakfasts
  • Group B Car Hire
  • GPS Route directions and maps

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance
  • Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)
  • Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)
  • Visas or vaccinations
  • Half boards upgrades available
  • Car hire upgrades

5 Days of Walking & Trekking

Day 2

9 km / 5.6 miles

Day 3

15 km / 9.3 miles

Day 4

20 km / 12.4 miles

Day 6

18 km / 11.2 miles

Day 7

8 km / 5 miles

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips which improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People - How this trip helps improve life for local communities.
  • The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.
  • This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally-owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
  • We use fairly small, family run and locally staffed establishments which ensures that we are benefiting local communities.
  • Our activity also benefits the rural village of Copey, which is nestled in the highlands of the Central Mountain Range. By passing through this area, seeing how the locals live and work and having lunch in a typical home, we are encouraging cultural exchange and providing valuable avenues of income here.
  • There is an option for clients to directly support local schools by packing a gift of educational supplies when we visit Copey area on this tour.
  • This is a small group tour, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people.
  • Our local operator is very involved in supporting community projects. On International Tourism Day in 2019 they took part in cleaning a beach at Guacalillo. They collected a total 150 Kg of waste and all the plastic lids collected were donated to the Fundación Proparques, for a project developing walkways to improve accessibility for people with mobility problems in the country's protected wild areas.
  • In 2017 Exodus Travels introduced the Inspiration Project, where we’ve worked with our partners to take more than 6,000 children in 30 countries on a day of adventure and exploration. Each inspirational day out is designed to introduce young minds to the wonders of our world and their place in it. From visiting cultural heritage sites to natural wonders, each trip has been packed with firsts – their first time leaving their own village, their first time seeing the sea, their first time visiting a busy city. We continue to operate these days out to inspire children to protect and preserve the world as they grow up.
Places - How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.
  • Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
  • By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
  • Being a wildlife-based tour, we are very conscious of our effects on the environment and how we can reduce negative impact and aid conservation. We visit national and private parks, including the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, one of the first community-managed reserves in the country. Our entrance fees also directly support conservation efforts in the areas we visit.
  • Our local operator has a policy of Animal Welfare that requests suppliers to comply with the minimum conditions of animal welfare.
  • Our local operator has been awarded by the Costa Rican Tourism Board for their sustainable tourism practice & dedication to improving sustainability standards. This means that efforts are made to rationally use water and electricity, provide adequate waste management, and positively impact communities, among many other actions.
  • Most of the accommodation and restaurants we visit on this trip use locally sourced food such as fruit which is always sourced locally and abundant. Esquinas lodge have their own policy whereby they produce their own organic vegetables and fruit, marmalade, juices, mayonnaise, bread, chocolate and seasoning.
  • Vegetarian options are available if notice is given which include a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, and rice.
  • To reduce our carbon emissions, we use a shared coach at the beginning of the tour to transport clients from San José to Tortuguero rather than an internal flight. During the trip, we travel responsibly using appropriate methods of transport; therefore, depending on group size, a minibus/coach will be used.
  • Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
  • We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
Planet - How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.
  • Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
  • An example of eco-friendly accommodation on this trip is the Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, a model project combining conservation, environmental research and community development in a rural area. The plot is surrounded by approximately 3,000 hectares of untouched rainforest which acts as a carbon sink and the lodge itself is 100 % carbon neutral, meaning it will take action to remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they produce.