{"id":660,"slug":"pr6-2-levada-do-alecrim-hike-guide","title":"PR6.2 Levada do Alecrim Hike Guide: Waterfalls and Lagoons Trail","excerpt":"PR6.2 Levada do Alecrim hike guide: route, fees, and Lagoa do Vento tips.\n","content":"Tucked into the Rabaçal valley, the Levada do Alecrim is the quiet cousin of Madeira's famous 25 Fontes, following a rosemary-lined water channel through laurel forest to a hidden mountain lagoon. This PR6.2 Levada do Alecrim hike guide covers the route, the fees, how to reach the trailhead, and how to add the spectacular Lagoa do Vento waterfall to your day.\n \n## How long is the Levada do Alecrim hike?\n>The official PR6.2 route runs 3.5 kilometres each way, about 7 kilometres return, taking roughly 2.5 hours at an easy pace. It starts at Rabaçal on the ER105 and ends at the Dona Beja lagoon. The fee is 4.50 euros per person, and a SIMplifica time-slot booking is mandatory.\n \n## The Route in Brief\nThe trail begins at Rabaçal, high on the Paul da Serra plateau, and follows the Levada do Alecrim, a channel built to feed the Calheta hydroelectric plant. The name means rosemary, after the shrubs that line the path. You walk between roughly 1,256 and 1,339 metres, so the levada itself is almost flat and shaded by laurel forest, with valley views opening up along the way. The reward at the end is the spring at Lagoa Dona Beja, a still pool where you can rest before turning back on the same path. It is one of the island's most rewarding easy walks, worth adding to our [best levada walks for beginners](https://madeiracitypass.tripnly.com/blog/best-levada-walks-madeira-beginners/).\n \n## Adding Lagoa do Vento\nMost hikers come for the lagoon that Dona Beja feeds. From the levada you can branch onto PR6.3, the Vereda da Lagoa do Vento, a 1.8 kilometre path that drops to a dramatic basin fed by a waterfall tumbling off the escarpment. Be honest with yourself here: while the levada is graded easy, this descent is steep, often muddy, and tiring on the climb back, which is why combined versions of the route are rated moderate. Doing both makes a loop of roughly four to five hours, and you can return either the way you came or via the Casa de Abrigo do Rabaçal shelter.\n \n## Fees and Booking\nLike every classified trail, this one now requires a reservation. Since January 2026 you must book a 30-minute entry slot on the SIMplifica portal and pay 4.50 euros per person, or 3 euros if you walk with a licensed operator holding an IFCN protocol. Residents and children under 12 go free but still need to be on the booking, and wardens do check, with fines reaching 250 euros. Screenshot your ticket, since there is no signal up here. Our [Madeira hiking rules guide](https://madeiracitypass.tripnly.com/blog/madeira-hiking-rules-2026-guide/) explains the system in full.\n \n## Getting There and What to Bring\nRabaçal sits at the end of a narrow road off the ER105, and the small car park fills early, with a shuttle running down to the trailhead when it is full. A car is the simplest way in, so see our [Madeira car rental tips](https://madeiracitypass.tripnly.com/blog/madeira-car-rental-tips/) before you go. Bring grippy shoes, since the levada edge is damp and the Lagoa do Vento path gets slippery, plus a waterproof layer, because Rabaçal is often misty even when Funchal is sunny. Start early for quiet paths and better light. For a sense of when conditions are kindest, read our [dangerous hikes safety guide](https://madeiracitypass.tripnly.com/blog/dangerous-hikes-madeira-safety-guide/).\n \n## People Also Ask About the Alecrim Trail\n### Is Levada do Alecrim easy?\nThe levada section is officially graded easy, being nearly flat and well maintained. The optional descent to Lagoa do Vento is much steeper and muddier, which pushes the combined route to moderate.\n \n### Is PR6.2 the same as the 25 Fontes hike?\nNo. PR6 is Levada das 25 Fontes, while PR6.2 is Levada do Alecrim. Both start from Rabaçal, but Alecrim is shorter, easier, and far less crowded.\n \n### How much does the hike cost?\nIt costs 4.50 euros per person, booked through SIMplifica, or 3 euros with a protocol tour operator. Each classified trail needs its own reservation and time slot.\n \n### Can you swim in Lagoa do Vento?\nThe pool is cold, shallow in places, and not an official swimming spot, so most visitors simply admire the waterfall. Conditions change after rain, so take care near the water.\n \n### How do I combine Alecrim with other trails?\nMany hikers pair PR6.2 with PR6.3 to Lagoa do Vento, or link toward Levada do Risco. Remember each classified trail needs a separate SIMplifica booking and fee.\n \n## Walking the Quiet Side of Rabaçal\nFollow this PR6.2 Levada do Alecrim hike guide and you get Rabaçal's magic without the queues: rosemary and laurel, a mirror-still lagoon, and a waterfall few day-trippers reach. Book your slot ahead, pack for mist, and decide at the junction whether your legs fancy the drop to Lagoa do Vento. Either way, it is a gentle few hours in one of Madeira's loveliest valleys.","author":"Yağmur Dudu","authorInfo":{"name":"Yağmur Dudu","bio":"Tripnly Global Ambassador · Travel Writer","avatarUrl":"https://ethical-car-b690d7e735.media.strapiapp.com/Yagmur_Dudu_rounded_b0517b520f.png","role":"","socials":{"twitter":"","x":"","instagram":"https://www.instagram.com/yagmurdudu/","linkedin":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/ya%C4%9Fmurdudu/"}},"date":"2026-07-30T19:59:36.546Z","category":"Local Experiences","imageUrl":"https://ethical-car-b690d7e735.media.strapiapp.com/Strapi_Article_Cover_Photo_66_f7b39f0bdc.png","imageCaption":"","readTime":6,"views":0,"isPopular":false}