Canyoning in Madeira is THE adrenaline-packed adventure on the island. It combines several outdoor recreational activities in one and, in a nutshell, can be summed up as being one hell of a good time! If you’re looking for some thrill and want to try a new activity on your trip to Madeira, this guide is for you.
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What is Canyoning?
Canyoning is the activity of jumping into a fast-flowing mountain stream. It might seem extreme, or even dangerous, at first but it’s actually an activity that’s suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. Got your attention? Keep reading…
Everything is taken care of when you join a canyoning tour. You’ll be provided with a neoprene wetsuit to keep you warm, special walking boots for the slippery rocks, and a helmet. Other climbing equipment, such as climbing rope and harness, will also be provided that helps you descend steeper areas like waterfalls.
Typically, there are different levels to canyons, and the ones in Madeira are no exception! On the island, you can find winter and summer canyons which are divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced level. Things to keep in mind…winter canyons can only be enjoyed during the colder months because there is usually not enough water or none at all in the summer canyons in this period. Summer canyons can only be explored during the summer months, as there is too much water in these areas during the colder season.
Canyoning is an adrenaline-packed sport that you definitely shouldn’t miss out on during your trip to Madeira, which is why we included it in our 50 Best Things to do in Madeira bucket list!
EPIC Madeira Canyoning Tour
In researching canyoning tours on the island, we came across EPIC Madeira. Not having ever tried canyoning, we were drawn to their tours for the different options they provide. In the end, we joined an intermediate-level canyoning tour in the Ribeiro Frio valley in the heart of Madeira. To give you a better idea, it’s located near the road that connects Funchal in the south with Faial on the northern side of the island. After having done a canyoning tour with them we can testify that EPIC Madeira knows how to bring on the adventure!
Pricing: Depending on the level and difficulty of the canyoning tour, prices range from €60 EUR ($65 USD) for a beginners tour, €80 EUR ($86 USD) for an intermediate level, and to €120 EUR ($120 USD) for advanced levels.
Looking for even more? While canyoning is a very popular and awesome activity, EPIC Madeira also offers coasteering, mountain bike, and climbing tours to bring your trip to Madeira to the next level.
What to Expect?
On a canyoning tour get ready to be walking in the bed of a mountain stream. The path is usually very irregular and, along the way, you’ll be walking, swimming, jumping and climbing down ropes in order to get past all the obstacles.
The water is generally cold all year round, but it’s especially cold (like freezing cold!) during the winter months.
The path is quite slippery, so make sure to walk carefully. As the guides repeatedly told us, walking – which may seem like the safest part of the tour – is the most dangerous part of the activity.
Basic skills are necessary to climb down a rope but don’t worry, you’ll be instructed on how to do so before the trip and reminded every time you need to do it.
The whole tour takes around 4 hours. This includes preparation and a generic briefing at the beginning. The actual time spent in the river is about 2 to 3 hours. In our case, 2 hours felt like more than enough as it’s an exhausting sport especially if you’re new to it. Keep in mind the duration largely depends on the difficulty of the canyon, the number of participants, and the general fitness and experience level of the guests.
Canyoning in Madeira: Our Experience with EPIC Madeira
MEET UP & PREPARATION
EPIC Madeira offers a pick-up service in Funchal and nearby areas, but you can also go with your own car for maximum flexibility. The meeting point for the Ribeiro Frio canyoning tour was at Faisca (side note, this is a very tasty restaurant!). The Ribeiro Frio is one of those canyons that can only be visited during the winter months as its river doesn’t get much water during summer.
At Faisca, 3 guides from Epic Madeira were already waiting for us. It was supposed to be a relatively small group which became even smaller as some guests had to cancel due to the pandemic. We ended up being a group of 6 people plus 3 guides. Normally, a single guide can lead up to 5-8 people.
The meet up was at 10AM. You don’t need to go very early on a canyoning tour as it’s preferable to wait until the temperature rises a bit, especially in winter. Meeting at 10AM was perfect because we had plenty of time to have breakfast and drink a hot coffee before the actual tour started.
EPIC Madeira provided us with all the gear needed for the canyoning tour (i.e. swimsuit, a helmet and boots). When we got our equipment, we changed our clothes by a picnic area on the side of the road (there were no changing rooms available in the vicinity).
TRANSPORTATION AND BRIEFING
Once we were ready, we boarded a minivan and headed to the starting point of the tour. For the Ribeiro Frio canyoning tour, it was just a 5-minute drive from our meeting point at Faisca.
Here, one of the guides provided everyone with a climbing harness and explained very carefully the basic principles. Soon after, we were ready to go!
REACHING THE RIVER
The path was very steep and sometimes slippery, but overall relatively safe and doable thanks to the numerous trees and branches all around. Also, it didn’t take us too long to reach the river, only a few minutes and we were there. But this obviously depends on which canyon you are visiting, as every trail is different.
The thermal shock of entering the water the first time is probably the most difficult part of the adventure, especially if you’re not used to it.
WALKING IN THE RIVER
Once you get to the actual canyon, you’ll start walking downstream. The path is irregular but generally, the water is not too deep. You can comfortably walk and you’re only required to swim in some specific points. However, keep in mind that slipping while walking is the most common way to hurt yourself in this activity.
THE WATERFALLS
Every time you see a waterfall you have 2 options: climb down using a rope, or jump! Yes…you read that right.
Climbing down requires applying the notions you’ve learned at the beginning of the adventure. The guides will pass the rope through the harness and all you have to do is control the rope while balancing yourself. It takes a bit of time to get used to it, but once you familiarize yourself with the process it becomes fairly simple.
Whenever it’s possible, the guides will tell you how and where to jump. If you are afraid of jumping and you only want to climb down using ropes, that is also possible.
On our canyoning tour, we probably approached about 10 waterfalls or more, so we got to experience both methods, several times each.
PHOTOS & MEMORIES
Fun side note…the guides of EPIC Madeira will take photos of you all along the trip. They carry smartphones in waterproof covers which is a very practical and handy way to take photos in a river so don’t worry about stopping and taking shots – they got you covered and you don’t need to worry about damaging your phone in the water. All the photos are shared with the participants of the tour at the end of the day, on google drive.
What to Bring When Canyoning in Madeira?
For the adventure: wear a polyester swimsuit and avoid wearing any cotton fabric under the neoprene swimsuit you’ll be provided with. Cotton holds water and it will make you feel extra cold in the river. Trust us…don’t do it!
Pack also a GoPro if you want to take your own photos and videos in the canyon.
After canyoning: your dry clothes will be waiting for you in the minivan of EPIC Madeira. Make sure to pack a towel and an extra pair of underwear… you will thank us later!
Read also:
“Madeira Travel Guide: everything you need to know” for all the information about travelling to Madeira.
Looking for more places to visit? Check out our 50 Best Things to do in Madeira – Ultimate Bucket List
Where to stay in Madeira?
Are you looking for a budget stay in Madeira? Check out the Best Hostels in Madeira
Would you like to experience something unique? Consider staying at one of these Amazing Airbnbs in Madeira
[…] YOU KNOW? Ribeiro Frio means cold river in Portuguese, and it’s here that most Canyoning Tours in Madeira are […]