Madeira Hiking Fee Set at €4.5 Minimum for 2026

From 2026, hiking Madeira’s officially classified trails will come with clearer rules and a new price structure. The Instituto das Florestas e Conservação da Natureza (IFCN), in partnership with the University of Madeira (UMa), has updated the carrying capacity of all Classified Walking Trails, introduced mandatory 30-minute entry slots and set a new minimum access fee of €4.5 per person for most visitors.

The changes are designed to protect sensitive natural areas, reduce crowding on popular routes and improve the overall experience for hikers, especially at key tourist hotspots. Access will continue to be managed through the SIMplifica booking platform, where all visitors must register and reserve a slot before starting their walk – regardless of age or nationality.

30-minute time slots from sunrise to sunset

The updated system breaks down the daily capacity of each classified trail into a series of 30-minute time slots. Each slot has a fixed number of places. Once it is full, no more reservations are accepted for that time window and hikers must choose a different entry time.

In practice, this means:

• More even distribution of hikers throughout the day, instead of large crowds arriving at the same hour.
• Less congestion on narrow sections of trail and at viewpoints or tunnels.
• Better parking management around trailheads, with fewer traffic bottlenecks at peak times.
• A calmer, more natural experience for visitors, with more space to walk, photograph and enjoy the landscape.

Available time slots are displayed directly in the SIMplifica portal, where hikers select the trail, the date and the 30-minute window in which they intend to start their walk. If you prefer a visual, step-by-step explanation of how SIMplifica works and which trails are affected, you can check our detailed Levada Walks Guide.

Who pays what: €3 vs €4.5 access fees

The new rules also clarify how much different types of visitors will pay to access Classified Walking Trails.

For the coming year, licensed tour operators (RNAVT and RNAAT) that have a formal protocol with IFCN will keep the current fee of €3 per access. The system allows them to make pre-bookings up to 30 days in advance. An invoice is issued automatically on the 30th day, and payment must be completed up to 48 hours before the booked date. If payment is not received in time, the reservation is cancelled and the slots return to the system.

Independent hikers and visitors walking with operators that do not have a protocol with IFCN will pay a higher fee of €4.5 per person, with payment due at the time of booking, except for PR1 – Vereda do Areeiro, which will follow a specific model once it reopens.

According to the rules published, rescheduling and refunds are only granted when access to the area is restricted or closed by IFCN itself. Cancellations for personal reasons generally do not give the right to a refund.

If you would rather join a small group with a local guide and have all reservations handled for you, you can browse and book our curated hiking experiences here: Beyond Madeira hiking experiences.

PR1 Vereda do Areeiro: closed for works, new prices after reopening

The iconic PR1 – Vereda do Areeiro, linking Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, has been closed since August 2024 for safety and improvement works. Reopening is currently planned for April 2026, with dedicated access rules that reflect the very high demand and the complexity of managing this exposed mountain route.

Until PR1 reopens, the standard access fee of other classified trails applies. After reopening, prices will be significantly higher than on other routes:

• €7 per person for visitors walking with operators that have an IFCN protocol;
• €10.5 per person for the general public and operators without a protocol.

These amounts take into account the scale of visitor pressure on PR1, as well as safety and environmental factors in a very fragile high-mountain environment.

Residents keep free access – with mandatory booking

Residents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira will continue to enjoy free access to all Classified Walking Trails. However, “free” no longer means “without organisation”: residents must still register and reserve a time slot through the SIMplifica portal, just like any other visitor.

In practice, a resident selects the trail, date and 30-minute slot in the same way as a paying visitor, but the system will apply a €0 fee. This approach preserves local access while ensuring that the carrying capacity limits are respected and that no trail receives more people than it can safely handle in a given period.

How to book your place on Madeira’s trails

All reservations are handled online via the SIMplifica platform, managed by IFCN. The exact workflow may evolve, but the core steps are straightforward:

• 1. Create your account – each visitor (or tour operator) registers once in SIMplifica.
• 2. Choose your trail – select the Classified Walking Trail you want to hike.
• 3. Pick a date and time slot – choose the day and one of the available 30-minute entry windows.
• 4. Confirm and pay – protocol operators are invoiced on day 30 and pay up to 48 hours before the visit; the general public and non-protocol operators pay immediately.
• 5. Bring proof of reservation – carry your confirmation (digital or printed) in case it is requested at access points or during inspections.

If you join a guided hike with a licensed operator, they will normally handle all bookings and payments on your behalf through SIMplifica – you simply show up at the meeting point at the agreed time. To see practical examples of how this fits into a hiking day, you can explore our step-by-step Levada Walks Guide.

Source: Jornal da Madeira · IFCN · University of Madeira

How Beyond Madeira can help you navigate the new system

At Beyond Madeira, we help travellers every day to plan levada walks and mountain hikes in a calm, organised way. With these new rules, our role is to make things as simple and transparent as possible for you.

To choose the right trails, you can start with our Levada Walks Guide, where we highlight the most beautiful routes, difficulty levels and suggested combinations for your days on the island. If you are driving, our interactive explore map shows trailheads, viewpoints, parking spots and nearby villages and restaurants.

Because mountain weather changes fast, it’s always worth checking conditions just before you leave. Our network of live webcams across Madeira helps you see, in real time, what is happening in key hiking areas. For broader trip planning – from where to stay to how many days to spend – you can also use the Beyond Madeira Travel Guide.

If you prefer to hike with a guide and let someone else handle logistics, permits and transport, you can book a walk directly through our curated hiking experiences collection. Our partner guides handle the SIMplifica reservations, and you simply follow them along the trail.

Important for our guests: when you book a guided hike through Beyond Madeira with an operator that has an IFCN protocol, the official trail access fee remains €3 per person (added to the tour price), instead of the €4.5 paid by independent visitors. This means your place on the trail is secured, the admin is taken care of, and you still benefit from the lower IFCN rate.

FAQ

Does every trail in Madeira now require a reservation?

The new system applies to the island’s Classified Walking Trails. Other informal paths may remain outside the scheme, but management efforts – and visitor numbers – are concentrated on the classified network.

Is the fee always €4.5 per person?

€4.5 is the minimum access fee for the general public and for operators without an IFCN protocol. Visitors walking with protocol operators pay €3 per person, and Madeira residents continue to have free access (with a mandatory reservation). PR1 Vereda do Areeiro will have higher prices once it reopens.

Can I change or cancel my reservation?

According to the published rules, rescheduling and refunds are only granted when IFCN itself restricts or closes the area (for example, due to weather or safety issues). Changes for personal reasons are not generally refunded.

If I join a guided hike, who handles the booking?

When you book a guided levada walk with a licensed operator, they almost always manage the SIMplifica reservation and payment for the group. With Beyond Madeira’s protocol partners, this also means you benefit from the €3 IFCN access fee instead of €4.5.

Where can I find official updates?

IFCN and the Regional Government will publish updates via the SIMplifica portal and official channels. Beyond Madeira will continue to summarise key changes in our Levada Walks Guide and island travel guide, with clear, visitor-friendly explanations.