Madeira waterfall guide

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Travellers searching for the island's famous falls find a long list and little sense of which are a walk, which a roadside stop, and which are closed. The Madeira waterfall most people photograph is the Risco, about 100 m high, at the end of an easy 1.5 km levada at Rabaçal, 44 minutes from Funchal by road.

Next to it, the same trailhead leads to the 25 Fontes, a pool fed by many small falls, and in the north-east PR9 reaches the Caldeirão Verde, where a waterfall of about 100 m drops into a pool in the laurel forest. Without walking, the Véu da Noiva falls to the sea beside the old road near Seixal, and the Garganta Funda drops about 140 m near Ponta do Pargo, 600 m from the car.

One famous fall is off limits: the Cascata dos Anjos at Ponta do Sol, where access is prohibited.

Rabaçal: the Risco and the 25 Fontes

The common mistake is to drive to Rabaçal expecting a waterfall by the car park. Both falls are a walk away.

From the ER105, a van runs down to the Rabaçal house, where both trails start; it costs about €3 one way or €5 return, and there is no regular public bus to Rabaçal. The car park is 40.5 km from Funchal, about 44 minutes by road.

PR6.1, the Levada do Risco, is 1.5 km each way, rated easy, between 1,288 m and 1,000 m, and ends at the Risco waterfall, about 100 m high.

PR6, the Levada das 25 Fontes, is 4.3 km each way, about 3 hours there and back, rated moderate, between 1,288 m and 964 m, and ends at a pool fed by many small falls and springs, the 25 fountains of its name.

Both are classified trails: €4.50 each for visitors over 12, paid in advance on the SIMplifica portal. Walk the Risco first, the shorter of the two, then decide about the 25 Fontes. The PR6 guide maps both.

Waterfalls by the road

Visitors short of time often assume the waterfalls all need a walk. Two can be seen with barely any.

The Véu da Noiva waterfall Madeira drivers stop for drops from the hanging mouth of the Ribeira de João Delgado, down the green slope towards the sea, on the north coast near Seixal. It is seen from the Véu da Noiva viewpoint, on the old road between São Vicente and Seixal, 38.6 km from Funchal, about 44 minutes by road. Its name, the bridal veil, comes from its height and the volume of water, white against the green cliffs.

In the far west, the Garganta Funda waterfall, about 140 m high, lies in the parish of Ponta do Pargo, in the municipality of Calheta. The path to its viewpoint starts at Pedregal, 47.8 km from Funchal, about 50 minutes by road, and runs about 600 m one way. From the viewpoint, the view takes in the Atlantic and the Ponta do Pargo lighthouse on its cliff.

Both pair well with a west or north-west day: the Véu da Noiva with Seixal and Porto Moniz, the Garganta Funda with the sunset at Ponta do Pargo.

The Anjos waterfall: closed

The mistake is to follow the social media photographs to Ponta do Sol. The site is closed, and for good reason.

The Cascata dos Anjos Madeira waterfall road pictures show water pouring straight onto the old ER101 at Ponta do Sol and on down to the Atlantic. That old road is frequently closed because of the high risk of landslides; in rain its surface becomes particularly slippery; and accidents have already happened there. Access is prohibited by the authorities, and the site is marked with barriers and fencing because it does not meet the safety requirements for a visit.

A Madeira waterfall on road level is exactly what makes Anjos dangerous: the slope above the old road is prone to landslides. Respect the signs and the fences, and do not walk in past them.

For a waterfall close to the road without the risk, go to the Véu da Noiva viewpoint or the Garganta Funda instead.

The Caldeirão Verde

People often confuse the Caldeirão Verde with the 25 Fontes. It is a longer walk, on the other side of the island.

PR9, the Levada do Caldeirão Verde, starts at the Queimadas forest park above Santana, 44.3 km from Funchal, about 51 minutes by road. It runs 8.7 km each way, rated moderate, about 6:30 there and back, through the Laurisilva along a levada built in the 18th century to carry water to the farmland of Faial.

At the Caldeirão Verde, a waterfall of about 100 m falls into a lagoon on the left of the levada. The Caldeirão do Inferno, the end of the trail, is a further 2,200 m.

The path has four tunnels, so carry a torch. The trail costs €4.50 for visitors over 12, and parking at Queimadas costs €2 an hour. The PR9 guide covers the route and its buses.

The Levada do Caldeirão Verde starts at the Queimadas forest park above Santana.

When the falls are fullest

Visitors in late summer often find the smaller falls reduced to a trickle. Rain decides the flow.

The waterfalls are fed by the rain on the north side and the mountains, which is far heavier than in Funchal: the Queimadas station, at the start of PR9, averaged about 2,300 mm a year over 1941-1970, against about 575 mm in the city. The falls run fullest in the wet months and after a few days of rain.

That is a trade-off. After rain, the falls are at their best but the paths are wet and slippery; in a dry spell, the walking is easier. For a first visit, a dry spell in spring or autumn is a good compromise.

Check the forecast for the mountains, not for Funchal, on the morning of the walk.

Waterfalls are fed by heavy rain on the north side and mountains rather than Funchal.

Getting there

The common mistake is to plan the waterfalls by bus. Most of them are out of the buses' reach.

Rabaçal has no regular public bus, so the Risco and the 25 Fontes need a car, a taxi or a tour. Queimadas, for PR9, is reached by buses 56 or 103 to Santana and a taxi from there. The Véu da Noiva and the Garganta Funda are easiest by car, or on a west-coast day tour from Funchal.

By car, a west loop can take in several in one day: the Garganta Funda near Ponta do Pargo, Rabaçal on the plateau, and the Véu da Noiva on the north coast near Seixal. Leave the walks for separate mornings, since each takes three hours or more.

The day tours from Funchal of the west cover several waterfalls in 7 to 8 hours, and the hiking transfers take walkers to the trailheads and back.

Safety at the falls

People often climb out on wet rock for a closer picture. That is where the accidents happen.

Keep to the paths, and stay behind the barriers at every viewpoint. Rock near falling water is slippery, and loose stone can come down with the water after rain. Do not swim in the pools under the falls unless a sign allows it.

On the levadas, the paths run beside the water channel, sometimes above a drop. Wear shoes with grip, carry a waterproof and a torch for the tunnels, and turn back if the path is flooded.

For the classified trails, pay the €4.50 fee in advance and check the IFCN's trail notices for closures. Visit Madeira keeps the status of the Anjos waterfall and the other sites.

Common questions

What is the easiest waterfall walk in Madeira?

PR6.1 to the Risco waterfall at Rabaçal: 1.5 km each way, rated easy, to a fall of about 100 m.

Can you visit the Cascata dos Anjos?

No. Access is prohibited by the authorities because of landslides, and the site is fenced off.

Which waterfall can I see without hiking?

The Véu da Noiva, from a viewpoint on the old road near Seixal, and the Garganta Funda, about 600 m from the car at Pedregal.

When are Madeira's waterfalls fullest?

After rain and in the wetter months, when the north side and the mountains get most of their rain.