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How this was derived · 5 steps
- Levada das 25 Fontes Directions
This is a community-mapped route on AllTrails — not part of Madeira's official PR trail network managed by IFCN (the regional government's forests & nature-conservation authority). It therefore has no official open/closed status and no maintenance/signage guarantee; check access and conditions locally before going.
| Distance | 22.5 km (out & back) |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Estimated time | 10.5–11.5 hours |
| Rating | 4.1★ from 30 hiker reviews on AllTrails |
| Area | Madeira Natural Park |
| Trailhead | Near Calheta → Directions ↗ |
- The Rabaçal Tunnel — roughly 800 m long, it cuts through the hillside from the Paul da Serra plateau into the lush Rabaçal valley. You'll need a torch/flashlight (no lighting inside); the cool, dark passage is a striking contrast to the sun-drenched moorland at the entrance and the vivid green Laurissilva forest on the other side.
- The 25 Fontes waterfall — the payoff: a lagoon fed by twenty-five natural springs cascading down an amphitheatre of vertical rock, one of Madeira's most iconic sights. You need to cross the levada (water channel) to reach the waterfall proper.
- Dramatic scenery throughout — the trail traverses landscapes of outstanding natural beauty, rich in Madeiran endemic flora, winding through dense Laurissilva forest (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
⚠️ This is a long, hard route — at 22.5 km and 10+ hours it's far more demanding than most levada walks. Make sure you're fit, well-equipped, and start early enough to finish in daylight.
⚠️ No official status — since IFCN doesn't maintain it, there's no guaranteed signage, trail checks, or rescue coordination. Conditions (falls, erosion) may differ from what's described.
⚠️ Access fee — the 25 Fontes area requires payment via the SIMplifica portal (€4.50 for visitors > 12 years; free for ≤ 12 years), even on this longer route.
For comparison, the official IFCN trail that reaches the same waterfall is much shorter:
| PR 6 (official) | Calheta – Túnel route | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | 4.3 km + 4.3 km return | 22.5 km (out & back) |
| Difficulty | Moderate | Hard |
| Time | ~3 h | ~10.5–11.5 h |
| Start point | Rabaçal (E.R. 105) | Calheta |
| Rating | 4.5★ (6,244 reviews) | 4.1★ (30 reviews) |
PR 6 starts from the Rabaçal parking area on ER 105 and goes directly to the 25 Fontes lagoon — a much more accessible way to see the same highlight. Full PR 6 details on Visit Madeira · Directions to PR 6 trailhead ↗
Before you go, check the current trail status on OpenMadeira — especially important for this community route since it has no official status update. Want me to check the mountain forecast and IPMA weather warnings for the day you're planning to go?