25 Fontes Levada Hike in Rabaçal: Small Group Tour

Walk a historic water channel through native forest to waterfalls cascading into a mountain lagoon

The 25 Fontes Levada Walk (PR6) is a small-group hike starting in Rabaçal that follows Madeira's traditional irrigation channels through Laurissilva Forest to a lagoon fed by natural springs and waterfalls. An official mountain guide leads the route, which takes 5 to 7 hours and includes transport and insurance. The trail passes through rich native vegetation and ends at the famous 25 Fontes lagoon surrounded by forest.

Step-by-step itinerary

25 Fontes Levada Hike in Rabaçal

• Start hike at Rabaçal
• Walk through Laurissilva Forest
• Follow traditional levadas
• Reach 25 Fontes lagoon and waterfall

The experience

Five to seven hours on the PR6 trail means you cover the full route without rushing. The hike starts in Rabaçal and follows a levada: one of Madeira's historic water channels that have carried irrigation across the island for centuries. Walking alongside it, you move through the Laurissilva Forest, a native woodland that feels removed from the usual tourist circuit. The levada itself is the path, so the route is built into the landscape rather than cut across it.

The destination is the 25 Fontes lagoon, where natural springs feed waterfalls that drop down the rock walls into the water below. The lagoon sits deep in the forest, surrounded by the same vegetation you've walked through all morning. An official mountain guide leads the group and knows the trail, the forest and the conditions that might change the day. Transport to and from Rabaçal is included, as is insurance.

Small groups mean you move at a pace that lets people talk and stop without holding others back. The hike requires at least a moderate level of fitness. It is a full morning and afternoon on foot, with elevation change and uneven ground. The trail depends on good weather. If conditions turn, the operator offers a different date or a full refund. Cruise ship passengers need to provide ship details and timing at booking so the guide can work around your port schedule.

What’s included

• Transport to and from Rabaçal.
• an official mountain guide who speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• local guide services.
• insurance coverage.

Before you book

Lasts 5h–7h, runs every day at 08:30, from € 52 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese, in groups of up to 8 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (6 to 90 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 34 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by Explore Nature

Is this one for you?Small groups keep the pace manageable for anyone with moderate fitness who wants to walk a full morning and afternoon without the crowd. The levada trail itself is the draw. If you came to Madeira to walk the historic water channels and see the forest they pass through, this is the route that does both.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is a levada and why does the hike follow one?

A levada is a traditional irrigation channel built centuries ago to carry water across Madeira's steep terrain. The PR6 trail runs alongside the levada, so the water channel is both the landmark and the reason the path exists. It was engineered to move through the landscape, and the hike follows that same route to reach the 25 Fontes lagoon.

How difficult is the 25 Fontes hike and what kind of fitness do I need?

The hike takes 5 to 7 hours and requires at least moderate physical fitness. The trail includes elevation change and uneven ground, so it is not a flat walk, but most travelers who are reasonably active can complete it. The pace is set by the small group and the official guide, not by speed.

What happens if the weather is bad on the day of the hike?

The experience requires good weather to run safely. If poor conditions force a cancellation, the operator offers either a different date or a full refund. You do not lose the booking.

Does the hike reach the 25 Fontes lagoon itself, or do you stop before it?

The 25 Fontes lagoon is the highlight and the endpoint of the hike. You walk the full PR6 route to reach it, where natural springs and waterfalls feed the lagoon surrounded by Laurissilva Forest.