Coast to Coast Traverse of Madeira

Madeira is beautiful and the trail really different and interesting

Great trip, brilliant group, well organised, guided and beautiful scenery. Loved it

This was my first MBA holiday and I’m already looking to book my next! Pedro was a fabulous guide, with so much knowledge about the island’s history, fauna and flora. There wasn’t a bad route, every day took us on a new adventure; around every corner a view more stunningly than the last! Some of the ascents and descents were relentless, but more than worth the effort. Pico Ruivo was the highlight, our efforts were rewarded by the most beautiful sunset! I carried a sleeping bag to the top, a liner would have been more than sufficient. The accommodation was good and the food excellent and plentiful. 80% of the group were solo travellers, ages ranging from mid 20s to 60, everyone got on really well, haven’t laughed so much in years! Looking forward to my next MBA trip

Fab trek, difficulty rating should be marked lower as not tough to merit the grade, be prepared for pork or fish, mountain hut is a cold night but fab atmosphere.

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Excellence trip, beautiful place where I will defo return. So much to explore and experience, great hike, stunning scenery, highly recommend.

Great trip in a beautiful location. Easy to get to - unless it's windy (due to the crosswinds sometimes stopping flights). Jorge, our guide tried really hard to make sure everyone had what they needed. It was challenging because of the heat wave we had, but I'm guessing in normal conditions it's very manageable if you're fit.

Excellent hikes with lots of challenging ascents and descents. We had loads of swimming opportunities too, which really topped our hike days off! Staying in the Mountain hut on Pico Ruivo was a highlight. Food was decent. Jorge was an excellent host.

Yet another awesome trip from MBA. Madeira is a beautiful, mountainous island. Highlight was the sunset and sunrise at Pico Ruivo and I also loved that on a couple of days you end the hike at the seaside and can bathe in the ocean / natural pools and be by the water - you don't normally get that after hiking in the mountains. Couldn't get enough of the black scabbard fish and garlic bread - of course washed down with poncho or Madeira wine. We were lucky with the weather - glorious sunshine - if anything too hot - bring suncream!

What an incredible trip. I have to say Madeira had never really been on my "list" but after a few friends mentioned going I thought I would check it out. Let's just say, I'm now captivated by the magic of this beautiful island.

Spending 5 days on trails with minimal people apart from our little group was so special. The varying views of stunning coastlines, epic mountain vistas, to divine wild flower gardens really made every day so different.

It was made even better by making some incredible pals (pretty much within the first hour of meeting), we had some deep conversations and MANY silly chats throughout the week. I haven't laughed so much in years. And of course our epic host, Jorge. Thanks so much Jorge for making sure each and every one of our group were looked after every step of the way (we're sorry for the many many "interesting" questions we fired at you for a week). You always went above and beyond, you're a legend!

I know these reviews really helped me before I went so here are a few things I know I wanted to know...

• As per the other reviews, the mountain hut really isn't that basic. I would recommend a sleeping bag liner (or more depending on the weather) in the summer as you'll want your own bedding (promise). The showers are preeettty basic and ice cold, so don't expect too much but they work for a night.

• The other hotels were much better than I expected. So no need to worry about where you'll be sleeping.

• The food is plentiful (so much food) and everyone is catered for.

• The hikes are mostly on paths so aren't too challenging. There are some days of lots of uphill which probably made it slightly more challenging, but there were plenty of rest stops. We had a heat wave during our trip so just make sure you have something to carry enough water.

• If you stay at the hotel with the dog and cat (you'll know what I mean), make sure you pop down to the bar down the road. The owner is amazing (we had a beer and a large glass of wine for $3 - I am not sure if this is the usual price but it was very welcome!).

• The locals are INCREDIBLE. We had some of the best times meeting people in the towns.

• The age range of the group was great, I am 36 and didn't feel "too old".

Thanks again MBA & Jorge for making the week one to remember!

I had such a great time on this trip, Madeira is an amazing place! The hiking routes were well chosen, with a nice variation in the types of landscapes you walk through. I think the best part of this trip is its mix between a hiking and a beach holiday; you have a good amount of time to relax, swim or go for a wander after a day's hiking. Jorge is a great guide, and he went over and above to ensure the group had the best week possible!

The trip was beyond my expectations. Madeira is a hiker's paradise, landscapes are really amazing. The walks were great, challenging as described, exactly ehat i was looking for. Accomodation is always very comfortable and George really went out if his way to make every single one of us happy. Thank you MBA!

This is a fantastic trip. The diversity and beauty of the scenery were real highlights. This trip gives you the opportunity to see so much of the island in a week and nearly all of it on foot, no spending lots of time in minibuses on this trip! The food and hotels were great, definitely no slumming it. Even the mountain hut was a lot less basic than expected. The tap water was drinkable everywhere which both saves money and avoids the need for plastic bottles. Jorge, our guide, was great and really went the extra mile. The packed lunches were plentiful and excellent. Madeira is a great location combining stunning scenery with beautiful sea views.

The trip is as described and very fun, challenging and inspiring.

This trip was absolutely amazing from start to finish. Jorge was amazing and we had a great bunch of people. Staying in the mounatin hut was my favourite, glad i did take a sleeping bag, not because of the cold just because it was a bit damp in there, but then a liner would do i'd say. Would highly recommend, oh and dont forget to have Poncha ;)

This was an incredible trip, everything I had hoped for. I wanted an active challenge that would really get me away from normal life, loved the idea of not having to carry all my luggage and basically left the rest to be a surprise until it happened!

Madeira is a hiking paradise, so much beauty. We had incredible weather all week, not a drop of rain. Sun lotion definitely an essential, especially when you are hiking above the clouds for a few days. I would say the rating 'challenging' is just right, there are nice stretches on the flat but some serious inclines, and a lot of descent which is harder to train for where I live.

The accommodation was overall decent and as expected. I was a fan of the mountain hotel after the hut, such beautiful views. I had two rooms with sea views from the balcony too which I didn't expect. The mountain hut is a very special experience. I brought an emergency bivvy bag with me in case it was too cold. In the end the temperature was fine but it is damp up there so I was glad that I had it. A sleeping bag liner might have been better.

The food was always plentiful. I don't eat meat, dairy or eggs (I only have fish when there isn't another option) and Jorge was absolutely amazing about this. He was always making sure I had enough and double checking that food definitely didn't have dairy. For any future vegans, I would recommend bringing some simple things in your bag to add to breakfast (peanut butter, chia seeds etc.).

Jorge was a fabulous guide. A very competent hiker, open, friendly and chatty. Constantly checking everyone was ok and actively looking for ways to improve any aspect of the tour. That made him very approachable and it never felt like anything was too much trouble.

Finally, you can't know what your group will be like but they will have the hiking hobby in common, and that's a good start! I met some truly wonderful people, had some very deep conversations on the mountains, and some exceptionally silly giggles too.

I am heading home with that nice feeling of legs that have worked hard, a camera full of stunning views, a head full of memories that make me laugh at any moment, and new friends. Thank you Jorge and MBA!

We have just finished a trip that was perfect from start to finish, our guide Jorge was amazing , such a cool , chilled out guy! Made our trip extra special , plenty of food , super destinations and lots and lots of fun. Would highly recommend this trip. We have made great friends and have the best memories , such a great experience!

A fantastic trip, great company, comfortable hotels, even the mountain hut wasn't that basic, no need for snacks as food there was plentiful. Enormous lunches, evening meals delicious, you won't go hungry. Excellent local organisation, thanks to Jorge and our leader Pedro . I won't bother with any pictures, it mostly rained! Look at some other people's photos to get an idea of what to expect. Stunning scenery.

This is an excellent trip and great value for your hard earned cash. If you are anyway fit this trek is moderate in terms of difficulty. Hosts are really helpful. Food and hospitality throughout the trek were topnotch. And the beer , oh the beer!! 😉

This is a sensational experience. Madeira is spectacular and walking the waterways is a truly unique experience. The night in the mountain hut is an absolute highlight - a very special experience. Paedro and Jorge were fabulous guides/hosts and we had an awesome group. I didn’t stop laughing for 5 days (except on the uphill bits). It is a very strenuous walk, so make sure you are honest with yourself about your fitness. But if you are fit, don’t think twice - just book it!

If you love hiking then get on this trip. It’s exactly as described in terms of how challenging. Totally achievable with a good level of fitness but for me the toughest part was the descent. If you’re a fair weather hiker and just in it for the insta posts then maybe give it some thought. Madeira is gorgeous but it’s green for a reason- lots of cloud. No one can guarantee visibility at the top of the peaks so prepare for that. Our group still made the best of it -enjoyed the challenge and got so excited when we actually got moments of sun! Basically, the weather is different across the island so you’ll get a bit of everything so pack for it all! As a vegan, I was pleasantly surprised- the hotels always had something for me and our packed lunches were great. Pedro was an anazing guide and has a lot of local knowledge. He always made sure we were well looked after. Our night in the mountain hut was actually my favourite- it was cold but I managed with a sleeping bag liner and the blankets provided. The hut has wifi and a bar so it’s not as basic as it sounds- in fact, nothing was. Even rural hotels were really comfortable. A great trip, well organised and ended in a lovely town where we got a dip in the ocean. Loved it 👍🏼