Pr6 Levada Wood : Rabaçal - 25 Sources

On our recent visit to the island we went on two guided levada walks, the one listed and the other the Caldeiro Verde, with this company. They were beautiful walks and well organised, but our enjoyment was spoiled by the same irascible guide on both occasions. Unlike the many happy and friendly Madeira walking guides we have had in the past, he seemed to come from Planet Angry and within minutes of getting in the minibus he was arguing with clients (not me) about whether he should turn on the air conditioning. On the trail, he led the walks at the pace he wanted to go at (fast) rather than at a pace that suited the ability of the group, some of whom were in their seventies, shouting back at group members to keep up. He teased and mocked older or less able members of the group, one for using a stick, another for saying they were tired, and another, an older gentleman, for having vertigo. He left behind older and slower members of the group, one of whom subsequently had an accident, cutting her knee and leaving her shaken and unsteady on a very narrow path above big drops. When asked to slow down, he refused, instead mocking the request. Rather than imparting knowledge about the history and flora of the amazing countryside, on both occasions he seemed to want to get the walk over as soon as possible. I know these views were widely shared by other members of the group, none of whom seemed to have enjoyed the walk. Over many years of guided walks on the island, I have never had an experience like this and this individual should not be guiding walks.

A stunningly beautiful walk in amazing lush green laurisilva forest in the mountains, along the levada routes to Risco waterfall and the 25 fontes as well as the tunnel out towards Calhetta. Philippe our guide was brilliant! He told us so many interesting facts about the area and all the different plants and wildlife and it's clear how much he loves sharing it with people. We were exceptionally lucky with the weather as it was very clear all day. The walk is paced to suit everyone as we had a range of ages. It's a relatively easy walk if you are used to walking with some steps and sleepy sections but generally gentle gradients or flat. Can be slippy in places and near the falls and especially in the tunnel it is wet underfoot so boots are advisable, as is a torch and a rain jacket. It's easy to see why this is such a popular walk, one not to he missed and the tour company were excellent.

Great guide and a good walk. A little crowded at the 25 fountains but OK on the walk itself. Very disappointed that two seatbelts on the minibus were broken. Not good enough and this needs to be fixed ASAP.

We very much enjoyed this hiking trip with Felipe, our guide. He is friendly, experienced, patient, helpful, keeps up the pace and has a nice sense of humour. He knows a lot about the surroundings, the vegetation, the animals and Madeira in general which is just lovely! He watched over our safety from beginning to end, starting with the bus ride. He took no risks when things got rather steep. The hike was beautiful, but sometimes rather crowded because of its popularity.

As we were arriving by cruise ship we were picked up on time near the cruise terminal. We were taken to the north of the island and the guide thoughtfully stopped off en route so we could stock up on some snacks. The views on the walk were amazing but be aware there are some steep steps but nothing too bad. Magno our guide was excellent with a good sense of humour. It's a seven mile walk so wear sturdy footwear.

We had a great trip with a nice group and a very professional guide. The views were majestic, the wethear sunny and wonderfull. Even though I got a panic attack on a narrow mountain path and had to skip the most spectacular part of it, I give to this trip 4 stars. My teenager kids loved the views, especially the waterfalls. But if you have fear of high, narrow, closed or dark places, you should think twice, if you really want to go to this trip… Another dificult part was the 800 m long completely dark and wet tunnel. So you should take a torcher with you or use one on your phone. Also you shoul have good hiking and waterproof shoes on. Our guide was friendly, with a good sence of humor and very helpfull. Thank you! ☺️

We had a great time . Definitely do it again . The view was amazing from the top . Very clean and well organised.

Loved the scenery. The 25 Fontes are breathtaking. Unique plants and birds in this area. Very interesting area of Madeira that is very important for a large amount of their hydroelectric energy. Highly recommend.

Walking along the tranquil and beautiful Levada trail. Really stunning surroundings and the highlight of the walk was the waterfall. Bonus tunnel walk too!

Efficient pick up and drop off, friendly competent guide. Reliable transport and it was a lovely day as well! My calves hurt a lot afterwards despite only being a moderately hard walk.

Great walk, just as expected the scenery was well worth the effort. Buy some lunch prior to getting on the transport.

Robert was fantastic, walk was amazing and so enjoyed. Thank you highly recommend was so beautiful and recommend you are ok with some very steep stairs

Peaceful guided walk through to the 25 Fontes ✨ we really enjoyed this walk, the pick up and transfers were also really good ☺️

It was a nice and well organized tour! The guide was very nice and told us a lot about the nature on the walk to the 25 fontes. Sadly we just had around 35 minutes to have a break and to jump in for a quick swim at the waterfall. But it was an easy and wonderful hike! A must- see in Madeira!

Stunning and beautiful scenery. The guide was lovely and informative. Make sure you wear sensible footwear there are large puddles, take a jacket for the tunnel and a light. Take lunch there is a beautiful picnic spot. Highly recommend such a beautiful walk

It was a beautiful walk and the guide was very good,nice to Charlotte thanks for the wonderful walk thanks for the little attention for the birthday of my daughter

Having done this walk a few years ago I decided to do it again...unfortunately the day that I chose to do it turned out to be rather wet....however it did not retract from the beauty of the walk starting in the eucalyptus trees...the smell amazing...before walking through a long tunnel, approx 800m, where torches were provided but I would take your own. The guide was very knowledgeable and the driver excellent. The path to the 25 fontes requires some climbing of steps although not a problem for someone with average mobility/fitness. After lunch stop at the falls (not supplied..take your own) we retraced our path back to the minibus. The guide said we would have gone a different way which looked to involve another climb but was maybe too slippery with the rain. 10/10 despite getting a proper soaking..... but that can be Madeira weather....be prepared. It was all rounded off with a visit to a cafe to try some Poncha.....

The bus ride to the our destination was almost as beautiful as the scenic walk itself: lovely ocean views! The levada walk was quite easy, graced with many varieties of flowers and plants. The falls themselves were not the high point of this trip, being far too crowded to enjoy the peace that such a sight would bring if not packed with so many people. Yet, the walk back through the half mile tunnel ending in stunning views of the flower covered mountains was definitely the best. Our guide was excellent, so well informed and just delightful. Highly recommend.

This is was my favourite tour of all on my holiday. Jonny was an absolute legend and gave us so much interesting information on local plants and wildlife. I felt safe and the driver knew what he was doing. The views on the trip were unbelievable and so much time to take it all in. I was told it would be busy full of tourists but I thought it was reasonable and had plenty of space. I’m very happy and would recommend this. I was happy to have Johnny he was a cool guy and felt very human. I loved how passionate he was about keeping in harmony with nature. Much respect and love thanks for making it a great day

Lovely walk in calm verdant deciduous rainforest, although all the steps may be tough if you have a slightly dodgy knee (despite 'moderate' rating), after 3 hours of 4+ hour walk I was struggling a bit. Guide (Ali, although that was short for something else I can't recall or pronounce) spoke good English and French, gave interesting information about history of levadas, plants/animals etc. Walk slighly misty the whole time but temperature was perfect, I wore long light trousers, T shirt and jumper plus waterproof which was ideal, if I was going again I'd probably take a torch for the tunnel and an extra rain poncho just in case. Only reason not 5 stars, trail pretty busy and 25 Fountains heaving so difficult to get nice photos, and that was on a day with no cruise ships in port. Slight problem with pickup but quickly sorted so I didn't miss the tour, drive and cafe stops on way up/down very pleasant. Happy to recommend.

Really great hike, perfect for first timers. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, the views were stunning and the route was easy to follow.

Great tour but go prepared. We thought we had prepared pretty well, wearing our best hiking boots, took t-shirt for heat and jackets for rain. Little did we know that really wouldn't cut it on top of the mountain when the clouds come down! After an hour, we and the entire group hiking gear or not were literally soaked to the bone, wet and miserable! No place to shelter, or eat anything but soppy stuff even the inside of my bag was saturated through. We walked for roughly 4 hours, saw the most beautiful things, crossed through the mountain in a long tunnel, and stared in awe at waterfalls while accompanied by an experienced, friendly, and funny guide. An experience I would not have liked to have missed but next time rain capes, trousers, and waterproof lunchboxes will not be forgotten!

Solo travelled to Madeira and decided to book this tour which was perfect! Such a beautiful walk with incredible views

Enjoyed walk and apart from 2-3 short uphil parts and long downhill start then very easy walk. Make sure you take a warm top as temperature cold at start and some other parts of walk when cloud descends. Tour well organised and guide did well looking after a group of about 20. Took off 1 star as last passengers to be picked up were not there and guide called then and said they were coming but they took around 30 minutes, with rest of us waiting on bus. I felt that he should have thought of rest of group who turned up on time and left them after waiting reasonable period.

A great walk, but, beware! We booked a full day trip through the TUI website and as usual the organisation was great. Unfortunately, in late March the weather wasn't good, with permanent cloud covering the center and north of the island. The further up we went the worse it got. At the top of the mountain we were in thick cloud, with a strong wind and horizontal rain. Due to the altitude it was also noticeably colder. Most people had dressed appropriately but some had not, without even a jacket and lightweight shoes. The guides do have some ponchos that they were able to distribute. The weather was so bad that we thought that they might cancel the walk, but hoping it might improve, we carried on. Initially, spirits were high, with wry smiles and a positive attitude. After about 20 minutes you discover quite how waterproof, or not, your gear really is. After an hour or so, most were soaked to the skin! The scenery, if you can see it, is spectacular with enormous steep slopes and vertiginous valleys, all heavily wooded. Due to the rain, the Levadas and waterfalls were in full flow and a sight to behold. But, it was wet, very wet, with water coming at you from all directions and big muddy puddles on the ground. After about an hour or so, some of the group had had enough and the guide, who was very good by the way, gave the option for them to take a big shortcut back to the bus, which they did. The rest of us ploughed on heroically to the 25 fountains waterfall where we had our 'picnic' (you take your own). You can recreate the experience by standing in your shower (cold)and eating soggy sandwiches and biscuits while shivering heavily. A mixed experience of awe for the waterfalls and misery for the weather. Surprisingly, the area was very busy, with multiple groups coming and going along the trails and paths. In places, the paths are only one person wide, so there was quite a lot of stopping and starting and squeezing past politely. Most of the route is downhill or flat, but there are a couple of steep climbs in the middle. It is definitely not a place for young children or those with mobility issues. You go through a long dark tunnel at the end so you need a torch or mobile phone at least. The walk lasts for about 4 hours and there are no facilities whatsoever, so if you need the toilet you go in the woods. So, to conclude, it is a great experience, but you need to check the weather carefully, dress appropriately and be prepared for a challenge. If you do all that you will have a great time.

The most memorable day in Madeira. Carlos and Patricia made it super special for our tour. They are both friendly, knowledgeable and punctual. The day went by very fast

I would recommend Ilha Tours to anybody who goes to Madeira. I very recently booked two tours with them: one to visit Levada 25 Fontes with Carlos and a second to drive to the eastern part of the island with Jose Maria. Both tour leaders were very helpful, friendly and funny. They knew so many interesting facts about the history of the island; its geography, flora and fauna. I really appreciated having a door to door service. I wouldn't book with anyone else.

Nice hiking, interesting information about the levadas and the surrounding nature. Good value for money.

The guide knew a lot about everything we saw during the trip but he could also answer all our questions about everything we wanted to know about Madeira.

Our guide Carlos was very knowledgeable and helpful. The hike was enjoyable and not very challenging. I wish Ilhe Tours gave us more information about the tour at the point of booking - i.e. having some warm clothes, water/lunch pack, and a tourch is essential for this walk, which we were not warned about.

A lovely day trip to see the 25 Fonts. The route is designed with minimal up-hill, there is still a little but not as much as expected, mostly downhill. Given you're higher up it is much cooler than sea level and the tunnel walk was very cool, bring a torch or have phone light for that.

Amazing trip, with a knowledgeable guide, you have a possibility to explore and experience so much in one day. The agency was nice too to pick us up and drop to our destination. Highly recommend this trip.

A nice hike to a waterfall, easy walking. I’d recommend a shuttle bus back to the car park to save an uphill roadside walk to.€3 one way or €5 for a return journey from car park to start of hiking.

Everything OK, good experience, wonderful waterfalls, nice, punctual guide. Pace adjusted to everyone

We went with one other couple for a walk with Carlos! It was a very nice walk! He gave very good informations about the plants, levadas, waterfalls,... I would recommend this tour with him if you like a great walk and talk! :D

Notre guide Philippe etait super nous avons adoré tres belle expérience a la portée de tous avec de nombreuses explications sur la faune et la flore ainsi que sur l'histoire de l'île. Merci

Guided hike with several waterfalls along the levadas through the UNESCO fairy forest, about 12 km in 4 hours. The route through a long tunnel was impressive.

It was quite busy, but the hike itself was very nice, not too strenuous and our guide regularly fed us information.

I paesaggi sono bellissimi ma di questo tour il punto forte è stata sicuramente la guida: un signore portoghese di circa 70 anni (se ne ha di meno, li porta male 😂), super simpatico e che fornisce anche molte informazioni. Un po’ di ritardo alla partenza ma tutto sommato perdonabile. Lo rifarei. Bellissima esperienza!

Since I wanted to make a short hike, I decided to join a tour group despite concerns that this place was crowded. Without much expectation, we started. Overall, it was not really a hike but much more a beautiful 4-hour walk along the Levada through a really beautiful, worth seeing landscape. As expected, many groups were on the road, but they passed each other relatively well in the morning. At the waterfall was the big meeting ;-). We didn't stay there very long either. On the way back towards the tunnel it became more pleasant again, because there were not quite so many left on the road. I thought the walk was nice and didn't regret it. We had a very entertaining tour guide and I met interesting people.

Randonnée dans un site remarquable Avec un guide attentif à la sécurité des participants, faisant remarquer des détails,répondant aux questions et le tout avec humour

I like it. The owner and driver, Mr. João is very friendly, and the guide, Carlos is a show! The tour encompasses beyond the Levada of the 25 Fountains, to the Risco Falls and around after the 25 fountains we saw through an old tunnel without light, for almost a kilometer, which comes to the area of Calheta. You can swim in the 25 springs. Carlos stops at several points to explain details of the fauna and flora, as well as curiosities about the levadas themselves and pipes to bring water. Speaks 4 languages: English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Nice, agile and with everything it takes to make the visit complete! I went alone and I was a little always talking to him and had great fun. I loved every moment and despite the almost 11km the landscape is stunning, very well worth it!

Una bellissima escursione nella valle di Rabacal, alla scoperta delle 25 cascate e circondati da una meravigliosa e ricca vegetazione. La guida era molto preparata, simpatica e ci ha fornito molte informazioni durante la passeggiata. Prima e dopo il tour sono previste due soste nei pressi dei bar. Sinceramente avrei preferito farne soltanto una e avere qualche momento in più per apprezzare il paesaggio e scattare qualche foto con più calma. Diciamo che la passeggiata mi è sembrata un po’ frettolosa. Consiglio anche di fornire maggiori informazioni prima del tour riguardo alle condizioni climatiche. Sarebbe utile avere con se anche una torcia per percorrere il tunnel. Basterebbero piccoli accorgimenti per rendere questo tour ancora più piacevole. Comunque è stata una bella esperienza, la consiglio!

Excursion très facile. Pr contre personnes claustrophobe ou qui ont le vertige s’abstenir. On longe des parois sur 50 cm avec juste une barrière en fil de fer et on traverse un tunnel pendant 900m dans le noir total . Par contre des paysages grandioses. Et très agréables.

Randonnée très accessible ! On y découvre les levadas et les superbes cascades des 25 Fontes. Le bus effectue deux arrêts cafés(un a l'aller, l'autre au retour) qui pourraient être évités.