Levada Walks From Funchal: Rabaçal, Fees And Transfers

Why Rabaçal, Not A Levada In Funchal Itself

IFCN's own register of classified walking trails does not list a classified levada route starting inside Funchal city with the same fee-and-permit structure as the island's named PR trails. The two levada tours sold from Funchal both head to Rabaçal instead, a valley on the west side of the island in Calheta municipality, roughly two hours' drive away. That distance is the honest trade-off: a levada walk from Funchal means a transfer day, not a stroll from your hotel.

25 Fontes And Risco, The Two Rabaçal Trails

PR6, Levada das 25 Fontes, runs 4.3 kilometres each way from Rabaçal to the 25 Fontes lagoon, with controlled one-direction circulation: you walk out along the levada itself and return by a separate route IFCN calls the Bypass. PR6.1, Levada do Risco, runs a shorter 3 kilometres each way to the Risco waterfall. Both are officially listed as open, and both sit close enough together that some tours walk one, some walk both.

The name 25 Fontes refers to the springs that feed the lagoon at the end of the trail year-round.

The Trail Fee, Precisely

IFCN charges $5.16 (€4.50) per person for any single classified trail except PR1, which has its own separate pricing on the Pico do Areeiro side of the island. If you plan to walk both 25 Fontes and Risco in the same day, a combined one-day pass covering two or more trails costs $10.31 (€9.00), cheaper than paying the single-trail fee twice. The legal basis is Portaria 801/2025 of 10 December, amended by Portaria 48/2026 of 13 February.

Book the fee through SIMplifica before you go, since neither Funchal transfer tour is confirmed to bundle it into its own price.

The Road Is Closed Near Rabaçal

The ER105 regional road between Encumeada and Rabaçal is currently closed to general traffic on the final stretch, so drivers park at a car park above and either walk down or use a shuttle. Calheta municipality runs a transport service to the Posto Florestal do Rabaçal, the forestry post about 2 kilometres from the start of the trail, for $5.73 (€5.00) one way or $9.17 (€8.00) return. This shuttle fare is separate from both the IFCN trail fee and either Funchal tour's transfer price, so it is worth budgeting as a third possible cost if you drive yourself rather than joining a tour.

Why The Tours Solve This For You

This is the practical reason the tours compared here exist. The self-guided transfer picks up from Funchal, Caniço, São Gonçalo, Boa Nova and several west-coast towns and drops you at the trailhead with a map, handling the road closure and the shuttle question without you needing to work out where to park. The guided walk does the same with a guide walking alongside you. Public toilets exist at the forestry post itself, and none further along the trail.

Self-Guided, For Confident Walkers

The Rabaçal self-guided transfer costs $50.54, runs 8 hours, and holds a 4.8 rating from 2,409 reviews. It provides round-trip transport and a route map covering both 25 Fontes and Risco, letting you set your own pace rather than following a group. The listing notes it is not suitable for wheelchair users or anyone with a fear of heights or vertigo, and difficulty is described as moderate, with roughly 1.5 hours of levada walking each way on narrow paths.

Guided, For A First-Time Levada Walk

The guided levada walk costs $55.13, also 8 hours, rated 4.8 from 2,631 reviews, operated by Lido Tours with hotel pickup. A guide walks the trail with you and explains the forest and the levada system as you go, which suits a first levada walk more than a map alone would. The listing similarly flags it as unsuitable for wheelchair users or anyone with altitude sickness, and one reviewer mentions walking it in fog, a reminder that weather in the laurel forest changes quickly and the operator does not state a fixed weather-cancellation policy.