Camping in Madeira: permits, campsites and crossing the island with a tent
Wild camping is not allowed in Madeira. You can camp in 21 official camping zones in the mountains, with a licence from SIMplifica at €5 per tent per night, booked up to 90 days ahead. The small zones on the classic crossing were full every night of summer 2026, while most of the big ones had space on most nights.
The short version
I have camped in the serra several times to watch the Rally Vinho Madeira, and it is always worth it: you wake up in the middle of nature, surrounded by mountains. That was before the SIMplifica licences, so today the order matters: book the zone before the trails, and plan the crossing around the zones that have space, not the ones you saw on Instagram.
- Where
- 21 IFCN camping zones, 243 tent places in all
- Cost
- €5 per tent per night; residents free
- Booking opens
- 90 days before each night
- Cancel
- Not possible; the fee is lost
How to get a camping licence in Madeira
Every night in a camping zone needs a licence from the IFCN, issued only through the regional government’s SIMplifica portal. The form is in Portuguese.
Open the camping licence on SIMplifica
The service is called “Licença para Campismo”. Each night opens 90 days before, and you can book up to the same day if there is space.
Choose the zone, the nights and the tents
One request covers one zone, up to 30 nights in a row (Fanal and Casa do Sardinha: 3) and up to 3 tents. Crossing the island? Make one request per zone.
Pay before the deadline
€5 per tent per night; Madeira residents with a resident card camp free. A licence that is not paid in time is cancelled automatically, even if you were sent an approval first.
Carry the licence
Keep it on your phone or printed. The forest police can ask to see it at the campsite, and you also need a separate trail booking for each classified trail you walk.
Open the camping licence on SIMplifica
Accepted, then cancelled?
This is the question we see most from hikers. An approval email is not the licence: if the fee is not paid in time, SIMplifica cancels the request, and a cancelled licence is not valid even when the nights still look taken on the calendar. Pay as soon as you are approved, and if it was cancelled, contact SIMplifica support (+351 800 29 90 90 or WhatsApp) with the request number before you book again.
Sources: SIMplifica: Licença para Campismo and its booking calendar; IFCN: camping in forest areas, updated 16 February 2026; Portaria 801/2025, articles 7, 10 and 11. Checked 23 October 2026.
All 21 official campsites in Madeira
From the IFCN sign at each zone: altitude, how you get there and what is on site. “Full in summer” counts the nights from May to September 2026 that were completely booked on SIMplifica.
Fanal and the north-west
The laurel forest above Porto Moniz and the western end of the plateau. Fanal is the one everybody wants.
- 1
Fanal
Always full in summerSeixal, Porto Moniz ·1,135 m · by road
Tents among the old til trees of the laurel forest. Bookings are limited to three nights.
- 5 tents
- Water
- No toilets
- Parking
- Max 3 nights
Full in summer: 153 of 153 nights
- 2
Porto Moniz
Porto Moniz ·655 m · by road
Above the town, the one zone with every facility on the sign and the closest to the start or end of a crossing in the north-west.
- 3 tents
- Water
- Toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
Full in summer: 140 of 153 nights
- 3
Cruzinhas
Fajã da Ovelha, Calheta ·1,235 m · on foot, by a dirt track
- 20 tents
- Water
- No toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
- No bins
Full in summer: 21 of 153 nights
- 4
Fonte do Bispo
Fajã da Ovelha, Calheta ·1,225 m · on foot only
- 15 tents
- Water
- Toilets
- Fireplace
- No bins
Full in summer: 70 of 153 nights
Paul da Serra
The high plateau, around 1,500 m, near the 25 Fontes and Rabaçal walks. Cold and windy at night, even in summer.
- 5
Ribeira do Alecrim
Calheta ·1,375 m · by road
- 3 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Parking
- No bins
Full in summer: 151 of 153 nights
- 6
Estanquinhos (Fontes Ruivas)
Calheta ·1,510 m · on foot only
- 3 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Fireplace
- No bins
Full in summer: 152 of 153 nights
- 7
Estanquinhos (Canhas)
Canhas, Ponta do Sol ·1,540 m · on foot, by a dirt track
- 5 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
Full in summer: 60 of 153 nights
- 8
Bica da Cana
Ponta do Sol ·1,560 m · by road
The largest zone on the island, with a picnic area, and the one most likely to have space.
- 50 tents
- Water
- Toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
Full in summer: 21 of 153 nights
- 9
Caramujo
São Vicente ·1,255 m · on foot, by a dirt track
- 4 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Parking
- No bins
Full in summer: 133 of 153 nights
The central mountains
Encumeada, Pico Ruivo and the roads up from Santana. The smallest zones on the island are here.
- 10
Chão dos Louros
Always full in summerSão Vicente ·805 m · by road
A forest park just below Encumeada, with every facility on the sign.
- 6 tents
- Water
- Toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
Full in summer: 153 of 153 nights
- 11
Pico Ruivo
Always full in summerFaial, Santana ·1,790 m · on foot only
A small, exposed patch just below the highest peak. Room for two tents, so plan the rest of the route as if it were full.
- 2 tents
- Water 200 m away
- Toilets 200 m away
- Fireplace 200 m away
- No bins
Full in summer: 153 of 153 nights
- 12
Boca das Voltas
Always full in summerSão Jorge, Santana ·780 m · on foot, by a dirt track
- 3 tents
- Water
- No toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
- No bins
Full in summer: 153 of 153 nights
- 13
Pico das Pedras
Santana ·895 m · by road
On the road up to Achada do Teixeira, the start of the short path to Pico Ruivo.
- 8 tents
- Water
- No toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
Full in summer: 150 of 153 nights
Poiso to Santo da Serra
The eastern mountains between Pico do Arieiro and Santo da Serra, with the big zones closest to Funchal.
- 14
Ribeiro Frio
Always full in summerRibeiro Frio, Santana ·925 m · on foot only
- 3 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Fireplace
- No bins
Full in summer: 153 of 153 nights
- 15
Chão das Feiteiras
Porto da Cruz, Machico ·1,230 m · on foot, by a dirt track
- 30 tents
- Water
- No toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
Full in summer: 85 of 153 nights
- 16
Poiso
Porto da Cruz, Machico ·1,395 m · by road
On the road to Pico do Arieiro, about 1,400 m up.
- 20 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Parking
Full in summer: 36 of 153 nights
- 17
Cruzes de Baixo
Camacha, Santa Cruz ·1,355 m · by road
- 3 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Parking
- No bins
Full in summer: 75 of 153 nights
- 18
Terreiros
Camacha, Santa Cruz ·1,290 m · by road
- 30 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Fireplace
- Parking
Full in summer: 18 of 153 nights
- 19
Carreiras
Camacha, Santa Cruz ·1,125 m · by road
- 15 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Parking
- No bins
Full in summer: 28 of 153 nights
- 20
Chão do Pasto
Santo António da Serra, Santa Cruz ·965 m · by road
- 10 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- Parking
- No bins
Full in summer: 25 of 153 nights
Ponta de São Lourenço
One zone at the end of the PR8, on the dry eastern tip of the island.
- 21
Casa do Sardinha
Always full in summerCaniçal, Machico ·25 m · on foot only
At the end of the PR8, by the quay, inside a protected area watched by nature wardens. Bookings are limited to three nights; carry in everything, including water, and carry it all out.
- 5 tents
- No water
- No toilets
- No bins
- Max 3 nights
Full in summer: 153 of 153 nights
Facilities, altitude and access: IFCN camping zone signs; “by road” means asphalt to the zone. Tent places and nights booked: SIMplifica, read 23 October 2026. Fireplaces are the only place a fire is allowed.
How full Madeira’s campsites get
We read the SIMplifica calendar for every camping zone, night by night, from January 2026. The pattern is simple: the small, famous zones are gone months ahead, and the big ones nearly always have room.
Share of tent places booked, all 21 zones, 2026
January was the quietest month (23% of places booked) and August the busiest (85%), when Madeiran families, who camp free, are on holiday too.
6 of 21 zones were booked every night from May to September 2026: Fanal, Chão dos Louros, Pico Ruivo, Boca das Voltas, Ribeiro Frio and Casa do Sardinha.
Pico Ruivo has room for 2 tents and was full every night we checked in 2026. On 23 October 2026, 55 of the next 90 nights were already taken.
Bica da Cana, the largest zone with 50 tent places, was full on only 21 of 153 summer nights. Cruzinhas, Poiso, Terreiros, Carreiras and Chão do Pasto were full on fewer than a quarter of them.
See all 21 zones, night by night
| Campsite | Tent places | May–Sep 2026 | Jan–Apr 2026 | Next 90 days, as of 23 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pico Ruivo | 2 | 153 of 153 | 120 of 120 | 55 of 90 |
| Boca das Voltas | 3 | 153 of 153 | 112 of 120 | 17 of 90 |
| Ribeiro Frio | 3 | 153 of 153 | 95 of 120 | 29 of 90 |
| Fanal | 5 | 153 of 153 | 120 of 120 | 30 of 90 |
| Casa do Sardinha | 5 | 153 of 153 | 111 of 120 | 11 of 90 |
| Chão dos Louros | 6 | 153 of 153 | 88 of 120 | 16 of 90 |
| Estanquinhos (Fontes Ruivas) | 3 | 152 of 153 | 104 of 120 | 25 of 90 |
| Ribeira do Alecrim | 3 | 151 of 153 | 103 of 120 | 14 of 90 |
| Pico das Pedras | 8 | 150 of 153 | 83 of 120 | 2 of 90 |
| Porto Moniz | 3 | 140 of 153 | 71 of 120 | 11 of 90 |
| Caramujo | 4 | 133 of 153 | 55 of 120 | 4 of 90 |
| Chão das Feiteiras | 30 | 85 of 153 | 6 of 120 | 1 of 90 |
| Cruzes de Baixo | 3 | 75 of 153 | 13 of 120 | 0 of 90 |
| Fonte do Bispo | 15 | 70 of 153 | 5 of 120 | 0 of 90 |
| Estanquinhos (Canhas) | 5 | 60 of 153 | 12 of 120 | 1 of 90 |
| Poiso | 20 | 36 of 153 | 0 of 120 | 0 of 90 |
| Carreiras | 15 | 28 of 153 | 0 of 120 | 0 of 90 |
| Chão do Pasto | 10 | 25 of 153 | 2 of 120 | 0 of 90 |
| Cruzinhas | 20 | 21 of 153 | 3 of 120 | 0 of 90 |
| Bica da Cana | 50 | 21 of 153 | 0 of 120 | 0 of 90 |
| Terreiros | 30 | 18 of 153 | 0 of 120 | 0 of 90 |
Method: each night counts as full when the bookings on SIMplifica reach the zone’s tent places. Read from the public availability calendar on 23 October 2026; residents’ free bookings are included. A full calendar does not mean a full field on the night (see below).
Booked out online, empty on the night
Hikers who crossed the island in 2026 keep reporting the same thing: zones that showed as full on SIMplifica with one or two tents on the night. The reason is the booking rules. A licence cannot be cancelled and the fee is lost if you do not turn up, so people who are unsure how far they will walk book the same zone for several nights, and the extra nights stay empty.
That does not make it fine to turn up without a licence. The licence is what makes the night legal, the forest police do check some zones, and at Pico Ruivo or Fanal there is barely space for the people who did book. If your zone is full, book the nearest zone that has space and take a taxi or a Bolt for the gap. Near Pico do Arieiro, Poiso and Terreiros are the zones most likely to have room; in the west, it is Bica da Cana.
“I met people telling me they booked a single campsite for multiple days in a row since they didn’t know when they’d exactly make it.”
“Don’t wild camp. Almost all the island is a natural reserve. There are not many rangers, but they know what they are looking for and the fines are massive.”
“Water is super easy. Many parts of the trail travel alongside levadas.”
Crossing Madeira with a tent
The island crossing many people call the GR1, from Porto Moniz to Caniçal or the other way round, takes most hikers five to eight days. There is no single permit for it.
- Permits
Book every trail and every zone
The crossing is not a classified route of its own: the IFCN’s list only has PR trails. Every PR you set foot on needs its own booking for that date and slot, and every night needs a camping licence for that zone. The IFCN does not plan crossings or check itineraries for you.
- The gap
The middle is closed
The PR1.3 is closed between Boca das Torrinhas and Encumeada, and the IFCN says that, for now, you cannot cross between the central peaks and Paul da Serra on classified trails. Walking a closed trail can cost a fine of €250 to €2,500, and it is closed because the IFCN does not consider it safe. One way round, used by hikers in 2026, is to come off the ridge on the PR2 at Boca das Torrinhas and take a taxi to Encumeada or Bica da Cana.
- Direction
Go east to west if you want the PR1
The ridge from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo is one way only past Pedra Rija, from Arieiro towards Ruivo. Starting in the east lets you walk it as part of the crossing. From west to east you would have to leave it out or do it as a separate day. How the PR1 works now.
- Food and water
Restock in the towns and at the passes
Plan to carry food between towns: Porto Moniz, São Vicente, Santana and Machico have supermarkets. Up in the mountains, hikers in 2026 found cafés or restaurants at Encumeada, Achada do Teixeira and the PR6 car park at Rabaçal, and there are restaurants on the road at Ribeiro Frio and Poiso. Water is rarely the problem, since many sections follow levadas and 10 of the 21 zones have water on the sign, but treat levada water before you drink it. The coastal Vereda do Larano in the north-east is the dry stretch.
- Gas
Buy it in Funchal
You cannot fly with gas canisters. Buy them in Funchal before you head to the start: outdoor shops such as Decathlon, in São Martinho, are the place to look. Call ahead to check they have the canister your stove takes.
- Weather
Pack for the plateau, not the beach
Paul da Serra and the central peaks sit at 1,400 to 1,800 m. Nights are cold, the wind can be strong and the fog comes in fast, even when Funchal is warm. One hiker’s only regret after a week here was a cheap tent that leaked and soaked the sleeping bag.
Sources: IFCN fees FAQ, questions 5.14 and 6.3; IFCN: classified walking routes, updated 2 October 2026; fine: DNotícias, 28 September 2025. Restaurants and water from 2026 crossing reports on r/HikingMadeira. Checked 23 October 2026.
How to book each trail on SIMplifica, with the fee calculator · Every PR trail on the map
Rules at the campsite
- Light a fire only in the fireplaces, and put it out completely before you leave. Everywhere else an open fire is forbidden.
- Keep at least 5 m between tents, unless you are the same household.
- Take every bit of rubbish back with you. Most zones have no bins.
- Do not cut plants or collect firewood, do not feed the animals, and keep the noise down.
- At Casa do Sardinha, pitch only on the area next to the quay and follow what the nature wardens tell you.
Why Madeirans care
Camping in the serra is a Madeiran tradition; the regional government calls it that in the rules for the camping zones. Residents camp free, and in August they fill the zones too. Most of the mountains are protected laurel forest and heath, and on the island’s forums locals are quick to say they report tents pitched in the wrong place. Camp where the sign says you can.
Sources: IFCN: camping in forest areas, updated 16 February 2026; IFCN: camping in the Ponta de São Lourenço protected area, checked 23 October 2026.
Questions about camping in Madeira
Can you wild camp in Madeira?
No. You can only camp in the 21 camping zones run by the IFCN, with a licence for the night. Most of the mountains are protected as the Madeira Natural Park or the UNESCO laurel forest, and the forest police do patrol: in May 2025 they stopped three British campers at Fanal who had a licence but had pitched outside the authorised area.
How much does camping cost in Madeira?
€5 per tent per night at the IFCN camping zones, paid on SIMplifica when you book (Portaria 801/2025). Madeira residents camp free. Some older guides, and Visit Madeira, still say the licence is free; that changed in 2026.
How far in advance can I book a campsite in Madeira?
90 days. SIMplifica opens each night 90 days before, so the window moves forward one day at a time: for a night on 15 May, booking opens around 14 February. The small zones (Fanal, Chão dos Louros, Pico Ruivo and Boca das Voltas) were booked every night of summer 2026, so book on the first day the window allows.
My camping permit was accepted, then cancelled because a deadline had passed. What happened?
Almost always it is the payment. SIMplifica approves the request and then expects the fee to be paid; under Portaria 801/2025 a fee that is not paid at least 48 hours before the date cancels the booking. A cancelled licence is not valid, even if the nights still show as taken on the calendar. Call or message SIMplifica support (+351 800 29 90 90, WhatsApp +351 926 155 465, working days, 9am to 6pm) with your request number, ask whether those nights were released, and book again for any night that is within the 90-day window.
Can I cancel a camping licence and get my money back?
No. Under the fee rules, cancelling or not turning up loses the whole fee. You only get a new date or a refund when the IFCN itself cancels, for example when it closes an area. Hikers say this is why some zones look full online and have empty pitches on the night: people book extra nights because they cannot cancel.
If I walk the same PR trail on two different days, do I need two bookings?
Yes. A trail booking on SIMplifica is for one trail, one date and one time slot, so the same trail on two days needs two bookings. You will not pay much more for it: the system applies the cheapest fee for you, and two or more trails on the same day cost €9 in total (€22.50 for three days, €52.50 for seven, PR1 not included).
Do they check camping permits in Madeira?
Sometimes. Hikers who crossed the island in 2026 describe few checks at campsites and more on the busiest trails, the PR1 and the PR8; one German hiker was checked twice on the trail by staff with the police. Do not plan around not being checked: it is your licence, not the guard, that makes the night legal.
Can I sleep in a campervan or a roof tent in Madeira?
Only in areas designated and licensed for it, with authorisation from the local council, according to Visit Madeira. The IFCN camping zones are for tents.
SIMplifica will not load from outside Portugal. What can I do?
Some hikers abroad report that the site does not open at all from their country and that it worked through a Portuguese connection (a VPN). If it still fails, contact SIMplifica support on +351 800 29 90 90 or WhatsApp +351 926 155 465. The IFCN confirms that camping licences are issued only through SIMplifica.
Prefer a bed after the walk?
For walks from a base, stay in Funchal or close to it and drive or take a transfer to the trailheads. For something in between, there is glamping on the west coast.