Hiking in Gran Canaria is one of the most attractive reasons to enjoy this unique island. Here, mountain lovers take advantage of even the shortest work break to come back. Is all these return trips worth it? The island itself is a very unusual place that hides under the carpet an infinite number of different landscapes.
Gran Canaria is not just an island with plenty of beaches. It is also a miniature continent with a good climate all year round. A small-scale continent located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with a particular mix of quality ingredients that make it very attractive for all kinds of hikers.
In fact, the recipe is quite simple. We start with an intricate orography, to which we add a curious mixture of palm groves and pine forests, of ravines and royal paths tangled up in the mountains, forming a puzzle of changing landscapes as different from each other as the types of pasta in a supermarket.
At the end, we season with the so-called Resistance, those islanders that the walkers meet when they go through the countless rural roads and that are the living image of the famous Canarian hospitality. Whenever you need something, they will be there to help you in any way possible. Do you dare to try this delicacy that is walking in Gran Canaria?
Hiking in Gran Canaria
You may wake up one day and wonder what your real reasons are for walking and the answers may pile up one after another in your head. Because by walking you feel completely attached to Mother Earth as you put your thoughts in order, if you are passionate about this union with nature, we recommend you to stay in country houses.
Perhaps the secret lies in what you discover along the way: a beautiful and fragile flower that grows at the edge of the path, surprising you with the sound of silence or simply breathing pure air. In the words of the great Andalusian poet Antonio Machado, completed by the brilliant Catalan singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat:
“Traveler, there is no path.The path is made by walking”.
TOP walking routes in Gran Canaria
When you go hiking on the island, you can enjoy all the diversity in one go. In a very short distance, you will be able to marvel at landscapes of great contrast: desert areas, plains, forests, volcanoes, cliffs...
Gran Canaria has a peculiar orography that, as you go along, will allow you to make stops to contemplate views that will leave you speechless, especially due to its great geological value and botanical interest.
On this island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean you can go trekking all year round to get to know one of the most beautiful legacies on the planet. Hiking in Gran Canaria is a privilege, regardless of your level.
1. Tejeda Almond Blossom Hiking Trail Route
The route of the Almond Blossom in Tejeda is a classic hike for all types of walkers who wish to enjoy a beautiful journey through unique landscapes coinciding with the first flowering of the year in the months of January and February.
2. Valsequillo Strawberries Hiking Trail Route
The Strawberry Route in Valsequillo is one of the main attractions of this inland town. As you walk through it you can see a spectacular landscape of mountains and small valleys where the green and red of the strawberries are the dominant colours.
3. Inagua Hiking Trail Route
This route through the Integral Natural Reserve of Inagua, a protected area located between the municipalities of Mogán, La Aldea de San Nicolás and Tejeda, allows to enjoy the pine forests of Inagua, Ojeda and Pajonales in their maximum splendour.
4. Los Azulejos Hiking Trail Route
The impressive Fuente de los Azulejos waterfall is surrounded by landscapes of very diverse colour tones that are the result of the action of water on the volcanic layers of the area. There is perhaps no better option on the island than this hiking route in Gran Canaria.
5. Barranco de las Vacas Hiking Trail Route
Did you know that in Gran Canaria there is a small version of the Colorado Grand Canyon? The proof is the Barranco de las Vacas ravine in Agüimes, where you can enjoy its famous Tobas de Colores limestones, the result of erosion over thousands of years.
6. Blue Tajinaste Hiking Trail Route
The blue tajinaste is one of the most beautiful Canary Islands plants, which, curiously enough, is only found in this island, especially between the Caldera de los Marteles and the village of Tenteniguada in Valsequillo de Gran Canaria.
7. Way of Saint James
In Gran Canaria it is possible to do the Way of St. James, and that's no lie! In fact, this route from Tunte to Gáldar officially has the same privileges as the route to Santiago de Compostela.
8. La Plata Hiking Trail Route
Do you want to feel the same as the ancient shepherds when they transhumance their herds through the centre of the island? With this magnificent route you'll discover the majestic Paso de la Plata.
9 . Los Cernícalos Ravine Hiking Route
Would you like to walk in the middle of a willow forest and enjoy the most beautiful waterfalls of Gran Canaria? Then you just have to go to the Barranco de los Cernícalos between Valsequillo and Telde.
10. Azuaje Ravine Hiking Route
The Barranco de Azuaje ravine is one of the few remains of the ancient Selva de Doramas rain forest that covered the north of the island. Would you like to explore a unique environment where the lushness and freshness are the reigning factor?
