Loving Levadas! - We went on the Larano Walking Tour on April 18, 2024 which we booked through our hotel. Right from the moment we were picked up Alvaro’s humour and knowledge set the tone for a fun, safe and engaging trek. His love for the outdoors, the area’s history and the local people he interacted with along the route demonstrates his passion for Madeira. If we are fortunate enough to return to Madeira, another walking tour with Alvaro will be on our ‘Must Do’ list.

The best in the business - We have just completed 2 walks with this company. Unlike other companies they keep the party size to no more than about 12. Their guides ( Felipe and Suzanna) were excellent combining safety with humour. In addition they have huge knowledge and enthusiasm . They took care to ensure all members of the party were looked after and I would recommend this company as the very best for prompt efficient service and for providing brilliant days out on this beautiful Island

Larano Cliff Walk - Excellent! - We had a brilliant day on the Larano Cliff walk. Suzanna was the perfect guide. She was so knowledgeable about the plants, birds, geology and local information. She had the right balance of talking and being silent to let us enjoy the spectacular scenery. She was very safety conscious and we never felt at risk, at any point. It is listed as a moderate level walk which, as a hill walker in Scotland, I would say is about right. (Note - this walk is definitely not for children due to the cliff-edge path.) We were picked up promptly from our hotel in a nice, clean mini bus. We had a comfort stop at a smart cafe, where we could buy our lunch, before the start of the walk. Again, at the end of the walk, Suzanna pointed out some nice cafes for refreshments. We were then taken back to our hotel by the same mini bus and driver. The trip was put together perfectly and it was the highlight of our visit to Madeira.

Terrific Day with Maderia Free Spirit Walks. - Another amazing day with Maderia Free Spirit Walks. Prompt pick up a quick coffee stop and we arrived at the beginning of the hike. Our guide provided interesting information about the local agriculture, lifestyles of the farmers, vegetation and environment. An informative and interesting day. Our guide was professional, had a great sense of humour and ensured all walkers were comfortable with the walk. Highly recommend Maderia Free Spirit Walks!!!

A very good levada experience - An excellent day trip, great view - even better than expected - and a very good guide. The walking pace was moderate and the track not too demanding - not too easy either. We got through a rain shower but not a problem because the tour organizer provided a water proof jacket for those who did not have one - if you have one take it with you because it can be rain even on a sunny day. One more thing: the pick up in the morning was exactly as promised. A strong recommendation, alors.

Levadas are a must do! - We had read the reviews on Free Spirits Madeira and were very pleased we chose them for the Rabacal 25 Fonts and then the Larano cliff top walk. Our guides, Julia on the first and Susanna on the second were excellent bursting full of information on the Levadas, the fauna and general knowledge. We were picked up promptly each time. I’m 70 and my wife is 64 and we have done a lot of mountain walking so were well equipped including mountain boots and thick waterproof jackets which best for the Rabacal 25 Fonts in January and February as those who had track shoes ended up with chilled wet feet. The Larano walk more interesting for us with its contrasts and cliff sides and sea views.Thoroughly recommend Free Spirits.

Adorale - It was a great walk with CLauoro. We enjoyed it really a lot! Our guide was great and told us a lot about nature, plants and sightseeing-points. I absolutely recommend it for people , who come to Madeira to admire nature!!

Great company - I went on two walks with Madeira Free Spirit walks this week. The first Larano with Suzanne, and the second, Serra da Aqua with Julia. One hard, one easy. One by myself, one with my wife. Booking was easy and although the day of the second was changed I was given adequate notice and the logistics were smooth. Collection from the hotel was punctual. Both guides were professional and their English excellent. Looking forward to our return to Madeira and our next walks with Madeira Free Spirit.

Enjoyable walk - An interesting walk through a beautiful landscape. Thank you to Madeira Free Spirit Walks for making my day enjoyable.

Great walking experience in beautiful countryside, with an excellent Company. - This review is as much about the company Madeira Free Spirit Walks than the specific walks we did. They offer 12 different walks, with a variety of time, difficulty and locations. We did 2 walks with them - Larano and Rabacal 25 Fountains, and on both occasions had the same guide Alvaro, who was very knowledgeable and great fun but at the same time very safety and environmentally conscious. Group sizes are deliberately smaller than other companies, making for a much more personal and safe experience than was evident from other operators. Both our walks were graded "Moderate" at around 11km each, taking around 4-5 hours. We regularly walk that kind of distance in the Lakes and Dales in the UK, so the level of difficulty was not too onerous. There is some climbing and descent, but the paths are for the most part very well established and maintained. You do need to bring decent footwear (though hiking boots are not really necessary), and something to eat and drink. Walking poles and a lightweight waterproof jacket may also be useful, but Alvaro had some spares of each if necessary. Our preference was the Larano walk which was mostly cliff walking with a small amount of Levada - great views over the south and east coast, though maybe could be challenging if you suffer from vertigo. The Rabacal 25 Fountains walk is much busier generally, being the island's most popular Levada walk, so there's alot more stop/start with groups overtaking or passing from the opposite direction. Hotel pickups were bang on time around 8:30ish with a brief toilet and drink stop around 10 minutes before the start of the walk, and another toilet and drink stop before the journey home. There is also some opportunity for "wild-wees" on the walks themselves, but a degree of advance notice to the guide is recommended particularly on the busy walks. The minibus journeys were around an hour each way, and we were back at our hotel before 4pm so time for a swim or chill before dinner. Overall, two really enjoyable experiences with a superb company. Very highly recommended.