This was the last hike we did during our three week stay in Madeira.
For those of you that have been reading my posts on our trip to Madeira, you’ll know by now that a few of the hikes we did were in the municipality of Santana, like Pica Ruivo, Vereda dos Balcoes and Miradouro do Guindaste. If you have, then you know that getting here is quite the trip across the island from Ponto do Sol.
Levada do Rei is also located in that area of the island, about halfway between Arco de Sao Jorge and Sao Jorge.
This was one of my favourite hikes. Everything about it, the clear waters of the Levada, the waterfall and the tunnel makes for a wonderful outing.
Arriving at the hike felt like we were driving through one of the agricultural sections. The area was dotted with small farms along the drive up. Once we arrived, there was lots of parking along the side of the road as well, as two small parking lots in the field just after the start of the trail. There is also a small snack bar located here in case you forgot your water or haven’t brought your own lunch, as well as restroom facilities.
Levada do Rei was an easy in and out, 10 kilometre hike, and took us 4 hours, including a lunch break.
The trail begins right next to the Ribeiro Bonito PR 18 Signpost, which also includes an interpretive map. From there, this trail is very easy to follow. The Levada begins at the Water Treatment Plant, which helped explain all of the small local farming. This area had a lot of streams running through it, so there is an abundance of available irrigation, and leads you all the way to the source of the levada; The Ribeiro Bonito River.
One of the things we both noticed about this trail is that the beginning was very fragrant and then noticed that the first kilometre, the levada was lined with what appeared to be some type of fragrant Alium. That was nice to walk through…
As the hike continued, the vegetation increased and the rock wall along the inside of the trail was a virtuoso display of lichens, ferns, moss and vines, slowly taking over the walls. On the left, and through the canopy cover, the Sao Jorge farmlands could be seen nestled between the cliffs.
There were a few narrow spots and a couple of spots where the guard rails had been destroyed by rock falls but overall, the trail was good. More than once, we hopped over to the inside of the levada to either let people by or because it was less muddy and made Yim feel more secure.
After a few kilometres, the trail enters a small tunnel, which has been drilled out through the rock. It’s only a few meters long so there’s no need for a flashlight but it does add a little bit of fun to this part of the hike.
When we began this hike, I knew that at some point along the trail, there would be a waterfall which cascaded over the trail. In preparation for this, we had brought two umbrellas which turned out to be perfect and we managed to be able to stop directly under the falls, take a couple of fun photos and continue along our way without getting wet.
We loved the waterfalls section but we had come prepared with umbrellas, which allowed us to have some fun and stop directly under the falls, framed by the incredible walls of green.
The trail then enters the Laurissilva Forest, which is a UNESCO natural heritage site. At this point, you are surrounded by bio-diversity, which is fed by the constant source of freshwater flowing down the mountains and into the Ribeiro Bonito Gorge. This sanctuary is a wonderful spot to stop for lunch and simply be in the space before heading home.
That said, my favourite spot was the cascading waterfall and walls, covered in vegetation and bursting with life.
A good four hour hike.
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