L-SERRAAGUA (Levada da Serra de Água) is a 17.1 km, hard, community route. 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 1123m up on this ridge. That is what the live score is for.
Go or wait today?
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 Levada da Serra de Água is right now, then gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
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Download GPX: free offline map
Grab the full GPS track and waypoints for Levada da Serra de Água 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.About Levada da Serra de Água
A full crossing of the island's spine, from the church at Serra de Água over the Encumeada saddle and down into Curral das Freiras, on the route Câmara Municipal da Ribeira Brava publishes. It climbs past the Levada do Norte, traverses the old Caminho Real da Encumeada that once linked Estreito de Câmara de Lobos to the pass, and drops by the Vereda da Fajã Escura into the valley. Allow a full day: the council counts five to six hours. Two things to plan around. Our track measures 17.07 km against the 14 km the council leaflet prints, so budget for the longer figure rather than the shorter one. And about four kilometres of the high traverse run along the ticketed PR1.3 Vereda da Encumeada, which costs 4.50 EUR on SIMplifica and is required to walk that section legally.
Levada da Serra de Água (L-SERRAAGUA) is a loop route of about 17.1 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
Along the way you'll find a levada water-channel path, panoramic viewpoints, laurel forest (laurisilva), waterfalls and a mountain summit.
Landmarks on the route include Encumeada, Relvinha, Tapeiro, Pico Grande, Ferreiro and Jorge.
The path runs between roughly 939 m and 1,123 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Levada da Serra de Água is officially graded hard by IFCN, based on 17.1 km and 437 m of ascent.
How long it takes
Allow about 5h one way.
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 Igreja da Serra de Água (Estrada Regional). Ends at Igreja do Curral das Freiras. The car park at the start has room for about 30. Point to point; arrange transport from Curral das Freiras
What to bring
This trail passes through a tunnel, so bring a head torch.
Best time to walk it
High trails are best early: clear summits and the chance of a sunrise above the clouds before the cloud builds.
A live 0-100 score picks the best 30-minute window for the day. See today's window in the app.
Frequently asked questions
Is Levada da Serra de Água worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Levada da Serra de Água, 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 Levada da Serra de Água?
Levada da Serra de Água is about 17.1 km (loop).
How difficult is Levada da Serra de Água?
Levada da Serra de Água is officially graded hard by IFCN.
How long does Levada da Serra de Água take to walk?
Allow about 5h.
Can I download a GPX track for Levada da Serra de Água?
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.
Is Levada da Serra de Água free to walk?
Yes. Levada da Serra de Água needs no reservation and has no fee. Only the regulated official PR trails require a paid SIMplifica booking; this one you simply walk.
Where does Levada da Serra de Água start and finish?
Levada da Serra de Água starts at Igreja da Serra de Água (Estrada Regional) and finishes at Igreja do Curral das Freiras.
What will I see on Levada da Serra de Água?
Highlights include a levada water-channel path, panoramic viewpoints, laurel forest (laurisilva), waterfalls and a mountain summit.
Are there tunnels on Levada da Serra de Água? Do I need a torch?
Yes, Levada da Serra de Água passes through a tunnel, so bring a head torch.
How do I check live conditions for Levada da Serra de Água?
Levadas scores Levada da Serra de Água from 0 to 100 using live weather, official status and crowd signals, refreshed every 20 minutes. Open the trail in the app to see the live score and the best time to go today.