Vereda do Burro (PR 3): from Pico do Areeiro
Vereda do Burro is a footpath from Pico do Areeiro to Ribeira das Cales. The IFCN table gives this PR 3 route as 6.7 km. Entry costs €4.50 per person with an online booking through SIMplifica.
- Status
- OpenOpen. IFCN table dated 14 September 2026 · checked by islandmadeira.com 24 September 2026 at 21:19, 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
- 6.7 kmIFCN table, Pico do Areeiro to Ribeira das Cales.The board at the start gives 7.2 km, Pico do Areeiro to Ribeira das Cales Receção Parque Ecológico do Funchal.
- Time on the board
- 2h 40mOne way, as printed on the panel at the start.
- Highest and lowest point
- 1,805 m and 1,130 m
- Start and finish
- Pico do Areeiro to Ribeira das Cales Receção Parque Ecológico do FunchalFrom the route board at the start.
- Fee
- €4.50 per person, booked onlineBooking on the SIMplifica portal, fees as of 2 June 2026. Free for children aged 12 or under, for Madeira residents with their resident card and citizen card, and for anyone with a disability of 60% or more plus one companion. All of them still need a booking.
- At the start
- information board, viewpoint, toilets, parking, café at Pico do Areeiro
- Coordinates
- Start 32.73494, -16.92878
Finish 32.70131, -16.90311From the IFCN route board, decimal degrees - Weather now
- 18.8 °C at Pico do Areeiro, 1,818 mThe IPMA station we show for this route, observed 24 September 2026 at 20:00, Madeira time
Warnings come from IPMA by zone, not by trail. A yellow warning for fog, wind or thunderstorms is a reason to check the route status and the sky before you set off, and the forest service closes paths on its own schedule. Station readings.
Vereda do Burro's two distances
The table's 6.7 km ends at Ribeira das Cales. The route board gives 7.2 km from Pico do Areeiro to the Funchal Ecological Park Welcome Centre at Ribeira das Cales. Its time is 2 h 40 min one way.
If you're planning around the welcome centre, I'd use the board's distance and time. Its route has 745 m of cumulative descent and 70 m of ascent. The highest point is 1,805 m. The lowest is 1,130 m.
Past Poço da Neve to the valley
The first stretch looks across the Ribeira do Cidrão valley towards Madeira's western mountains. Poço da Neve is about 1.7 km from the start. Built in 1813, this reservoir stored snow and sleet. The ice supplied hospitals and hotels. It was also used to make ice cream.
Further along you'll pass high-altitude plants such as Madeira mountain ash and heaths. The path follows the left bank of Ribeira das Cales first. It later switches to the right bank towards the welcome centre. The valley has small waterfalls and pools.
Where the path needs care
Take care on irregular ground, especially between Pico do Areeiro and the Ribeira das Cales valley. Stream crossings need care in rainy weather. Avoid crossing streams with a high flow. Seek another way to leave the route.
Fog can make it harder to find your way at higher altitudes. Check the weather panel before setting off. The reading shown here comes from the Pico do Areeiro station at 1,818 m.
Facilities marked at each end
At Pico do Areeiro the board marks an information board and a viewpoint. It also marks toilets and parking. A café has a symbol too.
At the welcome centre end it marks an information board. Toilets and parking also have symbols. Check opening arrangements before relying on these facilities.
Booking Vereda do Burro
Register on SIMplifica and book your entry slot online. You can't book or pay at IFCN offices. Same-day and next-day bookings are possible while places remain. Each slot closes when it fills.
There's about 15 minutes of tolerance either side of your entry time. Free entry still needs registration and a booking. Keep your chosen slot in mind when planning your arrival.
What the route board asks
- Length 7.2 km
- Cumulative elevation descent 745 metres and 70m of cumulative elevation gain.
- Irregular surface in various portions of the route, especially in the early part between Pico do Areeiro and the valley of Ribeira das Cales and when crossing watercourses in rainy weather, users must take caution, always avoiding the crossing of high-flowing streams, seeking an alternative itinerary to leave the route.
- The possibility of fog, which in the higher altitudes may make orientation more difficult along the way.
From the IFCN board at the start of the route. Taxis listed on the board: Táxis Funchal +351 291 764 476.
Routes next door
Vereda do Areeiro PR 1
partly open6.1 km, Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo
Vereda da Ilha PR 1.1
open8.2 km, Pico Ruivo to Ilha
Vereda do Pico Ruivo PR 1.2
open2.8 km (+ 2.8 km back), Achada do Teixeira to Pico Ruivo
Status from the IFCN table, re-read at every build and again in your browser.
Questions before you go
Is Vereda do Burro open?
Look at the status panel on this page and use ‘Check the status now’ before you leave. IFCN's route status decides access. A weather warning does not automatically close the route. Read any restrictions shown alongside the status.
Who gets free entry to PR 3?
Children aged 12 or under go free. Madeira residents qualify with their resident card and citizen card. People with a disability of 60% or more enter free with one companion. Everyone still needs to register and book online through SIMplifica.
Can I book several routes together?
Yes. For two or more routes the day fee is €9.00. Three days cost €22.50. Seven days cost €52.50. None includes PR 1, which costs €10.50. Most classified routes cost €4.50 individually. Each route needs its own booking. SIMplifica applies the cheapest option automatically.
Can I get a refund if it rains?
Rain alone doesn't qualify. Refunds or rescheduling apply only when IFCN closes or restricts the route. Email IFCN within 10 working days to request either. A change of mind or illness means losing the fee. So does a missed flight.
Do I need a guide for PR 3?
A guide is optional on PR 3. You still need an entry booking to walk independently. Before setting off, read the board's cautions about irregular ground and stream crossings. Check the live status panel for any access restrictions.
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 3 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.
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.
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