Climbing and Canyoning

Madeira is one of the last undiscovered climbing and canyoning destinations in Europe.

Canyoning is becoming an increasingly popular outdoor pursuits across the island of the Atlantic. If you’re new to Canyoning, here’s how it works: you’ll follow a mountain stream through a narrow forest gulley as it winds its way to the valley floor, abseiling down waterfalls, scrambling, and jumping into deep pools.

Safety is paramount of course; you’ll be thoroughly briefed in advance of your first descent, and our guides will be with you every step of the way. They’ll also provide all the equipment you’ll need although you do need to bring grippy footwear and dry clothes to change into at the end of the day.

If you prefer to keep dry, our local climbing instructors are well-placed to show you best routes the island has to offer. If you’re a novice, you’ll be in good hands – our guides will introduce you to the basics of climbing in a fun half-day session, on top-roped single pitch routes suitable for both beginners and families.

The cliff faces you’ll practice on aren’t high or exposed – a lowland 15m cliff on the Sao Lourenco peninsula and a larger 30m cliff on the mountain of Pico do Arieiro, which are both great locations for learning the basics of this enjoyable and challenging sport. For seasoned climbers, you might prefer a more mountainous route, reaching the rocky summit of Pico Cidrao at 1,801m.