Hiking on La Gomera

Jan 28, 2019

7 min read

Apologies for the radio silence these past few weeks. Between slow/non-existent internet and a jam-packed schedule, there was hardly any time to write this post and edit these photos (and there are a LOT!) from our time hiking on La Gomera. Hope the delay is worth it! This tiny island is so beautiful and we did some of the best hikes there. Enjoy!

La Gomera, Canary Islands

Though it’s only an hour ferry ride from Tenerife, La Gomera feels a world away from the other more populated Canary Islands. With a population of less than 25,000 La Gomera is a beautifully lush, forested, and mountainous island. It also happens to be perfect for hiking and exploring! Mac and I did a LOT of hiking on La Gomera, and these hikes were easily some of our favourites from our time on the Canaries.

Hiking on La Gomera

Alto de Garajonay to Hermigua

We got our hiking feet wet (figuratively, not literally, thankfully!) on this hike from La Gomera’s highest peak to the valley town of Hermigua. Mac’s parents drove us to Pajarito and the four of us hiked to the summit of Alto de Garajonay (1483m). The summit was actually above the clouds, and it was super cool to see Mt Teide rising above the horizon.

Legend has it that the name ‘Garajonay’ comes from a tale of two lovers, Princess Gara from La Gomera and Jonay, a son of a King from Tenerife. After their love was predicted to bring tragedy upon the islands, their families forbade their marriage. Choosing to die together over living apart, Gara and Jonay climbed to the highest point on the island, sharpened a stake at both ends and stabbed themselves in their hearts. The peak and National Park now bear their names. (Read more about the legend here.)

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After the summit, we parted ways and Mac and I continued hiking through La Gomera’s famous laurel forest. The moss-covered trees were lush and I found myself putting on layer after layer to keep warm! Our hike from the summit was entirely downhill. My heart thanked me, but my quads sure were burning by the end of the day! We encountered numerous fellow hikers en route to the summit, and they were all pretty out of breath! With an elevation gain of <500m, it’s hard not to be!

This trail took us through the forest and eventually into the valley leading to Hermigua. The rock walls lining the valley towered over us at an impressive 200+m. The steep inclines made for interesting layouts for small villages in the valley.

Distance: 12km

Agulo & Mirador de Abrantes

Eventually we made it to Hermigua where we met Chris and Drew again. We spent the next few nights in a cute little apartment in Agulo – an even smaller village on the northeast coast of the island. This picturesque island had seaside views of Mt Tiede, but was also surrounded by a huge cliff.

At the top of which was Mirador de Abrante – a glass-floored lookout cube (not suitable for the faint of heart!). Our crew drove up to the top, but there is a trail that leads to the Mirador from Agulo. Mac and I briefly considered it, but after learning it had an elevation gain of 400m in a mere 1.5km, we took a hard pass!

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Along the coastline near Agulo is a small trail that leads to Playa Santa Catalina. While Mac and Drew went to partake in the Three Kings Day Festivities in Valle Gran Rey, I set out on a small hike to this rocky beach. The crystal clear blue water was mesmerizing, and I enjoyed a hefty dose of me-time listening to some podcasts as the waves rolled in.

Laguna Grande (& to El Cercado)

The name Laguna Grande is a bit misleading – there’s actually no lake. What was once a large pond is now home to BBQs and playground equipment. We went for a leisurely walk (trail #3) through the surrounding forest. Afterwards, Mac and I hiked down to El Cercado where we met up with Chris and Drew again. This hike wasn’t overly interesting, but it was nice to stretch our legs in the sunshine after sitting in the car all morning. The roads on La Gomera are no joke! A British woman we met best described them as ‘wiggly’!

Hernia to Targa

This hike was a bit of an impulsive one. As we were on our way to Playa Santiago, Mac found a hiking trail leading down into the valley and rising back up on the other side in Targa. Being the good sports that they are, Chris & Drew agreed once again to meet us at the finish line. The trail hugged the valley walls as we descended further and further in elevation. Eventually we ended up in the small village of Pastrana. Walking through the palm groves and past farmhouses was quite calming. Unfortunately the calmness was temporary, as we soon had to ascend up, up, up and out of the valley. We hooked up with the trail in El Rumbazo and it wasn’t long before the exhaustion set in!

The route back up to Targa is only about 3km, but it is uphill all the way. At almost 600m of elevation gain, my muscles were in fierce protest most of the way. Fortunately the views were absolutely incredible and they sure helped keep my mind of my pounding heart!

Distance: 6km

Degollada de Peraza to Las Nieves

This was probably my favourite day of hiking on La Gomera. Mac and I took the bus from Playa Santiago to Degollada de Peraza (2.50€ each). After taking in the epic views from the highway, we started our trek down into yet another valley. We soon arrived in La Laja which would be the lowest section of the hike. After this town, it was alllll uphill!

We hiked by a reservoir which was surrounded by pines and mountainous terrain. It reminded me of a scene you’d find in Western Canada! The trail led us beside a valley filled with gigantic boulders. The sheer size of these rocks was enough to make me catch my breath again and again. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more picturesque, we’d turn a corner and be greeted with yet another stunning vista filled with geological wonders.

We met up with the highway in El Bailadero and continued to hike alongside the road for the remainder of the hike. Thankfully the trail was pretty far into the forest making it seem like we were kilometres away from civilization. One of the last – and quite possibly one of the best – views of this hike were approaching Roque de Agando. This huge beast towers over the neighbouring highway. It’s almost too big to even fit into a photograph!

We finished up the hike at nearby Las Nieves – a picnic area with a small church, several BBQs, a few friendly neighbourhood cats, and of course, more impressive views.

Distance: 10km

Valle Gran Rey

These next two sections aren’t technically about hiking, but I’d be remiss not to include them in this post about La Gomera. Valle Gran Rey is a small town on the west side of the island. It’s a short hour-long ferry ride from Playa Santiago. Mac and Drew had visited the village in the hillside for the Three Kings Day Festival, but the coast-side town is heralded as a must-see on the island. The four of us caught the 10:30am ferry over to Valle Gran Rey and spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the area.

The heart of the town is filled with shops, restaurants, and so many Germans! This area is apparently an extremely popular place for German tourists. So much so that when Mac and I went to a gelato shop for a snack, the menu was all in German, and we were even greeted in German!!

Mac and I took a long walk on the promenade and eventually made it to ‘La Playa’. Situated just north of Valle Gran Rey, this area had a nice sandy beach and a fairly sheltered swimming area. I also loved that right next to the coast was a huge rocky hill jutting out of the ground.

We caught the ferry back to Playa Santiago at 3:30pm – just in time for happy hour!

San Sebastian

If you’re taking the ferry to La Gomera from Tenerife, you’ll arrive in San Sebastian. Though we only stayed one night in this town, I loved seeing the colourful houses that filled the hillside. I know I gushed endlessly about my love of Spain’s pueblos blancos, but the bright pops of colour in San Sebastian might have changed my mind!

Directly behind the church in the middle of town you’ll find stairs leading up the hill. There are numerous routes to choose from, and as long as you keep going up, you’ll eventually be rewarded with some pretty spectacular views.

Hiking on La Gomera was such a dream. While I thoroughly enjoyed the R&R on Gran Canaria and the exhausting (but rewarding!) hikes on Tenerife, the hikes we did on this small island were so amazing. From the coast to the highest point on the island, there is always an incredible view to take in, or some impressive landscape to admire. I also loved that La Gomera was noticeably less busier than Gran Canaria and Tenerife. The flora and fauna we saw was so vibrant and colourful too. If you find yourself on the Canary Islands, I’d highly recommend making the trip to La Gomera. (Admittedly, I only visited three of the seven Canary Islands. La Palma, El Hierro, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote were spoken about with enthusiasm and passion from everyone we met!)

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