Levada do Caldeirao Verde (PR9): Madeira Walk Guide

Levada do Caldeirão Verde (PR9) is the classic forest walk on Madeira’s green north side. From Queimadas Forest Park above Santana, a mostly level path follows an old water channel through laurel forest and four rock tunnels to a waterfall that drops about 100m into a green bowl. Here’s how to plan it in 2026.

Quick answer: start at the thatched house in Queimadas Forest Park, a short drive up from Santana. It’s about 6.5km each way (13km return) to the waterfall, with four tunnels, so bring a headtorch. Allow 4 to 5 hours. PR9 is open (it reopened on 29 May 2026), but the extension to Caldeirão do Inferno has been closed since 2023. Book a slot and pay €4.50 on SIMplifica, and arrive early, as parking is limited.

The trail at a glance

• Distance and time: about 6.5km each way, returning the same way, so 4 to 5 hours. The official PR9 runs 2.2km further to Caldeirão do Inferno (8.7km each way), but that section is closed.
• Difficulty: moderate. The path stays between about 870m and 1,020m, so there’s little climbing, but it’s long, often muddy and narrow in places, with drops beside it.

Is PR9 open in 2026?

Yes. IFCN, the regional forestry institute, lists PR9 as open (status page updated 2 October 2026). A landslide closed it in January 2026, it shut again for maintenance a few weeks later, and it reopened on 29 May 2026. Heavy rain can close it at short notice, so check the IFCN list or Visit Madeira the day before.

Booking and fees

• Book a slot: every official trail needs a 30-minute start slot, booked and paid by card on the SIMplifica portal (simplifica.madeira.gov.pt).
• Fee: €4.50 per person over 12. Children aged 12 and under are free but still need a slot.
• Two trails in a day: add another, such as PR11 Balcões, and the system applies the €9 one-day rate automatically (PR1 excluded).
• No refunds for rain: only if the trail is officially closed that day.
• Fines: in spring 2026 Forest Police fined 43 walkers €50 each, on the spot, for not paying. Entering a closed trail cost €250.

Getting to Queimadas

• By car: Santana is about 45 minutes to an hour from Funchal through the tunnels. From there, follow signs for Parque Florestal das Queimadas up a narrow road, only one car wide in places.
• Parking: the car park is small, and Visit Madeira lists it at €2 an hour, so a full walk costs about €10. It often fills by mid-morning, and latecomers park further down the road and walk up.
• By bus and taxi: CAM routes 801 and 850 (numbers changed in March 2026) take 1 to 2 hours from Funchal to Santana, depending on the route. Weekdays have several morning buses, but weekends have only two morning buses to Santana. The last bus back usually leaves Santana at about 5.30pm. No bus goes up to Queimadas, so take a taxi from Santana and agree a pick-up time. Check times on the SIGA website.

Rather not drive? See guided levada walks, many with pickup in Funchal and some covering Caldeirão Verde. Check whether the trail fee is included. Compare options in the best Madeira tours.

The walk step by step

1. Queimadas: the path starts by the park’s rest house, built with the triangular shape and thatched roof of the traditional houses in Santana.
2. Into the forest: the levada winds through Laurissilva, the ancient laurel forest UNESCO listed in 1999, carrying water to the farms of Faial.
3. Narrow stretches: after the first couple of kilometres the path narrows, with drops on the open side. Railings protect many of the worst bits, but not all.
4. The PR1.1 junction: at about 4.5km, the Vereda da Ilha climbs away towards Pico Ruivo. Stay on the levada.
5. The tunnels: four unlit tunnels cut through the rock. Some are low and wet underfoot, so keep your headtorch on and mind your head.
6. Caldeirão Verde: the path ends in a deep green amphitheatre, where the waterfall drops into a small lagoon. The ground right under the falls was closed off after a rockfall injured 11 people in October 2019, and it was still off limits in 2025. Stay behind any barriers, then walk back the same way.

Caldeirão do Inferno

The section on to Caldeirão do Inferno has been closed since February 2023, after landslides destroyed parts of its safety railings, and it stayed closed when PR9 reopened in May 2026. Some official pages still describe the full route, so go by the barriers and signs on the day.

Best time and what to bring

• Start early: a slot before about 9am gives you a better chance of parking and a quieter path.
• Season: spring and autumn are mild and less busy. The waterfall usually runs fullest after the wetter months. A dry day after a wet spell is ideal, but heavy rain raises the rockfall risk. See the best time to visit Madeira.
• Pack: a headtorch (a phone light isn’t enough), shoes with good grip, a rain jacket, water, food and your booking saved offline, as signal is patchy.
• Safety: keep to the inside of the path, turn back in heavy rain or strong wind, and call 112 in an emergency. The exposed stretches may not suit anyone with vertigo.

Combining with other walks

On the drive from Funchal you pass Ribeiro Frio, where PR11 Vereda dos Balcões is a flat 1.5km each way to a viewpoint, an easy add-on at the €9 day rate. Above Santana, the Vereda do Pico Ruivo climbs 2.8km from Achada do Teixeira to Madeira’s highest peak; see Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo.

FAQ

How long is the Caldeirão Verde walk?

About 13km return, and most people take 4 to 5 hours. The official 17.4km figure includes the closed extension to Caldeirão do Inferno.

Do you need to book PR9?

Yes. Book a slot on SIMplifica and pay €4.50 per person over 12. Children 12 and under are free but still need a slot.

Can you still walk to Caldeirão do Inferno?

Not at the last report. That section has been closed since February 2023 and was still closed when PR9 reopened on 29 May 2026.

Is Caldeirão Verde suitable for children?

Older children who walk well usually manage, but it’s long, with dark tunnels and drops. Young kids are better off on the shorter walks in Madeira with kids.

More: Madeira levada walks, getting around Madeira and the Madeira travel guide.

See also: the 25 Fontes levada, hiking in Portugal, where to stay in Madeira and the Levada do Rei.

Some links in this guide are affiliate or referral links (GetYourGuide, Booking.com, Discover Cars, Welcome Pickups, Airalo, Yesim, Saily, Tiqets, Radical Storage, EKTA, AirHelp, Uber). If you book or sign up through them we may earn a small commission or ride credit at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our groups and this site free.