Poco do Inferno

Benfeita / Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela, Central Region, Portugal

About Poco do Inferno


Hiking Distance: about 400m round-trip
Suggested Time: 15 minutes

Date first visited: 2024-06-08
Date last visited: 2024-06-08

Waterfall Latitude: 40.37252
Waterfall Longitude: -7.51654

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Poco do Inferno (or Poço do Inferno; translated as the “well of Hell”) is an impressive high-altitude waterfall high up in the Serra da Estrela Nature Park above the scenic town of Manteigas.

At about 1080m in altitude, this waterfall is pretty much up in the weather, especially in the afternoons on a warm day.

Poco_do_Inferno_022_06082024 - The Poço do Inferno Waterfall
The Poço do Inferno Waterfall

This was certainly the case when I visited this waterfall as there were frequent lightning strikes that made me real nervous being up here under such weather.

Anyways, for all intents and purposes, this is said to be a roadside waterfall, but the challenge is driving up the narrow, winding, mountain road to get there.

It’s also possible to hike up to this waterfall from the town of Manteigas, but you’re looking at around a 7.5km distance if you’re really trying to avoid the drive or looking for a long excursion.

As for the waterfall itself, it’s where the Ribeira de Leandres drops a reported 10m (though I thought it might be closer to 15-20m tall) among a schist and granite landscape.

Poco_do_Inferno_005_06082024 - Walking on the narrow road between the car park and the Poço do Inferno
Walking on the narrow road between the car park and the Poço do Inferno

The Ribeira de Leandres Creek feeds the Rio Zêzere, which is the river that flows through the glacial valley harboring the rural and traditional town of Manteigas.

To access the waterfall, I drove up to the falls going south of Manteigas (see directions below) before stopping the car at a fairly sizable car park before the waterfall’s narrow gorge.

Once I parked, I walked a mere 400m round-trip to a steel bridge right in front of the Poço do Inferno, which involved a brief walk along the road, and then going up steps hugging some ledges with railings to hold onto.

Beyond the steel footbridge, it’s possible to get all the way down to the plunge pool fronting the Poço do Inferno, but there’s a lot of slippery and broken boulders making it a rather unsafe scramble in wet weather.

Poco_do_Inferno_036_06082024 - Context of the road bridge and the ledge trail leading up to the Poço do Inferno
Context of the road bridge and the ledge trail leading up to the Poço do Inferno

Overall, I spent a mere 15 minutes away from the car, but it took me around 30-45 minutes to make the drive (indicating just how much physical effort is involved compared to driving effort).

There were some picnic tables below the road on the downhill side for those wishing to prolong their time while enjoying the nature here.

Authorities

The Poço do Inferno Waterfall is in the Serra da Estrela Nature Park near the town of Manteigas of the Guarda District in the Centro Region of Portugal. It is not clear who administers the waterfall, but being in a protected area, I have to believe that the local municipalities and districts are in charge of the upkeep. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, you can try visiting the Centro de Portugal tourism website.

Drive_to_Poco_do_Inferno_019_MingSung_06092024 - An adventure to the Poço do Inferno starts with a drive from Manteigas towards its access road
Drive_to_Poco_do_Inferno_021_MingSung_06092024 - Crossing the road bridge over the Rio Zêzere en route to the access road for the Poço do Inferno
Drive_to_Poco_do_Inferno_023_MingSung_06092024 - The Poço do Inferno was pretty well signed throughout the drive
Drive_to_Poco_do_Inferno_026_MingSung_06092024 - Approaching the signed turnoff for the single-lane access road leading up to the Poço do Inferno
Drive_to_Poco_do_Inferno_030_MingSung_06092024 - On the narrow access road leading up to the Poço do Inferno
Drive_to_Poco_do_Inferno_042_MingSung_06092024 - Still ascending the winding road up to the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_001_06082024 - Finally making it to the car park for the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_006_06082024 - Approaching the Poço do Inferno along the narrow road. Note that there's no legal parking along this stretch, which was why they had the car park behind where this photo was taken
Poco_do_Inferno_037_06082024 - Checking out a picnic table and interpretive sign by the road bridge before the final ledge trail to the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_012_06082024 - Looking upstream at some cascades fronting the Poço do Inferno as seen from the road bridge
Poco_do_Inferno_020_06082024 - Looking back down at the narrow road and road bridge from the ledge trail leading closer to the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_033_06082024 - Ascending the ledge trail leading closer to the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_023_06082024 - Looking back at the ledge trail with railings on the way to the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_029_06082024 - Approaching the steel footbridge right in front of the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_025_06082024 - Looking past the footbridge towards the plunge pool of the Poço do Inferno, but to get down there, I would have to climb over those giant boulders, which were also very slippery in the rain
Poco_do_Inferno_021_06082024 - View of the Poço do Inferno from the steel footbridge
Poco_do_Inferno_004_iPhone_06082024 - Broad view of the Poço do Inferno surrounded by a combination of schist and granite cliffs
Poco_do_Inferno_030_06082024 - Heading back down to the narrow road on the way back from the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_032_06082024 - Closer look at the descent to the narrow road after having had my fill of the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_039_06082024 - After having my fill of Poço do Inferno, I explored where the other trails went
Poco_do_Inferno_041_06082024 - Continuing to explore one of the trails that went downhill away from the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_042_06082024 - It turned out that these other trails were merely for picnic tables and chilling out around Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_056_06082024 - Returning to the car park for the Poço do Inferno
Poco_do_Inferno_070_06082024 - On the way back to Manteigas, I stopped by the miradouro for this view of part of Manteigas and the Vale do Rio Zêzere
Poco_do_Inferno_071_06082024 - Another view towards part of Manteigas from the miradouro half-way on the narrow access road between the N522 and the Poço do Inferno


The Poço do Inferno Waterfall resides in the Serra da Estrela Nature Park near the town of Manteigas.

So I’ll describe the driving directions from Manteigas as you can easily navigate your way to the town from whatever direction you’re coming from.

Poco_do_Inferno_005_iPhone_06082024 - The miradouro overlooking the Vale do Rio Zêzere and Manteigas about half-way up the narrow road leading to the Poço do Inferno
The miradouro overlooking the Vale do Rio Zêzere and Manteigas about half-way up the narrow road leading to the Poço do Inferno

From the center of Manteigas, I drove southwards along the ER338 Road (Rua Comandante Matos Preto) for about 3.6km as it crossed a bridge over the Rio Zêzere and towards the N338 Road.

Not long after crossing the bridge over the Rio Zêzere and going past the Centro Interpretativo do Vale Glaciario do Zêzere, there was a well-signed sharp left turn onto a steeply ascending nearly single-lane road.

I pretty much followed this road for the final 5.6km to the car park for the Poço do Inferno.

About half way up along this mostly single-lane drive, there was a brief stop for a miradouro (lookout) peering right towards the town of Manteigas.

Poco_do_Inferno_001_iPhone_06082024 - The car park for the Poço do Inferno
The car park for the Poço do Inferno

Anyways, this roughly 9-10km drive took me round 30 minutes.

For context, Manteigas is about 40km (under an hour drive) southwest of Guarda, about 133km (about 2 hours drive) south of Lamego, 120km (over 2 hours drive) east of Coimbra, 149km (over 2.5 hours drive) southeast of Alvarenga, 178km (about 3 hours drive southeast of Porto, and 315km (about 3.5 hours drive) northeast of Lisbon.

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Somewhat long video showing the falls from the road bridge as well as the steel bridge with the narrow jaunt in between


Brief sweep showing the falls and its surroundings from the steel bridge

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Tagged with: guarda, serra de estrela, manteigas, central region, portugal



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Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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