By Madeira Tourist · Published
Levada das 25 Fontes and Risco: routes, distances and booking
Choose PR6 to the 25 Fontes lagoon, PR6.1 to Risco waterfall or a combined Rabaçal outing, with separate route bookings and the current bypass direction rule.
Should you walk 25 Fontes, Risco or both?
Choose Levada das 25 Fontes (PR6) for the longer walk to the spring-fed lagoon, or Levada do Risco (PR6.1) for the shorter waterfall-viewpoint outing. They share an initial approach in the Rabaçal area, then lead to different destinations. You can plan both if the routes and entry slots are available, but Risco is an optional branch, not another name for 25 Fontes. Official pages checked on 24 October 2026 list both routes as open. IFCN specifies controlled circulation on PR6: outward along the levada towards 25 Fontes and back by the bypass. Some tourism-board wording still describes a same-path or two-way return. Follow IFCN’s route-specific control and the signs on the day, not that generic return description.
IFCN: PR6 bypass directions and PR6.1 statusTwo destinations from the Rabaçal area
Scroll sideways to compare every column.
| Compare | Official published distance | Terrain and destination | Planning choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes | 4.3 km each way; the tourism board quotes 8.6 km return | Moderate; a longer levada outing to the lagoon, with a climb back towards the approach | Use the signed outward levada and return bypass; allow for your actual road/drop-off access |
| PR6.1 Levada do Risco | 1.5 km each way; the tourism board quotes 3 km return | Easy official grade; leads to the Risco waterfall viewpoint | Shorter choice, or a separately booked addition to PR6; the approach overlaps |
| 25 Fontes plus Risco | Do not add the two whole-route return figures as independent legs | Shared approach with two distinct destinations | Plan a longer outing with both route reservations; confirm the start point and return arrangements |
25 Fontes: the lagoon is the endpoint, not the whole day
PR6 leads through the Rabaçal landscape towards Lagoa das 25 Fontes, where water descending from Paul da Serra emerges from springs above the lagoon. The tourism board gives a moderate grade, 4.3 km each way and an estimated three hours. That estimate is a reference, not a pickup deadline. A levada walk is not necessarily flat or easy from the moment you leave a vehicle. Plan for steps, wet or narrow footing and the climb back towards your approach. The official distance is not a reliable door-to-door total for every parking, shuttle or transfer arrangement. Establish the exact point where your walking starts and finishes before comparing advertised distances.
Visit Madeira: PR6 distance, grade and destinationRisco: the shorter waterfall option
PR6.1 shares the initial part of the approach with PR6, then leads to the Risco viewpoint. Visit Madeira lists 1.5 km each way, a three-kilometre return, an easy grade and an estimated two hours. At the viewpoint you see the waterfall dropping down the rock face; this route does not finish at the 25 Fontes lagoon. Risco makes sense when you want the shorter of these two outings, or when everyone still has the time and energy for a second destination. Do not promise both to a slower group simply because one branch is labelled easy. The full day must still include the return to the agreed road or transfer point.
Visit Madeira: PR6.1 Risco routeCombining the routes without double-counting distance
From your agreed Rabaçal access point, follow the official signs for the booked route. At the shared approach, use the signed PR6.1 branch for Risco if it is in your plan, then return to the junction rather than assuming the waterfall path continues to 25 Fontes. Follow the PR6 signs for the lagoon and its separate return controls. The two official return distances overlap in their approach and are not a measured combined itinerary. This guide therefore does not present their sum as the length of a combined circuit. The total depends on where you start, which branches you take and the circulation arrangements in force. Agree the route and walking start with your guide or transfer provider, and keep Risco optional if the group is tiring.
Official description of the shared approach and Risco branchPR6 circulation: outward levada, return bypass
IFCN’s specific notice says the bypass is passable and restores the usual controlled one-way arrangement: Rabaçal → 25 Fontes on the levada, then 25 Fontes → Rabaçal on the alternative bypass. It repeats that instruction in the PR6 status list. The Visit Madeira PR6 page still carries wording saying the one-way section operates both ways and that hikers return along the same path. These statements conflict. Plan around IFCN’s specific circulation notice and obey the current signs and staff instructions on site. Do not use a downloaded older itinerary to justify walking against the signed flow. This direction rule is about PR6, not proof that every nearby Rabaçal trail is open. PR6.1 has its own status, and neighbouring routes need their own checks.
IFCN: specific PR6 controlled-circulation noticeBook PR6 and PR6.1 separately when doing both
The published 2026 independent-visitor rate is €4.50 per covered individual route. For two or more eligible routes in one day, the published combined tariff is €9, excluding PR1. IFCN says SIMplifica applies the most advantageous tariff to the routes you select; it is not an unlimited day pass. If you want both 25 Fontes and Risco, select and reserve both PR6 and PR6.1 with available entry slots. Do not assume the PR6 ticket buys unreserved entry to Risco. Registration is still required for fee-exempt participants, including children aged 12 or under. Slot availability and route status are separate questions. The trail fee does not purchase a shuttle, road transfer or guided walk. If booking an excursion, establish whether the advertised price includes both route reservations, the intended branches and transport. A transfer-only service does not accompany you on the path.
IFCN: per-route reservations, exemptions and combined tariffsGetting to Rabaçal: identify the actual drop-off
The tourism-board descriptions place the start in the Rabaçal area at regional road ER105. Before travelling, distinguish a road-level drop-off from any lower Rabaçal access included in an excursion. Your walking and return climb change with the start point; a service advertised as Rabaçal transport needs an exact meeting location. With a car, plan around the lawful parking and signed approach on arrival rather than assuming you can drive all the way to the paths. Without a car, arrange a transfer or guided outing that specifies both the drop-off and collection point. This guide does not rely on a verified scheduled bus to the trailhead or promise a local shuttle timetable or fare.
Compare Madeira transport optionsWhen to shorten or replace the walking day
Choose Risco alone if the shorter route better matches the group, provided it is open and you have the correct reservation. Choose neither if weather, a closure or the group’s ability makes the outing unsuitable. Do not treat the forest as guaranteed shelter in heavy rain or strong wind, and do not bypass barriers to reach a waterfall. Wear shoes with grip and carry rain protection, water, food, a charged phone and the saved bookings. Allow for wet footing and slower walkers, tell someone the plan and finish before dark. Recheck the official notices before setting off; an open label seen while planning is not a promise of access on the day.
Check trail restrictions and entry rules25 Fontes or the Pico do Arieiro crossing?
25 Fontes is a longer levada and forest outing; full PR1 is a mountain crossing with stairs, tunnels and an exit at a different trailhead. Choose for terrain and transport, not which name appears more often in holiday photographs. Neither route is an automatic substitute when conditions close the other.
Plan the directional PR1 mountain crossing