Overview
An eight day, self-guided walking holiday exploring the biodiverse, beautiful landscapes and national parks of Tenerife and La Gomera. The first three days are on Tenerife, staying in one hotel throughout, from which you are transferred to trailheads onto Paisaje Lunar (Lunar Landscape) and Teide National Park. On day four, you take a ferry to the sub-tropical island idyll of La Gomera, where very different but equally dramatic landscapes await, including Garajonay National Park, with its misty rainforests, ancient laurel trees, and stupendous terraced valleys. And views across to Tenerife’s Mount Teide, which you also have an option to summit on this holiday.
- Vilaflor
- Paisaje Lunar (Lunar Landscape)
- Teide National Park
- Garajonay National Park
- GR132 and GR131
- San Sebastián de la Gomera
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Tenerife
Private transfer from Tenerife South Airport to your accommodation in Vilaflor (a transfer from North Airport or elsewhere can be arranged at an extra fee). Vilaflor is the highest village on the island of Tenerife, located at 1,400m above sea level, on the southern edge of Teide National Park.
- Accommodation: Hotel Spa Villalba or a similar spa hotel in Vilaflor
Day 2: Paisaje Lunar (Lunar Landscape) | 14.5km
Short transfer to the start of the walk. Today’s route is an easy walk through Tenerife’s Paisaje Lunar (Lunar Landscape), a volcanic landscape with unusual rock formations that give the area an appearance like that of a moonscape. The walk offers breathtaking views over the southern part of the island and nearby pine forests. Follow the route back to the centre of Vilaflor and continue on to your accommodation.
- Accommodation: Hotel Spa Villalba or a similar spa hotel in Vilaflor
- Walking for the day: 5-5.5h, 14.5km, ↑475m ↓675m
Day 3: Teide National Park | 4.5-8km
Today there is a choice of two routes within Teide National Park. Start the day by taking the local bus or by private transfer. Return to your accommodation by transfer, from either the lower cable car station or the Parador.
Option 1: take the local bus to Parador de Cañadas del Teide, located at the site of an 18km wide crater formed after the first volcanic eruptions on Tenerife. Follow the circular route to Los Roques de García, a collection of unique rock formations shaped by volcanic activity and erosion, before heading back to the Parador.
Option 2: transfer to the lower cable car station and take the cable car to the upper station, located at the viewpoint Mirador de la Rambleta. From there, there are two short walks to two miradores (viewpoints), located at 3,500m, near the peak of Mount Teide. Mirador del Pico Viejo provides panoramic views of Caldera de las Cañadas, as well as parts of Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. Mirador de la Fortaleza offers views of Montaña Blanca and northern parts of Tenerife. Take the cable car back down to the lower station and continue walking from there to the Parador.
Providing you have secured a permit in advance, it is possible to extend your walk to the summit of Mount Teide*. The walk is short and not demanding, but it is important to take it easy, given the altitude.
*Please note: this tour does not include a climbing permit for the peak (to avoid erosion of the soft volcanic rock, local authorities limit the number of hikers) or a cable car ticket to the top. Should you want to climb Mount Teide, you should reserve a free climbing permit here well in advance.
- Accommodation: Hotel Spa Villalba or a similar spa hotel in Vilaflor
- Walking for the day: Option 1: 1.5-2h, 4.5km, ↑250m ↓250m or Option 2: 2.5-3h, 8km, ↑120m ↓300m
- Mount Teide summit extension: up to 1h, 3km, ↑150m ↓150m
Day 4: Garajonay National Park (La Gomera) | 10-13km
Transfer to Los Cristianos Harbour for the first ferry to La Gomera. From San Sebastián de la Gomera, take a transfer to El Contadero, the starting point of one the most popular trails on the island, high up in Garajonay National Park. The first section of the route is a long but easy descent on wide footpaths through a laurel forest. Near El Cedro, there is a short section on a steep, stepped path. Follow quiet inland roads and arrive at the village of Hermigua. There is the option to extend today’s walk with an ascent to the summit of Alto de Garajonay, La Gomera’s highest point.
- Accommodation: Hotel Casa de los Herrera or similar in Hermigua
- Walking for the day: 5-6h, 10km, ↑25m ↓1,275m – Optional extension to Alto de Garajonay: 1.5h, 3km, ↑135m ↓135m (total 13km)
Day 5: Hermigua circular walk | 12.5km
Today’s walk starts with a short, steep ascent, heading north from Hermigua. The route leads past abandoned villages, to a stretch of coastline with breathtaking views of Tenerife and Mount Teide. The path alternates between wide dirt tracks and stony footpaths and there are some sheer drops too. However, there are wooden railings on the exposed sections of the paths. The last section of the route leads through papaya and mango fields in the valley, before ending back in Hermigua. Today’s route offers optional detours to Playa de La Caleta (not suitable for swimming) or Playa de Hermigua, with natural salt water pools which are safe to swim in.
- Accommodation: Hotel Casa de los Herrera or similar in Hermigua
- Walking for the day: 5.5-6h, 12.5km, ↑735m ↓735m
Day 6: Juego de Bolas – Vallehermoso via GR132 | 9km
Transfer to Juego de Bolas, Garajonay National Park’s visitor centre, where the botanical gardens boast a collection of island’s native flora. From here, begin an easy walk towards Vallehermoso on the hiking path, GR-132 (one of Spain’s Sendero de Gran Recorrido routes). Along the way, pass by two striking natural monuments, the rock formations of Roque Blanco and Roque Cano. Descend to the Vallehermoso and stop for a refreshment in the village square, before your transfer back to Hermigua.
- Accommodation: Hotel Casa de los Herrera or similar in Hermigua
- Walking for the day: 3.5-4h, 9km, ↑200m ↓750m
Day 7: Degollada de Peraza – San Sebastián via GR131 | 10km
Transfer to Degollada de Peraza, where the walk starts. Today’s route is an easy descent following historic trails of the GR131, mainly on dirt paths or stony gravel paths. The route offers panoramic views during the gradual descent to San Sebastián. San Sebastián is a coastal town dating back to the 15th century, and is the capital of the island. If time allows, spend the afternoon visiting local sights, such as Museo-Casa de Colón, the former governor’s house visited by Christopher Columbus, La Torre del Conde, a public garden around the ruins of a 15th century Castilian fortress, or the local beach with volcanic black sand.
- Accommodation: Parador de la Gomera or similar in San Sebastián
- Walking for the day: 4-4.5h, 10km, ↑125m ↓1,025m
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast. Walk to the harbour (10mins) and take the ferry back to Tenerife. From Los Cristianos take a private transfer to Tenerife South airport.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Spa Villalba (Vilaflor, Tenerife)
- Hotel Casa de los Herrera (Hermigua)
- Parador de la Gomera (San Sebastián de la Gomera)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en-route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area. Please note that there are supplements for a compulsory dinner on Christmas day (25 December) and New Year’s Eve (31 December).
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated easy to moderate, with most days offering 4-5h of walking (excluding breaks). A reasonable level of fitness is required for this tour and the routes may be challenging for those with little walking experience. The walks are on hilly or mountainous terrain and follow mostly well-kept and way-marked trails. On some days, there are alternative routes and there are ways to make some walks shorter or easier. The walks follow rural tracks, both surfaced and unsurfaced, as well as hiking trails and footpaths. There are some some sections with loose rocks, that may become muddy/slippery in wet weather (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available to book all year. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date. Please note that there may be additional supplements during national holidays (for example, Christmas and New Year).
Tenerife is warm all year, with long days of sunshine and little rain. The temperature is among the most consistent anywhere in Europe, with temperatures rarely dropping below an average of 24C. However, it can be much cooler at the top of Mount Teide, down to 11/12C with winds between 15/30km per hour at the summit. La Gomera also has mild weather all year, with average maximum temperatures ranging from 15-25C. It does, however, experience some foggy weather (especially in the winter months). During the summer months there can be strong winds, tropical storms and higher temperatures, which can be less pleasant for walking. For more information, see our blog on Our ultimate guide to walking on the Canary Islands.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
Our recommended airport for this tour is Tenerife South (TFS). Arrival and departure transfers from/to Tenerife South are included, as well as the ferry transfers to/from La Gomera. Please note, there will be an additional supplement for transfers to/from Tenerife North Airport.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Arrival transfer from Tenerife South Airport to Vilaflor
- Departure airport transfer to Tenerife South Airport
- Private transfers as per the itinerary
- Ferry tickets Tenerife to La Gomera (return)
- Luggage transfers on walking days (one piece up to 20kg)
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the information pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare
- Mount Teide cable car tickets
- Mount Teide climbing permit
- Supplements and compulsory dinner on national holidays (24 December, 31 December)
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Transfer from/to Tenerife North Airport
- Extra nights available upon request
- It is possible to arrange this tour with a discount with a stay at Hotel & Spa El Tejar in Vilaflor and Hotel Torre del Conde in San Sebastián de la Gomera
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