PR16 Levada Fajã do Rodrigues is a marked walking trail above São Vicente, on the north side of Madeira. The route follows a levada, an irrigation channel cut into the hillside, and passes viewpoints over the village, small waterfalls and three tunnels. The walking is flat apart from the climb up from the car park, which makes it a common choice for a first levada. The trail ends at a waterfall with a tunnel mouth behind it.
PR16 Levada Fajã do Rodrigues
The trail ends at a waterfall with a tunnel mouth behind it, running on into the dark.
- Entrance
- Paid: €4.50 as of May 2026. Rangers patrol the area.
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible: no adapted parking or entrance, a steep 200 m approach, and tunnels low enough to crouch through.
- Parking
- Free. Two car parks near the trailhead, at about 150 m and 300 m; the further one is on grass. Free street parking as well.
- Difficulty
- Easy once you are on the levada — the path is flat. The first 200 m from the car park climb at roughly 30 per cent. Two low tunnels need crouching; two hours return to the second one.
- Transport
- Bus stop Ginjas, about 600 m from the trailhead.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours.
What makes it special
A concrete water channel runs beside the path for most of the route, with fish in it. Gaps in the hillside give several viewpoints down over São Vicente. Two low tunnels break the walk. Inside them the walkway is a ledge of 15 to 30 cm either side of the water, and anyone over about 165 cm walks bent over. Most of the path is shaded and stays cool. At the end of the trail a waterfall falls in front of a tunnel mouth, and that tunnel carries on into the dark.
Good to know
- Torch — the tunnels are unlit. A headlamp leaves your hands free for the ledges inside.
- No toilets and no drinking water at the trailhead or along the levada. Bring what you need.
- Height — over about 165 cm you crouch through the first two tunnels, and taller walkers slow to a shuffle.
- Rain gear — sections of the path stay wet underfoot. A poncho and waterproof shoes are worth packing.
- Dogs are allowed on the trail.
Getting there
You reach the trailhead by road and park at the site. The 200 m from the car park up to the start of the trail is the hardest stretch of the day, a steep pull at roughly 30 per cent. Once you are on the levada the path runs level, so the climbing is done in one go rather than spread across the walk.
Best time to visit
Better: the first hour of the morning, if you plan to reach the last tunnel.
Avoid: the last tunnel later in the day — go early or turn back at the waterfall.
The rest of the walk holds up at any hour. Most of the path is shaded and stays cool, and the levada runs level once the first climb is behind you.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
PR16 Levada Fajã do Rodrigues on the map
There are unprotected drops beside the path, in places about 50 m, with no handrail. One section crosses slippery rock. The tunnels are unlit and low, with a ledge of only 15 to 30 cm either side of the water channel.
Get directions
Your whole travel map in one place
Get inspired by new places around the world and find the ones worth the journey
Frequently asked questions
How long does the walk take?
Two hours there and back to the second tunnel, roughly the midway point — about an hour and a half out and half an hour back.What is at the end of the trail?
A waterfall with a tunnel mouth behind it. The tunnel runs a long way into the dark and there is nothing to see at the far end.Do you have to walk the whole levada?
No. Many people turn back after the first or second tunnel. The first short tunnel already opens onto the view over São Vicente.Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes, provided you manage the 200 m climb from the car park. The levada itself is flat, but the drops beside it are unfenced.