UtahSlickrockGuides.com
You're invited to an exotic, Spanish archipelago—off the northwest coast of Africa—to hike ancient, canyon-and-oceanside trails that are thrilling yet unknown to North Americans.
The wondrous geography of western North America inspires devotion bordering on religious among U.S. and Canadian hikers. But if you brush away the dust of mythology, it’s apparent: We’ve got a lot, but we don’t have it all. And we certainly don’t have anything like the Canary Islands.
During a three-month sojourn in which we hiked nearly every day on five of the Canaries’ seven principal islands, we were frequently in awe. We kept grasping for comparisons: The Grand Canyon’s Hermit Trail? Peru’s Inca Trail? Scotland’s West Highland Way? Hawaii’s Na Pali Coast Trail? British Columbia’s West Coast Trail? Newfoundland’s East Coast Trail? Mt. Rainier’s Wonderland Trail? This is precisely why hiking the Canaries is a singular experience: It comprises elements of all these iconic pathways.
So we returned the next winter, this time leading a group of North American hikers. It was a success. Everyone loved the constant warmth and sunshine, the exquisite trails, and the marvelous scenery. All agreed the Canaries are a haven for hikers seeking a break from winter in the northern hemisphere. That's why we now return every January and February, leading small groups of ambitious hikers.
If an exotic, hiking-focused, gorgeous-weather, luxurious-yet-affordable, winter odyssey appeals to you, here's your invitation to join us in the Canary Islands.
A hiking-focused, gorgeous-weather, luxurious-yet-affordable, winter odyssey appeals to you? Join us in the Canary Islands.
Capitalize on the exhaustive reconnaissance we’ve done on these enthralling isles. Discover a snow-season refuge that deserves primacy on every ardent hiker’s life-list. Don't just dream it, do it.
Our group of hikers will be small (nine people max), screened by us for on-trail compatibility. All will be accomplished, athletic, aspiring. Together we’ll approach the hiking the way friends always do, with someone (in this case, us—Skye and Craig) offering advice based on knowledge of the area. We won’t be guiding per se. Instead, think of us as your scouts.
We’ll visit La Gomera and Tenerife. The local airline will conveniently whisk us between the islands. On each one, we’ll all drive our own rental cars—in caravan—to and from the trailheads. We’ll devote our days to hiking the premier trails. Afterward we’ll return to our comfortable, modern apartments. And every evening we’ll have the opportunity to stroll: immersing ourselves in charming, stimulating, urban enclaves.
We'll always have the flexibility to dine as we choose. We’ll never lack for variety. We’ll have quick access to small-but-well- stocked grocery stores, fresh fruit-and-veggie shops, superb German bakeries; and all kinds of cuisine including Spanish, Thai, East Indian, and traditional Canarian fare emphasizing seafood fresh from the Atlantic Ocean.
Unlike guided hiking, with its inherent restrictions, handholding, and invisibly inflated prices (tour companies profit by charging you far more than they pay— for everything), the trip with us will be financially transparent. You’ll see the actual costs, and that’s all you’ll pay. This makes our Canary Islands hiking vacation as inexpensive as possible.
Your one additional investment will be $1600 USD per person for our counsel, organization and leadership. Throughout the journey, you’ll benefit from our knowledge—painstakingly acquired while living in the Canaries for more than ten months over the course of five years. Early on, we realized North American hikers are unaware of the Canaries. Nobody we met was from our continent! So we went on patrol for you.
On six of the Canary Islands, we researched accommodations, sampled restaurants, poured over maps, scoured foreign-language guidebooks, talked and hiked with locals, drove and re-drove the roads, scrutinized all the possible trails, wore the tread off a couple pairs of hiking boots each, then tweezed out the optimal itinerary.
For 30 years we’ve been writing and publishing, motivated by a desire to share with others the joy, wonder, and exhilaration we’ve found in the world’s supreme hiking destinations. Our motivation now is to share them with you in person.
Intrigued? Peruse the accompanying details. Then send your questions to us: nomads@hikingcamping.com. If we’re not in the backcountry, we’ll respond quickly. — Skye & Craig
