Our selection: the top 4 of 20 daytime Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hikes with transport
Viator lists 20 daytime Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hikes with transport. We analysed all of them, what each trip includes, its programme and its conditions, and picked the top 4. Here they are. The other formats are below.
Rating and the number of reviews count as one of the criteria: every trip here has 4.5 stars or more from at least 30 reviews, Viator and Tripadvisor together.
Prices, times and reviews as of . We last went through the list on . How we choose.
Pico Ruivo hikes: which one to choose
These trips handle the drive for your walk from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. Expect tunnels and steep climbs along PR1. Pickup is in Funchal or Caniço. Allow 6 to 8 hours for the whole outing. Starting prices run from €40 to €65 per adult.
Transport matters here because of the one-way rule. Past the Pedra Rija viewpoint the trail only runs towards Pico Ruivo, so you can't walk back to Pico do Arieiro. You leave by PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira, and someone has to collect you there. Our PR1 page has the current status, the €10.50 fee and how to book your slot.
I'd start with the Lido Tours walk for a guided day. It has the most reviews among the guided hikes here. The mountain guide hike is the shorter day on the same route, about 6 hours in all. The Sunday walk includes trail entry fees. Those cost extra on the other main picks.
The morning transfer suits you if you want to walk on your own. It collects you in Funchal or Caniço. You'll finish at Achada do Teixeira for the drive back. Agree your return pickup time before setting off on foot. Bad weather can change the walk or cancel the day.
How you get thereCentral Funchal, Caniço de Baixo and Garajau
Vehicle or formatGuided PR1 and PR1.2 walk, trail entry included
Listed group limit20 travellers
From price€65 per adult
Duration8 hours
Departures09:00 (Sun)
CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before
Group limit is the most people the operator takes on one departure. Times are the usual timetable. Check your date when you book.
All 4 trips have the same rule: free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The trips
What to know before you book each one
01
The guided walk with most reviews
Madeira Peaks - Mountain Walk
4.83/5 from 295 reviews, combined Viator and Tripadvisor
This guided 10 km walk links Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo. It has the most reviews among the guided hikes here. Pickup and drop-off in Funchal are included.
I'd choose it for a mountain day if you have a high level of fitness. Look elsewhere if you get vertigo or have limited mobility.
The trade-off.Bring a picnic because there's nowhere to buy food during the walk. Trail fees cost extra.
From price
€48 per adult
Duration
8 hours
Listed group limit The most people the operator takes on one departure. Your trip may have fewer.?
up to 16 people
Listed guide languages
German, Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
Listed departure times
08:30 (Wed, Sat)
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Pickup
Hotel pickup in Funchal; selected hotels in Câmara de Lobos and Caniço where possible
Lowest price the operator lists. Your date may cost more.
Times are local. Check your date and the guide language when you book.
Before you book
You'll need a high level of fitness. Look elsewhere if you get vertigo or have limited mobility.
Bring a picnic. There's nowhere to buy food during the walk.
Wear hiking boots or sports shoes with good grip.
Pickup may be from a nearby meeting point. Lido guests meet at the Monumental Lido office.
A weather cancellation gives you another date or a full refund.
Give this one a miss if you're pregnant, or if you have a back or spine injury or a heart condition.
Book through Viator, a Tripadvisor company. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Details as of .
02
The morning transfer for independent walkers
Morning Transfer To Pico Do Arieiro, Hike To Pico Ruivo & Return From Teixeira
4.82/5 from 251 reviews, combined Viator and Tripadvisor
This daily transfer handles the drive from Funchal or Caniço to Pico do Arieiro. You walk to Pico Ruivo on your own. The ride back leaves from Achada do Teixeira.
Book it if you're happy to follow the 11 km route without a guide. It takes walkers aged 14 to 80 with at least moderate fitness. Choose a guided walk if you want someone leading the way.
The trade-off.Trail fees cost extra. Agree your return pickup time before you start the walk.
From price
€40 per adult
Duration
7 hours 30 minutes
Listed group limit The most people the operator takes on one departure. Your trip may have fewer.?
up to 8 people
Listed guide languages
English
Listed departure times
08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Pickup
Pickup at your accommodation in Funchal or Caniço, or meet at Parque 2000
Lowest price the operator lists. Your date may cost more.
Times are local. Check your date and the guide language when you book.
Before you book
You walk without a guide. You'll need at least moderate fitness.
The trip takes walkers aged 14 to 80.
Pickup covers accommodation in Funchal and Caniço.
Your pickup time arrives by WhatsApp or email the evening before.
Agree your return pickup time before starting the walk.
Give this one a miss if you're pregnant, or if you have a back or spine injury or a heart condition.
Book through Viator, a Tripadvisor company. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Details as of .
03
The hike with a mountain guide
Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo (PR 1) - Hiking Tour in Madeira
4.94/5 from 34 reviews, combined Viator and Tripadvisor
A mountain guide leads this 10 km walk to Pico Ruivo. The group takes up to 15 people. Pickup from selected hotels in central Funchal and Caniço is included.
This suits walkers aged 12 to 60 with a high level of fitness. Look elsewhere if you have limited mobility.
The trade-off.Trail fees cost extra. Your walk may be in English if your preferred language is unavailable.
From price
€53 per adult
Duration
6 hours
Listed group limit The most people the operator takes on one departure. Your trip may have fewer.?
up to 15 people
Listed guide languages
German, Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
Listed departure times
08:30 (Wed, Sat)
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Pickup
Pickup from selected hotels in central Funchal and Caniço
Lowest price the operator lists. Your date may cost more.
Times are local. Check your date and the guide language when you book.
Before you book
Bookings cover ages 12 to 60.
You'll need a high level of fitness. Look elsewhere if you have limited mobility.
Bring your own food and water.
Be ready at reception 10 minutes before pickup.
Your walk may be in English if your preferred language is unavailable.
Give this one a miss if you're pregnant, or if you have a back or spine injury or a heart condition.
Book through Viator, a Tripadvisor company. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Details as of .
04
The Sunday walk with entry included
Pico Arieiro To Pico Ruivo/With Trail entry Fee Included PR 1 + 1.2
4.58/5 from 65 reviews, combined Viator and Tripadvisor
Trail entry fees are included on this guided Sunday walk. You follow PR1 from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. The route continues down PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira.
Book for ages 7 and over with at least moderate fitness. Pick another trip if Sunday doesn't fit your plans.
The trade-off.Trail closures can change part or all of the route. Check the route for your date before booking.
From price
€65 per adult
Duration
8 hours
Listed group limit The most people the operator takes on one departure. Your trip may have fewer.?
up to 20 people
Listed guide languages
Portuguese, English, Spanish
Listed departure times
09:00 (Sun)
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Pickup
Pickup in central Funchal and the main tourist area, Caniço de Baixo and Garajau
Lowest price the operator lists. Your date may cost more.
Times are local. Check your date and the guide language when you book.
Before you book
Book for ages 7 and over.
You'll need at least moderate fitness.
A closure can change part or all of the walking route.
Meet in Funchal if you're staying outside the pickup area.
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Book through Viator, a Tripadvisor company. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Details as of .
Return shuttle and partial walk
These shared trips serve different plans. One takes you back to your car. The other covers part of PR1.
The shuttle back to your car
Transfer from Achada do Teixeira to Pico do Arieiro
4.93/5 from 42 reviews, combined Viator and Tripadvisor
This shared shuttle takes you from Achada do Teixeira back to Pico do Arieiro after your own walk. The van can leave without you if you're late for pickup.
From price
€30 per adult
Duration
1 hour
Listed group limit
up to 7 people
Listed guide languages
see the tour page
Listed departure times
11:45, 14:15, 16:30
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Pickup
Pickup at the Achada do Teixeira car park, drop-off at Pico do Arieiro
Before you book
The shuttle only runs from Achada do Teixeira to Pico do Arieiro.
Meet at the Achada do Teixeira car park.
Be there at your booked time. The van can leave without you.
Children under 12 cannot travel.
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Book through Viator, a Tripadvisor company. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Details as of .
The PR3 and partial PR1 walk
Stairway to Heaven Pico do Areeiro in Madeira Island
4.92/5 from 40 reviews, combined Viator and Tripadvisor
This guided walk follows PR3 to Pico do Arieiro before joining the first stretch of PR1. It takes in the stairway before returning to Pico do Arieiro without reaching Pico Ruivo.
From price
€48 per adult
Duration
4 hours to 5 hours
Listed group limit
up to 15 people
Listed guide languages
German, Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
Listed departure times
08:30 (Wed, Sat)
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Pickup
Hotel pickup included
Before you book
Bookings cover ages 12 to 65.
You'll need a high level of fitness. Look elsewhere if you have limited mobility.
Bring your own food and water.
Your walk may be in English if your preferred language is unavailable.
Past the Pedra Rija viewpoint PR1 runs one way towards Pico Ruivo. Ask how far along PR1 the walk goes on your date.
Give this one a miss if you're pregnant, or if you have a back or spine injury or a heart condition.
For a first visit I'd choose the guided peaks walk if you want someone leading the way. It covers 10 km between Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo. You'll need a high level of fitness. The morning transfer suits you if you're comfortable following the route without a guide.
How much do these trips cost?
Starting prices for the full hikes with transport range from €40 to €65 per adult. The morning transfer has the lowest starting price. The Sunday walk starts at €65 per adult with trail entry fees included. On the other main picks the fee is extra: €10.50 per person for the full PR1 route, booked online on SIMplifica. Ask the operator whether they book your slot or you do it yourself. Our PR1 page explains the booking.
How long will I be out?
Allow 6 to 8 hours for the full trips with transport. The hike with a mountain guide takes about 6 hours overall. Its walking section lasts about 4 hours. The guided stairway walk takes 4 to 5 hours with transport. It finishes back at Pico do Arieiro without reaching Pico Ruivo.
Can I join without a hire car?
Yes. The morning transfer collects you from accommodation in Funchal or Caniço. The Sunday walk covers central Funchal and its main tourist area. It also collects from hotels in Caniço de Baixo and Garajau. Guests staying elsewhere meet in Funchal. On the guided peaks walk guests staying in the Lido area meet at the Monumental Lido office.
What if I already have a car?
Past the Pedra Rija viewpoint the trail runs one way towards Pico Ruivo. You can't walk back to your car at Pico do Arieiro. The trailhead shuttle solves that. It collects you at the Achada do Teixeira car park after your walk and drives you back to Pico do Arieiro in about an hour. Prices start at €30 per adult. Children under 12 cannot travel. Be there at your booked time. The van can leave without you.
The guided peaks walk and the hike with a mountain guide need a high level of fitness. The mountain guide's route has steep climbs and stairs. Look elsewhere for either walk if you have limited mobility. Give the peaks walk a miss if you get vertigo. The morning transfer and Sunday walk need at least moderate fitness.
What happens in bad weather or during a trail closure?
A weather cancellation on the guided peaks walk gives you another date or a full refund. The hike with a mountain guide may switch to a different walk or cancel in bad weather. A closure can change part or all of the Sunday walk. You can cancel any of the main picks for a full refund at least 24 hours before departure.
What should I bring?
Bring a picnic for the guided peaks walk. There's nowhere to buy food during that walk. Wear hiking boots or sports shoes with good grip. Be ready for changing weather. On the hike with a mountain guide you need your own food and water. Eat breakfast before leaving for that hike.
We started from the 20 daytime Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hikes with transport that guides and other providers sell on Viator. We read every one of them.
First the bar: 4.5 stars or more from at least 30 reviews, Viator and Tripadvisor counted together. 8 of the 20 fell short of that and stayed out. We also look at the Viator reviews on their own. A trip rated below 4.5 by five or more Viator travellers stays out, whatever the combined score says.
Then the fit. Does the trip do what this page promises? Do its details agree with each other? When the same trip is sold under two names, we show it once. 5 more trips passed the review bar but stayed out for those reasons.
The order comes from this score. It uses the exact rating. Ties go to the trip with more reviews.
(rating × reviews + 4.6 × 50) ÷ (reviews + 50)
The score is about reviews, nothing else. It does not say how good your day will be. We have no review texts and we have not taken every trip. The line under each name says when we would pick it. Commission never changes the order.
Edited by Roman Antonov. I love Madeira and keep going back. Trip details come from the operators' own listings on Viator, read line by line and compared. Trail rules and fees come from the IFCN FAQ on classified routes, updated 2 June 2026.
Prices, times, conditions and review counts come from the operators' listings on Viator, as of 13 September 2026. We last went through this list on 20 September 2026.
Bookings go through Viator. If you book through a link here, we earn a commission. It costs you nothing extra. How we earn.
