Calheta
PR6.1 Levada do Risco, the short one at Rabaçal
The short answer
PR6.1 Levada do Risco is a short, level levada path from the Rabaçal trailhead to a viewpoint over the Risco waterfall. It is graded Easy, needs the same booked IFCN timeslot as every classified route, and is the sensible choice at Rabaçal when the weather is poor.
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, 2026Length each way, per Visit Madeira
1.5 km
Conflicts with the IFCN register.
Visit Madeira · check it · read August 26, 2026Length each way, per the IFCN register
3 km
Conflicts with the Visit Madeira trail page.
IFCN · check it · read August 26, 20261 more sourced figure on this page
The facts
| Where | Calheta |
|---|---|
| Type | Walks and levadas |
| How long | 2 hours |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Cost | €4.50 |
| Best season | Best after rain, when the fall is carrying real volume |
| Permit | Yes — book before you go |
The walk
The path leaves the same Rabaçal trailhead on ER 105 as PR6 and runs level alongside the channel to a viewpoint facing the Risco fall. The tourism board gives 2 hours, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 for the round trip and puts the route between 1,000 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 and 1,288 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026, which is as flat as walking on Madeira gets.
It is the obvious wet-weather choice at Rabaçal: short, sheltered by forest for much of its length, and better after rain rather than worse.
The two published lengths
Visit Madeira gives 1.5 km, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 each way. IFCN’s own trail register gives 3 km, source: IFCN, read August 26, 2026 each way. Both are official, both were read on the same day, and they do not agree.
Nothing here resolves that. The honest position is that the walk is short, that the two authorities publish different figures, and that anyone planning tightly around a distance should treat it as approximate.
Fee and booking
PR6.1 is managed by IFCN and costs €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026, booked as a dated timeslot on SIMplifica. Combined with PR6 or PR6.3 on the same day the rate drops to €9.00, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 for the pair, applied automatically at checkout.
What is not perfect about it
Two official sources give different lengths for the same path, so treat the distance as approximate. It shares a car park with the busiest trail on the island, which fills early, and the waterfall is thin in a dry summer.
Questions people actually ask
How long is Levada do Risco?
Sources conflict. Visit Madeira publishes 1.5 km, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 each way and IFCN publishes 3 km, source: IFCN, read August 26, 2026. Both are official and neither has been corrected.
Is Levada do Risco good in the rain?
The waterfall carries more water after rain, and the path is short, level and partly sheltered. It is the least punishing option at Rabaçal in poor weather.
Does it need a permit?
Yes. It is a Classified Walking Route managed by IFCN, so it costs €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 and needs a dated timeslot booked on SIMplifica in advance.
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.
- IFCN: Percursos Pedestres Recomendados — registo e estado dos percursos. ifcn.madeira.gov.pt/pt/atividades-de-natureza/percursos-pedes Read August 26, 2026.
- Visit Madeira: PR6.1 Levada do Risco. visitmadeira.com/en/what-to-do/nature-seekers/activities/h Read August 26, 2026.