Current as of: August 2, 2025 - 21:02
Current as of: August 2, 2025 - 21:02
3 out of 7 - Moderate
Adrift from mainland Spain, the Canary Islands form a dramatic archipelago, each offering a unique landscape to explore on foot. On this adventure, we hike two of the most scenic, led by a guide who knows all the best trails. Starting in Tenerife, you’ll marvel at volcanic-sand beaches, mighty peaks and otherworldly rock formations. Then, catch the ferry – keeping your eyes peeled for playful dolphins – to tranquil La Gomera. Nicknamed the Walker’s Island, it’s laced with extensive trails through subtropical rainforest and scenes of raw, untamed beauty.
Highlights
This trip is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.
Walks profile: All walks take between 3hr 30min and five hours. Prepare from some strenuous descents on loose terrain, which can be difficult for those with knee problems.
Terrain: The path type varies between traditional footpaths, cobbled tracks, uneven sections, forests and coastal trails. The walks are manageable for those with a good level of fitness.
Water safety: This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.
Adult min age: 16
Min group size: 4
Max group size: 16
Begin your adventure in Puerto de la Cruz, a seaside city of volcanic-sand beaches, flower gardens and quaint cobbled streets.
Around 6pm, say hola to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.
Your tour leader then ensures a big Canarian welcome by arranging a group dinner.
Want more time in Puerto de la Cruz? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Accommodation: Hotel Marquesa (or similar)
Lacing up our walking boots, we begin our first hike of the trip straight from the hotel, taking the coastal Rambla de Castro trail. It links El Burgado and San Pedro viewpoints, via a combination of cobbled sections, dirt tracks and traditional footpaths with beautiful scenery and historic sites to see en route.
From the first viewpoint, El Burgado, we see Los Roques beach and the mortalón, a rock formation created during the landslide that formed the Orotava Valley. We then finish the route by following the signs to Hacienda de Castro, next to the San Pedro viewpoint. Here, we learn about geomorphology, see large numbers of nesting birds and visit one of the few remaining palm groves in the north of the island.
On our walk today, we also discover: the ruins of the Elevador de Aguas de Gordejuela, the first water pumping station in Tenerife to use a steam engine; the San Fernando fort, built at the end of the 18th century; La Casona, former residence of the Castro family; and the 16th-century San Pedro chapel.
Finishing our walk, we take a public bus or taxi (not included) back to Puerto de la Cruz.
Accommodation: Hotel Marquesa (or similar)
Take a transfer (1hr 30min) this morning into Teide National Park, a dramatic landscape shaped by volcanic activity. On our first hike today, we see the emblematic rock formation known as the Roque Cinchado (or Finger of God), before moving to the immense plain of Llano de Ucanca and the beautiful Ucanca viewpoint, where we gaze over Mount Teide, the highest mountain in Spain, and other rugged peaks.
Finishing, we have a 20-minute bus transfer deeper into Teide National Park to the foot of Sámara volcano, the start point of the Sámara loop trail. This relatively flat route takes us over dark layers of tephra (volcanic material) with the chance to see Canary Island pines, colonisers of these still young volcanic terrains, kestrels and Tenerife lizards.
In the afternoon, on our way back to Puerto de La Cruz, we visit Garachico, considered by many to be the most beautiful town on the island. No doubt this is due to the stunning historic and artistic heritage within the old quarter, as well as the surrounding nature of palm trees and banana plantations adorning a particularly steep volcanic landscape.
Accommodation: Hotel Marquesa (or similar)
Enjoy a free morning to relax, going to the beach or shopping. In the afternoon, we catch a transfer (1hr 30min) to the coastal town of Los Cristianos, where we take a ferry (50 minutes) to La Gomera, keeping our eyes peeled for wild dolphins.
Our island base is San Sebastián de la Gomera, the main city on La Gomera, known locally as La Villa. It’s best known for being Cristopher Columbus’s last stop in Europe before he crossed the Atlantic, while the old town is a beautiful collection of colourful Canarian-style houses and traditional businesses.
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Gomera (or similar)
Take a 30-minute transfer this morning to Mirador de Agando, where we start walking the Barranco de Santiago trail, beginning with a steep descent through a pine forest towards the abandoned hamlet of Benchijigua, once an important farming centre for the production of tomatoes and palm tree honey.
Reaching the hamlet, the trail gets less steep, and we follow a riverbed to the village of Lo del Gato, then Pastrana and finally the coastal town of Playa de Santiago, where we can relax or swim before our bus transfer (45 minutes) back to San Sebastián.
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Gomera (or similar)
After a 40-minute transfer, we begin hiking a footpath in the heart of Garajonay National Park, home to the best-preserved laurel forests in the Canary Islands. Our route takes us through a 20m-year-old subtropical rainforest that looks like a set from Jurassic Park, before we reach the hamlet of El Cedro.
After lunch, we walk another 4mi (6km), mainly uphill, but not too steep, to the car park at Reventón Oscuro, where we catch our 30-minute transfer to San Sebastián.
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Gomera (or similar)
Head north this morning, taking a one-hour transfer to the Chorros de Epina (the Jets of Epina), on the edge of Garajonay National Park. Here, spring water flows through seven wooden pipes, and it’s said that those who drink the waters will be happy in love and have good fortune.
From the jets, we follow the GR132 footpath, enjoying lovely ocean views, before we arrive at the Ermita de Santa Clara viewpoint, where there is also a picnic area.
We then walk down for another 3mi (4.5km) through a bush forest to a valley and the beautiful village of Vallehermoso, at the foot of the prominent Roque Cano.
In Vallehermoso, there are several cafes and restaurants, where we can relax for a while before catching our one-hour transfer to San Sebastián.
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Gomera (or similar)
You’ve explored the most beautiful trails in Tenerife and La Gomera, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home.
After breakfast, we take the ferry back to Los Cristianos, Tenerife, before a bus transfer (15 minutes) to Tenerife South Airport, where the adventure ends.
Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.
We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort. To help you find your ideal adventure, each trip is given a Comfort Level rating, which indicates the overall standard of accommodation. For more on our ratings, see our Comfort Level guidelines.
Worth knowing
Food in the Canary Islands is a local take on the cuisines of Spain and Latin American, relying heavily on the fresh produce grown in the volcanic soil and seafood from the surrounding waters.
We recommend you allow approximately €50 per day for meals, coffees and other drinks. So approximately €300-€350 overall; however, this depends on which restaurants you choose.
Transfers are by private minibus, plus there’s a ferry between the two islands.
The Canary Islands have a mild, spring-like climate for most of the year, which make for ideal hiking conditions. The summer, between June and August, typically experiences temperatures of 24C-30C (75F-86F), while winter, December to February, is normally 17C-22C (63F-72F).
Start hotel: Hotel Marquesa, C. Quintana, 11, 38400 Puerto de la Cruz, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Phone: +34 922 38 31 51
Recommended arrival time: There is a welcome briefing around 6pm, followed by a welcome dinner
Airport: Tenerife South Airport (TFS)
The start hotel is approximately 1hr 10min drive from the airport. We provide one group transfer from the airport to the hotel, which you can join at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.
The adventure ends at Tenerife South Airport, allowing you to catch your onwards flight. Please speak to your sales representative for the time of the transfer.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife
Location end: Tenerife South Airport
Please note, tap water is safe to drink in the area, which means all you need to do is refill your bottle at the hotel. Please add this to your packing list as this will save on wasteful plastic bottles.
Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Spain. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/spain
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/spain
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Spain.html
There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus and rabies. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.
Spain's time zone: Europe/Madrid (UTC +02:00)
Spain's electricity: Plug type F (two round pins) – 230V, 50Hz
Spain's currency: Euros (EUR)
Cashpoints are available throughout Tenerife and La Gomera.
Although optional, a tip for the leader at the end of the trip is greatly appreciated. As a guideline, we recommend each person contributes between €20 and €25 for the tour leader. It is also customary to leave a tip for the driver. This can be handed to your leader at the end of the trip. For your driver, we recommend approximately €15-€20 per person.
As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.
We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.
This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony though practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.
Your Safe Participation
When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call us and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary.
Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity.
By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.
Seatbelts
All vehicles used by us should be equipped with working seatbelts, except where approved by us based on the vehicle type or journey. Wherever seatbelts are available, we require our customers to use them for their own safety, even where it may not be a legal requirement.
Speak to our friendly team of experts to plan your adventure:
After booking
You will receive a confirmation document and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements. Our dedicated Customer Operations team will help you with any pre-travel questions or arrangements and can easily add extensions or extra accommodation to your booking. Final Joining Instructions will usually be sent out two to three weeks prior to departure.
Adding transfers to your booking
If you have arranged your own flights and would like to add transfers to your booking, please provide your arrival and departure details to our Customer Operations team around four to six weeks before departure.
Trip Note validity
Trip notes may be updated after booking; if any updates significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary you will be advised in writing. A link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes will be sent out with your Final Joining Instructions before departure.
The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes, and occasionally it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.