Je rentre de Madère où j'ai parcouru pas mal de leveadas et de pics :
J'ai dû plusieurs fois modifier mon planning cause d'éboulements :
1) entre Portela et Ribeiro Frio, après Lamaceiros, il y a plus de 30 éboulements sur 8km. C'est dangereux à plusieurs reprises. Si vous avez le vertige, je vous conseille de ne pas vous engager dans cette levada.
2) entre Pico Ruivo et Pico Arriero, la jonction n'est pas possible, pour le pico Ruivo, vous pouvez partir de Teixeira pour aller jusqu'à Encumeada ou en aller retour.
Pour le pico arrieiro, il faut faire l'aller retour, avec la boucle (en passant par les grottes)
3)la route entre ENcumeada et Bica da Cana est coupé, il y a eu un effondrement, de gros blocs barrent la route.
4) Encumeada
Seule la levada Norte ets possible. La Levada Rabacal depuis Encumeada est coupé pour les mêmes raisons que la route jusqu'à Bica da Cana.
la levada qui permet d'aller chercher le Pico Grande est également coupée.
Merci pour ces infos. J'espère qu'ils arriveront ou voudront bien restaurer ces éboulements. Avec les incendies ils n'ont pas de chance sur cette belle ile.
Devant me rendre à Madère mi mars pour randonner durant 15 jours je désirerais savoir, si le bivouac est possible et autorisé et si l'emploi de bouteille de gaz est permis.
Tout d'abord, merci pour les infos sur les éboulements. De mon coté, j'y serai fin avril donc je peux revenir faire un point pour ceux qui partent après moi sur l'état des sentiers (j'ai prévu 6 ou 7 randos, assez classiques) : levada ribeiro frio-portela, 25 fontes et chaudron vert, sentiers cotiers sao laurenço, sao jorge et porto da cruz-machico (d'ailleurs, à ce sujet, le sentier est il vraiment flippant et dangereux ??? sentiers de montagne pico arriero - ruivo et curral das freiras et autres non déterminées...
Si certains partent avant (comme Carpi93 fin mars), pouvez vous indiquer l'état des sentiers ?
Merci d'avance
Pour le gaz, j'avais lu sur ce forum que ce n'était pas simple, à priori interdit donc faire ça en prenant TOUTES les précautions possibles (sur le front de mer de Machico, il serait possible de trouver du gaz).
Pour le bivouac, qq'un avait traversé l'ile d'Est en Ouest en bivouaquant tous les jours ou presque, donc c'est possible, il faut juste trouver des terrains plats, ce qui n'est surement pas le plus simple sur cette ile (une petite tente est donc recommandée).
Hola David,
Oui ce serait pas mal du tout un feedback sur l'état des éboulements et leur restauration parce que je ne sais pas s'ils tiennent régulièrement à jour leur page officielle sur le site de Madère.
Des bouteilles de "camping gaz" à Machico seulement. On peut faire cuire aussi, faut pas se frapper, les incendies de la partie centrale sont partis des parties basses et ce ne sont pas les randonneurs qui ont foutu le feu. De plus les mecs du coin ou les guides des groupes font même des feux de bois sur les veredas du hauts, j'y ai vu pas mal de foyers dans les rares espaces plats et abrités. De toute façon il n'y a plus rien a cramer sauf peut êtres les ajoncs sur le plateau des aerogenerateurs.
Question verticalités c'est plutot la caldeira verde-do inferno ou la vereda do risco en bord de falaise qui m'ont impressionnées.
Quant aux bivouacs, si tu vas dans des coins discrets et que tu ne plantes pas une tente bariolée dès midi, personne ne viendra te faire des remarques, d'ailleurs vous risquez forts de ne voir personne. De toute façon le régime des autorisations ne s'applique que dans les parties hautes et protégées par l'administration des forets-Où dans les sites des maisons forestières vous pouvez faire ce que vous voulez et où il y a de l'EAU et où les gardiens sont cools.
Voilà, rapidement en espérant que cela aide un peu. have a good trip. Ciao
Je rentre d'une semaine à Madère et je confirme que la randonnée de Ribeiro Frio vers Portela est toujours coupée, ainsi que le jonction vers le Pico Ruivo. Je n'ai pas d'info concernant les 2 autres.
Pour le Pico de Ariero, la route est coupée peu après la sortie des tunnels. Impossible donc de joindre le Pico Ruivo, par contre on peut faire une boucle au départ du Pico de Ariero via les crêtes puis les tunnels. À faire tôt sinon la brume mange la vue!
On a adoré cette rando, celle du caldeirao verde + inferno et la levada de ponta do sol (n 7 du Rother). Par contre plusieurs personnes nous ont dit avoir été déçues par les 25 fontes, moins belles que le caldeirao selon elles.
La dame chez qui nous logions nous a chaudement recommandé la rando machico canical (nous n'avons pas eu le temps).
Partant à Madère en fin de semaine pour 15 jours, pour traverser l'île à pied, je désirerai savoir si lorsque vous utilisez le terme route il s'agit bien de le route pour les automobiles ou bien pour les randonneurs.
Merci pour ces infos, il va falloir revoir le parcours car pour l'instant j'avais réussi à enchaîner plusieurs randonnées du guide Rother et là badaboum à refaire.
Autre question, j'ai besoin de cartouche de gaz, à priori on peut en trouver à Machico, connaissez vous les horaires de fermeture des magasins à Madère le samedi, est-ce ouvert le lundi ?
Je vais tou de même prendre des pastilles d'alcool solidifié au cas où !!
Bon courage pour la réorganisation du voyage! Pour les magasins je n'en ai aucune idée, il faudrait demander aux habitants si certains fréquentent le forum...bonne recherche!
Nous partons samedi 29 mars pour randonner à Madère.
Est-ce que j'ai bien compris c'est la rando 31 (Arieiro <-> Ruivo) du Rother qui est coupée. Ailleurs je lis que c'est le tunnel qui passe sous le Pica das Torres qui est fermé sur ce tronçon, mais que l'on peut passer en en faisant le tour par l'Est. Qu'en est-il ?
Autre question : quelle carte sim, locale, en prépayé, avec data, peut-on sur place et où ? aéroport ou Machico notre première étape ? A quel prix ?
Revenons de Madère (29 mars au 5 avril). Effectivement le Pr1.1 qui part de Ruivo pour aller a Arieiro est fermé. De plus certains tunnels étaient inondés, à savoir que le chemin qui borde la levada était inondé sur un peu plus de la hauteur de la chaussure : un des tunnels qui arrive au Garganta do Inferno (c'est pas génant c'est un cul de sac, on y pas , c'est tout) et le 2eme tunnel en partant du col d'Encumeada sur la levada do norte vers Paul da Serra (on a pour cela un plan B en passant par la levada da Serra juste un peu à l'Ouest de la levada Norte).
Suis Ok pour vous donner d'autres info.
Bonjour
La fermeture de ce tronçon était début avril ainsi que les inondations.Il devait ré ouvrir dans la première quinzaine d'avril. Et les inondations étaient exceptionnelles.
Bonne randonnée.
Effectivement, j'étais à Madère fin avril et je confirme que c'était ouvert. Je n'ai pas pu faire cette rando malheureusement mais pour en avoir discuter avec d'autres randonneurs qui l'ont fait, il n'y a pas de souci.
Bonne rando
et voila déjà de retour sniff c'était trop bien!!!!
un renseignement qui peut aider les randonneurs!! on peut effectivement faire pico arreiro a pico ruivo, ils ont cree un sentier de deviation mais qui n'est pas simple et qui rallonge la rando avec des escaliers métalliques, on doit gravir un col pour retourner sur le sentier normal!! je l'ai trouve physqiue!!!!
I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
Can anyone give me some info on this?
Thanks!
hi how can I get internet when I arrive at Haneda? I mean in areas without free wifi. Is it more interesting to buy a SIM card? If so, at the airport? thanks for your help
We're planning to go at the end of November/beginning of December to visit (with a rental car) and hike on La Palma and El Hierro for 15 full days, including 1 day for inter-island ferry transfers. What’s the best split between the two islands—8 days on La Palma and 6 on El Hierro, or even more time for La Palma? Should we have one or two home bases on La Palma? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi there,
I’m planning to cross the Gourgs Blancs Pass at the end of the month, from La Soula Refuge to Portillon Refuge. On this section near the pass, I don’t have any trail marked on my IGN map. Is the path well signposted, or should I use a compass?
Also, beyond the physical effort, are there any technical, exposed, or vertigo-inducing sections on this part?
Since I’m finding very little info, I’m being thorough with my questions.
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
hi there
I’m heading to Uzbekistan for three weeks from mid-September to mid-October 2026—a country I haven’t visited yet.
I’d love to do a few multi-day hikes in the mountains without going through a tour operator or hiring a guide. Has anyone here done this?
It doesn’t have to be all trekking; day hikes are great too.
I’m open to any tips!
Also, I see there are lots of train options if you book well in advance—does that only apply to the "fast" trains? Are there buses as well?
Hello,
In mid-November, we’ll be in Mindelo and Santo Antão.
We’ve booked transportation with Kapverden Tours.
One trip is from Porto Novo to Ponta do Sol, including the hike from Corda to Coculi.
What’s the trail like?
Then we’ll be staying in Ponta do Sol,
Here’s what we’re planning:
A hike to Fontainhas—what’s the best direction, considering we’re not great with climbs? No problem with flat terrain or descents.
Take an aluguer to Ribeira Grande and continue along the coastal road.
With the agency:
An excursion to Cruzinha with a short walk.
Return to Porto Novo via the path from Cova to… I’m not sure where yet, to pick up the car for Porto Novo, since we’ll be taking the ferry that evening.
We’ll have a guide for this hike.
We’d love to spend a day in Tarrafal, but getting back requires a boat or taxi, and it’s really expensive!
We’re a couple, 78 and 76 years old.
What do you think of this itinerary?
Not very well known: Hokkaido Island has national parks that rival those in North America. Hiking there is free (even many mountain huts) and requires no formalities. These treks are described in the LP *Hiking in Japan* guide—you can just buy the Hokkaido PDF. It’s way better than Mount Fuji. Of course, everything depends on the weather, which is very unstable in the Japanese mountains (frequent strong winds). The trails are often obstacle courses.
The Daisetsu Zan traverse is a stunning hike through volcanic terrain with a remote section in the middle that requires at least one night of camping (there are basic huts for the rest, which is popular with Japanese hikers): 4 to 6 days.
The Shiretoko traverse takes 2 days with views including an island in Russia, but the ridge is brown bear territory—there are even more here than in Denali National Park in Alaska (brown bears and grizzlies are the same). I ran into 7 in just 6 hours of hiking!
Hi everyone,
I’m leaving on Monday, August 3rd for my very first long-distance trek: the GR223 from Coutances to Mont Saint-Michel, over 6-7 days (~11-14 miles/day), solo.
I’m looking for tips from people who know this section well (Coutances → Regnéville-sur-Mer → Hauteville-sur-Mer → Bréhal → Granville → Genêts → bay crossing):
Budget-friendly accommodations: I’m struggling to find affordable stopover lodgings (a lot of what I find online are expensive vacation rentals, not really suited for a solo hiker). If you have any great spots (hostels, hiker-friendly B&Bs, nice campgrounds), I’d love to hear them!
Bay crossing: Any feedback on guides/providers leaving from Genêts for the final crossing?
General tips for a first long-distance trek: What you wish you’d known before your first time, pitfalls to avoid, etc.
Hi,
We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
I'm heading out on a fully self-sufficient trek in Morocco (10 days) from Imilchil to Aghbalou.
Can I find screw-on gas canisters (Coleman, Primus) in Marrakech (any addresses?) or in villages between Imilchil and Aghbalou?
If not, are Butagaz canisters for camping gas (small 230g size) available?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
I’d love to know if anyone has done treks in the Rwenzori Mountains and how much it costs on average, what the infrastructure is like, the landscapes, and safety in the area. Thanks so much! I’m really looking forward to your replies.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Hi there,
I’m planning to go hiking on this island and would like to know the best time to do it. I visited for a few days in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains. So, is a star-shaped itinerary doable if I rent a car and maybe use two different accommodations?
I’m not planning to join an organized group—just traveling with one other person and organizing things ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide. Finally, even though I’ll be getting maps, a topo guide, and a GPS, I’d really appreciate your top hiking recommendations.
Thanks so much for your tips!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
Hi there, I’m planning the Annapurna Circuit for March 2027 and I’m looking for a local agency with a local guide—preferably French-speaking—to arrange this trek for us. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello!
We’re spending a few days in Toraja country at the end of May. We’d love to do a day trek—taking our time—on a route that’s stunning in terms of scenery, but not a level 5 in difficulty!
Any suggestions you can share, please?
Thanks in advance
I’d like to do the Mare a Mare Sud in May over 4 days. I’ve found quite a few places to stay along the route, but I’m stuck on the start and finish.
I’ll be arriving by plane on Sunday evening and would like to start pretty early on Monday morning. Ideally, accommodation right at the trailhead (Alzu di Gallina) would be amazing, but I can’t find anything. Any tips?
Also, for the transfer from Figari Airport to Porto Vecchio or Alzu di Gallina?
At the end, I’d like to pick up a rental car—any advice on that too?
I’m traveling solo by plane to Catania in May and plan to hike the northern side of Etna, starting from Linguaglossa where I’ll arrive by bus. After that, I’d love some info on how to get up to Piano Provenzana (shuttles or hitchhiking), since it seems there’s no public transport except in the summer. Can you sleep there in a free or cheap refuge, or camp? And how far up can you go without having to hire a guide? Thanks in advance. Bernard.
