Spain's Canary Islands are famous for their beaches, palm trees, and volcanoes, but perhaps lesser known, is the officially recognized Camino de Santiago! On this new Fresco Tours adventure, we lace up our boots and leaving the southern sand dunes, we head north through stunning volcanic landscapes, pine forests and small oases as we cross the island of Gran Canary following our good friends, the yellow arrow and Fresco Tours!
Day 1
Accommodations: Maspalomas (D)
Meeting time: 3:30pm
Walking: 4 km / 2 mi
Day 2
Accommodations: Maspalomas (B, L, D)
Walking: 17 km / 11 mi
Day 3
Accommodations: Parador Cruz de Tejeda (B, L, D)
Walking: 10 km / 6 mi
Day 4
Accommodations: Parador Cruz de Tejeda (B, L, D)
Walking: 15 km / 9 mi
Day 5
Accommodations: Parador Cruz de Tejeda (B, L, D)
Walking: 7 km / 4 mi
Day 6
Accommodations: Gáldar (B, L, D)
Walking: 14 km / 9 mi
Day 7
Accommodations: Gáldar (B, L, D)
Walking: 9 km / 6 mi
Day 8
Accommodations: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (B, L, D)
Day 9
Accommodations: B
*Please note: This itinerary is subject to slight modifications due to hotel availability, weather, festivals, and other occurences.
Maspalomas, on the southern coast of Gran Canaria, is the official starting point of the Camino de Canarias Tour and can be reached via bus or taxi from the International Airport of Gran Canaria or the Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. For a sample timetable of buses from the airport (bus line #5), please see:
Guaguas Global: Gran Canary Airport to Maspalomas
The Gran Canaria International Airport of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the 6th largest airport in Spain and there are frequent flights to mainland Spain (round trip flights from Madrid can cost less than €100) and the rest of Europe. On the neighboring island of Tenerife, there are two international airports and you can fly there directly from Newark. From Tenerife to Gran Canaria, there are frequent flights (30 min) and ferries (1:30h). For more details on these airports, please see Spain’s AENA website.
If you arrive at the Gran Canaria International Airport of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, bus 60 will take you directly to the city center of Las Palmas, the capital of the island. Here is a sample timetable for bus line #60. Additionally, taxis are readily available and will take you to the center of Las Palmas for about €28.
Due to its diverse geography and climates, Gran Canaria is often referred to as a mini continent. As we will be starting at sea level on sandy dunes and working our way up to the top of a volcanic crater, we will see these changes firsthand. The temperate climate means that winter is perfect for hiking – keep in mind that at higher elevations it will be much cooler, especially in the evenings and early mornings, so you will need a jacket.
Visit these links for a peek at average monthly temperatures in Maspalomas and Gáldar.
After breakfast, we lace up and get moving. After walking for a couple of hours, we do a checkpoint to make sure that everything is OK. This is a good opportunity to change your shoes, put on more sunscreen, or even get a ride to the next checkpoint if necessary. After walking along the Camino for another 1-2 hours, you will indulge in a complete gourmet picnic prepared with the freshest local ingredients. On some days, we walk 1-2 more hours after lunch to burn off dessert.
In the afternoon, we go to our hotels, where we take a shower, have a siesta, or just relax by the pool! We finish our day with a glass of tinto and a scrumptious dinner to sample the local gastronomy. We then retire for the night and get ready to do it again the next day. On some evenings, we will do cultural visits to learn more about local customs and history.
The scenic trail along the Island of Gran Canaria offers many spots to rest and admire the blue water and coastal views. There will also be checkpoints to fill up our water bottles and get some snacks to fuel us up on our way.
At some points, we will also be able to have a break on the beach and enjoy a drink with our toes in the sand.
Diverse is the best word to describe it all! Crossing an island formed millions of years ago by volcanos, you will find sand, volcanic gravel, rocks, fertile soil, forest trails, and some paved roads. Aside from the first and last day, when you will be leaving and entering larger towns, most of the Camino finds you hiking off–road to the top of the crater and then back down.
We start at sea level and eventually work our way up to 1,700 m (5,600 ft). During the entire 61 km (38 mi) walk, the cumulative elevation gain is about 2,785 m (9,150 ft) with a cumulative elevation loss of 2,670 m (8,750 ft). For a detailed description of the route, please see the following map of the Camino de Santiago Gran Canaria.
The number of kilometers scheduled for each day varies from 4 to 17 km (2.5 to 11 miles). Due to the changes in elevation, all the walks will be accompanied by 2 support vehicles to provide greater assistance and allow options for less (or more!) km’s each day.
Some hotels offer laundry services on the premises or you can use local laundromats. We also recommend that you bring quick-drying clothes that you can handwash and dry overnight at the hotel if all else fails!
Footwear is a very personal question – depending on how active you are and how much support you need. Since we will be walking the Canary Island Camino every day, comfort is key – you do not want to get blisters. The trail can be quite rocky at some points, so a full high-cut boot that covers your ankle is probably a good idea. Keep in mind that there may be some mud and water along the trail. Most importantly: Make sure that your boots are well broken in!
We encourage you to train beforehand by hiking up and down hills, so that you are prepared and can more fully enjoy your experience. During your walk, one of the two guides will be on the trail with the group at all times to ensure that all is well. We also have planned checkpoints along the way with our support van to offer you water, a change of shoes, or a much-needed break. In most cases, you will see the van at least every couple of hours.
Thank you for choosing to travel with Fresco Tours! We are very excited for you to join the ranks of our Happy Customers. If at any moment you should have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you again and we look forward to sharing memories of a lifetime with you.
To join us on a Fresco Tour, please visit our Secure Online Reservation Form or download and print a PDF version of the Reservation Form, one for each participant. To reserve your space on a tour, a 15% deposit per person is required and payment should be made via credit card (Visa or MasterCard only), bank transfer or via Wise transfer. The balance of your tour payment is due 60 days prior to the departure date. If the tour that you selected begins within 60 days of booking, final payment is due at that time. Failure to receive the remainder of your trip balance by the due date will be considered a cancellation.
Once Fresco Tours has received your registration form and tour deposit, we will send you an email with an invoice of payments received and your remaining balance, a copy of our Assumption of Risk / Liability Waiver Form and a link to your Guest Questionnaire. These last 2 items must be returned 60 days prior to the start of tour. In addition, we will send you a Confirmation Packet with information regarding suggestions on preparation, a packing and reading list and other tips to get you excited and prepared for your Fresco Tour.
Once we have received final payment, the signed Assumption of Risk / Liability Waiver Form and Guest Questionnaire, you will be sent a receipt and final details regarding your tour, including a detailed itinerary and the hotel contact list.
Due to the nature of the accommodations we use, there are a limited number of single rooms available. Requests for these rooms are based on availability. Please see the tour itinerary for the cost of this fee. In some cases, it may imply a room smaller in size than a standard double room. If you are traveling alone, and would like to share a room, we will do our best to match you with a same-gender roommate.
All cancellations must be made in writing. No refunds will be issued due to late arrival, early departure, or any unused portion of a tour. The Assumption of Risk / Liability Waiver form must be signed and received 60 days prior to tour departure or the reservation will also be treated as a cancellation. We strongly recommend trip cancellation insurance to offset the chance you may need to cancel.
| Time | Price |
|---|---|
|
Cancellations received 121 or more days prior to trip start |
10% of trip price |
|
Cancellations received 120 – 61 days prior to trip start |
15% of trip price |
|
Cancellations received 60 – 31 days prior to trip start |
50% of trip price |
|
Cancellations received 30 days or less prior to trip start |
100% of trip price |
Fresco Tours reserves the right to change, modify, or cancel a tour prior to departure for any reason, including lack of participants (tour minimum: 3-6 passengers with 1 guide, 7 passengers or more with 2 guides) or acts of nature and/or circumstances beyond our control. In this case, any payments received will be refunded in full, and this will constitute full settlement. Fresco Tours is not responsible for any additional expenses due to a canceled tour, such as the purchase of non-refundable airline tickets.
Fresco Tours reserves the right to accept, refuse, or decline any tour member’s participation at any time for any reason. In such a case, Fresco Tour’s liability is limited to the actual cost of the unused services.
If we are notified of a change to your scheduled tour date 6 months prior, you can apply your tour deposit to another departure date without penalty. This change can be up to 1 calendar year in advance and is subject to availability. Otherwise, the above Cancellation Fees will be applied.
As Spain-taneous Private Tours are custom built and created with specific dates in mind, any modifications will incur a 15% surcharge.
In accordance with Spanish law and for the duration of your tour with Fresco Tours, you are covered by a basic insurance provided by Intermundial. We strongly advise the purchase of a more comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation / interruption. We suggest using Travelinsurance.com, which allows you to compare and assess top insurance provider policies and their different coverage plans.
Traveling during these complex times requires a bit more planning and a lot more reassurance. We believe that the Fresco Tours style of travel is particularly well-suited to safe activities: walking in the outdoors, small group sizes, strong reliable relationships with our local partners and, most importantly, we have the local knowledge of our home – the Camino de Santiago and the Spanish culture.
Guided
9 days / 8 nights
61,9 km / 38 mi
Canary Islands
Price per person
4,376.54 $
* USD$ price based on current exchange rate
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