12 independent reviews for Walking holiday in Madeira
Reviews for Walking holiday in Madeira
Jill Knight review 9 Sep 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Small group of solo travellers and scenery2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Very hot beginning of September. Walking poles3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Local people yes - family run hotel, visit to local cheese maker, frequented local cafes and walking shop4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
ExcellentSue Bellis review 15 Oct 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Would love to see the Island in the Spring time when the flowers are in bloom,3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Tourism very important for the island economy4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
ExcellentPaola Nebbia review 17 Apr 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The hike on Mount Ruivo.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Well organised but don't expect any added value from the guide.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not really. I don't know what is "responsible" about that holiday, really: the hotels were huge concrete buildings, an eyesore in the beautiful landscape. They did not seem to have any specific environmental policy, other that the usual notice in the hotel room about changing towels upon request. Frankly, I don't understand why you act as an intermediary for this trip.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Well organised, apart from the fact that I don't see any environmentally friendly profile in what seems to be a standard (package) hiking holiday, and that the guide is a disaster. His only talent is that he's very good at finding paths, he has the entire island mapped in his brain. For the rest, he's unable to give any details about the island (history, economy, etc) and he's deprived of all organisations and social skills. Just to give an example, one day we had a package lunch, and by mistake he ordered gluten-free meals for everyone, instead of one single participant. He used to scream at us like we were children as soon as we went a bit away from the group. People were almost terrified.Anon review 11 Sep 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Our guide.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Get fit.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great.Nuala Laird review 7 Jan 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
all the walks2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
...expect big hills (these are mountains with footpaths), so be reasonably fit as you will enjoy it more.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
we used local shops to buy packed lunch, local taxis, lacal facilities. Yes - I think this did contribute to local people. the guide was strict about leave no trace (bring all rubbish back from walks, and keen to share envirnomental information (impacts and concerns)4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
brilliantSarah Watkins review 14 May 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Our guide in Madeira was fun, informative and supportive of all the walkers in the group.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Pack light! You don't need much. Walking poles are very useful.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Local drivers were used. Our guide was very keen that no rubbish was left behind by our group. Unfortunately there was quite a bit of rubbish in certain areas.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very enjoyable. Good group of walkers, all very friendly and an excellent guide. Slight downside was the quality of the hotels used in two of the locations - Santana and Funchal. They were disappointing.Read the operator's response here:
Thank you very much for your review, Sarah. We are so glad to read that you had an enjoyable trip, and that you were pleased with your guide and with the measures we take to support local communities and help the environment in Madeira. We were, however, regretful to read that you were disappointed with two of the hotels you stayed at on the trip. We are aware of feedback on the Hotel do Centro in Funchal, and please be assured that our local team is in the process of finding an alternative establishment to use in the city. We have not had similar feedback about the Hotel O Como in Santana; however, we will continue to monitor the comments we receive about this hotel, and should a negative trend emerge we will take appropriate action.
Peter Afford review 20 Apr 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Great walks in stunning scenery2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for changeable weather. Take your own travel kettle and tea/coffee.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not particularly.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very good.Read the operator's response here:
We were very happy to read that Peter had a great trip to Madeira, however we regretted reading that he did not feel that the holiday delivered in terms of responsible travel.
Our People, Places & Planet plan aims to improve life through travel for the people and places we visit, and the planet we explore. We work hard to ensure our trips align with this, and the walking holiday in Madeira does so in several ways. We employ local guides, stay at locally owned Hotels, visit local restaurants where food is locally produced and sourced, and visit villages and communities along the route who rely on tourism, which helps to generate income for the local people. We also travel in small tour groups which minimises our environmental impact and have replaced private transfers when possible with public buses to reduce our carbon footprint.
We hope that this can go some way to reassuring Peter that we do indeed take seriously our responsibility to help local people and reduce environmental impacts in Madeira.
Pam Barker review 20 Sep 2021
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Just to be able to get away after 18 months of Lockdown. It was lovely to meet like minded people of the group in Madeira. I loved all the walks I did, it was bit of a challenge for me but it was good be in a different environment.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
That it is worth taking a risk and book a holiday.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely! I made sure I bought few extra things.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
I was grateful for operators staff - they were amazing as I had lot of problems registering on Madeira safe site, and Robyn helped. In general all the staff I spoke to were fabulous! So grateful.Hanna Makkonen review 3 Apr 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The beautiful walks that actually pushed me close to my limits and the great group although very large (16 persons!)2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Walks are harder than moderate but I found that good. Please note that Madeira is not only sunshine and lovely weathers. Up in the mountains it can get chilly (in one point I needed gloves) and rainy. Proper rain wear is a must.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think that the operator could do more to keep the environment clean. As the island is very touristic and so are many walks, there still are people who throw papers in the nature and don't bring their rubbish back to the hotel. It has to be encouraged more. Also, it would be good to encourage to use aluminium drinking bottles as the tab water is excellent in Madeira and not to buy the plastic bottles from the shops.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
All in all the week was absolutely great. Thank you. Some points, though, to re-consider in the arrangements: 1. Shopping for lunches in the supermarkets. I would prefer good and nourishing lunchboxes prepared by the hotel. I do enough food shopping at home, I don't enjoy that on holidays. 2. Taking the public transportation. This is very time consuming. That time could be used better if the transfers would take place with the private group busses as also described in the trip summary .Helen Botham review 8 Mar 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The lovely bunch of folks I was with.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
You should go, Madeira is lovely and has year round good temperatures and beautiful sub tropical plants and flowers. Excellent variety of walking.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We had a local guide who was great, he encouraged us to recycle rubbish from the beach after our swim and we used local buses and minibus. We ate in local restaurants.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was super, good to have a couple of free days to explore and great walks and companyJo Sheppard review 29 Oct 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Following the narrow steep stone paths over the highest mountains. We really were up in the clouds.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for some steep narrow paths with vertical drops to the side. There is a lot of time in the afternoons to relax or explore further by yourselves.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Hopefully we gave people jobs, certainly supported local bars!! I hope some of our money went to helping repair and maitain the levada walks and mountain passes.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It is the first time we have been on a walking holiday and certainly would go again and recommend to others. Especially single travellers as travelling with a group always gives opportunity to meet others.Andy Hill review 15 Apr 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The volcanic geology flora and fauna. Stunning scenery.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We walked in April. We experienced strong winds and wet conditions in the north. But enjoyed every minute. Recommend the dolphin and whale watching on the free day.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The trip minimised transport requirements and used buses and local taxi / transportation and facilities such as restaurans and bars where available in lieu of the hotels.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very enjoyable. Some strenuous sections but the levadas are largely gentle slopes following the contours.Holiday Reviews
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