Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo: One of the Best Hikes in Madeira
Craggy mountain peaks, candy floss clouds, panoramic viewpoints, dark ominous tunnels, steep staircases, narrow ledges and Madeira’s most striking landscapes; here’s everything you need to know for the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike; one of the best hikes in Madeira, Portugal.
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The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike is hands down one of the best hikes in Madeira, and it’s 100% worth the hype!
You’ll hike along rugged ridgelines where dramatic craggy peaks poke up through a sea of candy floss clouds; it’s like you’ve been transformed to another planet! The scenery is incredible – otherworldly, mystical and really quite surreal.
At 1,818 metres, Pico do Arieiro, also called Pico do Areeiro, is the third highest peak in Madeira, and Pico Ruivo is the highest at 1,862 metres. So, a trail that takes you between the two? Naturally, one of the very best hiking trails in Madeira.
This challenging and incredibly rewarding trail will get your adrenaline pumping as you climb steep staircases, edge along narrow ledges, stroll through ominous dark tunnels and past twisted trees that look like they’ve been plucked from the pages of a creepy fairytale.
Our top tip: if you suffer from vertigo, which I do, you may experience it at various points on this trail, but please don’t let that put you off. There are handrails at the steep and narrow sections, so it’s perfectly safe, and the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike was still the absolute highlight of our Madeira itinerary.
In this guide, you’ll read about everything you need to know for one of the best hikes in Madeira, Portugal – the best time to hike, where to stay, distance, difficulty and more. You’ll then read a detailed hiking guide so you know what to expect.
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Contents
What you Need to Know for the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Hike
Before diving into the detailed hiking guide, let’s cover some handy things you’ll need to know.
Best time to hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo
Thanks to Madeira’s sub-tropical climate with hot summers and mild winters, hiking in Madeira, Portugal, is ideal at any time of the year. In the summer, you’ll have warmer weather but also the crowds and this hike gets extremely busy. In the winter, expect chilly, misty mornings and a quiet trail.
As for the best time of day, we’d 100% recommend sunrise. One of the top things to do in Madeira is to watch the sunrise at the Pico do Arieiro Viewpoint, one of the best viewpoints in Madeira. Standing above the clouds, waiting for the sun to break over the craggy peaks as the sky lights up in vibrant reds and oranges, is a truly magical experience.
Arrive half an hour before sunrise when the sky is on fire and lit up in reds, gold and oranges and watch the new day begin while you take in the majesty of Madeira’s central mountains enveloping you.
Our Top Tip:Â start the hike straight after sunrise and don’t worry if the trail is busy. At Miradouro do Ninho da Manta, 1.2 kilometres from the Pico do Arieiro Viewpoint, most people stop. We had the trail pretty much to ourselves from here to Pico Ruivo.
Where to stay for the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike
The closest place to stay is Funchal, a 40-minute drive from the Pico do Arieiro Viewpoint. If you’re starting the hike from Pico Ruivo, Santana is the closest, with a 16-minute drive.
Madeira, however, is fairly compact, so wherever you stay, your drive won’t be too long.
Driving from Funchal, you’ll have an amazing view across the lit-up city from the mountains as you enter the clouds, and you can just about make out the beginning of the sunlight glow.
Which direction to hike in
The most popular way to do this trail is from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, which we’d recommend. Tour groups arrive mid-morning and hike in this direction, so if you’re hiking the other way, you’ll meet them head-on and spend a lot of time queuing at stairs.
That said, as this is the most popular hike in Madeira, you won’t completely escape the crowds. Returning from Pico Ruivo, we had to wait for groups to pass at staircases and narrow sections of the path. However, as we left at sunrise, we had one way pretty much to ourselves.
Facilities
At Pico do Arieiro Viewpoint, there’s a cafe, toilets (for a fee), a souvenir shop, and an Information Centre. At the Pico Ruivo Viewpoint, there’s a cafe, toilets (again for a fee) and a souvenir shop.
Along the trail, there aren’t any facilities, so make sure you bring plenty of food, water and suncream.
Our Top Tip: if you need the toilet when hiking, please either don’t use toilet paper or if you do, take it back with you. Unfortunately, even in the most beautiful places in the world, inconsiderate people leave piles of toilet paper which look and smell disgusting!
Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Distance and Difficulty
The hike is 7 kilometres one way and took us just over 2 and a half hours. Allow for approximately 6 hours round-trip, which allows time for lunch, breaks and photos.
The trail is quite challenging, and throughout the return trip, you’ll climb almost 1,000 metres.
As this is Madeira’s most popular hike, the path is well-maintained. There are narrow ledges and steep staircases, but there are railings to ensure you’re safe and have something to hold onto.
How to get to Pico do Arieiro
The easiest way to reach the trailhead at Pico do Arieiro is by car. This gives you complete freedom and flexibility to go on your own time and hike at your own pace.
However, if you don’t have a car, there are several options.
The cheapest and easiest option after driving is a private transfer. You’ll be picked up and dropped off at your accommodation at your chosen time.Â
Another easy option is to book a taxi, which should cost around €30-€40 one-way from Funchal.
You can also book a group tour, which can be a great option if you’re travelling solo and don’t want to hike by yourself!
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Now that we’ve covered everything you need to know for the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike, let’s move on to the detailed route.
Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo; one of the best hikes in Madeira, Portugal
The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike starts to the left of the weather station at the Pico do Arieiro Viewpoint. The first kilometre has some of the trail’s most spectacular scenery as you’re surrounded by Madeira’s rugged central peaks with sweeping views over the candy-floss clouds.
You honestly feel like you’re on another planet!
The path is well-maintained and often has railings on either side, so although it looks very narrow with steep cliffs, it’s safe.
The decline at the start of the trail won’t feel like much at the moment, but on your way back, it’s a killer!
After 1.2 kilometres, you’ll reach Miradouro do Ninho da Manta. If the trail feels quite busy, many people will stop here, so it should quieten down.
This viewpoint has a balcony that overlooks the valley and is also a great place to watch the sunrise. It doesn’t face directly to the sun, but it’s nestled amongst jagged mountains, creating spectacular landscapes!
After Miradouro do Ninho da Manta, you’ll descend a staircase that wraps its way around the side of the mountain and connects to a ridge that acts as a bridge to Pico Ruivo.
Every corner you turn reveals a different view!
Be prepared for a lot of ups and downs on this hike. We assumed that as we were hiking from a lower to a higher peak, it would be uphill in one direction and downhill in the other. We couldn’t have been more wrong!
The entire route has steep ups and downs, and even on the way back, when you’re hiking from Madeira’s tallest peak, you’ll cover 500 metres of incline!
You’ll then head through the first of many dark tunnels, so a head torch will be handy. We used our phones, but the tunnels are quite damp, narrow and slippery in places, so having use of our hands would have made our lives easier – to steady ourselves and feel the low ceiling above us – there were a couple of bumped heads.
Coming out of the tunnel, we were suddenly shrouded in cloud!
This section of the trail is relatively flat, which is a nice break for your legs. It’s been carved out of the side of the mountain with the railing on your left and the cliff wall hugging you to the right. Now and then, you’ll head back into a tunnel.
Eventually, the nice flat path ends, and you reach what we found to be one of the toughest parts of the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike!
An incredibly steep set of stairs that snakes up a pass in the mountain. We were completely buried in clouds and felt like we were hiking to Mordor!
At the top, you’ll find a perfect rest spot for a breather, before heading down another narrow staircase on the other side.
This time, however, the views are much different!
Sweeping green valleys now dominate the landscape, and the clouds gave way, revealing the magnificence of Mother Nature – stop for a minute and take it all in.
By this point, we were both completely over the relentless stairs. Every time we ascended, we thought we were nearing the summit of Pico Ruivo, only to be heading down again.Â
But then came our favourite section of the hike, which cheered us up.
The trail levelled out, which was a welcome break for our legs and opened up to panoramic views across the valley. Eerie, twisted, and knotted branches that look like they belong in the Enchanted Forest frame the path as you walk underneath – enjoy this last section before your final ascent (on this leg anyway).
From here, you’re so close to Pico Ruivo, but you’ve still got some incline to get through!
You’ll soon reach Casa de Abrigo Pico Ruivo, the mountain hut just below the summit. The trail then winds its way up the side of the mountain and, after about 5 minutes, but what feels like an eternity, you’ll reach the summit of Pico Ruivo, the highest point in Madeira!!
Unfortunately, the clouds were much higher than at Pico do Arieiro, so we couldn’t see much from the viewpoint. But it was still an incredible sense of achievement, and the scenery along the way was absolutely breathtaking, which made up for it.
We had some lunch, recharged and mentally prepared ourselves to do it all over again in reverse!
Our Top Tip: you can hike to Pico Ruivo one way and arrange to be picked up. However, we’d recommend hiking back as, although it’s the same path, the backdrop is entirely different and you’ll have a very different experience.
Your way back will likely be slower, as by now there’ll be a lot more people on the trail. You’ll probably find yourself waiting at narrow sections and staircases for people coming in the opposite direction. We used it as a good excuse for a rest and to admire the epic views.
We hope you enjoyed this guide to the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike, one of the absolute best hiking trails in Madeira, Portugal. Check out our other Madeira guides below and make sure you’re following us on Instagram to stay up to date with us in real time.
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Thank you very much 🙂