PR28
A vertical kilometre to Madeira's highest peak
Vereda da Ilha: 8.2 km of relentless climbing from the north-coast village of Ilha up to the Pico Ruivo shelter at 1,862 m. 1,200 m of elevation gain in one direction. The hardest legal way to reach Madeira's summit.
Curated by
Filipe Pereira
Founder & Lead Curator
Issued 2026-05-16
Valid through June 2026
01 · At a glance
The vitals
What you need to know about Vereda da Ilha before you book or set out.
Distance
8.2 km
Duration
3-4 h
Elevation gain
1200 m
Difficulty
Hard
Exposure
3/5
Type
Vereda
Status, May 2026
Open
Open year-round 2026. No restrictions. The path is well-maintained but the elevation gain is the entire challenge - no infrastructure improvement makes 1,200 m of climbing shorter.
Best season
Spring and autumn only
May-June and September-October give the best balance of cool weather and clear weather. Summer is too hot for the lower forest section. Winter is too foggy and wet at the summit. Avoid the shoulder seasons unless you are confident in mountain weather.
“Forest-protected so you do not see how far up you have to go - which is mercy and curse.”
02 · Getting to the trailhead
How to reach the start
Map placeholder
Start: Ilha · End: Pico Ruivo Shelter
By car from Funchal
About 1 hour 15 minutes via VR1 east then ER101 along the north coast to Ilha village (320 m).
Parking
Free street parking in Ilha village centre.
End-point logistics
The summit at Pico Ruivo has no direct road access. You either: (1) hike back down PR28 (16 km total day), or (2) descend via PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira with pre-arranged pickup.
Operator pickup
PR28 is rarely run as an operator product because of the logistics. When it is, expect a small premium tour with two-end vehicle support.
Taxi or transfer
Funchal to Ilha one-way €55-65. Pico Ruivo pickup requires PR1.2 descent first.
Tip from Filipe
Most realistic plan: ascend PR28, descend PR1.2 (3 km), get picked up at Achada do Teixeira. Total day is 11 km plus the descent - challenging but more manageable than the full PR28 round trip.
Driving yourself
Madeira rental from Funchal Airport, around €25-40/day in May
We use DiscoverCars to compare local agencies. Trailhead access on most PR routes is easier with a car.
https://www.discovercars.com/portugal/funchal?a_aid=Madeirahiking¤cy=eur&utm_source=Madeirahiking&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=pdf-pr28
03 · Route walkthrough
Section by section
Distances, landmarks, and what to expect underfoot.
0.0 - 1.5 km
0:45
Ilha village to the forest entry
Trail leaves the village heading uphill on a paved road that becomes dirt path. Steep agricultural terraces. First forest section starts around km 1.5.
1.5 - 4.0 km
1:30
Forest climb
Sustained steep climb through Laurisilva. Tree heather, til, laurel. Cooler under canopy. The forest hides the elevation gain - which is psychologically helpful and physically punishing.
No water sources. Carry everything you need.
4.0 - 6.5 km
1:30
Above the tree line
Vegetation thins. Open mountain hillside. The summit of Pico Ruivo becomes visible. Wind kicks in. Final 600 m of elevation gain happen here.
Exposed hillside. Weather matters more above the tree line.
6.5 - 8.2 km
1:00
Summit approach via the Casa de Abrigo
Final climb joins the PR1.2 path. Casa de Abrigo at km 8 (shelter, hot drinks, bathrooms). Summit cross at km 8.2.
04 · Gear and safety
What to bring and when to bail
Required
- Hiking boots with good ankle support
- Trekking poles - mandatory
- Layers - 1,200 m gain crosses microclimates
- Windproof shell
- Water: 2.5 L (no refill until the shelter)
- Energy food for 4+ hours of climbing
- SIMplifica permit
Recommended
- Knee support
- Spare layer for the summit cold
- Sunglasses for the alpine glare
- Cash for hot drinks at the shelter
- Phone with offline map
The elevation gain is the safety story
1,200 m of climbing in 8 km is a serious mountain effort. Pace yourself. Hydrate constantly. Turn back if you are running out of energy at the tree line.
Weather changes with altitude
Ilha at 320 m can be sunny while Pico Ruivo at 1,862 m is in cloud. Bring layers regardless of starting weather.
Wind above the tree line
The final 2 km is exposed. Sustained winds over 60 km/h make it unsafe. Check forecast at multiple altitudes.
Signal patchy in the forest
Coverage drops in the dense Laurisilva. Available at the trailhead and at the summit shelter.
Emergency: 112
Coverage along this route is patchy. Walk-out points: Ilha village (km 0, descent is hard) or Casa de Abrigo do Pico Ruivo (km 8, staffed). Mid-route extraction is INEM helicopter only.
05 · Fees and booking
Two paths to the trailhead
Path A · DIY
Book on SIMplifica
€4.50
per person
- Open simplifica.madeira.gov.pt and log in.
- Search "Ilha" or PR28. Confirm correct trail.
- Pick your date.
- Pay €4.50/person by card.
- Save the confirmation. Plan descent route separately if not returning via PR28.
Path B · Protocol operator
Skip the portal
€3.00
per person, fee included in tour
PR28 is one of the few trails where operator value is in the logistics - solving the one-way ascent puzzle with PR1.2 descent and Achada do Teixeira pickup. Premium tours run €100-140.
Protocol operators running this trail
Madeira Local Guide - Paulo Jesus
PT/EN · Private only · €66-114
+351 XXX XXX XXX
tripadvisor.com/madeira-local-guide
Up Mountain Madeira
PT/EN/DE · Max 8 people · €40-120
+351 925 964 335
upmountainmadeira.com
Explore Nature
PT/EN · Small groups · €27-80
+351 964 851 693
explorenature.pt
Path C · Marketplace listing
Browse Guided Madeira Hiking Tours
From €30 · Various · ⭐ 4.7
If you cannot reach a protocol partner, GetYourGuide aggregates tours from multiple operators with free 24h cancellation. Independent listing - not a preferred channel for this trail.
https://www.getyourguide.com/madeira-l67/hiking-tc71/?partner_id=2VCHGBU&utm_medium=online_publisher&cmp=pdf-pr28
06 · After the hike
What to do with the rest of the day
Pair it with
PR1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo
The natural descent from Pico Ruivo summit. Easier than reversing PR28.
PR1 Vereda do Areeiro
Continue from the summit west along the ridge to Pico do Areeiro. Adds 7 km of exposed ridge. Three-trail traverse for the truly ambitious.
Santana traditional houses
Twenty minutes back along the north coast for post-summit recovery food.
Common questions
Is PR28 harder than PR1?
Different hard. PR1 is exposure and tunnels. PR28 is pure elevation gain. PR28 is the bigger physical effort; PR1 is the bigger technical challenge.
Can I do PR28 round trip in one day?
Yes for very fit hikers. 16 km with 1,200 m gain and 1,200 m loss. 8-10 hours. Plan to be off the summit by 14:00.
What is the best descent option?
PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira. Easier on the knees than reversing PR28. Requires pre-arranged pickup.
Live trail status
madeirahiking.org/trails/pr28
Conditions change. The live page is verified against ICNF announcements and re-checked on a rolling cadence. Refresh before you set out.
May 2026 edition · issued 2026-05-16 · MadeiraHiking.org · Curated by Filipe Pereira
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