📍: 17 km (loop trail)

🚘: Free parking at the Ecumeada Viewpoint

📈: 700 m

🕒: 6-7 hours

This is one of our favorite hiking trails on Madeira Island. It offers everything that makes Madeira special: beautiful waterfalls, thick Laurissilva forests, exciting tunnels, and breathtaking mountain ridges. While we can't feature enough photos to do it justice, you can watch our dedicated video on YouTube to see more (Picture the World)!

Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal starts from the Encumeada viewpoint, right next to a small souvenir shop with a free parking area nearby. The trail includes several long, dark tunnels, so a good torch is essential.

Initially, the trail follows a newly prepared levada with stunning views over a green valley. However, be cautious as you'll pass under some overhanging rocks, so it’s better to make it quick. The levada continues through the first and longest tunnel, which requires bending down for a considerable distance. After this tunnel, you'll find yourself in a beautiful valley filled with flowers and small waterfalls.

Soon, you'll encounter another tunnel. Upon exiting, you’ll discover a hidden gem: follow the broken stairs to the left and a narrow stream of water to reach one of the tallest waterfalls on Madeira. This spot is unknown to most hikers as it’s not featured on any official map. The trail remains flat until a few hundred meters past the second tunnel, where you’ll face the first challenge: long dirt steps leading to a mountain ridge with incredible views, rewarding your persistence.

After the ridge, the trail flattens out again, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful flora and interesting valleys. You'll pass through the ancient Laurissilva forest, reminiscent of the Fanal forest.

In the following kilometers, the trail returns to a scenic levada with dozens of small waterfalls pouring water onto the trail. The views here are also amazing. The last part of the trail is a dirt path leading around Pináculo, a prominent rock visible from many peaks of Madeira. From here, you’ll begin your descent towards road ER105, where the hike officially ends.

You'll still have about 3 kilometres to get back to your car. Why not try hitchhiking back? We do it all the time, and the passing cars are usually driven by fellow hikers eager to help!