PR29
A tunnel-pierced levada from Camacha to Monte
Levada dos Tornos from Camacha to Monte: 13 km of the levada that brought drinking water to old Funchal, through three unlit tunnels and across the upper Funchal amphitheatre. Currently partially open.
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 Levada dos Tornos (Camacha) before you book or set out.
Distance
13 km
Duration
4-5 h
Elevation gain
100 m
Difficulty
Moderate
Exposure
2/5
Type
Levada
Status, May 2026
Partially Open
Partially open in 2026. The Camacha → tunnel-1 segment is accessible. Sections beyond the second tunnel have intermittent closures. Check ICNF status.
Best season
Year-round
Spring and autumn are best. Summer is hot on the open levada sections. Winter is fine but the tunnels are cold and the path stays wet.
“An infrastructure tour disguised as a hike - this is how Funchal got its water.”
02 · Getting to the trailhead
How to reach the start
Map placeholder
Start: Camacha · End: Monte
By car from Funchal
About 20 minutes via VR1 north to Camacha. Easy paved road.
Parking
Free street parking in Camacha centre.
End-point logistics
Monte has the Monte cable car back to Funchal centre - the iconic finish. Or Monte taxi back.
Operator pickup
Common operator product because of the cable car finish. Half-day tours run regularly.
Taxi or transfer
Funchal to Camacha one-way €20-25. Monte cable car back is €11/person one-way.
Tip from Filipe
PR29 has the most iconic ending of any Madeira day-hike - the Monte cable car back to Funchal centre. Time the hike to finish at Monte by 16:30 for the cable car ride down with sunset over the harbour.
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-pr29
03 · Route walkthrough
Section by section
Distances, landmarks, and what to expect underfoot.
0.0 - 1.0 km
0:20
Camacha to the levada
Trail leaves the Camacha town centre on residential streets. Levada path proper starts after the village edge. Gentle walking begins.
1.0 - 4.5 km
1:15
Levada through residential terraces
Levada path winds through Camacha's rural edge - gardens, vegetable plots, small farms. Mostly easy walking with occasional narrow sections.
4.5 - 6.0 km
0:45
First tunnel section
Two short tunnels in quick succession (~150 m each). Unlit. Headlamp on. The third (longest at 400 m) follows shortly.
Headlamp mandatory for the three tunnels.
6.0 - 10.0 km
1:30
Open levada above Funchal
Trail emerges onto the upper Funchal amphitheatre. Views down over the city, harbour, and ocean. Continues east toward Monte.
10.0 - 13.0 km
1:00
Final approach to Monte
Levada path crosses the residential approach to Monte. Trail ends at the Monte Palace cable car station - the famous wicker-toboggan-and-cable-car finish.
04 · Gear and safety
What to bring and when to bail
Required
- Hiking shoes
- Headlamp - mandatory for three tunnels
- Light rain jacket
- Water: 1.5 L
- Sun protection for open sections
- SIMplifica permit
Recommended
- Cash for the Monte cable car (€11) and Monte food
- Camera for the Funchal views
- Buff for tunnel sections
- Snacks
Three tunnels in succession
Total ~700 m of unlit tunnel across three sections. Headlamp on for all of them. Move single file.
Long but easy
13 km is the longest distance on the eastern levadas but the elevation gain is modest (100 m). Tired legs not exhausted ones.
Partial-opening sections
Sections beyond the second tunnel may have closures. Check ICNF before committing. Do not push past closure signs.
Signal mostly good
Strong cellular near Camacha and Monte. Drops in the tunnels and the middle remote section.
Emergency: 112
Coverage along this route is patchy. Walk-out points: Camacha (km 0), Monte (km 13), various residential streets in the middle section.
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 "Levada dos Tornos" or PR29.
- Pick your date. Confirm partial-opening status.
- Pay €4.50/person by card.
- Save the confirmation.
Path B · Protocol operator
Skip the portal
€3.00
per person, fee included in tour
PR29 is a popular operator product because of the Monte cable car finish - one of Madeira's most photographed transitions. Often combined with the wicker toboggan ride down to Funchal Old Town.
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-pr29
06 · After the hike
What to do with the rest of the day
Pair it with
Monte Palace tropical gardens
At the cable car station. Worth 1-2 hours wandering before catching the descent.
Monte wicker toboggan
The iconic basket sled ride down from Monte to Livramento. Pricy (€35/person for two) but the photo is the souvenir.
Funchal Old Town
The cable car finishes at the harbour edge - Old Town is 10 minutes walk. Painted doors street, traditional restaurants.
Common questions
Is the Monte cable car the best finish?
Yes - one of the few hikes on the island with a cable-car ending. Books up in afternoon on summer days.
How challenging really is PR29?
Easy-moderate. The 13 km distance is the main effort. The tunnels are short. Elevation is gentle.
Can I do PR29 with kids?
From age 8+ if comfortable with tunnels. The cable car finish makes it kid-attractive.
Live trail status
madeirahiking.org/trails/pr29
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
Scan for live status