La Palma walking tour

Arrival on La Palma airport. A taxi will be waiting to take you to your first accommodation, in the lively capital Santa Cruz de la Palma. Your hotel is located in the old towns quarters and opposite to the (black pebble) beach.

Early in the morning a taxi transfer is arranged to go to one of the cloud forests that are so typical of the Canary Islands: el Cubo de la Galga. The walk starts on wide forest paths but then changes to paved and unpaved country roads as you reach the coast; covered in with plantations of the Canarian banana: the plátano. You can choose to end the walk after 7 or 11.7km at one of the bus stops where you can get on the Guagua (canarian for public bus) to Barlovento. From this northern most town you walk another km to the comfortable hotel (with indoor and outdoor swimming pool) where you will stay for 2 night.

Challenge:  7 -12 km / 4,5 - 7,5 mi, 450 / 650 m ascent, 400 / 800 m descent, 4 / 6 hrs.

Taxi transfer to the village of Los Machines de Franceses, situated in one of the most remote parts of the island. You will follow the historic “Camino Real de Los Machines”, walking via La Tosca (famous for its magnificent Canary Island Dragon trees) back to Barlovento. 

Challenge: 11 km / 7 mi, 925 m ascent, 725 m descent, 5.5 - 6 hrs.

Morning transfer to the foot of Pico de La Nieve (2039m). Today’s route is along the edge of the deep Caldera de Taburiente. Then, a long descent along the "Camino Real", begins through pine forests and the so-called ‘Reventón’ until you reach the Virgen del Pino chapel. Then it's only a few km further to the Visitors Centre of the National Park where you take the Guagua to Llanos de Aridane.

Challenge: 15.5 -18 km / 9,5 - 11 mi, 625 / 650 m ascent, 925 / 1025 m descent, 6 / 7 hrs.

After a transfer to Los Brecitos, in the very heart of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, you begin your exploration of this natural area descending to the bed of the Taburiente River. Walk toward the legendary Roque Idafe, a rock with a strange shape and with a special meaning for the native inhabitants of the island, with its striking Colouful Waterfall, dyed by the sulphur generated by the Caldera. A taxi will be arranged at the end of the route to go back to Los Llanos de Aridane.

If it is very hot and/or there is a high risk of forest fires, the crater is closed off and the standard walk is NOT possible to be done. In that case you can do the alternative round walk from Las Tricias to Buraca, a short but surprisingly varied route.

Challenge: 14 - 5.5 km / 8.5 - 3.5 mi, 250 / 435 m ascent, 900 / 350 m descent, 6 / 3 hrs.

Panoramic route that starts with supersteep climb across ancient lava flow to the western edge of the crater Taburiente. Then you gradually descend over mainly footpaths and unpaved country roads to the restaurant and mirador El Time; end of  the standard walk. The route extension continues further downhill along mainly paved but quiet lanes to the friendly beach town of Puerto Tazacorte. Take your time to have lunch before travelling back to the hotel in Llanos de Aridane by public transport

Challenge: 7.5 - 10.5 km / 4,5 - 6,5 mi, 250 m ascent, 990 / 1490 m descent, 4 / 5.5 hrs.

On you last day you’ll do another classic of the island's hiking repertoire: the Ruta de los Volcanes, between the hermitage of the Virgen del Pilar towards Los Canarios (Fuencaliente). Fortunately ,this route is again open to the public, after the most recent volcanic eruption at Cumbre Vieja (in September 2021). It was already a route of great geological interest, and now it is even more so; demonstrating the shaping and destructive force of nature, whose consequences the inhabitants of the Island still suffer daily.

If this route seems too long and hard, ask the taxi driver to take you to Los Canarios so that you can do the last part of the route only, towards the Fuencaliente Lighthouse (supplement to be paid directly on the spot). In both cases you continue in the afternoon by public bus to Santa Cruz where your luggage awaits you at the hotel.

 Challenge: 17.5 - 8 km / 11 - 5 mi, 550 / 80 m ascent, 1200 / 700 m descent, 6.5 / 4 hrs.

After breakfast your holiday on La Palma ends, unless you book extra nights. Transfer to the airport is included