Hiking in Madeira vacation

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION This self-guided walking tour in Madeira takes guests across the north-eastern side of the island, with walks between 7-16km through levada trails, coastal paths, forests and mountain landscapes. It is, by its very nature, slow and sustainable, allowing guests to explore Madeira mostly on foot. Luggage transfers are included when guests change hotels, and local transfers are provided on walking days according to the programme. These transfers help guests reach the start and end points of the walks, while the routes themselves are completed on foot. ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE This walking tour takes guests through some of Madeira’s most distinctive landscapes, including the UNESCO Laurisilva of Madeira forests, Levada do Caldeirão Verde, Levada do Furado, Levada do Larano, Levada dos Maroços and Ponta de São Lourenço Nature Reserve. The route also includes coastal cliffs, forest trails, waterfalls, green valleys, farmland and small villages. We remind guests to practise Leave No Trace throughout their trip, especially when walking through forests, levada trails, coastal paths and nature reserves. With regards to drinking water, we ask guests to bring refillable water bottles as well as a reusable shopping bag to avoid single-use plastic during their trip. We also ask guests to take any packaging away with them and be mindful of not dropping litter. We have an in-house responsible tourism expert, who shares tips and advice with our guests in trip notes, blogs and newsletters. For example, on how to reduce their impact on the environment and wildlife, support responsible travel practices and respect the places and communities they pass through.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, good local food and connection to the area.
Guests stay in Santana and Machico during this tour, helping tourism spend reach local businesses, hosts and families in different parts of the island. Breakfast is included every day, and guests are encouraged to buy lunches and snacks in local shops, pre-order packed lunches where needed, and dine either through their accommodation or in restaurants in the local area. The route also passes villages, farmland and places where visitors can buy regional products and traditional crafts.


EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

All of our partners in Portugal are locally employed and play an important role in contributing to the local economy. At home, we have a strict policy to pay all our own employees and team members a living wage and fair wage, with vacation entitlement. In the hiring process, we prioritise experience, qualifications and passion, emphasising that race, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality are not factors of consideration. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace based on skills and expertise. We also endeavour to support any guests with visible and non-visible disabilities or any special requirements, when possible.