Cascata da Ribeira Quente

Cascata da Ribeira Quente is a big single drop waterfall near the village of Ribeira Quente on the Island Sao Miguel (Azores), Portugal. From Furnas it is a short and very beautiful drive to the waterfall, a must to do.

Cascata da Ribeira Quente is located near the Ribeira Quente’s tunnel when driving from Furnas to Ribeira Quente (road EN2-2a). Park the car somewhere outside the tunnel and walk back into the tunnel of freedom, to the waterfall. When I was there, August 2022, there was a lot of construction works outside of the tunnel, so I don’t know if the situation changes.

The picture is taken from the car, in the tunnel, during some heavy rainfall by my colleague Joelle Jutte. The rain shower was too heavy to walk to the base of waterfall. When we where at Cascata da Ribeira Quente the weather was good and a short beautiful walk takes you in 5-10 minutes to (almost) the bottom of the waterfall. There is no official path and the challenge is to keep dry feet. At the end you have to be a very good climber to climb further.

Of all waterfalls on the Island Sao Miguel (Azores), Cascata da Ribeira Quente is my favorite waterfall. It is hard to describe in words why this waterfall is so beautiful. The power, the beauty of the surrounding, the colors, the flowers, everything is perfect.

Cascata da Ribeira Quente is higher than I expected. At the top of the big drop there is also a smaller second jump of (I think) 6 meter. I think the total height is somewhere around 60 meters. It is difficult to estimate a height, but I think the single drop is somewhere between 40-50 meters. 

If you don’t want to walk, Cascata da Ribeira Quente is also visible from the middle of the tunnel. The waterfall that has a thermal source (Quente means hot in English). I must say that I didn’t noticed that the water was warmer. What also is nice to know is that there is a lot of iron in the water which is responsible for the beautiful colors in the river and rocks.