Online, the Madeira Crossing is often presented as the “GR1”, an official long-distance trail since 2026. The reality is more nuanced, and it is worth knowing before you go.
An official Grande Rota project
The project does exist. Presented by the regional government in October 2022, it planned a Grande Rota of about 93 km from Machico to Porto Moniz, in 3 to 4 days, through all ten of the island's municipalities: 60% on existing trails, 40% on new paths. The IFCN carried out the works between May 2024 and March 2025 (EU EAFRD funding of about €400,000), including new links between the PR14 and the PR13 and between the PR6.5, Estanquinhos and Bica da Cana.
No official classification yet
As of 9 November 2026, the IFCN's official list of classified trails includes only short trails (PR), and no act published in the region's official journal classifies any “GR”. The IFCN even states that it does not validate long-distance crossings. Websites that talk about an “official GR1” do not cite any legal text.
In practice, the crossing links official PR trails (PR5, PR10, PR1, PR1.3, PR17, PR6.5, PR13.1, PR13, PR14, PR15) and a few link paths built by the IFCN. Each PR trail is booked and paid for separately; there is no “crossing” ticket.
Madeiran law (DLR 24/2022/M) prohibits presenting a trail as officially classified if it is not. That is why we talk about the “Madeira Crossing” and not an “official GR1”. We will update this page as soon as a classification is published.
Where does our route come from?
As no official track has been published, our route is reconstructed from the trails in OpenStreetMap, following the most credible Grande Rota track (about 88 km, dated October 2025, which matches the links built by the IFCN exactly). It is about 90 km long: not all the new links have been mapped.
Which direction?
No direction is official, but the PR1 is one-way from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo after the Miradouro da Pedra Rija. To use it, the crossing is therefore walked from east to west, from Poço do Gil (Caniçal tunnel) to Ribeira da Janela.
Other guides
- Madeira trail fees and bookings: SIMplifica guide (2026–2027)
- Madeira trail closures: is the Madeira Crossing open?
- Camping in Madeira: camping zones, permits and rules
- Buses and taxis for the Madeira Crossing
- When to walk the Madeira Crossing? Climate and seasons
- Safety, water and rescue on the Madeira Crossing
- Packing list for the Madeira Crossing
- Madeira Crossing budget: how much does it cost?