Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands has an incredibly dramatic landscape, and the best way to see as much of it as possible is to grab your hiking boots and get walking! While hiking in Gran Canaria, you’ll see everything from plunging ravines, volcanic craters, and bizarre rock formations to dramatic coastlines, lush forests, and rugged mountains.
One of my favorite things about hiking in Gran Canaria is that it opens your eyes up to a whole new side of the island. Even if you’ve visited 100 times before, there’s always something new to see.
Fiery red tajinaste plants growing out of volcanic rocks, sparkling lakes surrounded by desert landscapes, and spectacular views you’ll struggle to believe are real are just some of the things you can see if you get out and explore.
All these hikes in Gran Canaria are very well signposted. So even if you didn’t download a hiking app in advance or your data doesn’t work abroad, you’ll still be able to follow these exciting routes and get back to where you started.
To make things a little simpler for you, I’ve categorized the hikes into easy (great for families with young children), intermediate (suitable for frequent walkers and families with older kids), and difficult (best left to expert hikers).
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The 9 Best Hikes in Gran Canaria, Spain
Easy Gran Canaria Hiking Trails
1. Los Tilos de Moya
Los Tilos de Moya is one of the best hikes in Gran Canaria if you don’t have much experience or you’re traveling with little ones. This circular route is 1.5 miles long, has an elevation gain of 410 feet, and takes around 60 minutes to complete.
Your adventure begins and ends at the Los Tilos Restaurant, where you’ll find plenty of free parking available. There’s a small slope at the beginning of the route, but the rest is mostly flat and easy to follow.
Along the way, you’ll pass through a beautiful laurisilva forest, past ancient caves, and through breathtaking ravines. There’s also an interpretation center about halfway along the hike where you can learn more about the local area.
2. Charco de La Paloma
Hiking Gran Canaria can be too much in the summer, when temperatures can rise up to 35°C (95°F). But thanks to the layout of the land in Charco de La Paloma, gentle breezes keep this hiking route permanently cool and refreshing throughout the year.
This simple hike is less than a mile long, has an elevation gain of just 52 meters (170 feet), and takes less than 1 hour to complete. It’s a fantastic option for beginners or if you’re not sure if you’re in the mood for hiking.
The best time to follow this route is after some rainfall. This is when the highlights of the walk (a small lake and waterfall) will be at their most impressive and photogenic.
3. Jardín Botánico Viera y Clavijo
If you prefer walking in Gran Canaria over hiking, Jardín Botánico Viera y Clavijo is for you. While this spot is technically a botanical garden and not a hiking route, it does contain a number of trails that wind their way throughout the park and take you to all sorts of fascinating sites.
Follow all the trails and you’ll cover around 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 2 hours, with an elevation gain of 198 meters (650 feet). While exploring, you’ll come across all kinds of beautiful flowers and plants that are native to the Macaronesian region and the Canary Islands, as well as sculptures, ancient farming tools, fountains, ponds, and resident ducks.
Moderate Gran Canaria Hiking Trails
1. Roque Nublo
Out of all the Gran Canaria hiking trails, the one that takes you to Roque Nublo is one of the most popular because the views are just incredible. This route covers 6.1 kilometers (3.8 miles), includes a steep elevation gain of 387 meters (1,270 feet,) and takes around 2 hours to complete. But the challenge is more than worth it for the chance to snap pictures of Roque Nublo!
Roque Nublo is a bizarre rocky monolith that rises 80 meters (262 feet) out of its volcanic bed and stands at a whopping 387 meters (5,950 feet) above sea level. While it’s not the highlight of the hike, I suggest you check out the unusual sundial you’ll come across along the way, too.
2. Barranco de los Cernícalos
Undoubtedly one of the best hikes in Gran Canaria, the route that takes you through Barranco de los Cernícalos is magical because there’s just so much to see. From ancient (still functioning!) aqueducts, rippling rivers, and rushing waterfalls to prickly cactus gardens, dense laurisilva forests, and giant centuries-old trees, this hike is brimming with hidden wonders.
Barranco de los Cernícalos is around 7.2 kilometers (4.5 miles) long, includes an elevation gain of 290 meters (950 feet), and takes about 3 hours to complete. One of the best things about this hike is that some of the water features are visible year-round, so you can go any time!
3. Caldera de Bandama
There are many hikes in Gran Canaria that will take you past impressive calderas, and the route that leads to Caldera de Bandama is one of the best. This moderate trail is 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) long, includes an elevation gain of 232 meters (760 feet), and takes a little over 1 hour to complete.
On the way, you’ll pass by small villages, dazzling rock faces, and loads of informative panels before you arrive at the highlight of the hike – the Caldera de Bandama. This monumental caldera plunges 198 meters (650 feet) into the earth and is a staggering 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) in diameter. If you visit on a cool, misty morning, you may even get to see the caldera filled with fog, like a witch’s cauldron!
Difficult Gran Canaria Hiking Trails
1. El Pico de Las Nieves
If you liked the sound of the moderate Roque Nublo hike, but you’re looking for something a little more challenging, this route could be perfect for you. As well as the spectacular Roque Nublo, this Gran Canaria hiking experience also passes by El Pico de Las Nieves and Ventana del Nublo – two more astounding natural attractions on the island.
This trail covers 10 miles, includes an elevation gain of 784 meters (2,572 feet), and takes around 6-7 hours to complete, so pack a picnic! You’ll start by working your way through lush foothills before coming up to a volcanic gorge speckled with secret caves.
Then it’s onto a pine forest that turns into a mountain pass leading to the astounding El Pico de Las Nieves. The remarkable Roque Nublo is next, followed by the one-of-a-kind Ventana del Nublo, before you return back to where you started.
2. Tajinaste Azul
Planning on hiking in Gran Canaria in March? Then you’ve got to consider the Tajinaste Azul route. Most tajinaste flowers in the Canary Islands are red. But Gran Canaria boasts a stunning blue variety that you won’t find anywhere else. March is the perfect time to see these flowers in bloom and this route takes you where you’ll find them in abundance.
The Tajinaste Azul route is a challenge. It covers just 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) but includes a difficult elevation gain of 506 meters (1,670 feet) and takes around 2.5 hours to complete. If you’re up for the adventure, you’ll be rewarded with magical rocky paths lined by the delicate blue flowers.
Study footwear, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants are recommended because you have to walk through craggy forests and closely past spiky plants at several points along the way.
3. Güi Güi Beach
Hiking Gran Canaria is an excellent way to visit places that you can’t get to through any other means and Güi Güi Beach is one of those special places. Hidden away on the southwest coast of the island, this remote beach can only be accessed on foot or by boat.
The challenging route covers 9.3 kilometers (5.8 miles), includes an elevation gain of 1,067 meters (3,500 feet), and takes about 7 hours to complete. If that’s too much for you, you can always book a taxi boat from Puerto Rico and get there the easy way.
The hike begins in the peaceful hamlet of Tasartico and marches you up one side of a steep ravine (Degollada de Aguas Sabinas) before shortly coming down on the other side. When you’re at the highest point of the ravine, you’ll be rewarded with sensational views that stretch over the island all the way down to the coast.
Along the way, you’ll pass through rocky mountainous terrain that makes proper hiking boots essential. But when you arrive at the beach, you can kick them off and enjoy a cool dip in the ocean before heading back.
