Madeira’s PR8 hiking trail is located on the easternmost point of the island. Unlike the rest of Madeira, this area is quite arid, with a volcanic landscape. The peninsula is nicknamed “The Dragon’s Tail” because the land narrows and twists into the ocean like the tail of a dragon. This is a very popular hike in Madeira and is a must for your bucket list!
Trail length: 4.9 miles (7.9 km) round trip
Elevation gain: 1,600 feet (487 m)
Parking
Parking near the trailhead is free, but limited. Once the small parking lot fills up, you can parallel park along the road leading to the entrance. I had read that early morning was the most popular time to complete this hike, since there is no shade and it can get hot later in the day. Parking can get difficult in the morning for this reason. We decided to complete the hike around sunset instead, allowing for most of the morning hikers to clear out and parking spots to open up.
As we approached the trailhead at 4:45pm, we noticed cars parked at least a mile away. Walking that distance would be mostly uphill, which would add a lot of time and effort to the hike! We decided to drive past those cars to see if there were any parking spots open closer to the front. We were pleased to see that there were several open spots in the parking area right next to the trailhead! There were also a couple food trucks parked there, which are very convenient to grab food before or after the hike since there aren’t many restaurants nearby.
Starting the hike
We started to hike around 5pm (about 4 hours before sunset) and it was warm outside. Limited shade made it feel warmer than it was, but as we got going, there was a nice breeze most of the way. The trail here is moderate and has rolling hills with steady inclines and declines along the way.
There are several scenic lookouts along the way that are perfect for capturing beautiful photos. While we started the hike alongside several other groups, the crowds thinned out the further we went.
Cafe
Towards the end of the hike, you’ll come across a small cafe where you can buy food, a drink, or use the restroom. It looks like a true oasis, with palm trees surrounded by a desert landscape. There is also an option to take a boat ride back to the trailhead from here if you’ve had enough hiking. The cafe is open daily from 10am-6pm, so it had just closed when we arrived.
Pico do Furado viewpoint
The remainder of the hike to the viewpoint is difficult! I felt that the description I had read really underestimated this part of the trek. While the rest of the trail consists of generally gentle slopes, this final stretch is very intense and steep. Part of the climb is heavily eroded and covered in loose gravel. There are some safety cables along the path to hold onto, but many of them had either fallen down or were frayed and painful to grip. The climb is absolutely doable, but just make sure you are prepared and wearing proper footwear!
That being said, I thought the view from Pico do Furado was definitely worth it and was the best vantage point of the entire hike. From the summit, you get a panoramic view of the rest of the “Dragon’s Tail”, which is broken off into islands only accessible by boat. You can also see the neighboring islands on the horizon, as well as Madeira’s mountains towering behind you.
Hiking back
The hike down the steep gravelly section was a bit scary, but we took our time and avoided any falls. It was around 6:30pm when we turned back, so it was starting to cool off a little as the sun started to set. However, it was still hot and we actually ran out of water! Make sure to bring more than you think you need.
We had the majority of the hike back to ourselves, which was amazing for catching the sunset views.
Finishing the hike
We arrived back at the trailhead at 7:45pm and were completely exhausted. It turned out to be a more difficult hike than we expected, mainly due to the heat and our lack of water. We were so relieved to see that both food trucks were still open. We bought a large bottle of water and Gatorade to quench our thirst.
After we finished our drinks, we loaded up the car and got on our way. We noticed one of the food trucks driving behind us as we left, so I’m assuming they leave around 8pm.
How to book the hike
The more popular trails in Madeira now require booking through a reservation system on the Simplifica website. In the bottom right of this page there is a blue “request” button. You’ll click on that, select the hike you want to reserve, and select the date and time. It’s a little frustrating to have to pick which day you want to do each hike ahead of time since you don’t know what the weather will be like. If there is a hike you absolutely do not want to miss, I recommend booking two or three slots on different days just to make sure you are able to go.
The cost per person of most hikes is €4.50.
This hike was awesome and I really recommend it!
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