Canyon in Madeira
Ribeira da Água do Vento (inferior)
Extreme · v6a3 III
Rappels: 15 · Max waterfall: 170 m · Min rope: 160 m
This is the home of Madeira's "Mega", the 170m waterfall (R10), and everything about the canyon revolves around it. The big drop is stunning and spectacular, and the two or three high waterfalls that follow are very beautiful, especially with higher winter flow. You barely move on the first half of the rappel, so sit back and enjoy the view. First-timers on the Mega should not descend in Vertaco on thicker (10mm) rope, as it makes the rappel far harder and more tiring; Vertaco on a new 8.7mm rope, by contrast, works perfectly.
Current status
As of December 2025All equipment works well, with some anchors ageing; the usual rope jam on the big fall can be overcome with a new slippery rope; higher winter flow makes the lower waterfalls very beautiful.
Season and flow
Flow ranges from low (typical of July, August, October and November) to medium/strong in January, sometimes medium and increasing downstream. The canyon is not very slippery.
Anchors and re-equipment
The rope-retrieval problem on R10. Almost every descent runs into the same issue: when pulled, the rope falls into sharp cracks in the last ~50m and jams. Solutions that work: careful flipping for ~10 minutes; two people as counterweight plus a third pulling; a slippery brand-new rope, which comes down with some effort (when it sticks in the last metres it can be freed from the right side looking at the fall). In August 2023 someone had to climb up the forest on river right to free it from a ledge. In April 2023 a rope abandoned by a foreign group that had recently been rescued was still lying at the base of R10. A 180m rope gives a comfortable bottom belay (152m needed). The right-bank anchors for R8 to R10, installed in January 2018 to avoid crossing banks, are in good condition. The old fixed handrail to the C170 was in poor shape in 2013 and was removed in February 2015.
Other anchors and hazards. The equipment is generally reliable and per the description of the route; some anchors could need refreshment and the R15 anchor shows rust. Backup ropes were replaced in January 2018. On R11 and R13 the rebelays are easy to miss; descending straight from R13 is fine. The last three rappels have rope rub; watch for rockfall on R12. A rope with maillon was left on R13 in July 2025. The deviations on R12/R15 are not needed in low flow.
Access and exit
The approach from Paúl takes about 1h10 to 1h45; alternatively approach via the finish (Chão da Ribeira, Lombo Barbinhas) or from the final parking (1h30). The descent takes 4 to 5h for groups of 3 to 7. The return path is unclear; there is a handrail in the riverbed.
Official notes
Before the C170m there are some slides that should be avoided in high flow. The first rebelay of the C170m is delicate (if you choose the left bank) because of the diagonal that has to be made. Care is needed when retrieving the rope on this waterfall as there is a danger of it jamming as it falls. The big rappel can be done with shorter ropes although the rebelays have not been measured: there is a first deviation 15m below R10 and another 30m further down, then an M12 rebelay (one hanger missing) and another lower down, so 100m ropes should be possible. On the last waterfall it is possible to descend avoiding the deviations, watch the rope rub.
Anchors, flow and access change with every storm and every winter. Treat the current status as a snapshot and check the latest conditions before any descent.
Technical data
Official technical sheet
Detailed data, history and technical notes are maintained by Clube Aventura da Madeira on the Canyons da Madeira website.
Nearby and similar canyons
Other sections of the same stream, canyons in the same area, and canyons of a similar grade.