The Levada Das 25 Fontes is one of Madeira’s most famous and accessible hikes. It runs mostly under a lush forest and along a levada, a system of narrow canals for transporting water from the sources down to the settlements.
The views are nothing short of spectacular, with a gorgeous waterfall, the Lagoa Das 25 Fontes, waiting for you at the end. Despite its popularity and high-season crowds, this magnificent hike is worth a visit during your stay in Madeira.
With useful facilities and well-maintained paths, this hike is long but achievable even for inexperienced hikers. As with any hike, being prepared is essential, so check out this post to learn all you need to know about the Levada Das 25 Fontes.
If you’re thinking of going hiking in Madeira, I also have handy guides to Ponta São Lourenço and the Vereda do Pico Ruivo.
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Main things to know
Key summary
Full name: PR 6 – Levada Das 25 Fontes
Distance: 8.6 km (5.3 miles) in total
Duration: about 3 hours of hiking
Difficulty: moderate
Length and duration
The Levada Das 25 Fontes (known as PR 6) is about 8.6 km (5.3 miles) long in total, as a round trip from the parking area to the Lagoa Das 25 Fontes. It takes around 3 hours to complete, but it will likely take longer if you stop for a toilet break or a meal at Casa do Rabaçal, also known as Rabaçal Nature Spot. I’d highly recommend stopping here to use the toilets, as there are no other toilets along the path. Make sure to bring some change to pay the small toilet fee. You should also allow some time to take pictures and rest breaks along the way.
You may also want to veer off the main PR 6 path onto PR 6.1 (Levada Do Risco). PR 6.1 starts shortly after Casa do Rabaçal and you’ll see signs clearly indicating where to go. It’s absolutely worth it not just for the spectacular views, but to admire the huge waterfall at the end, called Cascata Do Risco. Moreover, Levada Do Risco is only a 1.5 km (0.9-mile) round trip back to the main PR 6, so it will only add about one hour to the total hiking time, including a picture break at the end.
If you’d like to shorten the hike, you can take the Rabaçal shuttle bus. This takes you form the parking area down the paved road to Casa do Rabaçal, allowing you to skip the first 1.6 km (1 mile) of the hike. You can also take it on the way back to skip a total of 3.2 km (2 miles). The shuttle bus is quite frequent and inexpensive, 3€ for one way and 5€ for a return trip. You can purchase your tickets on board with cash.
In general, it will take 4 hours of hiking if you complete both PR 6 and PR 6.1. Including the various breaks you will certainly take, it’s likely to take about 6 hours in total.
Difficulty level
The Levada Das 25 Fontes is considered of moderate difficulty overall. The total distance is definitely quite long and can be trying, especially for inexperienced hikers. The temperature in the summer can get quite hot and hikers who are not accustomed to the heat and humidity may struggle. However, most of the walk is under a forest, which provides plenty of shade.
The diversion on Levada Do Risco is not particularly long and mostly flat, so it won’t make the total hike more difficult. For this reason, and of course because of its sheer beauty, I’d generally recommend adding it to your plan. Just be mindful of the total roundtrip distance though, which will be just over 10 km including both PR 6 and 6.1.
The final stretch from Casa do Rabaçal to the parking area is 1.6 km (1 mile) uphill, with a 200 m (656-foott) elevation gain. This is quite hard even for experienced hikers, especially considering that it’s at the end of a long hike. For this reason, I’d recommend taking the shuttle bus at least on the way back. We didn’t take on our visit, but we surely wish we had!
How to get there
By car
Getting to the Levada Das 25 Fontes by car is the option most hikers take. There is ample parking on the main road, with 3 car parks and plenty of space to park on the road. If you’re considering renting a car when visiting Madeira, make sure to compare the best offers here.
The roads, like in most of Madeira, are spacious and in great condition. The only things to bear in mind are that the location is quite remote, so make sure to have enough fuel, and mountainous, so there are many sharp turns and steep sections.
The road may look intimidating, but any car can get up there. In general, most drivers with some experience of mountain roads will have no problem driving up there.
From Funchal, the drive is about 42 km (26 miles) and should take just under one hour.
If you’re travelling from Porto Moniz, it’s about 24 km (15 miles) and the drive should take about 30-35 minutes.
From Seixal, the distance is about 31 km (19 miles), for a 40-minute drive.
By public transport
Unfortunately there are no public transport options to reach the starting point to the Levada Das 25 Fontes. You could take a taxi to get there, but it’s likely to be very expensive.
Visiting with organised tours
If you don’t have a car, the best option is to get there with an organised tour. Luckily, there are many tours available at reasonable prices, that include transport.
This tour to the Levada Das 25 Fontes offers a local guide and they can pick you up from Funchal.
If you’re not staying in Funchal but would like to visit the Levada Das 25 Fontes with a guide, this tour offers transport from other locations.
And if you need flexible transport but would rather hike without a guide, this tour is for you.
Best time to visit
Late morning
Most visitors get to the start of the Levada in the late morning. They have lunch along the way, or at the café at Casa do Rabaçal, and get back to their car in the late afternoon or evening.
This is a great way to spend the day hiking in this stunning area, taking it easy in the morning. However, because it’s the most popular time to visit, in the summer months it gets very crowded. Many stretches of the hike are very narrow, so it can get significantly congested with hikers. Moreover, it will be busier at the toilets, the café and the waterfalls.
If you’d rather avoid the crowds, you may want to avoid getting there in the late morning.
Early morning
Starting the hike in the early morning is the only other option in my opinion. I wouldn’t recommend starting it in the evening or afternoon because of its length and remoteness.
It will be easier to find a parking spot early in the morning, before the crowds arrive. This way, you should be able to park in the car parks and avoid having to park on the road, potentially quite far from the starting point.
It will also be less crowded on the way down, so you can enjoy the walk and waterfalls with peace and quiet. On the flipside though, you will probably encounter the crowds on your way back.
It’s pretty much impossible to escape the crowds completely at the Levada Das 25 Fontes. It’s one of the most popular hikes in Madeira, and one of its most accessible, so it’s bound to attract lots of visitors.
What to bring
Sunscreen
Despite the walk being mostly in a forested area with plenty of shade, there are stretches where you’ll be exposed to the sun. The sun can also get very strong, especially in the summer months.
Therefore, you should bring enough strong sunscreen and apply it before setting off on the hike. As always, you should also reapply it every few hours or after a swim, to ensure you remain protected and avoid unpleasant sunburns.
A sunhat
Because of the abundance of shade, you can complete this hike without a sunhat. However, you should still bring a sunhat with you, especially if you’re not accustomed to the heat. It will help keep your head cool to avoid heat strokes, and protect your head from getting sunburnt.
Plenty of water
The Levada Das 25 Fontes is a long hike and the temperature can get very hot in the summer months. Staying hydrated is necessary to prevent health issues, especially due to the remoteness of the path.
The only food outlet along the hike is the café at Casa do Rabaçal. It’s the only place where you can buy water, and refill your water bottle. On top of that, a portion of the walk is before the café as well.
Therefore, you should bring a refillable bottle with enough water for the drive and the walk down to the café. You can then refill it there, ensuring that it will be enough for the whole walk. On your way back, you should also refill it at the café as you won’t be able to once you’ve walked past it.
Packed lunch and snacks
While there is food available at the café at Casa do Rabaçal, it’s expensive, the choice is limited and the queues can be long. Therefore, I would highly recommend bringing your own packed lunch before heading to the hike. You should also bring plenty of snacks to keep you energised throughout the long hike.
A swimsuit if you fancy a dip
While this may not be for everyone, you can swim in the Lagoa Das 25 Fontes. If you think you’ll enjoy a dip in the icy, crystal-clear water to cool down after a long hike in the heat, make sure to bring a swimsuit and towel!
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