Hiking One of the King’s Paths – Caminho Real da Encumeada (PR12)

There are two reasons why we love Caminho Real da Encumeada: It is absolutely beautiful and it is rich in history! This hike will take you back in time a little bit… For any history lovers out there the Caminho Real da Encumeada is known as one of the King’s Paths in Madeira.

Back in the mid-1800s, the Caminho Real da Encumeada was created by the king’s order and was used by him and specific people to get around the island. As you hike, you’ll notice the old stones that were put in place to make this trail that date all the way back to that time. Since then, certain parts of the trail have been redone but a lot of it is still original and goes all the way back almost 200 years. 

It’s quite fitting since the views are incredible and the trail itself is really nice; it does in a sense feel like a “Royal Path” in Madeira’s mountains. It’s not as high up as Pico do Arieiro or Pico Ruivo but as you hike along the Caminho, you’ll actually be able to see the big tower where Pico do Arieiro begins!

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What to expect when hiking Caminho Real da Encumeada (PR12)

Caminho Real de Encumeada is located up above the clouds and in the mountains taking you along this royal trail that zig-zags around mountains and even connects with the trail up to Pico Grande.

You’re going to experience a super well-maintained trail with ancient stonework in certain sections of the hike. It is a relatively easy trail with not much ascent or descent. We’d consider it more of a walking trail that offers amazing views. 

The nice thing about the Caminho Real da Encumeada is that you can do it as a one-way trail so you’ll just walk from the start to the end. This is also a great hike to do if you’re looking for a hike in Madeira that can be done with public transport.

Since you’ll be so high up in the mountains it’s good to check the weather beforehand as it can get quite cloudy and windy up in the mountains. Especially with the microclimates that you can find on Madeira, you really never know what the weather’s going to be like. It can be sunny in Funchal and snowing up in the peaks!

You can check the weather for Curral das Freiras which is a town near where the hike takes place to give you a bit of an idea on how to dress for the hike.

Practical information about Caminho Real da Encumeada (PR12)

Official trail name: PR12 – Caminho Real da Encumeada 
Distance: 12.2 km / 7.58 miles
Elevation: Roughly 702 m / 2300 ft. elevation gain
Type: One-way trail
Length: 4-5 hours total (with breaks, lunch, and taking pictures)
Difficulty: Moderate-Hard (due to the distance)
Rating: 4.5/5 

Click here to see a map of the beginning of the Caminho Real da Encumeada.

Here’s a picture of the beginning of the Caminho Real da Encumeada hike:

Starting at the Miradouro Boca da Corrida

Since this is a one-way hike, it can be done in either direction. Multiple people told us to do it from the southern point to the northern point so that’s what we did (and how it is explained in this post). We found it to be super easy to do it this way with public transport as well (more on this later in the post).

However, if you do it the other way around, you can hang out at Bar O Mário after you finish the hike and while you wait for the bus which is supposed to be pretty nice! No matter which direction you do it in though, you’re in for a real treat! 

There are a few trails that start from the Miradouro Boca da Corrida parking lot including a few non-official trails. Make sure to make your way to PR12 where the hike actually starts. You’ll see a little church and a map of the area with information about Boca da Encumeada with a big “PR12” on it.

Right from the start of the trail, you’ll see the ancient stonework that’s been done to create this “Royal trail” connecting the island. We didn’t realize it until after the hike when we did some research about the trail and the area.

It’s pretty cool thinking you’ll be walking on the same trail that the ancestors of Madeira walked on many years ago as well. The only difference is we’re walking it for enjoyment and they used it to exchange goods and services and to travel from the north and south.

Continuing along the Boca da Encumeada

One thing we absolutely love about this hike – and hope you will as well – is how open the trail is. As you walk along the foothills of some of the highest peaks you really get a full view of everything. 

As you’re hiking you’ll even get a glimpse of the big round white ball which is the Astronomical Observation Tower next to the beginning of Pico Arieiro. On a good day, you really will be able to get a great panoramic view of the island. Or maybe you’ll even see cloud inversion!

In this middle section, there are also plenty of viewpoints where you can look at the villages below like Curral das Freiras and the Nuns Valley (both of which are definitely worth a visit).

This middle stretch is one of our favourite sections of the hike. There isn’t too much incline or decline and you get to really enjoy the views and take it all in.

We love a good challenging hike but there’s something nice about all these relaxing and chill hikes in Madeira. You don’t really have to push yourself too hard if you’re an experienced hiker. Instead, you get to enjoy the scenery and the views and there’s a lot of that in Madeira and specifically on this trail!

Hiking around Pico Grande 

As you get further and further into the hike, this one mountain is slowly going to start to stand out. That mountain is Pico Grande and its peak is at 1654 meters. Pico Grande is a great sunset spot in Madeira and some people even stay the night, camp there, and then watch the sunrise the next day. 

If you’re up for the challenge and have an extra 2 hours you should totally take the trail and hike up to Pico Grande before continuing to the end of the hike. It’s quite a steep and challenging stretch but worth it for the views from the top. 

We were, unfortunately, a little tight on time because of the bus schedule from the end of the hike (we started later in the day). So Pico Grande wasn’t on the agenda for the day but we’re definitely coming back for it soon!

If you don’t feel like making the journey up to Pico Grande you’ll just continue to stay on the main “Royal Trail” and it will pass under Pico Grande and continue towards Encumeada.

Enjoying the Royal Trail towards Encumeada

Pico Grande will now be in your rearview and you’ll start to embark on the second half of the hike. You’ll continue on the “Royal Trail” with similar views to the beginning of the hike. You’ll twist and turn around the mountains on the foothills below the peaks. 

There’s going to be stunning viewpoints around some of the bends where you’ll be able to see deep into the valleys and for what seems like miles and miles (at least on a clear day)!

Closer to the end of the hike you’ll come across some signs mentioning “Levada Norte”. This is another famous hiking trail in Madeira. Lots of people only hike Levada Norte and don’t even make it on the “Royal Trail”.

If you’re up for it, you can get off the Caminho Real da Encumeada and finish the hike on the Levada Norte. Both trails basically end up at the same place and they’re both roughly the same distance from the bus stop.

Finishing up the Caminho Real da Encumeada

If you end up taking the Levada Norte the last few kilometres you’ll end up right at Snack Bar Encumeada and the Coffee house. It’s also where the bus will pick you up and bring you back to Funchal. 

If you end up taking the regular route “Royal Trail” you’ll just have to walk 1-2 minutes up the road and you’ll see the Snack Bar and the Coffee House! Here you’ll be able to relax until the bus picks you up! Or if you feel like hitchhiking, you can do that too (we’ve done this a few times). Of course, you have to be careful hitchhiking but Madeira is quite safe!

What to bring on the PR12 Madeira trail

One of the most important things to bring on the Caminho Real is a few layers of clothing. We did the hike on a very sunny day in March and even though it was warm, you’re very exposed to the sun and it can get quite windy and chilly up in the mountains. So bringing a few layers of clothing is a really good idea.

Even though there is a cafe near the beginning and end of the trail it’s always a good idea to bring some food. If you end up hiking to the top of Pico Grande you can enjoy a nice lunch up there with a view. Otherwise, there are plenty of sunny spots on the trail where you can stop and have a break.

Even though it’s not the most challenging hike, make sure to bring lots of water as well. It’s a fairly long hike and when you’re exposed to the sun for such a long time you’re going to want to drink a lot of water!

Packing list for the Caminho da Encumeada

• ​​Water! We always fill up our LifeStraw bottles before hikes and even during them when we can. Make sure to fill it up beforehand. You can fill it up at one of the pubs/cafes before the start of the hike if you need to.
• Sunscreen is necessary in Madeira. For almost the whole hike you’ll be exposed to the sun. If you go up to Pico Grande you’re going to be baking in the sun so take care of your body and put on some sunscreen!
• A power bank is always nice to have on a hike! You don’t want a dead phone halfway through a hike. It’s come in handy plenty of times in the past and now we bring one every time we go on a hike.
• Bring some lunch for a nice picnic. The top of Pico Grande is a great spot, otherwise, you can find a nice viewpoint along the Royal Trail to stop for some lunch.
• If you have weak knees, you might want to bring hiking poles! The ascents and descents on PR12 aren’t crazy but hiking poles will definitely make it a lot easier!
• Proper hiking shoes are always good to have. This trail is well maintained and easy to walk on but it’s nice to have a good set of boots. All in all, hiking shoes help us throughout the whole hike!

You can check out this great list of hiking gear to get some more inspiration!

Before you hike Caminho da Encumeada

Check the weather

No matter where you hike, you should always check the weather before you go. Madeira has a micro-climate so the weather is always changing and can be very different even a few kilometers away. 

The hike takes place in the foothills of some of the highest peaks in Madeira and at times it feels like you’re above the clouds. Here’s the weather for Curral das Freiras which is a town near the hike.

It’s better to be over-prepared than be on the hike and get cold and wet from some unexpected storm that comes in!

Pro tip: Before going on a hike in Madeira, always check if the trail is open via Visit Madeira’s website.

Wear hiking shoes

Since you’re high up in the mountains, you’d probably want to wear proper hiking shoes on this hike – especially if you’re planning on hiking up to Pico Grande. If in doubt, wear hiking shoes!

This isn’t your typical walk-in-the-park Levada trail that you find all over the island. Caminho Real da Encumeada is a proper hike and hiking shoes are good to have on this trail. It’s long, challenging, and can be muddy in parts. Wearing hiking boots will make your day a lot more enjoyable!

Book your rental car beforehand  

You don’t need a car to hike here but of course if you have already rented a car then it’s easier to get here.

If you’re staying in Funchal, there are quite a few places to rent a car from but we recommend either renting a car from Madeira Airport through Discover Cars (where you can compare prices across different rental companies) or going to 7M downtown Funchal and talking with Bruno. He’ll try his best to hook you up with a discount if it’s possible.

You can also find everything you need to know about driving in Madeira here! It’s surprisingly a very safe island to drive around.

How to get to Caminho Real da Encumeada 

This is one of the hikes that are good to do if you don’t have a car or want to rent a car. You can take a bus near the trailhead and there’s a bus stop in Encuemeada right where the hike ends as well. 

If you have a car then consider doing Levada 25 Fontes or Ponta de São Lourenço. But if you’re up for taking the bus then this hike is perfect.

As we mentioned, this is a good hike to do if you don’t feel like renting a car and want to do a hike where you can get to it by bus. Since you can take a bus close to the beginning of the trail and a bus from the end it’s quite convenient this way. 

Even though we recommend taking a bus you can just as easily take your car, park at the parking lot, and then do an in and out hike (twice the distance) but not have to worry about the bus or anything! There’s room for quite a few cars at the top.

Taking the bus from Funchal to near the start of Caminho Real 

It took us a second to figure out the bus schedule, where the bus stop was in Funchal, and what exact bus to take. Thankfully you won’t have that problem. You can see the bus schedule for Rodoeste 96 here which will take you close to Miradouro Boca da Corrida where the hike begins.

Note that the bus schedule says when the bus leaves from the first stop in Funchal – not the stop you’re waiting at – so it will likely end up waiting a bit for the bus. I think we ended up waiting about 10-15 minutes past when we thought it was going to come. It will come!

This is the location for the bus stop in downtown Funchal for Rodoeste 96 (click the link and you will see the location on a map). Once you’re there, you should see a ’96’ on the ‘Rodoeste’ sign next to the bus stop.

Once you’re on the bus you’ll take it past Jardim da Serra towards the mountains. Eventually, you’ll come across a stop with a cafe (Bar O Mário) next to it and there you can get off and start your hike up to the trailhead. Grab a coffee and use the toilet beforehand if you need to since there’s nothing until you finish the hike in Encumeada.

OBS: Bus 96 has multiple routes. Some will stop close to the trailhead (by Bar O’Mario) and some won’t. If in doubt, contact Rodoeste or just get off at Jardim da Serra. From there it’s about 30-40 minutes to the trailhead.

Taking the bus from Encumeada back to Funchal

Going back to Funchal is a lot easier since the bus stop is basically right when you get off the hike and next to the cafes. You can see the bus times from Boca da Encumeada back to Funchal here.

Buses do run quite often during the week and less often during the weekend. Thankfully you have Snack Bar Encuemeada and the Coffee House where you can hang out until the bus comes!

Best time to hike Caminho Real da Encumeada 

The best time to hike the PR12 is on a clear, sunny day. It’s not as busy as Pico do Arieiro or Levada 25 Fontes so you don’t have to worry about busy crowds on the trail. The only really important thing to look at is the weather. If the weather’s not great we wouldn’t risk taking the bus all the way up to Jardim da Serra to have a non-visible hike. 

Plan to go early in the day anytime from spring to fall where you can enjoy the trail and hopefully have a nice warm picnic at the top of Pico Grande if you decide to do that. The cafes are open year round and you’ll always find at least some adventure seekers out on the “Royal Trail”.

You may also like…

• The Best Sunrise Spot in Madeira: Pico Ruivo
• 26 Best Things to Do in Funchal
• 21 Pebble and Sandy Beaches to Visit in Madeira
• Hiking From Levada do Furado to Levada Portela Near Funchal
• 12 of The Best Hikes to do in Madeira

Recap of hiking Caminho Real da Encumeada

The Royal trail is one of the most historic hikes on the island and also one of our favourites. Whenever we get a chance to do point-to-point hikes we absolutely jump on it. It’s cool being able to start in one spot and finish in another – and with the convenience of the public transport in Madeira, this is totally doable. Vereda do Larano is another great point-to-point hike we recommend on the island! 

On Caminho Real, for the most part, the trail is quite relaxed and easy. The first bit to get to the trailhead is a bit uphill but besides that, it’s nothing crazy. We hope you have the best day walking on this trail that was built for the King of Madeira many decades ago!

With all that being said, feel free to DM us on Instagram if you have any questions about the hike or want to know about some other great hikes on Madeira. We have a few other great recommendations! Have the best time hiking the PR12.

Have fun!

Dom & Jo
Red White Adventures

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