The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike is hands down the most beautiful in Madeira. It’s even considered by many as one of the best hikes in the world! A big claim…yes we know, but after doing it ourselves we got to experience just why people love it.
Along the hike, the trail connects the highest points of the island offering countless viewpoints of the colourful valley and rock. You go from peak to peak which is why it’s also commonly known as the “Pico to Pico” hike.
If high peaks are your thing, you’re going to want to do the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike. Make the most of your exploration through Madeira’s highest peaks with the help of this guide.
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What is the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike?
The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike is a 5.4km hike spanning from Pico do Arieiro (1,818m) to Pico Ruivo (1862m). This spectacular mountain path was constructed 50 years ago by the island’s administration and it connects the three highest mountains in dramatic fashion.
Pico do Arieiro is the 3rd highest peak in Madeira at 1,818m above sea level, and Pico Ruivo is a whopping 1,862m high and is the highest peak on the island. This hike offers insane views of Madeira’s beautiful mountains and rocky volcanic landscape along the whole trail.
While it’s a hike along the peaks of Madeira, along a good section of the trail from Pico do Arieiro you will be hiking downwards before the elevation towards Pico Ruivo.
Hiking options at Pico do Arieiro – Pico Ruivo
There is only one trail for this hike (divided in PR1 and PR1.2) but there are several options for how to tackle it.
Below we indicate the 3 most common options. The starting points are either Pico do Arieiro or Achada do Teixeira, which is where you can park your car and start your trail. Pico Ruivo is NOT accessible by car and can only be reached by walk.
Option 1: PR1 – ROUND TRIP: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo and back – [Total distance 10.8km]
Option 2: PR1 to PR1.2 – One-way from Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo and ending in Achada do Teixeira – [Total distance 8.1km]
Option 3: PR1.2 to PR1 – Reverse trek from Achada do Teixeira to Pico Ruivo and ending in Pico do Arieiro – [Total distance 8.1km]
Which hiking direction is best?
We recommend starting at Pico do Arieiro in options 1 or 2. This way you’ll face only a 400m of positive elevation gain and 700m of negative elevation gain (if you’re going all the way to Achada do Teixeira). If you do it the other way around – starting in Achada do Teixeira (option 3) and heading towards Pico do Arieiro, you will be looking at opposite values (+700, -400) and the hike will be significantly more challenging.
In option 1, you will walk the whole trail and back again. In option 2 you will need to rely on some mode of private transportation such as a car, a taxi, or shared transport once you get to the end of the trail.
Option 1 is the most budget friendly as you can do it entirely on your own with your rental car or shared bus.
With option 2 you get to see more while walking less, as you don’t have to backtrack.
CONSIDER STAYING OVERNIGHT: The views on these high peaks are particularly stunning at sunrise and sunset. If you want to extend your hike, consider booking an overnight stay at the Casa de Abrigo do Pico Ruivo and hike back to Pico do Arieiro the next day. This mountain hut is located at the junction between PR1 and PR1.2 and it can only be reached by foot. Read more about it here.
As both option 1 and option 2 start in Pico do Arieiro, we will focus most of our blog on this side of the hike.
How to get to Pico do Arieiro
BY CAR: The starting points of this walk can either be Pico do Arieiro or Achada do Teixeira. However, due to the elevation chart of this path, it is recommended to start your hike in Pico do Arieiro. Pico do Arieiro is about 20km or 35 minutes from Funchal. Once you arrive, you can leave your car on at the free parking lot right on top of the mountain.
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There are no scheduled buses that go anywhere near Pico do Arieiro. The easiest options to reach Pico do Arieiro without driving your own car are: joining a tour, sharing a taxi with other travellers, or looking for private companies that offer this type of transportation like Pico Transfers.
BY GROUP TOUR: The added value of choosing a group tour is getting to experience an exhilarating hike with a local guide that shares their knowledge and expertise of the Island’s hiking trails, nature, and environment, while also having all the transportation planned and organized ahead of time. The starting point of the hike was from option 2 on top of Pico do Arieiro. As a solo traveller, consider choosing a tour group like this one. You can share this incredible hiking experience and meet other travellers.
STARTING POINT:
Our local guide for the hike
We did this hike with a local Madeirian named Marcio from Madeira Wonder Hikes. Marcio is an expert guide and knows everything about the island. From the most popular hikes like that of Pico Ruivo to ones off the beaten path like the Vereda do Pesqueiro, this tour group leaves no stone unturned!
WHAT DID WE LIKE ABOUT MADEIRA WONDER HIKES?
- Many hike options – From easy, moderate, to more difficult and advanced trails, you’ll find a hike that’s fit for you and the kind of experience you’re looking for.
- Affordable prices – Hikes range start as low as €40 EUR ($45 USD) to about €60 EUR ($68 USD), including pick-up, breakfast and drop off.
- Adaptability – We loved how Marcio adapted the pace and the breaks of the hike depending on his guests.
- 3 key components to their hikes – off the beaten track, uncrowded tracks, and unspoiled landscapes.
- Small groups – Groups are generally very small (2-4 people) and this ensures a greater experience.
- Language options – The staff are fluent in Portuguese and English.
- Equipment – Madeira Wonder Hikes will provide all the necessary equipment for hikes such as headlamps.
DETAILED GUIDE
Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike
This hike is divided in 2 sections:
– PR1: From Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo
– PR1.2: From Pico Ruivo to Achada do Teixeira
NOTE: If you follow option 1 and want to do this hike as a round trip, you will be only walking along the PR1 in both directions, so you can neglect the second part of the guide about the PR1.2.
PR 1 – From Pico Do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Hike
The hike on the highest peaks of Madeira starts in Pico do Arieiro. After reaching the parking lot you’ll head straight through the Cafeteria Pico Arieiro (opens at 9:00 AM) where the PR1 Vereda do Arieiro trail begins.
Many people decide to do this hike at sunrise and it’s no secret why. The morning light makes everything more magical up here.
During winter months there are higher chances of fog and rain up here, even when it’s clear and sunny down in the city of Funchal, so be prepared. We went in January and it was 4°C up on Pico do Arieiro while it was 18°C in Funchal.
In our experience, the first part of the hike was very foggy but luckily it only lasted for a few minutes. Then, everything cleared up. It’s important to remember that weather conditions change a lot on these mountains. Don’t give up hope if the weather isn’t perfect when the hike begins. Just make sure to double check the weather forecast and if rain is not predicted, a little fog may disappear after a while.
There is a negative elevation gain towards the very beginning of the trail. You will be hiking down and descending from 1,818m to about 1,500m. Watch out as this first part of the trail might be quite slippery, especially in the early hours of the day.
After about 20 minutes of walking, you will reach one of the highlights of this hike: Miradouro Ninho da Manta (the Buzzard’s Nest), at 1,744m above sea level. This is probably one of the most photographed viewpoints in Madeira, and for a good reason.
From here you can enjoy a magnificent view down into the Ribeira da Fajã da Nogueira valley below!
Continuing down in the direction of Pico Ruivo you’ll continue descending until you reach Pedra Rija – another famous spot in Madeira. This is a view you want to catch at sunrise or sunset, and possibly more than once in your trip. Pedra Rija is a section on the trail with impressive cliffs on both sides.
TIP: Fly your drone here for the best angles! Be careful with the wind though, it may get quite strong up the mountains.
After Pedra Rija you’ll descend the steepest part of the whole trail before reaching the Pico do Gato tunnel, a 50m long gallery sitting at 1,600m above sea level.
The tunnel is relatively high, however, at certain points, you will need to crouch down. Bringing a headlamp is recommended. There is a total of 3 longer tunnels and 2 shorter ones on the way from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, with the longest one being about 200m long.
After the first tunnel, the path divides into 2 paths. On the eastern side, you have the old, dismissed route around Pico das Torres. This trail has been abandoned for years after some major landslides and it’s not in use anymore. On the western side, you have the newer route, which is now the only way to get from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. A sign [Pico Ruivo (O)] indicates the correct path, so you can’t go wrong. (O) means “Oeste”, Portuguese for “West”.
In spring, Pride of Madeira (Echium Candicans) flowers gives these mountains a very unique vibe thanks to their colorful panicles of purple flowers.
Also, many species of birds can be seen while you hike. Zino’s petrel, or “Freira da Madeira”, is among the most endangered birds in the world and lives exclusively by the sea. However, it can be spotted on the highest peaks of Madeira as they come ashore during the breeding season between late March and mid-October. Other more common birds and plants can be spotted all year round.
The trail continues along the side of a sheer rock face, with the path being carved directly in the rock at some points. The trail becomes quite narrow and at some points, it has partially collapsed. Be aware of that if you suffer from vertigo. It’s recommended to approach it sideways holding on to the rock face if possible.
The trail continues to descend until it reaches the lowest point of the hike at about 1,542 m above sea level, some 3.4km after the start. Here, the climb up to Pico Ruivo begins!
The first part is also the toughest, it is the steepest part of the entire trail and you need some good legs to climb all the stairs. There is a mix of metal stairs and rock steps on this steep pathway to the ridge.
After a short descent, the path goes through what was once a lush forest of heather trees. Unfortunately, the area was devastated by wildfires in recent years, leaving only the white skeleton-like trunks of these centuries-old trees behind.
Local authorities have been working hard towards the reforestation of the area. You can see new trees popping up under the white trunks, as well as in many other areas of Madeira.
After some hundred meters, the path PR1 finally meets with PR1.2, the relatively short and easy trail that connects the parking lot of Achada do Teixeira with the mountain of Pico Ruivo. You will need to turn left, following the indications to Pico Ruivo.
After a couple of minutes, you will finally reach Casa de Abrigo, at about 1,775m above sea level. Casa de Abrigo do Pico Ruivo might be a lifesaver if you need a snack, a drink or if the weather turns bad.
Prices are slightly higher compared to other places in Madeira, but you get the chance to have something warm in the middle of your hike. We paid €1.80 EUR ($2 USD) for an espresso, €4 EUR ($4.50 USD) for a Madeira wine, €3 EUR ($3.40 USD) for a slice of Banana cake.
It is more like a mountain shelter than a hotel, but it is open to the public (it’s also the only accommodation up here). It’s basically a bar with beds.
STAYING OVERNIGHT AT PICO RUIVO
🏠 Casa de Abrigo do Pico Ruivo Website: https://picoruivo.com/en/ Email: info@picoruivo.com Phone: 291 572 124 Mobile: +351 960 296 224 / +351 962 560 02
- Cost per adult/night: €15 EUR ($17 USD) and payment is made upon arrival in cash. There is an ATM machine where you can withdraw cash from.
- Includes: Bedding and access to the cafeteria’s kitchen to make your own food that you bring. The house does offer a cafeteria service where they make light meals and snacks like toast, eggs and sausage.
- Excludes: Towels
- Check-in: 14:00pm
- Checkout: 12:00pm
*Booking needs to be done ahead of time not upon arrival.
Pico Ruivo is only 15-20 minutes walking distance from Casa de Abrigo! Hike up the stairs and get ready to conquer Madeira’s highest peak at a mighty 1,862m above sea level!
This part of the hike is not as demanding as some of the previous ones, but it still requires a little effort. This last section of the hike is about 500m long with an elevation difference of about 80m.
From the summit of Pico Ruivo you have 2 options: hike back to Pico do Arieiro or continue towards Achada do Teixeira. In this guide we describe the PR 1.2 path leading to Achada do Teixeira, where we would get picked up by our guide. If you plan on hiking back to Pico do Arieiro, follow the same path illustrated above but backwards.
PR 1.2 – From Pico Ruivo to Achada Do Teixeira
The way from Pico Ruivo to Achada do Teixeira is a very easy and enjoyable walk. The path is wide, never too steep and you have views of the ocean on one side and views of the peaks on the other. Sadly for us the weather worsened a little on our way to Achada do Teixera, but it was still clear enough to have some views.
The parking of Achada do Teixeira was our final destination. Thanks to Madera Wonder Hikes there was a car waiting for us at the end of the hike. Marcio took care of everything from hot coffee to biscuits, homemade cake, and Madeira wine (Saúde or Cheers!).
From Achada Do Teixeira
⮞ TO PICO DO ARIEIRO – If you drove your own car all the way up to Pico do Arieiro, but you don’t feel like doing the same hike back, you can take a taxi from Achada do Teixeira to Pico do Arieiro. It is about 1 hour by car and it will cost about €70 EUR ($79 USD).
⮞ TO YOUR ACCOMMODATION – There are several options to do this hike one-way and not have to walk the same path again:
- With a local guide: we did this tour with Madeira Wonder Hikes and not only did Marcio provided useful informations along the whole way, but he also provided us with the transportation to and from our accommodation. We loved it as we had the chance to decide the time of pick-up and we were the first ones up on Pico do Arieiro at sunrise.
- With a shared transportation: Pico Transfers among others provides cheap transportation from your accommodation to Pico do Arieiro and back from Achada do Teixeira to your place. This is a great option if you are a solo traveller as it’s cheaper than taxi. The service costs €31 EUR ($35 USD) per person for sunrise (including the way back from Teixeira) and €29 EUR ($33 USD) for the morning.
- By taxi: a taxi from Achada do Teixeira to Funchal will cost you about €60 EUR ($68 USD).
Round trip from Pico do Arieiro
If you have your own car and you don’t mind doing the same path twice, you can save some money by doing the round trip from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo (or vice versa).
The hike would be exactly the same as described earlier, following PR1 and PR1.2 both ways.
The total length of this hike would be 10.8km, with a total elevation gain of about +1000m and a negative one of -1000m.
Best time to visit
BEST TIME OF THE DAY: Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo is one of those hikes you definitely want to do at sunrise. The light is just perfect and if you are lucky enough you’ll be literally walking on top of the clouds. Keep in mind that during high season the parking in Pico do Arieiro might be full from the late morning.
Another option would be to do this hike in the early afternoon and watch the sunset in Pico Ruivo.
BEST TIME OF THE YEAR: This hike can be done all year round, however you need to keep in mind that in the winter rain, wind and fog are more likely to be present. Also, even though the coast of Madeira still sees warm temperatures during winter months, on the peaks temperatures drop close to zero, and sometimes even below that.
Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike time
The hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo takes about 3 hours to complete (one way). The total duration of the hike is about 6 hours if you’re heading back to Pico do Arieiro, or 4:30 hours if you’re ending your trip in Achadas do Teixeira.
Sunrise viewpoint at Pico do Arieiro
Sunrise in pico do Arieiro is one of those experiences you really want to include in your trip to Madeira. The best sunrise viewpoint in Pico do Arieiro is Miradouro do Juncal, a 5-minute walk from the parking lot.
When the conditions are right, you may see the sun rising up over a sea of clouds.
Keep in mind this is one of those places that might get crowded even in the earliest hours of the day. However, not everyone who comes up here to watch the sunrise proceeds to walk the whole hike, so you shouldn’t be worried about the trail being packed.
TIP: Check out what time is sunrise and make sure to get up to Pico do Arieiro at least 30-45 minutes before that time. The early lights are well worth the effort.
Best tips for Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike
- Bring an extra t-shirt and wear different layers. Warm clothes are necessary in winter months, as temperature may drop even below 0°C.
- Go early if you want to come back on the same day.
- Bring a light raincoat if the weather changes.
- Don’t go if it’s bad weather – the trail can be slippery at some points and the wind can be extremely strong.
- Bring a headlamp for the tunnels and make sure it’s fully charged before you go.
Snow in Pico do Arieiro
If you’re wondering whether you can see snow in Madeira or not, the answer is YES!
Winter months (December to February) are usually cold enough for Madeira to get some snow on its highest peaks. We were fortunate to see Madeira’s peaks covered in snow on our last day of the trip, and it was stunning.
There is much to love about the Pico do Aireiro to Pico Ruivo hike in Madeira. We hope this guide has convinced you to go to Madeira and explore the Island’s highest peaks.
If you do or already have done the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike, tell us in the comments – we want to hear from you!
Updated: 09 February 2024
⚠️ The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Hike is temporarily CLOSED
As of February 2024, the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Hike remains closed due to recent landslides. There aren’t any information regarding a potential reopening date.
Hello, I saw that this trail is closed.. do you have any Idea when the trail will be open again?
Hello Catalina,
We’re in contact with local guides in Madeira, but as of today, there aren’t any information regarding a potential reopening date.