Canary Islands Hiking

Of all the Canary Islands, La Gomera is the wildest, offering the most marvelous trails and the greatest solitude. So that's where we're concentrating our winter 2024 trip. We'll be there nine days, hiking seven of them. The route descriptions below are accurate, but we know many alternatives that we might suggest depending on the weather and the group's preferences.
 
day one
Depart Tenerife North airport at 9:30 am. Arrive at La Gomera airport at 10 am. Pick up our rental cars. Drive one hour to Valle Gran Rey. Meet Skye and Craig at our hotel. Group gets acquainted over lunch at a nearby, fresh-fish restaurant. Depart for afternoon hike. From a trailhead high above Valle Gran Rey, descend an ancient, airy, switchbacking trail into a neighboring valley. Views of the North Atlantic and the Tegeleche Mountains will be constant. Rest beneath palm trees, then begin ascending. Loop back on another ancient, scenic trail. Hiking time: 3.5 hours. Distance: 6.5 km (4 mi). Elevation gain: 850 m (2788 ft). Dinner at one of several nearby restaurants (Thai, Asian fusion, Italian, fresh seafood, and more.)
 
day two
Buffet breakfast at our hotel. Go grocery shopping down the street. Drive five minutes up-valley. Hike a trail ascending a steep canyon wall to surmount the ridgecrest towering directly above Valle Gran Rey. Admire vast ocean and valley views before descending. Hiking time: 5 to 6 hours. Distance: 10.5 km (6.5 mi). Elevation gain: 770 m (2526 ft). Dinner at one of several nearby restaurants. (Thai, Asian fusion, Italian, fresh seafood, and more.) Maybe... Stroll on the beach next to the hotel.
 
day three
Buffet breakfast at our hotel. Drive 45 minutes to a picturesque hamlet cascading down a terraced hillside. Hike a dazzling loop over a ridge and through two, deeply-incised canyons. The trail spectacularly traverses the canyon walls. Hiking time: 6 to 8 hours. Distance: 9 km (5.5 mi). Elevation gain: 540 m (1772 ft). Dinner at one of several nearby restaurants. (Thai, Asian fusion, Italian, fresh seafood, and more.) Maybe... Listen to musicians at waterfront cafes.
 
day four
Buffet breakfast at our hotel. Indulge in a day of relaxation. Maybe... Enjoy our hotel’s rooftop swimming pool, or go swimming at one of Valle Gran Rey’s three beaches. Dinner at one of several nearby restaurants. (Thai, Asian fusion, Italian, fresh seafood, and more.) 
 
day five
Buffet breakfast at our hotel. Depart early. Drive one hour to a trailhead. Begin a fascinating descent on an historic route into a dramatic canyon. Proceed down-canyon to an isolated, seaside resort. Stop for ice-cream. Loop back, first ascending a panoramic ridgecrest, then following a “balcony” canyon-wall trail that defies belief. En route, pass isolated stands of palm trees and the stone walls of a long-gone shepherds’ village. Hiking time: 7.5 to 8.5 hours. Distance 24 km (15 mi). Elevation loss/gain 660 m (2165 ft) / 960 m (3150 ft). Dinner at one of several nearby restaurants. (Thai, Asian fusion, Italian, fresh seafood, and more.) Maybe... Sit on the beach next to the hotel and let the sound of the surf lull you into meditation.
 
day six
Buffet breakfast at our hotel. You’re now familiar with Valle Gran Rey and La Gomera, so you’ll appreciate a day to follow your bliss. You might want to go sightseeing, or do a short hike on your own. You can also simply relax as you please. The day is yours. Over breakfast, Skye and Craig can suggest options and help you plan.
 
day seven
Buffet breakfast at our hotel. Drive up-canyon about ten minutes from our hotel. Begin a “cliff-hanger” loop hike on a trail that, most of the way, clings to the soaring valley walls. Midway, we’ll reach a hamlet where we can rest at a cafe and order refreshments and snacks. Hiking time: 3.5 to 4 hours. Distance: 9.5 km (5.9 mi). Elevation gain: 710 m (2330 ft). Dinner at one of several nearby restaurants. (Thai, Asian fusion, Italian, fresh seafood, and more.) Maybe... Laze on our hotels’ rooftop terrace, appreciate how dark the North Atlantic night sky is, and marvel at the brilliance of the stars.
 
day eight
Buffet breakfast at our hotel. Drive 45 minutes to the north side of the island. Arrange a vehicle shuttle. Begin switchbacking steeply up a canyon wall. Attain a ridgecrest vantage. Drop into a lonely gorge, then rise to a cliff-edge restaurant where a glass-bottomed viewing platform dares you to walk into “space.” An implausible but comfortably safe trail drops over the cliff to La Gomera’s loveliest village. Hiking time: 4.5 to 5 hours. Distance 9 km (5.5 mi). Elevation gain: 600 m (1970 ft). Elevation loss: 500 m (1640 ft). Reservations ensure our group can dine at a nearby restaurant whose quirkiness becomes lovable when you taste what comes out of their tiny kitchen.