GR1 Travessia da Madeira: 6 stages and when to book
Across Madeira from Machico in the east to Ribeira da Janela above the western ocean: laurel forest, the stepped summit ridge over Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo, the high moor of Paul da Serra and the ancient trees of Fanal. Six stages, two of them tent nights, every classified section permit-gated and walked east to west because the law says so.
Start: Machico. Finish: Ribeira da Janela.
The 6 stages
| Day | Stage | Distance | Climb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machico → Ribeiro Frio | 22.9 km | 1,327 m |
| 2 | Ribeiro Frio → Pico Ruivo | 11.5 km | 1,235 m |
| 3 | Pico Ruivo → Boca da Encumeada | 9.5 km | 247 m |
| 4 | Boca da Encumeada → Estanquinhos | 9.2 km | 731 m |
| 5 | Estanquinhos → Fanal | 14.2 km | 118 m |
| 6 | Fanal → Ribeira da Janela | 9.4 km | 120 m |
Provisional, and the only one in the library. The GR1 is signed but publishes no official map yet: this line follows its classified PR trails through OpenStreetMap data, one leg is coarsely mapped, and one half-stage is currently closed. Check IFCN before you book anything.
Book these first
Classified PR sections need a pre-booked SIMplifica ticket with a 30-minute entry slot: 4.50 euro per trail and 10.50 euro for the full PR1. Combined rates for two or more other trails (1 day 9.00, 3 days 22.50, 7 days 52.50) never include PR1 and still need a slot per trail. Fees changed in January 2026 and can change again.
- PR1 entry slots (Areeiro)
- Pico Ruivo camping (2 tents)
- Estanquinhos camping (3 tents)
- Fanal camping (5 tents)
Camping needs its own SIMplifica licence, 5 euro per tent per night, and capacity is tiny: 2 to 5 tents per site. The tent permits, not the trail tickets, are what sells out.
PR1 slots genuinely sell out in summer. Sources disagree on how far ahead booking opens, so book the moment your dates are fixed.
When to go
The island walks year-round; the spine is best May to September. Storms close trails in any month and fines apply for walking closed trails.
- JanuaryMid-winter: mild coasts, rough ridge
- FebruaryAs January
- MarchDrying out
- AprilSpring, green and quiet
- MayEarly summer, before the crowds
- JuneDry season
- JulyPeak season
- AugustPeak season, fire risk
- SeptemberThe quiet sweet spot
- OctoberAutumn turns
- NovemberStorm season begins
- DecemberMid-winter pattern
GR1 Travessia da Madeira in Treksup
GR1 Travessia da Madeira is a paid route in Treksup: its full plan, with every stage, water, where to sleep and weekly trail conditions, comes with the paid tier. 7 routes are open in full for free.
See Treksup on the App StoreYour first multi-day trek
More routes
Page updated 30 September 2026.