Travel writer and Canaries expert Ervin Cenmurati reveals his top five hiking destinations in the Spanish archipelago.
The Canary Islands are a heaven for holidaymakers, with the archipelago attracting visitors throughout the year. Aside from the guaranteed sun and fantastic beaches, the Canaries are blessed with other natural wonders that relatively few have explored. The fact that the 13 islands are sitting on one of the largest volcanic regions in the world means the landscape has constantly changed. What better way to appreciate this unique setting than a hiking holiday? Here’s our guide to the top five hiking destinations in the Canaries:
1. La Gomera
Crossing over to this small island is well worth it. Here you’ll find a trekking haven for beginners and those who prefer something more challenging. Just over 40 minutes from Tenerife by ferry (there is a small local airport but it closes early in the evenings), La Gomera boasts lush mini rainforests, jaw-dropping gorges, banana plantations and a community that’s developed one of the best languages a man can know: whistling. Yes, that’s right, ‘El Silbo’ is a recognised language that inhabitants of La Gomera use to communicate over long distances, spreading the word for various events such as weddings. It has been proclaimed one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, and is so natural to listen to that many confuse it with the sound of local birdsong.
2. Tenerife
One of the largest of the Canaries, Tenerife offers the visitor a fantastic range of hiking and trekking tours. One of the best known is an exploration of Mount Teide, the islands’ largest and highest peak. One for real trekking enthusiasts, this is a challenge that promises beautiful gorges and a breathtaking landscape on the approach to Masca Village: a small and traditional inland settlement that can also be accessed by car – but that’s cheating. Other famous treks worth considering are crossing over to nearby El Hierro, or finding hidden beaches like Playa Bollullo, Playa de los Patos or – the most challenging but also the most rewarding – Playa del Ancón.
3. Lanzarote
Lanzarote offers great choice for hikers, especially around the coastal areas of Risco de Famara, Charco del Paolo and La Galeria de Famara. If you like the luxury of a private pool – but the way that nature intended – then from Costa Teguise trek to Cueva del Agua, where a stunning natural pool has been formed among the rocks. Lanzarote’s landscape offers fantastic walks inland too, especially in the Timanfaya National Park – though for more of an unusual challenge it’s worth visiting the smaller neighbouring islands of La Graciola and Isla del Lobos. One word of advice: Lanzarote’s cooled magma and the rocky landscape means it’s necessary to invest in some proper trekking shoes.
4. Gran Canaria
Famous for the sand dunes of Maspalomas and the fantastic scenery at dawn or dusk for romantic walk, this is Gran Canaria – where keen hikers find inhabited cave villages like Guayadeque and the breathtaking scenery and vertical cliffs of the Barranco Hormiguero Canyon near San Felipes. Off the beaten tracks and spectacular mountain scenery are abundant in Gran Canaria, and when you throw in the year-round beautiful weather it’s hard to resist the temptation of not visiting the second-most populous of the Canary Islands.
5. Fuerteventura
Last but not least is Fuerteventura – an island famous for its watersports, especially windsurfing, where every year the world championships and rallies are hosted. The second-largest Canary Island offers easier-going treks than its island neighbours as its landscape is generally flatter. An excellent selection of coastal hikes can be found throughout the island, especially around Dunes Natural Park near Corralejo or Jandia Natural Park. Other routes to be considered are the volcanic mountain range in the north of the island near Colorada Mountain, or a coast to coast trek from Costa Calma to La Pared.
Ervin Cenmurati is an expert travel consultant at Directline Holidays and a freelance travel writer in his free time. He has travelled extensively around Europe and particularly enjoys finding rarities and venturing off the beaten path.