Ultra X Madère

In 1418, Portuguese sailors lost at sea found a paradise island after days adrift ⛵️. They named this place “ Madeira ”, which means “wood” in Portuguese, due to the abundance of this raw material 🪵. And if, like them, you set off on an adventure? ⚔️ Welcome to the island of vertigo-inducing peaks, cliffs plunging into the Atlantic, and laurel forests so dense they’re UNESCO World Heritage-listed 😮. To explore this island far and wide, take part in the Ultra X Madeira, an event tailor-made for trail enthusiasts and D+ 📈.

Your November is shaping up to be memorable! 🍁 The Ultra X Madeira, it’s your ticket to a wild adventure amid a breathtaking volcanic landscape 💨. On the menu: 4 distances, so everyone can push themselves to the limit 🥵. If you’re an extreme runner who isn’t afraid of a challenge, we’ve got the 110 km to conquer in two days 📍. With a total of 3 685 mD+, this course will test your mind and legs 🦵. Looking for something a little softer? The event also offers a 60 km with just as much elevation (yes, it’s tough 😵‍💫), a 50 km at 2 815 mD+, or a 25 km that, despite its “small” label, packs 1 970 mD+, will remind you that in Madeira, everything is on a slope! From the town of Machico, a charming little town on the east of the island where you’ll base yourself, you’ll start this tropical odyssey 🦜. The routes will wind you along the famous levadas, an irrigation network 💧 stretching over 2 000 km, which traces narrow paths across the island 🛤️. This network emerged in the XVIème siècle to boost sugar cane agriculture, the true “white gold” of the era 🌾. Thus, water from the north slope was channeled to crops in the south of the island 🤓. This route will take you through Madeira’s most picturesque landscapes 😍. If you have vertigo, take a deep breath: some ridges are so sheer that the Atlantic Ocean seems ready to gulp the cliffs 😨.

The adventure ends in Machico, where it all began 👇. Once there, explore the surroundings and sample the local gastronomy 😋. Since Madeira never does things halfway, even its wines are adventurers 🧑‍🌾. The famous Madeira wine owes its unique taste to a transport mishap: in the XVIᵉ siècle, barrels shipped to colonies heated under the tropical sun in ship holds 🌞, then returned to the sender... Result: a caramelized nectar that became iconic 🍷. But Madeira isn’t known only for its wine ❌. To reward yourself after all that effort, go try a local specialty: espetadas, ultra-fresh fish, or exotic fruits that grow everywhere 🥭. And before you head back, save a bit of energy for the most unusual local attraction: the basket-carved sled ride in Funchal 🛷. These quirky vehicles glide on two kilometers of road at full speed, propelled by two sturdy folks wearing straw hats 👒. It’s a little thrill after your ultra, a way to vary the thrills ⚡️.

So, ready to devour Madeira’s ridges? ⛰️