The classic high-mountain traverse of Madeira — from Pico do Areeiro (1,818 m) to Pico Ruivo (1,862 m, the island’s highest), past the Stairway to Heaven, tunnels and knife-edge ridges. A hard, spectacular full day. Here’s the guided way to do it, and the 2026 permit reality.
PR1 runs the spine of Madeira’s central massif, linking its third-highest peak (Areeiro) to its highest (Ruivo). It passes the Stairway to Heaven in the first stretch, then climbs and descends through carved steps and tunnels to Pico Ruivo. Reckoned a hard 7–8 hours (distance figures vary 7–16 km by tracker; bring a headtorch for the tunnels), it rewards you with the best high-mountain views in the Atlantic.
Most visitors take a guide — for the logistics (transfers at both ends), the pre-dawn start, and the safety of an exposed route. Doing the full traverse needs the €10.50 SIMplifica permit.
Three operators run the full Areeiro→Ruivo traverse (the fourth, Madeira Adventure Kingdom, reaches the staircase but typically turns back rather than completing to Ruivo).
Long-running, hugely-reviewed. The "Between Heaven and Earth" sunrise hike does the full Areeiro→Ruivo traverse past the staircase. States a certified guide but no licence number on-site; trail fee excluded.
Certified mountain guide Paulo Jesus runs the well-reviewed small-group "Sunrise Guided Hike PR1" (full traverse). Sold via Viator ("Madeira Outdoors" is the supplier label).
A licensed agency; its self-guided sunrise PR1 transfer (from €33, permit handled) is the cheapest way onto the trail. Guided Sunrise & Balcões €50; private €160. Reseller, not the on-trail operator.
Prices are starting adult fares (June 2026) and change seasonally; confirm at booking. ✓ = tourism licence verified on the operator's own site; "agency" = an RNAVT travel-agency reselling a partner-run tour.
The full comparison — what each reaches, price, licence and rating.
Open the tour comparison →The full traverse needs the €10.50 SIMplifica permit and a timed slot; in 2026 the trail has been weekends-only with full daily opening targeted for late June. It’s point-to-point, so you need transfers at both ends — guided tours include these. Treat it as a serious mountain day: layers, food, water, headtorch, and a check of the forecast and trail status. Detail on the access section.
PR1 is a hard, exposed, point-to-point mountain traverse — not a casual sunrise outing. Go guided unless you’re an experienced hiker with the transfers and permit sorted.
Officially around 7 km point-to-point but trackers log 13–16 km with the Ruivo spur; reckon 7–8 hours of hard hiking with significant ascent and descent. Bring a headtorch for the tunnels.
Yes — the full traverse needs the €10.50 SIMplifica permit and a timed slot in 2026. The shorter section to the staircase/Pedra Rija is ~€4.50.
It reopened in phases after the 2024 wildfire — weekends-only from 27 April, with full daily opening targeted for late June 2026. Confirm the current status on SIMplifica before planning.
Experienced hikers do it self-guided, but you must arrange the permit and the point-to-point transfers yourself. Guided tours (Up Mountain, Madeira Local Guide, Beyond Madeira) handle both.