Funchal · SUNRISE HIKES
A pickup in the dark, a summit road, and the cloud layer somewhere below you as the light comes up. These 15 differ on where they start, whether breakfast is thrown in and how far you walk once you are up there.
Self-guided Madeira sunrise hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, with Funchal hotel pickup and a 10 km return trek.
“Pick up was smooth- the guide was welcoming and explained the trails to us.”
Sunrise hike transfer from Funchal or Caniço to Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo, with a briefing, small group van, and cloud-top views.
“Everything went super smoothly. We couldn’t do the PR1 hike because the trail is currently only partially open. Instead I was offered to do first the sunrise/ part of PR1 and after to go on the PR3 (7km). The sunrise at pico the Areeiro was truly stunning - I would recommend to walk a little bit along the PR1 and watch it from there. Bring warm clothes and a headlamp. The PR3 was really nice to walk, way less crowded and more natural and serene. 10/10 would do again :)”
Watch Madeira’s sunrise from Pico do Arieiro with optional homemade breakfast and a short levada walk from Funchal.
“The tour was great. Pick up was spot on, drive to the mountaintop efficient. We did not end up going up Pico do Arieiro. The weather was really not fit and we were not properly dressed. I was a bit disappointed but after watching the sunrise further down the mountain and freezing right next to the van with blankets, I was happy for the decision. Homemade Breakfast in the woods was great. Just wish there had been a bathroom somewhere. Farmers market was great end.”
Sunrise hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, then PR1.2 or Vereda do Larano with roundtrip transfers from Funchal (about 8h).
“Everything was great, the pick ups and drop offs were prompt and on time. I will say the second long walk was a bit difficult to follow at the end so maybe an all trails route as opposed to strava would be easier to follow. But other than that I had a fantastic time and I would recommend to anyone”
Sunrise at Pico do Arieiro, optional Stairs of Heaven hike, then the 7 km Vereda do Larano coastal walk with hotel pickup.
“Couldn’t have been better, the guide was extremely knowledgeable on the area and very friendly. The tour was great and the transport was really clean.”
Sunrise hike from Funchal to Pico do Arieiro with hotel pickup, small shared transfer, and self-guided PR1 and PR3 trails.
“Everything was great! The transfer was smooth and fast. Thank Nuno, for the detailed information and good mood. I am very satisfied.”
Watch the Milky Way, then hike Pico Ruivo for sunrise with hotel pickup, head torch, tea, and small group. 5 hours, $68 pp.
“Carlos is an amazing tour guide, he is friendly and very kind. He picked me up from the hotel on time. I was satisfied with overall experience. Recommend it :)”
Sunrise shuttle from Funchal and Caniço to Pico do Arieiro, hike to Pico Ruivo, then back to Madeira with an efficient small-group day.
“Fantastic hike, well worth the effort. The sunrise was incredible and the views on the walk magnificent.”
A small-group Madeira sunrise tour to Pico do Areeiro, with a Levada dos Balcões walk, viewpoints across the island north and northeast, plus coffee.
“An amazing adventure. It honestly felt like a private tour. Besides me, only one other person joined, so the whole trip was just the three of us. Hugo gives you as much time as you need and want. Apart from the main highlight, the sunrise, we drove around a large part of the eastern side of the island and saw much more than expected. The departure was planned for 6:30, but at 5:40 we had a check-in call. Hugo was checking the weather on webcams to make sure the trip would actually make sense, which I really appreciated. Throughout the tour he shares a lot of interesting stories about the…”
Catch sunrise at Pico do Arieiro in a small 4x4 group, then enjoy an easy levada walk and a local breakfast stop in Madeira.
“Wonderful experience with Hit The Road Madeira and Francisco as our guide. Learned a lot along the way and the sunrise experience was breathtaking, followed by a short levada walk.”
Hike Pico Ruivo in the dark with a tiny group, reach the summit for Madeira sunrise, and get tea and warm layers on the way.
“The trip sounded amazing and I had booked this as part of my partners 30th Birthday celebration. We were told to be up early and wait outside our hotel at 4am. We did just that, however it got to 10 past 4 and there was still no sign of our tour guide. I called them up and I was told that the tour was not going ahead as the tour guide was not in the island. To say we were disappointed was an understatement, we had woken up early for this tour and it was meant to be a special occasion for me and my boyfriend. Very poor.”
Sunrise hike from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo with pro guides, small group size, and a Santana stop with pickup from Funchal and Caniço.
“Amazing experience, the views were unbelievable. A shame that some of the PR1 trail was still closed, but David was fantastic and you still get to do both peaks still!”
Watch sunrise from Pico do Arieiro above Funchal, then warm up with optional breakfast and a gentle levada walk. Small group, easy transport.
“We thought we would be in a group but found out only at pick up time that it was only the two of us! Then the guide appeared to be least bothered & behaved like more of a driver than a guide, who failed to show us things in detail as we would have expected from a tour guide. He sat in the van because he said he was cold & did not want to show us up to the sunrise viewpoint. It was like this with whatever else we did. The breakfast was average for the price we paid. The place at which we ate was a shack, not…”
Sunrise at Pico do Arieiro in a small 4x4 group, then a calm Levada dos Balcões walk, with cloud-top views guided by António.
“guide took us to the perfect viewing spot , sunrise was stunning. guide was friendly and informative about the local area and nature”
Sunrise at Pico do Areeiro with a small-group drive, Laurisilva levada walk, and a north-coast glasswalk viewpoint.
“I have been to Madeira several times before. I love the island. One of the things that was always on my wish list was to see the sunrise from one of the peaks. As someone who does not drive, this had always been difficult to arrange, and as I am not a great hiker, the sunrise hike trips that have been offered for the past few years were always not feasible. So I was delighted to find out that there are now sunrise tours to the peaks for people like me. Hugo picked me up at my accommodation in Santa Cruz, took me to the peak, then a coffee shop,…”
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