--- title: "EAST: Pico do Arieiro & Laurissilva Forest - Full Day tour" lang: en alternate_de: https://guidekin.com/de/portugal/madeira/tours/east-pico-do-arieiro-laurissilva-forest-full-day-tour/ type: tour city: Madeira country: Portugal price: 31 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.69 reviews: 55 duration_minutes: 480 languages: [pt, en, fr, es] free_cancellation: "true" guidekin_pick: Balcões walk and east views rank_in_category: 20 of 24 (Hiking Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-10-03 data_updated: 2026-10-12 canonical: https://guidekin.com/portugal/madeira/tours/east-pico-do-arieiro-laurissilva-forest-full-day-tour/ --- # EAST: Pico do Arieiro & Laurissilva Forest - Full Day tour **Guidekin's take:** A full day east that pairs Pico do Arieiro above the clouds with a walk in the laurel forest at Balcões and the glass floored Guindaste viewpoint, with hotel pickup in Funchal, Caniço and Câmara de Lobos included. Lunch, the Balcões entry and cruise port pickup are paid separately. 4.69 from 55 reviews at €31 per person. In our comparison: #20 of 24 in Hiking Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview The East Tour with its famous “A” framed houses; clouds hanging below Pico do Arieiro hugging the contours of the mountains.The delightful unspotted Laurissilva forest were you can enjoy a walk in middle of laurissilva forest( balcoes levada). Visit Guindaste viewpoint with the glass bottom presents a sweeping panoramic view of Madeira's northern coastline, stretching from Faial to the eastern tip at Ponta de São Lourenço, including the dramatic Penha d'Águia rock formation. Visit the only sugar cane mill on the north coast ## Before you book - Hotel pickup: from 125 pickup points - Entry ticket not included: buy it separately - Starts 08:30: one departure a day - Food not included: bring or buy your own - Strollers OK: infants accepted - Children from €31: ages 5 to 11 **Pickup:** Hotel pickup from 125 pickup points ## Key facts - Price: from €31 per person - Duration: 8h - Rating: 4.69/5 from 55 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Likely to sell out - Operator: Madeira Island Tours - Group: Shared tour - Guide languages: Portuguese, English, French, Spanish - Tickets: Admission not included, pay on site - Start times: 08:30 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-03 ## Reviews 4.69 from 55 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 93% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 51 of 55. - 5 stars: 46 (84%) - 4 stars: 5 (9%) - 3 stars: 1 (2%) - 2 stars: 2 (4%) - 1 star: 1 (2%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers praise the guides and varied stops, but cloud and rain can hide the mountain views. **Praised:** - Friendly guides sharing knowledge of Madeira's history, plants and local life - Varied stops spanning mountains, forests, coastal scenery and villages - The easy Balcoes levada walk and its viewpoint - Good value for the variety of places visited **Complaints:** - Cloud and rain can hide mountain views and disrupt outdoor stops - Some wanted more time at the Pico do Arieiro viewpoint - Commentary can be hard to hear inside the vehicle Written by Guidekin from the 47 most recent English reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor (2018-01-15 to 2026-09-22); last checked 2026-10-04. ## Tour options Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page. | Option | Price | Guide languages | Details | |---|---|---|---| | Portuguese Guide & Pickup | €31 / person | Portuguese | Portuguese Pickup included | | Spanish Guide & Pickup | €31 / person | Spanish | Spanish Pickup included | | English Guide & Pickup | €31 / person | English | English Pickup included | | French Guide & Pickup | €31 / person | French | French Pickup included | ## What's included - All taxes, fees and handling charges - Professional guide - Air-conditioned vehicle - Pickup and drop-off from hotel, home, apartment, etc. in Funchal + canico + camara de lobos - areas ## Not included - Does not include pickup from the Cruise Ship Port (requires extra fee of €5 pp) - Lunch - Gratuities - Entrance at Balcoes Walk has an extra 5 euros entrance fee ## Itinerary 1. **Belvedere Du Terreiro Da Luta** (15m) - The scenery surrounding the Terreiro da Luta Viewpoint is shaped by the colourful patchwork of Funchal. In the distance, the city’s iconic bay unfolds, framed by the vast Atlantic Ocean. A visit to the Terreiro da Luta Viewpoint is not only worthwhile for this striking view,... 2. **Pico do Arieiro** (45m) - We then uphill heading for Pico Arieiro, 1818m (5965 fts). It is the third highest peak in Madeira. As you climb, the green woodland gives way to bare rock. There are tremendous views over an endless succession of knife-edge ridges and sheer cliffs. Cotton-wool clouds hang in... 3. **Balcoes de Ribeiro Frio** (1h) - Leaving Pico Areiro continuing your journey up hill, through small terraces lining the road where you can find all types of fruits before you reaching Ribeiro Frio is a delightful spot set among the Laurissilva forest This Forest was classified in the World Heritage by UNESCO... 4. **Santana** (1h 30m) - - Presenting a picture of domestic and agricultural prosperity. The predominant colour is the greens of the terraced fields and the hay meadows, interspersed by apple, pear and cherry orchards, dotted among the haystack are triangular thatched buildings, used by local farmers... 5. **Miradouro do guindaste** (20m) - Perched on one of the slopes of Foz da Ribeira do Faial, in Santana municipality, the Guindaste viewpoint provides a spectacular perspective of Madeira's stunning north coast. This spot is perfect for admiring the majestic Atlantic Ocean that embraces the island. Renowned for... 6. **Porto da Cruz** (30m) - Driving down to the North Coast, to a rural village of Porto da Cruz. Located at the foot of a Rock called Penha d´Aguia, and on the other side, steep terraced slopes. The only running sugar mill in the north coast is located in this village. Its brick chimney stands up high... 7. **Pico do Facho viewpoint** (20m) - Machico´s bay was the first place where Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira landed when Madeira was discovered. It has an uncommonly shaped valley, which looks as if a balcony overlookes the sea and the mountains, in a municipality with great abundance in water. The sugar cane... 8. **Ponta de Sao Lourenco** (35m) - Ponta de São Lorenço. The eastern most point of the island. The area around Caniçal and Sao Lorenço has a similar climate to that of the island of Porto Santo. It is noticeable that the nature vegetation is different here .The north and south coast can be seen simultaneously.... ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 08:30 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-03 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. Pickup points listed by the operator: 125 Ends: back at the meeting point ## Good to know - Specialized infant seats are available - Suitable for all physical fitness levels ## Compared with other Hiking Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #20 of 24** | €31 | 8h | 4.69 (55) | shared | | [Real Life, Mountains & Sea Cliffs + Lunch + Levada walk - 6 hours](/portugal/madeira/tours/real-life-mountains-sea-cliffs-lunch-levada-walk-6-hours/?format=md) | €385 per group | 6h | 5.0 (72) | private | | [Gastro hike (Private Tour)](/portugal/madeira/tours/gastro-hike-private-tour/?format=md) | €80 | 5h | 5.0 (54) | private | | [Walk with a local](/portugal/madeira/tours/walk-with-a-local/?format=md) | €55 | 4h | 4.96 (67) | shared | Ranked #20 of 24 in Hiking Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €31 to €109, median €48; typical length 7h 15m. 3 of 24 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/portugal/madeira/hiking-tours/?format=md ## More in Madeira - All Madeira tours: https://guidekin.com/portugal/madeira/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/portugal/madeira/tours/east-pico-do-arieiro-laurissilva-forest-full-day-tour/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/portugal/madeira/?format=md