Which private levada walk from Funchal should you book?
Updated October 14, 2026 · 5 min read
For most travellers who want a private outing: choose the private 1.5-kilometre Levada dos Balcões hike. It starts at €100, follows a named short route from Ribeiro Frio and has 5.0 stars from 5 reviews. For a route built around your group: the private custom levada hike with transport and guide starts at €300 and includes accommodation pick-up and drop-off anywhere on Madeira; it has 5.0 stars from 2 reviews. Note the price basis: the €100 is per person and the €300 covers a group of up to 6, so from four people on the custom hike costs less than the Balcões walk.
Two very different kinds of privacy
The Balcões option is the clearer purchase. Its description fixes the start at Ribeiro Frio, the distance at 1.5 kilometres and the destination at the Balcões viewpoint. The forest, birds and mountain peaks are the point. That defined scope is useful if you dislike paying for an open-ended plan or want a private outing without turning the day into a major expedition. Its five reviews are still a small evidence base, but stronger than the two behind the custom option.
Check availability for the private Levada dos Balcões hike
The custom hike sells flexibility rather than a named trail. The operator promises a fully customisable trek and collection from accommodation anywhere on the island. That can be valuable for a group staying outside Funchal, or when different walking priorities make a fixed itinerary awkward. The booking page gives 7h 30m for it, against 3 to 4 hours for the Balcões walk; the description names no distance or chosen levada, so agree those points before treating the two as like-for-like.
See prices for the private custom levada hike
Per person or per group?
The booking page shows the €100 of the Balcões walk per person and the €300 of the custom hike for a group of up to 6. Two people pay €200 for Balcões and three pay €300, the same as the custom hike; from four people on, the custom hike is cheaper. Travelling alone or as a pair, the premium buys freedom of route and a wider pick-up area, not a better rating: both show 5.0 stars from very few reviews. If Ribeiro Frio and Balcões already appeal, the custom hike is hard to justify for a small party. If the guide needs to shape the walk around the group and collect you elsewhere on Madeira, planning and transport are the product.
Neither description states a minimum age or accessibility standard. Families and anyone with limited mobility should ask the operator to confirm the selected path before booking. The short distance of the Balcões option does not by itself prove that every surface or access point suits a particular traveller.
Who should skip each option?
Skip the Balcões walk if you want to choose the levada yourself or expect a long trekking day; its advantage is precisely its short, specified route. Skip the custom walk if you are content with Balcões or do not need island-wide collection. With only two reviews, its perfect score is not enough reason on its own to spend the premium.
Our recommendation
For one to three people, book the private Levada dos Balcões hike: a named 1.5-kilometre walk, a clear setting and a total that never exceeds the custom hike. From four people, or for a full day, the custom hike is the better buy because the €300 is shared across the group.
