The Canary Islands have a habit of changing people's minds. What often begins as a search for winter sunshine quickly becomes a fascination with volcanic landscapes, cloud forests, mountain trails and coastlines shaped by millions of years of geological activity.
Each island offers a different experience. Tenerife's dramatic volcanic scenery contrasts sharply with La Gomera's misty forests, while Lanzarote's lava fields and Gran Canaria's mountainous interior reveal entirely different sides of the archipelago.
That's what makes walking here so rewarding. No two islands feel quite the same.
Volcanic Landscapes
The Canary Islands were shaped by volcanic activity, and the evidence is everywhere. Mount Teide rises 3,715 metres above Tenerife, making it Spain's highest mountain and one of the archipelago's defining landmarks. Lanzarote's vast lava fields and volcanic formations create landscapes that feel completely unlike mainland Spain, while La Palma's dramatic terrain reveals the powerful forces that helped shape these islands over millions of years. For walkers, it creates some of Europe's most distinctive scenery.
Diverse Landscapes
Few destinations offer such variety within a single archipelago. Gran Canaria is often described as a "miniature continent" thanks to its extraordinary range of scenery, from rugged mountains and pine forests to dramatic ravines and coastal landscapes. Fuerteventura offers sweeping beaches, volcanic hills and vast open spaces, while Tenerife combines forests, coastline and high mountain terrain within a single island. Wherever you walk, the landscape rarely stays the same for long.
Ancient Forests
One of the greatest surprises in the Canary Islands is just how green parts of them can be. La Gomera's Garajonay National Park protects ancient laurel forests that once covered much of southern Europe. Mist drifts through the trees, moss clings to branches and walking trails wind through landscapes that seem untouched by time. Elsewhere, islands such as La Palma and Tenerife reveal their own pockets of woodland, creating a striking contrast to the volcanic terrain for which the Canary Islands are best known.
Our experienced leaders help reveal a deeper side of the Canary Islands, bringing together spectacular walking, local knowledge and a genuine understanding of the landscapes, history and traditions that make these islands so special.