Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Review | Amazing Madeira Hike

The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike is the main reason I decided to add Madeira to my Portugal itinerary. When I originally planned my trip to Portugal in April 2020, I had planned to be in the country for 7-8 days. After booking flights, I realized that 7-8 days wasn’t enough to see everything I wanted to see! So, when the pandemic was declared and I got a refund for my April 2020 flights, I knew I need a redo of that original trip. So, I added a flight from Porto to Funchal (Madeira) and I absolutely don’t regret it. Madeira turned out to be one of my favourite parts of Portugal, and encourages my love for nature and hiking. However, I wanted to give a review of the overall experience. So, without further ado here is my Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo review.

Read more: Travel Portugal | A Full Guide to Visit for 1-2 Weeks

Why Visit Madeira, Portugal

Madeira Islands are a collection of 4 islands off the northwest coast of Africa. Madeira is the largest of the 4 islands and the island I chose to visit. It is considered the Hawaii of Europe, and it’s no wonder why! They have volcanic islands, breathtaking views and stunning landscapes. On the island, you’ll find amazing hikes, botanic gardens, and nature wonders. The main reason I chose Madeira over another Portuguese island (like the Azores) was for the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike. It did not disappoint!

Read more: Madeira Island, Portugal | How to Visit The Hawaii of Europe

Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Review

Looking back, I loved this hike but it was very difficult. Pico do Arieiro is one mountain in Madeira and Pico Ruivo is another. The PR1 hike takes you from the Pico do Arieiro summit to the Pico Ruivo summit. It’s about 11 km one-way (but my Fitbit told me 15 km), with over a 1,000 m elevation gain.

One thing I was unaware of before visiting was you can do just the Pico do Arieiro at sunrise OR the Pico Ruivo at sunrise. Both are amazing at that time of day, and much easier than doing to full summit-to-summit hike. You can rent a car and drive to the summit(s), OR there are plenty of companies that offer shuttle services from Funchal.

Read more: You Have to Visit this Beautiful Madeira Viewpoint

I personally didn’t do any training beforehand, and that was a huge mistake! The hike is beautiful and the viewpoints are spectacular, but it’s basically 11 km down one side of the mountain and then back up the second mountain. The hike is also almost all stairs and ladders. I absolutely recommend doing a few longer hikes, and find some stairs to train on before heading on this hike. You’ll thank yourself after! I really cannot underestimate the amount of stairs along the trail!

There are also three tunnels to walk through, so make sure you have a flashlight, or use the flashlight on your phone.

There are no bathrooms on the trail, so people have taken it upon themselves to relieve themselves at some caves along the trail. Those areas smell bad, and people should be more mindful about packing out what they take in (including toilet paper). If you bring water, pace yourself. I made it the whole way without needing to relieve myself so you can too!

As you can see though, the views are worth it! As difficult as it was for me, I would absolutely do this hike again (but with a lot more preparation).

How to Hike PR1 from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo

There are a few ways to get to the trail. There are no buses or public transportation, but there are Pico Transfers, a rented car, a guided tour, or taxis. I recommend a self guided hike with a tour company! They will pick you up in Funchal and drop you off at Pico do Arieiro and pick you up at Pico Ruivo a few hours later. Use my code “Passportunies5” for 5% discount with DoItMadeira. (I booked and paid for this myself, and they offered my a discount code for followers after I posted about it on Instagram).

Note: if you book with a tour company, they reserve the right to cancel due to poor weather. So, if you really want to do the hike, plan to have another day set aside to book the shuttle!

What to Wear and Bring on the Hike

The best way to be prepared for a long hike is to wear proper clothing, pack snacks and lots of water! Even in the summer, it can be chilly in the early morning on the top of a mountain. I always recommend wearing layers and bringing a day pack to strip layers if you need. Here are some of my favourite hiking layers:

• Lululemon Down for it All Vest. My favourite part about this vest is the huge pockets on the side that easily fit your waterbottle.
• Lululemon Hood Lite Jacket. A great light layer that packs up in the hood and clips on to your bag easily.
• Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece. A great medium weight jacket.
• Lululemon Cargo Pant or Girlfriend Collective Tights (with pockets).
• Oboz Trail Shoes
• Darn Tough Hiking Socks
• MEC Trail Pack
• Sunscreen, snacks, water and a hat!

The MEC Trail Pack fits a hydration pack for water perfectly, and had pockets for water bottles as well. The hydration pack makes it easier to hydrate on the hike. The best snacks are protein bars and fruit, but remember to pack out what you bring.

Can you Hike Solo in Madeira?

Absolutely! While I joined a group hike, everyone ended up going at their own pace and I did the hike on my own. The trails are crowded and you’ll pass a lot of people. I felt completely safe on the trail. Keep in mind, this is one of the most visited trails on the island and other trails are likely to be less busy. The locals are so friendly, and I was comfortable hiking on my own.