POSTS

Route around Gran Canaria

A circular itinerary that leads to the best hiking spots on the island of Gran Canaria.

map with the route

The marked route is available here for online viewing and download in the gpx format.

  1. Las Palmas
  2. Agaete
  3. La Aldea
  4. Maspalomas
  5. Santa Brigida
  6. Las Palmas
Start Las Palmas
End Las Palmas
Length ~200 km
Duration 2 weeks

Route Description

Las Palmas

The island capital and not that interesting. Only the Vegueta old town area and the long beach (plus promenade) in the north are worth seeing.
Continue: By bus to Agaete

Agaete

A pleasant small town of mostly white buildings. The location is great for hikes up to the Parque natural de Tamadaba and into the Agaete valley.
Possible excursions:
  1. It takes only 20 minutes to walk to the Puerto de las Nieves, a charming little fishing village with a crowded beach
  2. Steep hike up to the Parque natural de Tamadaba where many additional routes begin
  3. Hike into the barranco (valley) de Agaete and visit the El Maipes necropolis.
  4. Take a short bus ride to Galdar, one of the oldest towns on the island. Galdar is built on the flank of a volcanic cone and home to the fascinating Cueva Pintada museum and excavation site.
  5. The Guayedra beach can be reached after a short hike and offers a more natural environment for swimming than the Puerto de las Nieves.
Continue: By bus to La Aldea

La Aldea

This village is located in a very dry area and surrounded by mountains on most sides.
Possible excursions:
  1. One of the highlights of the island is GüiGüi beach. It can only be reached on foot or by boat. If you can get a ride to Tasartico then it is possible to hike from there to the beach (~1,5h) and to return on foot over the mountains to La Aldea (~4,5h). This will be strenuous, especially in the afternoon heat.
  2. A long hike (but very interesting because of the mixed landscapes) to the viewpoints on top of the montaña Altavista.
  3. Go up the montaña Viso and continue on the circular route
  4. About 5km to the west is the harbour (Playa de San Nicolas) with beaches and coastal paths
Continue: By bus to Maspalomas

Maspalomas

The main beach resort town of Gran Canaria. Famous for its large sand dunes.
Possible excursions:
  1. A roughly 4 hours (one way) valley hike to the Necropolis of Arteara
Continue: By bus to Santa Brigida

Santa Brigida

This area is a lot of fun to explore. There is just so much to see. Since the bus to the national park passes through it often, it is also a great location for visiting the center of the island.
Possible excursions:
  1. The Caldera de Bandama (large volcanic crater) and the nearby
    Pico de Bandama (good viewpoint) are both located about 5km east of Santa Brigida.
  2. Take a bus to the Cruz de Tejeda for visits of the national park area, with its countless walking routes.
  3. Many barrancos (valleys), like the Barranco del Valle de Casares can be reached on foot.
Continue: By bus back to Las Palmas