Walking in La Gomera

This tour is designed for experienced hikers with a good level of fitness, as the elevation changes and trail conditions can be challenging. It is not recommended for anyone with a fear of heights, as some sections feature steep drop-offs along clifftops. The route combines both paved and unpaved trails, with certain areas containing loose rocks or muddy patches that may become slippery when wet. Surefootedness and confidence at heights are essential.

Days 3, 4, and the longer option for Day 7 are classified as strenuous due to the particularly demanding terrain on these parts of the journey.

Before your tour, we recommend walking regularly and incorporating some hilly terrain into your routine. Be sure to check the daily distances and elevation changes outlined in your itinerary.

These routes offer a mix of rural tracks—paved, unpaved, and everything in between! You’ll follow footpaths and animal trails. Watch out for loose rocks, and if it’s been wet, expect some mud and slippery spots.

This tour is graded moderate to strenuous overall. Within the tour individual days may vary in difficulty, so some days might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests, and on a couple of days there are shorter or easier route options if you'd prefer.

You'll stay at the well-regarded 4-star Parador hotel in San Sebastian, along with comfortable, family-run rural hotels elsewhere on the route, each with a warm, genuine atmosphere and great hospitality. Rooms are simply but comfortably decorated, all with en-suite bathrooms, and some hotels offer twin beds only, with no doubles available. The converted manor houses used in Vallehermoso and Hermigua are particular favorites.

Occasionally we may need to use an alternative hotel depending on availability. If this happens in San Sebastian, the alternative is typically closer to the town center with more dining choice nearby, so the first night's included dinner and port transfer aren't needed, and a discount is applied to reflect this.

Unfortunately, this is not available to solo travelers. We can, however, offer single rooms if you are traveling with others. These are available for a supplement.

Breakfast is included every morning. Lunch and dinner aren't included, with the exception of the first night's dinner at the Parador in San Sebastian. Most hotels are happy to provide a packed lunch if you ask on arrival (payable locally), or you can pick something up from a local deli or along the trail, and dinner is easy to find either at your accommodation or at nearby bars, cafes and restaurants.

You can start this tour on any date throughout the year. La Gomera has mild weather year-round, with average daytime temperatures ranging from the mid-teens in winter to the mid-twenties Celsius in summer, making it ideal for walking at any time. Being an island, it can occasionally see fog, strong winds or the odd tropical storm. If you're traveling over the festive period, do note that supplements may apply and availability is more limited.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

The routes on this tour aren't typically waymarked.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

Most of our travellers fly into Tenerife and then take the ferry across to La Gomera. Tenerife South (TFS) has direct links to major European cities, giving easy access from the US and other international destinations. From Tenerife South Airport to the ferry port at Los Cristianos, you can take a taxi (around 20 to 25 minutes, which we can pre-book through your Destination Specialist) or a bus from Estacion Costa Adeje, getting off at Los Cristianos for a 15 minute walk to the port.

From Los Cristianos, take the Fred Olsen Express ferry to San Sebastian de La Gomera (approximately 1 hour, 30 to 40 euros per person, route Los Cristianos to S.S. La Gomera/San Sebastian), which we can also pre-book for you. The latest recommended flight arrival time at Tenerife South is 17:30, and the earliest recommended departure time is 11:30, so we can also arrange extra nights in Tenerife near the airport if needed.

As an alternative, you can fly directly from Tenerife North (TFN) to La Gomera Airport (GMZ) with Binter Canarias, a flight of approximately 30 minutes. On arrival at the port in San Sebastian, you'll be met and transferred to your hotel, which is included in the tour.

Getting from the end, most travellers take the ferry from La Gomera back to Tenerife to fly home, following the same route as the arrival. We can book extra nights in Tenerife near the airport if required.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation