Based in Spain since 2006
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.
The Gran Canaria International Airport of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the 6th largest airport in Spain and has many frequent flights with mainland Spain (round trip via Madrid can be less than 100€) and the rest of Europe. On the neighboring island of Tenerife, you also have 2 other major hubs, from which United Airlines will be having direct service from Newark for the summer of 2022. To reach Gran Canaria from Tenerife, 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 there is a Line 91 bus that will take you to the city center. Additionally, there are many taxis available that will take you to the center of Las Palmas for about €28 euros.
The RENFE website can be a bit temperamental. Therefore, we recommend Omio website for purchasing tickets. Omio is a travel booking platform with more than 1,000 trusted partners across trains, buses, and airport transfers. Search, compare and book all in one place so you can focus on the journey.
Keep in mind, the sale of train tickets depends on RENFE’s scheduling and some routes cannot be purchased until approximately 30 to 60 days prior to departure – please be patient. Schedules and availability are also subject to change based on train maintenance needs.
Due to the diverse geographic areas and variety of climates found on Gran Canaria, it 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 and experience these changes. The temperate climate means that the winters are perfect for hiking – keeping in mind that at the higher elevations it will be much cooler, especially in the evenings and early mornings, which may require a jacket.
Visit these links for a peek at average temps by month in Maspalomas and Gáldar.
After breakfast, we lace up and get the blood going with a walk for a couple of hours, where we will do a check point to make sure that everything is going OK, if you need to change your shoes, some more sunscreen or a ride to the next check point. You then continue along the Camino for another 1-2 hours where you will come across a complete gourmet picnic prepared with the freshest local ingredients. On some days, we’ll continue for an hour more 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 of the local gastronomy. We then retire for the night and get ready to do it again the next day. On some evenings, we will make cultural visits to take in the local culture.
The scenic trail along the Island of Gran Canaria will offer several resting spots to admire the blue water just off the coast. 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 and enjoy a drink in cafes with our toes literally sunk into the beach sand.
Diverse is the best word to describe it all! Crossing an island formed by volcanos millions of years ago, you will find yourself on sandy patches, volcanic gravel, very rocky sections, fertile soil, forestry trails, and some paved roads, where man has left his mark too. Besides the first and last day, when you will be leaving and entering larger towns, most of the Camino finds you hiking off roads to the top of the crater and then back down.
We start from sea level and eventually work our way up to 1,700 m (5,600 ft). During the entire walk of 66 km (41 mi), the cumulative elevation gain is a about 2,785 m (9,150 ft) with a cumulative elevation loss of 2,670 m (8,750 ft). For a detailed track 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 16 km to 7.8 km. 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 daily.
Some hotels will have the capability to do laundry 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 will need. Since we will be walking daily on this Canary Island Camino, we believe that comfort is key – you do not want to get blisters. The trail can be quite rocky at some points, so a full high boot that covers your ankle is probably a good idea. There may be some mud and water along the trail, so keep that in mind too. Most important: Make sure that they are well broken in!
We encourage you to train and hike up and down hills before to be prepared for your own enjoyment. During your walk, one of the two guides will be on the trail with the group to keep an eye that all is well. Also, we have planned check points along the way with our support van to make sure you have plenty of water, if you need a change of shoes, or just feel like taking a break. In most cases, you will see the van at a minimum 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.
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. Cancellation fees are outlined below:
| 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
4,489.90 $
* USD$ price based on current exchange rate
Customer Reviews
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