Mountain hikes, canyoning and diving: Why Madeira could be your next adventure holiday destination

Madeira has agelong been a vacation favourite for travellers looking for sunshine, seaside resorts and stunning earthy surroundings.

But successful highest season, nan land is often overwhelmed pinch visitors who harm its vulnerable ecosystems and chaotic landscapes.

Stella Kamba, laminitis of progressive recreation institution More Life Adventures, wants holidaymakers to rethink their position of nan Portuguese hotspot.

She is spotlighting its burgeoning estimation arsenic 1 of nan escapade capitals of Europe and an perfect shoulder-season destination.

Madeira adventurers tin standard lush peaks and canyon done earthy pools

Kamba describes Madeira arsenic an unsung paradise for progressive and adventure seekers.

“What makes Madeira truthful typical is nan diverseness of experiences disposable successful specified a compact island,” Kamba says.

“In nan morning, you tin beryllium scaling a 1,800 metres highest successful nan clouds, and successful nan afternoon, you could beryllium canyoning successful its lush inlands surrounded by waterfalls and earthy pools. It’s 1 of nan fewer destinations successful Europe wherever you tin person truthful galore activities successful specified adjacent proximity.”

She says it is particularly charismatic from February to March and September to November, erstwhile nan land is astatine its quietest and its earthy landscapes are successful their prime.

“Madeira has ever had nan earthy assets to beryllium an escapade recreation destination, but successful nan lawsuit of galore of my clients, they hadn’t moreover considered nan breadth of opportunities it could connection them,” Kamba says.

“I deliberation this is simply a lawsuit of nan island flying nether people’s radars, but location are conscionable truthful galore adventurous experiences amidst Madeira’s unsocial surface science of volcanic peaks, rugged coastlines, and laurel forests.”

The UK has had a 12 per cent emergence successful flights to Madeira since 2024, pinch respective airlines expanding their services to this Portuguese land this year, making it progressively accessible to sojourn extracurricular highest periods.

For outdoor enthusiasts, Kamba has shared her apical escapade activities that progressive travellers should acquisition erstwhile visiting Madeira.

Hike nan Pico to Pico, 2 of nan highest peaks successful Madeira

On nan Pico to Pico trail, travellers acme 2 of nan island’s highest peaks on constrictive paths carved into nan rock.

The way takes astir 3.5 hours connected a round-trip and spans 12.2 kilometres, during which you standard nan magnificent Pico Ruivo upland and Pico do Areeiro.

Soaring astatine 1,862 metres, Pico Ruivo is nan highest highest successful Madeira, and Kamba says that summiting it feels for illustration “climbing into nan clouds, without nan request for superhuman stamina.”

Pico do Areeiro is nan island’s third-highest peak, reaching an arsenic lofty 1,818 metres.

While nan hike is comparatively challenging, it is manageable for anyone pinch a reasonable level of fittingness and its way is well-maintained by nan section authorities.

On nan route, travellers tin expect panoramic views of Madeira’s rugged mountains and cloud-drenched valleys, alongside ancient lava flows and nan relict laurel trees.

“Often you’ll scope nan peak, and you’ll beryllium supra nan clouds. Granted, you mightiness beryllium retired of breath, but it’s wholly worthy nan effort and 1 of nan astir rewarding activities location is connected nan island, whether you’re a seasoned hiker aliases not,” says Kamba.

Explore Faja dos Padres, a modern-day Garden of Eden

Faja dos Padres is simply a secluded coastal area of Madeira tucked betwixt nan Atlantic Ocean and a 250-metre cliff.

It is accessible only by vessel aliases by cable car, “which descends dramatically down nan cliffside, allowing you to witnesser nan lush, terraced scenery of Madeira arsenic you attack its portion of land,” Kamba says.

Home to mango, banana, and avocado plantations protected by its unsocial microclimate, and a mini pebbled formation cleanable to return a infinitesimal and reflect, “it’s for illustration a modern-day Garden of Eden,” she adds.

Canyon done waterfalls successful Madeira’s inland

To link pinch Madeira’s chaotic heart, Kamba suggests canyoning arsenic a measurement to immerse yourself successful nan island’s lush forests, misty waterfalls, and volcanic stone formations.

“The land is, successful my opinion, 1 of nan champion successful Europe for canyoning, and you tin descent down earthy stone slides and jump into pools earlier swimming done constrictive canyons drenched successful sunlight,” she says. “You’ll consciousness awe and adrenaline each astatine nan aforesaid time.”

The ecological parkland of Funchal, located 12km from nan vibrant capital, lies successful a mountainous area betwixt 470 and 1,818 metres of altitude.

It is dedicated to conserving overmuch of nan island’s untouched quality and wildlife successful its region, and offers a awesome beginner-level destination for canyoning, according to Kamba.

Madeira’s 20-million-year-old subtropical rainforest, nan Laurisilva forest, which is simply a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an replacement spot for much seasoned canyoners, she adds.

Diving on Madeira’s coastline

According to Kamba, a travel to Madeira would not beryllium complete without experiencing its diving opportunities on nan coastline of reefs, caves, and volcanic stone formations.

The land has respective section diving companies offering safe explorations of nan waters and its myriad underwater species, from barracudas to rays, octopus, and moreover seahorses.

One of nan champion sites for diving connected nan land is Reis Magos Beach, wherever nan waters are known for their transparency.

“Whether you’re a seasoned diver aliases you’re learning nan ropes, this Blue Flag formation is suitable for all,” Kamba adds.