Ribeira do Inferno
not verifiedpermit unconfirmed 2026-08-19
Ungraded
High flood risk
Sao Vicente, Madeira
Madeira's deep one: 27 rappels and over 1,800 feet of loss in basalt. A V-commitment day, with jump opportunities mixed into the rappel sequence.
Aka Ribeira Pau do Inferno and Paúl de Inferno. Recent (2024) trip reports describe it as the island's most impressive descent for groups who can manage the duration and commitment. Pair only with very settled weather; the V grade means no easy bailouts.
Logistics
| Manager | Parque Natural da Madeira |
|---|---|
| Permit | RopeWiki's Red Tape section is empty and its infobox carries no Permits field, so access here is unverified rather than confirmed free. |
| Distance | 1.9 mi |
| Elevation | ~1,870 ft loss |
| Time | 5 to 7 hr (40 min approach, 4-6 hr descent, 5-30 min exit) |
| Technical | FFME 4C III (v4a3 V). 27 rappels, longest 50 m (164 ft). Basalt with slick sections and boulder scrambling. Swift water class a3, full wetsuit mandatory. |
| Flood risk | High. North-facing Madeira ribeira with a long descent line; weather closes in fast and the V commitment grade reflects the lack of escape options. Cancel on any forecast precipitation. |
| Vehicle access | 2WD with 3.7 km shuttle required |
| Crowd | Low. The length and commitment filter most groups out. |
| Coordinates | 32.7884, -17.0771 |