On arrival at Funchal airport, a short transfer is included to the village of Santa Cruz on the east coast. At the beginning of the evening you will have a meet & greet with your guide and the rest of the group. The guide will go through the details for the week. Accommodation: Stay two nights at a small ‘residencial’ (pension) in the town of Santa Cruz a 5 minute drive from the airport. All rooms have private facilities. There is a beautiful historical church. Crossing the road you will get to ‘’Praia das Palmeiras’’, a pebble beach and you can enjoy a lovely walk through the promenade, flanked by palm trees and by the sea.

Meals:  Nil

After breakfast we embark on our first walk. It will take you along the stunning coast of Madeira. We begin the day with a short transfer to the start of the Levada de Canical, near the town of Machico which you will soon leave to climb to the Boca de Risco pass (300m). From there a cliff hugging coastal path takes you along ome of the the wildest stretches of coastline in Madeira, along the Espigao Amarelo, an exposed cliff side path which descends to the village of Larano (200m). There is some subjective exposure on this walk, although there is fencing beside the most exposed areas. There are fantastic cliff views towards the north west. From Larano we continue to walk down path and road to the small resort of Porto da Cruz, famous for its 'Engenho do Norte' sugar cane mill and rum distillery, and then transfer by road back to Santa Cruz. If the group is not up for it or the weather doesn't allow (very windy conditions can make the cliffs unsafe), there is a shorter alternative.

Meals:  B

Time to head up into the high mountains for a spectacular walk along the highest ridge in the centre of the island. The walk starts with a 40 minute road transfer up to Achado do Teixeira (1592m), from where it is about an hours walk up to the summit of Pico Ruivo (1862m), the highest summit in Madeira. From there you continue along a high ridge, which forms the backbone of the island, with fabulous views either side (weather permitting). This is the classic walk of the island. It is a strenuous but very rewarding walk and the hardest day of this tour. There are more ‘downs’ than ‘ups’ and you eventually descend to Encumeada (1007m), a high road pass and cafe. From here it is a short road walk down below the pass to your hotel. Accommodation: Our mountain pension is a welcoming destination after a long day in the hills. All rooms have en-suite facilities, balcony with mountain or valley views, TV, and phone. The public lounge has a fireplace. The restaurant and bar are in traditional rustic style. There is an outside drinks terrace. The natural setting of the hotel among the forest and peaks is quite outstanding. *Today's route does need reasonable weather conditions. If the weather outlook is poor or the path is closed we will propose an alternative walk.

Meals:  B,D

We climb from the mountain resort at Encumeada and take a winding route with amazing views through the Laurissilva vegetation, along the Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal. There can be some wet areas today: we will pass a number of impressive waterfalls as we follow the levada do Norte (take a torch for the tunnels). Finally we reach the summit of Bica da Cana one of the most popular (and photographed) viewpoints on the island at 1580 metres. There is a unique view over the São Vicente valley, where the shades of green of the Laurissilva forest are predominant. From here, our bus and driver, familiar friends by now, pick us up to visit the stunning natural lava pools at Porto Moniz (admission excluded). Spend some time in the afternoon before we leave for Boa Ventura. Accommodation: the last 4 nights are spent near Sao Vicente on the northwest coast of Madeira in the village of Boa Ventura. Our normal hotel is a beautiful former manor house carefully refurbished, but retaining many of the original features of a rural Madeiran 'Quinta'. It is close to the Laurissilva Forest in its purest state, where you can enjoy breath-taking and unparalleled scenery. There are Living Rooms, a Museum consisting of traditional Madeiran artefacts, Billiards, Bar, Restaurant, Terraces, Gardens, and miniature golf.

Meals:  B,L

After a 25 minute transfer we walk up steeply from the sleepy village of Ilha onto the ‘levada Caldeirao Verde’ at around 880 metres and into the lush Laurissilva vegetation. Doing this walk will involve a couple of long tunnels, take a torch and watch your head. It is also a popular route so there will be quite a bit of people passing, due to our short transfer in the morning we'll be one of the firsts on the trail. On the way we may do a dog leg out to a beautiful waterfall at the ‘Caldeirao Verde’, the caldera is a cove type feature and there are great potential views over the forested peaks of the ridge of ‘Lomba dos passegueiros’. We finally walk out to the cafe and thatched cottage at Queimadas. From there you are transferred back to Boa Ventura. *Those that prefer, may wish to opt for a free day spend by the lava pools in Porto Moniz.

Meals:  B

A morning transfer takes us to the start of the Levada dos Cedros. We follow this Levada up to Fanal. Here you will find a centuries-old Til (Ocotea foetens) forest, some of which was here when the island was discovered. The Levada dos Cedros is one of the oldest levadas in Madeira. Built in the 17th century, it starts in the water outcrops of Lombo do Cedro, at an altitude of 1000 metres. It is excavated in the soil of the hillside, and is only paved in areas where the soil is more friable. There are some ancient 30-40 metre high trees on the way that are known as 'Witches Trees'. It is an intermediate walk that does involve a steep climb of about 500m through Laurisilva forest. We will stay at this level for a circular walk appreciating the views from this plateau at Parque Florestal. At the end of the walk, transfer back to the hotel in Boa Ventura.

Meals:  B

Today you will be transferred to Lombo do Urzal to find the start of the Levada dos Tornos. Via the Faja do Penedo chapel, this levada takes us all the way back down to our accommodation in Boaventura. A spectacular route through the hills and valleys that connect the towns of Faja do Penedo, and Lombo do Urzal. This Levada is a fascinating tour along the paths that break through the green mountains with breathtaking views of the small rural towns in the region. This evening we bid farewell to our guide and group with a communal dinner at the hotel.

Meals:  B,D

After breakfast, a transfer to the airport is organised and takes approximately one hour. If it is your first time to Madeira, we advise you to spend some time in the charming capital Funchal. Please check below 'Options & Supplements' for a package that includes 2 overnights and an airport transfer in the low season, prices per person. Speak to our team for further details.

Meals:  B