GPX ViewPortugal
Levada das 25 Fontes
Along an irrigation channel cut into the mountainside, through Madeira's laurel forest, to a bowl where twenty-five springs feed waterfalls.
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1,272 m · 0.0 km
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- Distance
- 4.2 km
- Elevation gain
- 36 m
- Elevation loss
- 315 m
- Highest point
- 1,272 m
- Walking time
- 1 h 26
Estimated walking time (DIN 33466 standard) — breaks, meals and overnight stays not included.
Tracks derived from OpenStreetMap data, under the ODbL license.
The terrain
A levada is walked flat: the channel drops by one percent, and the path follows it. Walking is therefore easy, but the path is narrow — sometimes under a metre wide — with the channel on one side and a drop on the other, without continuous protection. The ground stays damp and slippery under the canopy, and two short tunnels call for a torch.
When to go
Year-round: Madeira has no dead season. The Paul da Serra plateau, where you arrive from, is often in the clouds, and the laurel forest is damp by nature — expect to walk through drizzle even on a fine day at sea level. After heavy rain, the levada can close.
Access and stages
The start is at Rabaçal, on the Paul da Serra, where **car access is restricted**: you park above and a shuttle takes you down to the trailhead. The route is an out-and-back of about three hours. The shorter Levada do Risco starts from the same spot and combines easily.
Take the track into the field
The downloaded file opens in GPX View, which shows the route, the remaining elevation and your position on it — with no network once the map is saved.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this GPX free?
- Yes, no account or sign-up needed. The track is derived from OpenStreetMap and stays under the ODbL license: reusable, provided you credit the source.
- Do I need to book?
- Madeira's trails carry a fee and some access points are regulated, including Rabaçal's. Check before you go: the situation changes regularly.
- Is it manageable if I'm afraid of heights?
- Not easily. The path is flat and effortless, but it runs alongside a drop on a narrow ledge for a good part of the route. That's what stops people, never the physical difficulty.