PR6.6 (Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo) is a 2.3 km, easy, official IFCN route that requires a SIMplifica booking. Cost: €4.50 per person. Whether it is worth hiking right now depends on live conditions and today's official status, re-checked every 20 minutes in the live app.
Madeira
A coastal forecast will not tell you what it is doing at 1048m up on this ridge. That is what the live score is for. How the island splits one forecast into many: microclimate guide.
Is today the day?
The difference between a clear morning above the clouds and a wet, foggy drive is knowing before you go. Levadas reads the live weather, the safe-start window and how busy Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo is right now, then gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
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Advance booking required via SIMplifica
The slot is €4.50 per person, tied to the day and time you pick. Book it on the right day, the first time.
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Grab the full GPS track and waypoints for Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo as a free GPX file, no signup. Load it into Garmin, Komoot, AllTrails, Gaia GPS or OsmAnd and follow the route offline, even where there is no phone signal.
ⓘ Source & safety
Track and waypoints from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Planning aid, not a safety guarantee. Check the official trail status and conditions before you go.Estimated hiking time
38min
About Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo
PR6.6 is a short connector path in Madeira's western highlands that links the Caldeira leisure area, locally called the Garagem, to Casa do Rabaçal, the hub for the Rabaçal trail network. The first stretch runs as a gentle forest walk before the route reaches the Túnel do Cavalo, a roughly 800 metre rock tunnel cut between 1863 and 1877 to carry the Levada Nova do Rabaçal. Inside it is dark, cold and often wet underfoot, so a headlamp is needed to get through safely.
Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo (PR6.6) is a one way route of about 2.3 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
The route takes in walk-through tunnels, historic features, a levada water-channel path, waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints and laurel forest (laurisilva).
Landmarks on the route include Rabaçal.
The path runs between roughly 957 m and 1,048 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo rates as easy on our objective scale, based on 2.3 km, 100 m of ascent and low exposure.
This grade is an estimate from distance, ascent and exposure, not an official IFCN rating.
How long it takes
Allow about 37m.
The app's live 0-100 score also flags the latest safe start time for the day. See it in the app.
Getting there and back
Starts at Caldeira. Ends at Casa do Rabaçal. This is a one-way route, so you finish where your car is not: plan a second car, a taxi from the far end, or the walk back before you set off. There is a car park at the start, though its size is not recorded on the map.
What to bring
The ~800 m Túnel do Cavalo (Furado Novo) is dark, humid and puddled with an uneven floor and acts as a wind funnel, so bring a headlamp or torch and expect a cold draft.
3 drinking-water points are mapped along the route. Fill up where you can, but carry enough to finish without them.
Best time to walk it
Year-round; the tunnel stays cold and damp in any season
This route is mostly open to the sun, so it bites on a hot, clear day. Start early and carry more water than you think you need.
The sun and shade reading comes from the slope's aspect and steepness, so it describes terrain shading and not tree cover.
A live 0-100 score picks the best 30-minute window for the day. See today's window in the app.
Booking
Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo is a regulated trail with a daily visitor cap, so you must reserve a timed slot in advance through SIMplifica before you go. The official fee is around €4.50 per person. Levadas does not sell tickets or make the reservation for you.
Official trail status
According to IFCN, as of 20 Aug 2026, this trail is currently officially open.
IFCN's own status page is dated 24 Jul 2026. The date above (20 Aug 2026) is ours: it records when we last read that page, not when IFCN wrote it.
Official status can change, so always check the latest before you go.
Fire and other live hazards near this trail are tracked on the Madeira trail alerts page
Frequently asked questions
Is Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo, the safe-start window, how busy it is and the official IFCN status, then gives one honest go-or-wait score from 0 to 100, re-checked every 20 minutes. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance: an official IFCN closure always overrides the score, no matter how good the weather looks.
How long is Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo?
Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo is about 2.3 km (one way).
How difficult is Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo?
Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo rates as easy based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo safe?
Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo is a low-exposure route, so a drop beside the path is not the thing to plan around. It reaches 1,048 m, and the weather up there is not the weather at the coast. Part of it runs underground, so without a head torch you are walking in the dark. None of that tells you about today, and this page does not try to. Conditions decide, which is why Levadas reads the current weather on Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo, the safe-start window and the official IFCN status, then gives one go-or-wait score from 0 to 100. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance, and an official IFCN closure overrides the score however good the weather looks.
How long does Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo take to walk?
Allow about 37m.
Can I download a GPX track for Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo?
Yes. Tap Download GPX on this page: the first download on any device asks for an email so we can also send the free trail pack, then every later trail downloads instantly.
Do I need to book Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo?
Yes. Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo is a regulated trail with a daily cap, so you must reserve a timed slot through SIMplifica in advance. The official fee is around €4.50 per person.
Where does Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo start and finish?
Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo starts at Caldeira and finishes at Casa do Rabaçal.
What will I see on Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo?
Highlights include walk-through tunnels, historic features, a levada water-channel path, waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints and laurel forest (laurisilva).
When is the best time to hike Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo?
Year-round; the tunnel stays cold and damp in any season
Are there tunnels on Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo? Do I need a torch?
The ~800 m Túnel do Cavalo (Furado Novo) is dark, humid and puddled with an uneven floor and acts as a wind funnel, so bring a headlamp or torch and expect a cold draft.
Is Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo open right now?
IFCN lists Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo as officially open. Status can change, so check the latest before you go.
How do I check live conditions for Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo?
Levadas scores Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo from 0 to 100 using live weather along the path and the official status, refreshed every 20 minutes. You also see how busy it is. Open the trail in the app to see the live score and the best time to go today.