Levada do Furado (PR 10): the long levada from Ribeiro Frio to Portela
Levada do Furado (PR 10) runs 11 km one way from Ribeiro Frio to the Portela viewpoint. Arrange your return from Portela before you start. Book an entry slot on SIMplifica before you go.
- Status
- OpenOpen. IFCN table dated 14 September 2026 · checked by islandmadeira.com 20 September 2026 at 19:32, Madeira time.Fetch the current trail status from the IFCN page; one live request per 30 minutes for the whole site, otherwise the last check is shown.
- Length
- 11 kmone way, from Ribeiro Frio to Portela; the table lists no return.
- Time on the route board
- 5 h
- Highest and lowest point
- 880 m and 645 m
- Start and finish
- Ribeiro Frio (ER103) to Portela (ER102)
- Fee
- €4.50 per person, booked onlineBooking on the SIMplifica portal, fees as of 2 June 2026. Free for children aged 12 or under and for Madeira residents with their resident card, still with a booking.
- At the start
- information board, parking, restaurant, café, toilets, bus stop, forest guard post, the Ribeiro Frio trout farm (Ribeiro Frio)
- Weather now
- 17.0 °C at Pico do Areeiro, 1,818 mThe nearest IPMA station, observed 20 September 2026 at 18:00, Madeira time
Levada do Furado: the route to Portela
PR 10 starts at Ribeiro Frio in the municipality of Santana. The walkway follows the Levada do Furado as far as the water division house. Another name for this channel is the Levada da Serra do Faial.
The levada was cut to carry water from north coast sources to farmland in the south. You pass rock formations along the way. Several viewpoints are marked along the route.
At Lamaceiros the waters divide. The Levada da Serra do Faial ends here. Follow the dirt road through the forest past the forestry station. Join the Levada da Portela around the left side of Lombo das Faias. The walk ends at the Portela viewpoint in the municipality of Machico.
What grows and flies along the way
Look for laurel and Madeira mahogany in the Laurissilva forest. Flowers along the route include Madeira foxglove and the Madeira orchid.
You may spot the firecrest, Madeira's smallest bird. Chaffinches live here too. With luck you'll see the Madeira laurel pigeon. It lives only on Madeira.
How hard is the Levada do Furado?
The route is almost level for about 8 km. It descends about 205 m over the last 3 km to Portela. Walking back means climbing that section.
I'd choose another walk if heights trouble you. Take a torch for the tunnels. Wear shoes with grip because the path can be slippery.
Weather warnings do not automatically close the route. Check the route status before you set off.
The weather panel shows the nearest IPMA station at Pico do Areeiro. See the weather page for its live reading.
Fee and booking
PR 10 costs €4.50 per person. Book online through SIMplifica. Register before choosing your date and entry slot. IFCN offices take no bookings or payments.
You can book for today or tomorrow while places remain. Full slots close automatically. There's about 15 minutes of tolerance before or after your slot.
Children aged 12 or under walk free. Madeira residents need their resident card and citizen card for free entry. People with a disability of 60% or more enter free. One companion also enters free. Everyone still needs to register and book.
For paying walkers, two or more routes cost €9.00 in one day. This excludes PR 1. Book each route separately, including Balcões. SIMplifica applies the cheapest option automatically.
The three-day fee is €22.50. Seven days cost €52.50. Both cover two or more routes within that period. PR 1 is excluded from these options too.
IFCN offers a refund or rescheduling only when it closes or restricts this route. Send the request to IFCN by email within 10 working days. Rain or illness alone won't qualify. Neither will a change of mind or a missed flight.
Getting to Ribeiro Frio and back from Portela
Start at Ribeiro Frio on the ER103, the road over Poiso from Funchal. The walk finishes at the Portela viewpoint on the ER102. There is parking at both ends. Portela also has a restaurant and an information board.
The start coordinates are 32°44'6.50"N 16°53'10.46"W. The finish coordinates are 32°44'44.33"N 16°49'35.35"W.
For a return by car, arrange a taxi or leave a second car at Portela. Táxis Santana: +351 291 572 540. Táxis Machico: +351 291 962 189. Ask about the fare and availability before you set off.
There are bus stops at Ribeiro Frio and Portela. Check the route and timetable for your walking date before relying on them.
On your own or with a tour
You can walk PR 10 without a guide.
The Pico Arieiro and Santana jeep day includes 60 minutes for the Balcões walk at Ribeiro Frio. The Laurissilva jeep day spends 30 minutes at Ribeiro Frio and the trout farm. Neither trip includes the full PR 10 walk.
Choosing another walk
I'd choose Balcões if you want a shorter walk from Ribeiro Frio. It's 1.5 km each way. Levada do Furado runs 11 km to Portela. That means arranging a return journey if you finish there.
PR 5 Vereda das Funduras runs from Portela to Maroços. PR 9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde starts at Queimadas.
What the route board asks
- Danger of vertigo.
- Tunnels on the route: carry a torch.
- The path may be slippery: wear anti-slip footwear.
From the IFCN board at the start of the route. Taxis listed on the board: Táxis Santana +351 291 572 540 · Táxis Machico +351 291 962 189.
4x4 days that stop here
- Madeira 4x4 Jeep Tour : Pico Arieiro & Santana Traditional Houses4x4 day on the east with 60 minutes for the Balcões walk at Ribeiro Frio. From €55 per adult, 7 hours to 8 hours. 5.00/5 from 78 reviews, combined Viator and Tripadvisor; on Viator alone 5.0 from 5 reviews.
- Jeep Tour To Santana: Laurissilva Forest Full-Day East-Side4x4 day on the east with 30 minutes at Ribeiro Frio and the trout farm. From €65 per adult, 8 hours. 4.65/5 from 46 reviews, combined Viator and Tripadvisor; on Viator alone 4.8 from 13 reviews.
Routes next door
- Vereda dos Balcões, PR 11Ribeiro Frio to Balcões, 1.5 km each way
- Vereda das Funduras, PR 5Portela to Maroços, 8.7 km
- Levada do Caldeirão Verde, PR 9Queimadas to Caldeirão Verde, 8.7 km each way
Questions before you go
How long is the Levada do Furado and where does it end?
Levada do Furado runs 11 km one way from Ribeiro Frio to the Portela viewpoint. Time on the route board: 5 h. Walking there and back covers 22 km. Arrange your return from Portela before starting if you only want to walk one way.
Is the Levada do Furado difficult, and are there tunnels?
Expect tunnels and a descent near Portela. Most of the route is almost level. The final 3 km drops about 205 m. Take a torch. Wear shoes with grip on slippery ground. Choose another walk if heights trouble you.
Do I need to book the Levada do Furado?
Yes. Register on SIMplifica and book an entry slot before you go. The fee is €4.50 per person. A booking is still required if you qualify for free entry. You can book today or tomorrow while places remain. Each route needs its own booking if you're also walking Balcões.
How do I get from Portela back to Ribeiro Frio?
Arrange a taxi back to Ribeiro Frio or leave a second car at Portela. Call Táxis Santana on +351 291 572 540 or Táxis Machico on +351 291 962 189. Ask about availability and the fare before you start. Check the route and timetable before relying on a bus.
What is at Ribeiro Frio?
There are toilets and parking at the start. You'll also find a café and a restaurant. Ribeiro Frio has an information board and a bus stop. The forest guard post and trout farm are here too. Both PR 10 and PR 11 start at Ribeiro Frio.
Levada do Furado or Balcões?
Balcões is the shorter option at 1.5 km each way from Ribeiro Frio. Choose Furado if you want an 11 km walk to Portela. You'll need to arrange your return if you finish there. Furado has tunnels and a descent of about 205 m near the end.
Sources
- IFCN, table of classified routes: status and length. IFCN table dated · checked by islandmadeira.com ; re-read every few hours.
- IFCN, route board PR 10 at the start of the route: distance, time, heights, description and cautions, read 20 September 2026.
- IFCN, fees and bookings FAQ, updated 2 June 2026, read 14 September 2026.
- Viator, tour prices, ratings and programmes, as of 20 September 2026.
Who checked this
Roman Antonov, editor. The status comes from the forest service table, the figures from the board at the start of the route and the fee rules from the IFCN FAQ, each with its date above. If something on the ground has changed, tell me.
Tour links go to Viator, where we may earn a commission at no cost to you. It does not change which walks are listed. How we earn.