Our seven best hikes in the Canary Islands

If you associate canaries with cages, think again, because our Canary Island trips are all about wilderness, freedom and adventures that let you soar high. They do, however, have the most glorious golden yellow glow, as these Spanish islands have some of the most sun-filled skies throughout the year. Having recently doubled our Canary collection, we’re chirping with excitement about our walking holidays throughout the archipelago. Where to start though? With so many beautiful babies in that nest of natural wonders, we’ve chosen our seven best hikes in the Canary Islands, some sub-tropical, others sheer volcanic. They are all day hikes that are part of longer walking holidays, but these ones are our highlights.

Orzola to Haría, Lanzarote

Lanzarote is a wild and rugged landscape with Timanfaya National Park protecting much of its dramatic volcanic splendour. Most of this geological transformation took place in the 1730s, and it now proffers hiking terrain with a mix of black beaches, natural lava pools, undulating wilderness and volcanic cones. It’s also traversed by the GR131 trail which takes you through the national park, and beyond. Our favourite hike is at the start of this trail, between Orzola and Haría, although there are plenty more spectacles on each day after that.

We particularly love it because it takes in so many different aspects of Lanzarote, starting in the traditional harbour town of Orzola, followed by an ascent to Risco de Famara (a 23km-long Famara cliff), a saunter along the side of the ancient volcano, La Corona, and a descent through the Valley of a Thousand Palm Trees. The day comes to a close in the mountain village of Haría, which was home to the island’s hero of architecture, art and sustainability, and where his house is now a museum. You can also take on part of this walk on our other Walking in Lanzarote holiday, which includes a hike on La Graciosa, a beautiful islet off Orzola.

Distance: 14.3km
Walking time: 4.5h

The walk up from Orzola on the coast to Haría is packed with stunning sea views.

Mount Guajara, Tenerife

The largest island of the archipelago, at just over 2,000km², Tenerife is dominated by the often snow-capped Mount Teide, a dormant volcano which is also Spain’s highest peak, at 3,715m. Although you can climb to its summit, and it’s a spectacular one, you need a permit to do so. Which not everyone always manages to bag in time. Which is why we’re opting for Mount Guajara as our top trek instead, the third highest peak on the island at 2,730m and from which you get one of the best views of Mount Teide anyway.

Mount Guajara is also in Teide National Park, which protects the volcanic landscapes all around. This is a barren but beautiful walk, with a steep incline up to the peak, but with views across the whole island, to the iconic Caldera del Rey and the other islands beyond. This is definitely a canary’s-eye view and you can go for Guajara on this Tenerife hiking highlights holiday, which also has a day built into the itinerary to summit Mount Teide.

Distance: 16km
Walking time: 5h

Roque Nublo, Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is the most populated of the Canary Islands, but it also has some of the highest numbers of mountains, so there are plenty of exquisite escape routes. Our star trek (and it does feel as if you’re walking in another universe sometimes in the Canaries) is to Roque Nuble, an iconic 67m tall volcanic rock at 1,813m, with views across the island’s jigsaw of ravines. The walk starts in the village of Tejeda where you stay the night before, and from which you get superb sunrise views across Nublo Rural Park, which is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The trek follows steep zig-zag trails which are dusty and dramatic, but also aromatic as you hit the cooling pine-covered paths closer to the rock. If you can see it, that is, because sometimes it is enveloped in clouds, which is why its name translates as ‘cloud rock’. It’s also shrouded in mystery, and thought to be a sacred place for the island’s indigenous Guanches. Once you get there, the views are second to none and, for the descent, you follow a different route through more pine forest and volcanic terrain down to a bus stop where you can be picked up for the return, or extend the hike by two hours and walk back along ancient trails to Tejeda.

Distance: 12km
Walking time: 5.5h

The rock ‘n roll of hikes on Gran Canaria.

Garajonay National Park, La Gomera

La Gomera doesn’t have an airport, which has been its saving grace in terms of avoiding mass tourism. Accessible by ferry from Tenerife, this is the greenest member of the family, with a sub-tropical outlook and a commitment to protecting its biodiverse beauty with much of it designated as Garajonay National Park. Walk into the heart of the park on day two of our week-long walking holiday there, to take on a trek through this sub-tropical rainforest and dense laurel woodland. Continue to ascend along a path, past twisted laurel trees which are covered in ancient lichens and moss. It feels otherworldly on this part of the trail until you emerge at the top, where you have a view across the entire island, as well as to La Palma, El Hierro and the iconic volcanic peak of El Teide on Tenerife. From this totally uplifting place, and one that is so very different from the other Canary Islands, you descend to the ancient village of Chipude, dating back to pre-Hispanic and indigenous Guanche times. As this is just on the outskirts of the national park, you can get great sunset views from your accommodation here. Don’t miss a visit to its chapel, Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Chipude.

You can also explore Garajonay National Park on our La Gomera holiday that’s combined with hikes in Tenerife, or as part of a three island idyll.

Distance: 13km
Walking time: 5-6h

“Fantastic, well-organised hike! – a brilliant trip, highly recommended. Very well organised by The Natural Adventure. They give you lots of navigation and general info so it’s hard to get lost. Scenery was spectacular, particularly days one to four.” – Luce from Brisbane on our La Gomera walking holiday.

Camino de la Ermita and Mirador de Bascos, El Hierro

If you want to explore one of the quietest Canary Islands, then walking in El Hierro ticks a lot of beautiful boxes. This is a mountainous, volcanic island, steeped in ancient and religious heritage, with sacred trees and remote chapels, laurisilva forests and clifftop caminos. Our chosen day hike takes in a lot of these aspects, following a trail on the west of the island. You start beside a volcanic crater and then ascend through lava flows to Bosque de las Sabinas Embrujadas, which translates as forest of the haunted junipers. Juniper trees are the island’s emblem, and these ones are twisted, eroded and survivors of life against the elements.

It all feels very old and sacred up in these parts, as you also follow an ancient trail to Mirador de Bascos, with views over El Golfo Valley. The path then continues towards Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Los Reyes, a hermitage dedicated to the island’s patron saint. This is considered the most sacred point on the island and, every four years, in July, a statue of the saint is carried down from here, in a procession, to Villa de Valverde. This is quite a sight, and the next ones are in July 2025 and 2029.

Distance: 12.4km
Walking time: 5-6h

Hiking in the Canaries helps put life in perspective. The view from Mirador de Bascos on the island of El Hierro.

Tefía to Betancuria, Fuerteventura

Our walking holiday in Fuerteventura is along the island’s north to south GR131 trail, which covers approximately 170km of the island. The GR131 actually links all of the Canarian islands and, on Fuerteventura, it’s also called the Camino Natural de Fuerteventura. Nature certainly gives generously and wildly throughout, and our top trek delves deeply into her wonders. Start in Tefía, where you spend the night before, which is good news given that this is the location of the island’s observatory, so it’s a place of incredible dark, wide open skies. It wasn’t always so open though, as Tefía has a dark history of having been home to a prison for homosexuals during the Franco era.

Looking ahead to more positive times, your trek takes you on flat, wide open terrain as far as Santa Inés Valley, where you start an ascent to Mirador de Guise y Ayose, one of the island’s most magnificent viewpoints across its soft, rolling landscapes. It’s also home to two 4m-high bronze statues, celebrating the ancient Guanche kings of the island. From here, the path descends to Betancuria, considered to have one of the finest collections of colonial architecture on the island. It certainly has plenty of churches, as well as the Museum of Sacred Art and a Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography.

Distance: 17.5km
Walking time: 5h

“The route stretches from the north to the south of the island, starting with a gentle loop of the small Isle of Lobos. The scenery is volcanic and rocky, with some reasonably challenging climbs. Don’t expect greenery and trees – the island is quite barren but in its own way that makes it spectacular. The trek ends with a walk along magnificent beaches in the south of the island.” – Prof, Shropshire, UK on our Fuerteventura GR131 holiday.

Ruta de Los Volcanes, La Palma

Otherwise known as La Isla Bonita, if walking trails through deep gorges, laurel forests and dramatic seascapes are your thing, then get your boots ready for walking in La Palma. Our favourite trek comes on the last day of this walking holiday, when you follow the Ruta de Los Volcanes between the hermitage of the Virgen del Pilar and Fuencaliente Lighthouse. Given that the last eruption was as recent as September 2021, you get a sense of just how dynamic and vulnerable these natural formations really are on this trail. You get views across to El Duraznero and Martín de Tigalate volcanoes, to name but a few, as well as a trek across Guanche Plain, which is made up of black lapilli dotted with shrubs and pine trees. You can also walk the Ruta de Los Volcanes on our trekking trio holiday that takes you not only to La Isla Bonita but to the beauties of Tenerife and La Gomera.

“Peak volcanic experience!…. La Palma is beautiful and most of the walks on the trip are interesting and beautiful. The Route of the Volcanos is definitely a walk I will never forget. (Especially the bold ravens). The weather was perfect for walking in early February. I think we are fit walkers but we still found parts of some of the hikes unexpectedly strenuous (but perfectly doable)…One of the best observatories in the world is on la Palma and needs to be booked well ahead.” – Cherry-Margot, Bristol on our Walking in La Palma holiday.