7 DAYS | 8-14 November 2024
ONLY 18 SPOTS AVAILABLE
(Ability rating: 1 – easy, 2 – moderate, 3 – challenging)
THE TOUR
Since 2023, Outdoor Adventure Girls has been offering bespoke travel tours for their 40,000 members. The international trips will focus on outdoor adventure, pushing guests out of their comfort zone and creating incredible connections with other women in the most sought-after bucket list destinations on Earth.
For this OAG Overseas tour, we are heading to the amazing country of Madeira. It is home to stunning mountain hikes, the iconic Funchal cable car and incredible nature. The trip includes a jam-packed seven days of adventure with stops at all of the most amazing places to see on this magical island. All of this and more is why we are so excited to take you here in 2024.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
✓ 6 x nights accommodation for the duration of the trip
✓ 6 x breakfasts, 5 x lunch and 6 x dinners
✓ Intrepid local guide and OAG host
✓ Welcome and introduction with your OAG host
✓ Walk the Rabaçal and 25 fountains trail and admire the 100m waterfall
✓ Visit the famous markets of Funchal and ride the famous Wicker Basket Toboggan
✓ Pass by the Waterfall of the Angels and run through the falling water
✓ Hike the world-famous Pico Ruivo, the highest point of Madeira (1861m)
✓ Visit the Fanal Forest, a Unesco Natural World Heritage Site
✓ Go swimming at the Porto Moniz Natural swimming pools
✓ Admire the views at Cabo Girao, the highest cliff in Europe and walk on the glass Skywalk
✓ Visit Pointe de São Lourenço for a hike
✓ Ride the iconic Funchal cable car and enjoy a walking tour of Funchal
✓ Welcome gift bag from OAG
✓ WhatsApp group to connect with other guests
ITINERARY
*Please note this itinerary is subject to change.
Day 1 – Funchal
Meals included: Dinner
Once you arrive there will be a group transfer awaiting your arrival which will transfer you to the hotel.
The archipelago of Madeira is located an armful of miles from the Moroccan coast, with a temperate climate thanks to the ocean, the temperatures are stable there all year round, protecting it from heat waves in summer and winter frosts. You will be amazed by the unusual variety of plant species, and by the fascinating variety of landscapes.
On your arrival at Madeira airport, your guide welcomes you and take you by vehicle to your accommodation located in Funchal where you will stay for the next 6 nights. Tonight you will also enjoy a welcome dinner with the group.
Accommodation: Hotel Do Carmo
Day 2 – Rabaçal and 25 fountains – Waterfall of the Angels – Funchal
Meals included: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
Transfer to the Paul da Serra plateau at 1290m altitude. We are at the mouth of the longest valley called “Ribeira da Janela”, with its 16 km long. At this altitude, it is the heather, which can reach 6 m in size, which dominates the surrounding landscape. The trees form a dark and humid undergrowth
favouring the appearance of ferns, moss, mushrooms and the endemic Madeira blueberry bush.
We reach the forest house of Rabaçal then we go to Risco where we admire the 100m high waterfall. On the way back to Funchal we pass by the Waterfall of the Angels,. The waterfall gracefully descends from the heights of the surrounding cliffs, creating an ethereal mist that dances in the air. The lush greenery that frames the waterfall adds to the idyllic scene, making it a picture-perfect spot for nature enthusiasts and avid photographers.
Hiking time: 4/5 hours
Elevation +200m / -200m
Accommodation: Hotel Do Carmo
Day 3 – Crossing the Picos
Meals included: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
We head towards the Picos (1810m) for a high hike, certainly the most spectacular of your stay.
On foot, we reach Pico Ruivo, the highest point of Madeira at (1861m). This summit takes its name from the colour of the rock, of pyroclastic type which comes from slag and lapilli ejected by volcano eruptions. From Pico Ruivo, we can admire the island in its entirety, the green and wild valleys of the north coast, the Caldeirao Verde valley with Sao Jorge and Santana, Porto da Cruz and the Eagle point but also the Sao Lourenço point which winds through the water.
Hiking time: 5 hours
Elevation: +600m / -600m
Accommodation: Hotel Do Carmo
Day 4 – Fanal Forest- Porto Moniz Natural swimming pools – Cabo Girao
Meals included: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
Beginning at the Paúl da Serra (Assobiadores) plateau, Vereda do Fanal is 10.8 km long and has an estimated duration of 4 hours, offering hikers the opportunity to cross a wide green area of the indigenous Laurissilva forest. Here, this forest area endemic of Madeira, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, is in a perfect state of conservation and development. This is a area of great natural beauty, which accompanies the whole experience of hiking along Vereda do Fanal.
After the hike, we head towards Porto Moniz to swim in the natural pools, if weather permitting. On the way back to Funchal, we will stop at Cabo Girao, one of the most famous attractions on the island and the highest cliff in Europe (589m). You can walk on the skywalk, a glass platform allowing you to see the void just below us. You can also take the cable car to admire the grandeur of the cliff from the beach below.
Hiking time: 4 hours of hiking
Elevation: +270m / -540m
Accommodation: Hotel Do Carmo
Day 5 – Ponta de Sao Lourenço
Meals included: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
Short 25-minute transfer to Abra Bay and hike to Pointe de São Lourenço at the eastern end of the island. We take a narrow and rocky path and progress in a unique universe, entirely mineral, with multicolored cornices. The ocher and red of the basaltic rocks contrast with the deep blue of the ocean, between the peaceful Bay of Abra in the south and the always agitated coast in the north. In good weather, we can see Porto Santo, the desert islands and the central mountain range where the highest peaks are found. After the picnic, you return to your starting point by boat. A vehicle picks you up to take you back to your hotel where you can enjoy the rest of the day freely.
Hiking time: 3-4 hours of hiking
Elevation: +500 / -500
Accommodation: Hotel Do Carmo
Day 6 – Funchal
Meals included: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
You spend your morning discovering Funchal. On the program, a stroll in the old town… alleys that invite you to stroll, then quietly you reach the “Mercado dos lavradores”, the famous market of Funchal. This market will charm you with its festival of colours, tropical fruits, vegetables of all kinds but also its flowers, wicker baskets, fish…And its sellers in Madeira costume. Then you continue your discovery of the city…Cable car, botanical garden and even a wicker sled ride through the streets of Funchal will punctuate this day.
Accommodation: Hotel Do Carmo
Day 7 – Funchal
Meals included: Breakfast
Today you will be transferred as a group back to the airport.
ACCOMMODATION
Our accommodation for the trip will be an array of 3*- 4* hotels. We have carefully chosen the accommodation to maximise your experience on this bucket list trip.
*You will be sharing a room with another guest, in a room with twin beds, with an ensuite. Rooms will be allocated randomly, unless specified otherwise.
PRICE
£1,699 per person including all as stated above and must be booked via Intrepid Travel.
To secure your place on this tour, the deposit is £200 per person. The remaining balance can be paid in full or can be paid in installments – you can speak to Intrepid about a payment plan.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
✓ 6 x nights accommodation for the duration of the trip
✓ 6 x breakfasts, 5 x lunch and 6 x dinners
✓ Intrepid local guide and OAG host
✓ Welcome and introduction with your OAG host
✓ Walk the Rabaçal and 25 fountains trail and admire the 100m waterfall
✓ Visit the famous markets of Funchal and ride the famous Wicker Basket Toboggan
✓ Pass by the Waterfall of the Angels and run through the falling water
✓ Hike the world-famous Pico Ruivo, the highest point of Madeira (1861m)
✓ Visit the Fanal Forest, a Unesco Natural World Heritage Site
✓ Go swimming at the Porto Moniz Natural swimming pools
✓ Admire the views at Cabo Girao, the highest cliff in Europe and walk on the glass Skywalk
✓ Visit Pointe de São Lourenço for a hike
✓ Ride the iconic Funchal cable car and enjoy a walking tour of Funchal
✓ Welcome gift bag from OAG
✓ WhatsApp group to connect with other guests
*There will be one transfer per trip for arrival and one for departure. Attendees will be recommended a flight, but if you book alternative flights, transfers will not be provided and will be at the cost of the guest.
INSURANCE
It is the attendee’s responsibility to have the appropriate travel insurance for this trip. It is compulsory for all guests to have travel insurance. Please let us know you have appropriate travel insurance before the trip.
FLIGHTS
Flights are not included as we wanted to give you the option of where to fly when and where you want. As a guide, there are direct flights to Madeira from London from around £150-£200 for direct flights.
However, if you want help booking flights, Intrepid Travel is on hand to help you throughout the booking process and can book flights for you if required.
BOOKING
To book your spot, get in touch with Intrepid Travel and use the reference ‘OAG Madeira’.
To secure your place on this tour, the deposit is £200 per person. To book please email [email protected]m or contact the Intrepid Team on 0808 274 5111.
Do you want to pay in installments? Once you’ve reserved your space you can arrange this with Intrepid – no extra fees.
You can read the terms and conditions via the trip itinerary PDF.
ABOUT INTREPID TRAVEL
I have teamed up with Intrepid Travel to help host our OAG Overseas trips. They are experts in group travel with over 30 years of experience, and most importantly they are a B Corp, meaning responsible travel has always been at the core of what they do. Travelling with Intrepid means not just better trips for you, it’s better for local communities, better for wildlife, and better for the planet. Read more about their Foundation here.
