Santana and Machico
PR10 Levada do Furado, Ribeiro Frio across to Portela
The short answer
PR10 Levada do Furado follows one of the oldest water channels on Madeira from Ribeiro Frio, on ER 103 and ER 303, across dense laurel forest to Portela on ER 102. It is point to point rather than a loop, needs a booked IFCN timeslot, and finishes a long way from the trailhead.
Trail fee, per person over twelve
€4.50
Booked as a dated timeslot on the SIMplifica portal. Free for ages twelve and under, who still have to be on the booking.
IFCN, 2026 · check it · read August 26, 2026Two or more trails in one day
€9.00
SIMplifica applies whichever rate is cheapest at checkout. PR1 is excluded.
IFCN, 2026 · check it · read August 26, 2026The facts
| Where | Santana and Machico |
|---|---|
| Type | Walks and levadas |
| How long | 5 hours |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Cost | €4.50 |
| Best season | Year round |
| Permit | Yes — book before you go |
The route
The channel runs 11 km, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 from Ribeiro Frio to Portela, and the tourism board gives 5 hours, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026. It descends gently from 880 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 to 645 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026, so the walking is easy and the length is the whole difficulty.
It is one of the oldest levadas on the island, cut to move water rather than to be looked at, and the path is the maintenance track alongside it.
The problem at the far end
Ribeiro Frio sits on ER 103 and ER 303. Portela sits on ER 102. Between them there is a mountain, and the road route is nothing like the walking route.
That makes a second car, a bus or a pre-booked taxi part of the plan rather than an afterthought. PR11 Vereda dos Balcões leaves from the same Ribeiro Frio trailhead and returns to it, which is why the two are often booked together at the combined rate of €9.00, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 instead of €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 each.
What is not perfect about it
It finishes at Portela, a long drive by road from the car at Ribeiro Frio, so it needs two vehicles, a bus or a booked taxi. Sections of the path are narrow with sheer unfenced drops, and the forest that makes it beautiful also means it is wet underfoot for much of the year.
Questions people actually ask
Is Levada do Furado a circular walk?
No. It is point to point, from Ribeiro Frio to Portela, 11 km, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 apart on foot and much further by road.
Can PR10 be combined with PR11?
Both start at Ribeiro Frio, and two or more trails in one day are charged at €9.00, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 rather than €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 each. SIMplifica applies the cheaper rate at checkout.
Are there exposed sections?
Yes. Parts of the path are narrow with sheer, unfenced drops on the outside of the channel.
Where this came from
- IFCN: Percursos Pedestres Classificados — taxas e reservas (FAQ). ifcn.madeira.gov.pt/pt/atividades-de-natureza/percursos-pedes Read August 26, 2026.
- Governo Regional da Madeira: SIMplifica — reserva de percursos pedestres classificados. simplifica.madeira.gov.pt/services/78-82-259 Read August 26, 2026.
- Visit Madeira: PR10 Levada do Furado. visitmadeira.com/en/what-to-do/nature-seekers/activities/h Read August 26, 2026.