Camping la gomera gratis: Hiking on the Canary Islands ‘La Gomera’ and ‘Tenerife’ – walking womad

Hiking on the Canary Islands ‘La Gomera’ and ‘Tenerife’ – walking womad

Hiking in Europe

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CanariesCanary IslandshikingLa GomeraTenerife

In an attempt to flee from the European winter we decided to jump on a plane to the Canary Islands and go on a 2 week hiking trip through Tenerife and La Gomera.  The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Morocco and the Sahara and most of all: they’re having a mild climate year round. It was our best (and at the same time affordable) chance to get some sun in the dark european February.

For the first time in years I decided not to journal. I needed time off. Off media. Off. Just off! So I didn’t bring my phone, didn’t bring a journal. I only brought some small blank papers for a “just in case” bright aha-moment (which indeed happened once. Oh it was wonderful to write something down underneath the pine trees… just for me.) While hiking the PCT I experienced some pressure in “having to” journal, “having to” blog and something that I loved turned into something that I felt like I “had to” do. Not journaling on this trip through the Canary Islands took away a bit of the pressure and that one time I wrote something down I really really enjoyed it and it felt like a relieve.

As for gear, we brought our regular lightweight set up. This time bringing a Zpacks cuben fiber camo tarp though instead of a tent and I used the Gossamer Gear Pilgrim backpack, cause my Base Pack Weight was some 3,5 kg, sub 10 pounds and there was no need to bring the bigger Gossamer Gear Gorilla. (Loved the Pilgrim by the way… I’m gonna try to do a little gear review about it soon ;c)

Anyways. This is gonna be a small trip report. Not too much details, mostly pictures :cP Those who want more infos on hiking on Tenerife and La Gomera are welcome to get in touch and ask. As you know I’m always happy to help.

Also I’ll add some tips and infos for hiking on the Canaries. You can find them below the day by day trip report and pics ;c)

Here we go:

The first 5 and a half days of our trip we spent on La Gomera. Gomera is THE hiking island. It’s small, pretty quiet compared to Tenerife, hitching is soooo frikkin easy (the mostly german tourists all have a rental car and they will pick you up the moment you get your thumb out), and the hiking paths are really well marked.

We arrived (both kinda seasick because of the crazy sea) in San Sebastian de Gomera around noon and immediately started hiking along the GR 132, a hiking trail that goes around the island. After only 15 minutes you leave the city behind you and you’re in untouched (well almost untouched) wilderness with views off the steep cliffs on the Atlantic Ocean. We weren’t lucky in seeing whales and dolphins. But we could have been cause La Gomera is the place to be for whale and dolphin spotting.

Here’s an overview of the stretches we hiked along the GR 132 / on La Gomera:

O ya, what I want to remind you of: Forget about hiking big miles on the Canaries. The trails goes either up or down, mostly steep. Lots of scrambling and some boulder hopping. There are no flat stretches what so fucking ever!!! We mostly didn’t even get 12 miles a day under our belts.

• Day 1: GR 132: San Sebastian de Gomera – Barranco de Machal – Playa de la Guancha – Barranco de la Guancha. Instead of going down to El Cabrito via the GR 132 we took the trail down northwest to Barranco Juan de Vera and back up on the other side. We slept in a goat cave almost up on the Barranco.

• Day 2: GR 132: Cave up in Barranco Juan de Vera- Seima – Baranco de Chinguarima – Playa de Santiago. We were already 3 km north of Playa de Santiago when we wanted to make camp. A bad storm (even the airport got closed) however forced us to go back down and search for a place to stay in Playa de Santiago.
  Day 1 and 2 are actually one section if you walk the sections as given. I can however say that is a pretty long one and I’d split it.

You won’t often find me NOT smiling. But I was in soooo much pain that day that I could hardly move. I can no longer go sit down without assistance, let alone get up without assistance. Each morning HQ had to pull me up from my sleeping pad like a potato sack and hold me for a few seconds till my legs/hips could carry my weight (good thing I’m lightweight just like my pack ;c)

• Day 3: GR 132: Back up a few km to the airport from where we hitched up to  Alajero. By hitching we skipped a section, which didn’t seem very interesting to us. In Alajero we picked back up the GR 132 – Barranco de la Negra (this was our absolute favorite Barranco and hiking section in La Gomera) – Arguayoda – La Dama – Barranco de Iguala – Playa de Iguala. Playa the Iguala can only be reached by foot or boat and we had the whole beach to ourselves! It was absolutely amazing. We slept in some kind of cave underneath the rocks. Our own private beach. Damn what more can one ask for right?!!!

• Day 4: GR 132: Playa de Iguala – Gerian – Crossing the Barranco de Argaga on the upper part (we decided not to go down there as it is known as a huge scramble… A scramble I’d rather go up than go down… Next time) – decending into Valle Gran Rey via the GR 132. Next time I’d skip this section. The climb up from Playa de Iguala is nice but then the stretch till the descent into Valle Gran Rey is a bit boring. The decent into Valle is beautiful but absolutely steep and exhausting and it killed my knees and hips. I’d rather walk out of the Valle this way then down into it. As everyone says you shouldn’t try to camp wild in Valle Gran Rey, we found a cheap room in La Callera (30€ a night for two persons – Ask for a room in the Zumeria next to the church down in La Callera. That was a tip given to us by hikers we met and luckely the old lady had a room left for us.)

• Day 5: Hitch up to Pajarito – hike up the Garajonay (highest mountain on La Gomera) with great views of Tenerife and the Teide following the Route 18 –    onward through the National Park and the El Cedro forest along Route 18 till  the only official camping site “La Vista” on the north side of the island. Camping for 6€ a night

• Day 6: Hike down along Route 37, passing the highest waterfall on La Gomera (not veeeeeery impressive but still beautiful) till where the trail crosses the road to San Sebastian – hitch to San Sebastian – Ferry boat over to Tenerife at noon.

On Tenerife we continued along the GR 131 and some local trails.

• Day 1 (=Day 6 La Gomera): Arriving in Los Christianos around 1pm. Hiking out of Los Christianos was the worst. It was hot, busy, full of tourists. We couldn’t stay here for an hour without becoming unhappy. So after resupplying and buying more sunscreen we headed up towards the mountains and the crater of the Teide. We had to walk on paved road and then some local trails till Vueltas de Adeje, then find our way till Vento (where we asked on old man for water) from where we could hike the GR 131 and found a hidden spot to camp in Barranco del Rey shortly before ascending towards the saddle. Mozzies ruined our night. Damn those fuckers.

Camo tarp ;cP

• Day 2: GR 131: Barranco del Rey – Ifonche – into the Canarian Pine Tree forests till Montana de la vica (some 2 km before Villaflor). We found the most awesome beautiful campspot in the pine tree forest on top of the Montana. An absolutely beautiful day guided by the heavenly smell of fire scarred pine trees!!!

• Day 3: GR 131: Montana de la vica – Villaflor (resupply food and water) – Paysaje Lunar – Campspot on the crater rim, on the saddle between the Guajara and the Morra del Rio. Crazy epic (but veeeery windy and pretty cold) campspot at 2300m with perfect view of the Teide.

• Day 4: Local Trail over the mountain Morra del Rio (2529m) in alpine conditions – crazy descent with lots of snow – down the pine tree forests to a campspot on old terrasses close to El Contador.

• Day 5: Local Trail PR TF 86 from El Contador – Barranco de Puento – Ortiz (sports climbing and boulder canyon) – Villa de Arico – Last 4 km to where HQ’s aunt lives (about 150 m above sea level)

We stayed another 3 days with HQ’s aunt and uncle (they offer a great service “first and last night on Tenerife: They pick you up from the airport, offer you a room (they have supercool cave rooms) in their finca, breakfast and then bring you to the ferryboat that’ll take you to La Gomera or El Hierro…. And the other way around when you come back )and had a wonderful time just relaxing and doing nothing, spending time with the family, going out eating in El Medano, going to the beach in Abades,.

Tips for hiking on the Canary Islands:

• WATER! The LACK of water is the biggest issue you will encounter while backpacking through the Canary Islands. If you have a place to stay and you’re going on day hikes it’s not a problem. Then you just take your water for the day and you’re set. If you’re backpacking and camping (“wild camping” as we call it in Europe is illegal but I’ll get to that later) then you have to act like you’re in the desert, which you kind of are. Most streams (or what used to be streams), especially in the south, are bone dry year round. We were “lucky” there was some stormy weather in the sky and we had some decent rainshowers which filled some puddles. But really expect to find no “natural” water sources along the trail. The villages is where you should fill up your water bottles. Sometimes for 2 days. So we howled lots of water. Up to 7 L.  On the crater rim and on our mountain day we melted snow. It can get very hot in the desert vegetation as well as on the exposed rocks and you need lots of water!
• Camping. As said “wild camping” (sleeping in a tent on public land) is illegal on the Canary Islands (as in most parts of Europe). Therefor I cannot openly encourage you here on my blog to camp.  I don’t know the spanish law well enough (the Canary islands “belong to” Spain) but I know in most european countries there is something like the right to bivouac (sleep under the stars or in a not enclosed shelter -tarp- for one night. Also and very important if you bivouac: LEAVE NO TRACE. Nobody should know or see that you’ve been there. Take care of the vegetation, pack out ALL of your trash), be aware of the fauna (though there isn’t veeery much big wild life on the Canaries, there are lizards and insects and those you should consider and take care of too!), burry or pack out your human waste in a proper way, carry out all tp,… If you love hiking, if you love this planet, take frikkin good care of it. We want our children and the next generations to experience this beauty too!!!
• Bring sunscreen. You’re on Sahara level here! The sun is high in the sky and is super strong. Also bring a hat and sunglasses. We also brought lightweight longsleeve clothes for protection against the sun.
• We’ve hiked on the Canary islands twice now and each time we brought a tarp. This time however there was a loooot of wind (not so very uncommon for an island haha) and we could hardly sleep because of our cuben fibre tarp flutttering in the strong winds.
• Both HQ and I are fans of trailrunners for footwear. This is the first time in years that we said: Maybe we should have brought sturdier footwear, like with ankle coverage. The Canary Islands are volcanic islands and are very rocky and steep. Some rocks are very loose and wobbly and in combination with the steepness sturdy footwear might be a good idea. It’s not that our trailrunners couldn’t deal with it, it’s that with sturdier footwear you’d be able to move faster and not concentrate as much with every step you take. If you wanna train your ankle and foot muscles, then go for trailrunners. You’ll have some decent training on the Canaries ;cP
• Food: I dehydrated 2 kind of sauces (one tomato sauce and one thai curry sauce) and 1 dish (a veggy chili) and made my own superfood muesli bars and hummus for lunch Because of the fact that the Canaries are part of the EU it was no problem what so ever to take the dehydrated homemade food with me on the plane and across the border. We carried enough dehydrated food for 9 2person meals. In local stores we’d then buy angel hair noodles, tortillas and muesli. That made resupplying super duper easy. Cause even the tiniest stores had noodles and tortillas and some kind of cereals.
• Maps and stuff. We used the Kompass maps and the Gaia GPS app. HQ brought his iPhone with the app on it and we mostly only used this app while on trail. (We brought our suntactics solar charger to make sure the iPhone woulnd’t run out of battery ;c)

We definitely had an amazing time on La Gomera and Tenerife and got the much much needed sun we were longing for. It really is the perfect hiking destination to get away from the cold depressing european winter ;c)

Cheers,

Cat

Disclaimer: A reader brought to my attention in Mai 2019 that apparently it is illegal to bivouac, quoting following law text: “Artículo 2. 1. A los efectos de esta Orden, se entiende por “acampada” la permanencia temporal en lugares situados en plena naturaleza, de grupos libres de personas, cuyo único objetivo es disfrutar del contacto con el medio natural con o sin tiendas de campaña o albergues móviles.” Please act accordingly and only camp in designated campsites. 

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A few tips for hiking in La Gomera – Hiking Is Good

TOPICS:Canary IslandsLa Gomera

Posted By: Michal
18.3.2017

La Gomera is the second smallest island of the Canary Islands. It’s known for its pure natural environment and sparsely populated land which makes it the best island for me for hiking within the Canary Islands. Rich green laurel forest, deep red gorges (barranco in Spanish), great weather in the winter and an almost touchable feeling of old civilizations makes hiking on the island very deep experience.

You can get by with only English, but don’t expect locals to speak any language but Spanish. Therefore learning some basic Spanish phrases would be extremely useful.

The most common way of getting into the island is taking a ferry from an island with an international airport like Tenerife or Gran Canaria. There are 2 major ferry companies: Fred Olsen & Naviera Armas. Their ferries go to La Gomera a few times a day. Fred Olsen is faster and a bit more expensive, Naviera Armas is slightly cheaper and needs more time for crossing. In this case taking more time is not a disadvantage though, the journey is still quite short and the views are beautiful. In the winter, when the wind is often quite strong, Naviera Armas’s boats are not good enough to fight big waves and only Fred Olsen operates. Therefore you should check the weather, otherwise you might end up like me – waiting 2 hours in front of the Naviera Armas’s ferry and in the end it was canceled so I had to take Fred Olsen’s one.

It’s also possible to take a plane from Tenerife but it’s really close, you can literally see La Gomera from Tenerife. So please, before you decide to take a plane, think about its environmental impact.

Public transport is cheap and quite good. You obviously can’t expect a bus every 20 minutes, but I think one can quite easily get around just with the buses. You just need to adjust to bus schedules for a bit and have a bit of patience while waiting at the bus stops, because you only know time of the bus departure from the first station.

There are plenty of accommodation options in main towns. Tourism is an essential economy part for islanders and they make sure that everyone who is keen to pay for a bed gets it. It’s much harder to find accommodation in small villages so plan ahead if possible.

If you fancy a hotel, booking.com offers heaps of options. If you’re keen for a more quiet place, Airbnb.com has a good selection too. If you wanna be in a quiet place, Hotel El Cebrito is an excellent option. I haven’t stayed there but I passed it when hiking around and just seeing the hotel was quite experience. It’s directly on the wild ocean coast, surrounded by palm trees, in the mouth of deep barranco.

Wild camping is officially forbidden on the island. Beaches which are close to towns and accessible by a car are regularly checked by the local police. There is only 1 official campsite – it’s called La Vista and it’s in El Cedro in the La Garajonay National Park. It costs 3 € a night (2018) and it has a restaurant and a small grocery shop. I recommend it to everyone who travels on a budget, wants to have a safe base and be close to the trails. I spent there quite a few days and it has everything a hiker needs. There aren’t any caravans or bungalows, only places for tents.

There is a good selection of restaurants and groceries in every town along the coast. It’s a bit harder to find a place to resupply once you’re further inland. Especially water can be a big issue because the island is quite close to the equator and the sun could be very hot and rivers dry. Therefore when heading out for a hike, always make sure you have plenty of water or you know where to get it.

Pretty much anywhere. The island is quite small but the high number of hiking tracks will keep even a very keen hiker busy at least for a month. La Gomera’s nature is unbelievably diverse so you can experience very different landscapes every day.

Probably the most visited hiking area is the Garajonay National Park. There you can find plenty of day tracks. Among the most popular ones is Ruta 18 leading to Garajonay, the highest mountain of the island.

If you’re more adventurous, there are two long GR footpaths: GR 131, which crosses the island from the south-east to the north, and GR 132, which goes around the island. While GR 131 can be done in 3 days, GR 132 is much longer and the official guide divides it into 8 days. It can be done faster though and I found 6 days just enough for a fit and fully-loaded hiker.

I’ve never had a problem with navigation, the trails are well marked and there are plenty of information signs along the trails.

There is plenty of walking guides, I personally recommend La Gomera: The Finest Coastal and Mountain Walks by Rother Walking Guide, Walking on La Gomera and El Hierro by Cicerone or Walk! La Gomera by Charles Davis. All of them are excellent.

If you are more into the online world, mapy.cz offers the most compact and accurate source of hiking trail maps I could find. You can get an app for your phone too. Another great source of hiking trails with GPX is accessible at Official website of tourism of La Gomera.

Good trekking shoes, hat and sunscreen are essential.

Considering cooking, I was really struggling to find a shop with gas canisters with screw tops. You can’t take gas bottles on a plane so you have to purchase them in the Canary Islands (unless you come by a boat, of course) and this could be quite an issue. I heard that the canisters with screw tops can be bought in Decathlon in La Laguna in Tenerife but I haven’t managed to check it out (EDIT 2021: You can buy them in Ferreteria in Santa Cruz, see the message from Paolo in the comments). Therefore, if you wanna cook, I recommend you to use a liquid gas stove. I use MSR one and it’s great.

• Wild camping is possible, just follow a common sense and keep your ethics extra high: avoid busy beaches, pitch a bivi just before the sunset and disappear with the sunrise, don’t leave any tracks and don’t overnight in the national park
• Asking locals where you can build your tent is also possible. In that case some Spanish is necessary
• I didn’t buy a guide, for me it was enough to use the mapy.cz phone app. Thanks to the strong sun I could recharge my phone with a pocket solar charger
• The La Vista campsite is really good place to socialize with other hikers, charge your stuff, use wi-fi (yes, they have free wi-fi!) or use a shower (that’s the funny one by the way because it’s an open outside shower in the middle of the campsite)
• Hitching is quite easy, there are not many people on the island and that’s always a good precondition for solidarity to be more common.

About the Author

Michal

I lived a pretty ordinary life for a while. I did my studies, my second studies, my third studies, my first job, my second job, and my third job. I wasn’t really sure what’s going on so, in 2014, I left my home country (Czechia) to learn about the world. I’m still not sure what’s going on but I enjoy it much more. I lived in a few countries before settling in New Zealand.

Free Campsites, Wild Camping, Tips & More!

Camping in Tenerife is a magical experience. This volcanic island is known best for its sandy beaches and blue Atlantic waters, but it’s also a campers paradise. Plus, it’s not touted as the island of a thousand experiences for nothing. Here you can explore ancient forests and climb a volcano in the morning, and be sipping a Piña Colada on the beach by afternoon.

It’s also an island which has embraced camping. Therefore whilst paid campsites exist here (we name a few of our favorites later), there are also free campsites – some situated in some of Tenerife’s most untouched locations. Wild camping in Tenerife is problematic though – we have more on that, and it’s legality, later in this article as well.

So dust down your camping tent, grab your hiking boots, and get yourself a good Tenerife walking book like this one. It’s time to plan your perfect Tenerife camping getaway!

Camping in Tenerife: Free Campsites in Untouched Tenerife

While there are several paid campsites in Tenerife, some of which we recommend (more on those later), Tenerife also has over a dozen free Forest Camping Areas.

These sites are run by the local authority, and are situated across Tenerife. Created in order to discourage wild camping, these sites are based in some of the island’s most beautiful areas – in the national parks and biosphere reserves. Some have very basic facilities (such as toilets and water), while others have cooking facilities.

Many sit within walking distance to towns that have bars, and places to shop. So you can be enjoying a starry night in the forest one evening, and eating tapas and enjoying a beer in a bar with locals the next.

However be careful to ensure your belongings are always secure, and car is locked. There have been reports of personal belongings being stolen at these campsites.

Campers are allowed to stay in the Forest Camping Areas for up to seven days in a row. But you must apply for a permit to stay at them.

The permit is free, and the process can be done online – we explain how, next.

The location of the campsites, and the application page for the permit, can be found on the website of the Island Council of Tenerife.

On that page, find the campsite you wish to stay at, then click on it. That will take you to a separate page for that camping area, and you can then use the calendar to reserve your dates and apply for a permit to camp there.

You have to apply at least seven days in advance of when you wish to stay. If you are struggling with the online application process, you can also phone to apply for a permit. The relevant number is +34922239500.

One of our favorite free campsites is Las Lajas, which is situated high up the slopes of the dormant volcano Mt Teide – Spain’s highest peak. Here you can expect stunning sunrises, and great bird-watching.

These free campsites are also a great way of wild camping in Tenerife without breaking the law. However, considering the free campsites are usually situated in wooded areas, you should avoid making campfires. Instead use a storm cooker for cooking. The Swedish brand Trangia make fantastic storm cookers that are virtually indestructible.

We have more on wild camping in Tenerife and its legality later on in this article. However, next we show you our favorite paid campsites in Tenerife!

Some of the Best Campsites in Tenerife For Fun, Views & Adventure

Whilst the free campsites are a great resource on the island, they do lack amenities.

Therefore some holidaymakers visiting Tenerife might prefer the comfort of paid campsites, where there’s guaranteed hot running showers, food options on site, and sometimes even a swimming pool!

With that in mind, here’s three of our favorite paid campsites in Tenerife:

1. Camping Nauta

Nestled in the south of the island and sitting among banana trees, this campsite is a great base if you want to spend time on Tenerife’s southern coastline.

It also has a fantastic big swimming pool on site, and the bar serves good food, and great beer. There’s also a tennis court, WiFi, and well-maintained shared facilities.

On top of that Camping Nauta is just a few minutes walk from the beach!

Price: From €13 per night

Address: Carretera TF-653, km 1,5. Cañada Blanca., 38632, Arona, Sta. Cruz de Tenerife

2. Camping Invernaderito

This super friendly campsite is located in the north of Tenerife near San Cristobal de la Laguna, and offers a tranquil pitch close to the island’s famous beaches. Expect great views, a wonderful sense of community and the opportunity to meet the ducks and chickens that live on site!

Along with the usual facilities, there’s also a fantastic entertainment room here, which includes hammocks and armchairs to relax in!

They also have a shared kitchen, a cafe, and games like darts, ping pong, football and more. So there’s lots to keep you entertained on and off site.

Price: From €12 per night

Address: Camino la Costa no 151, 38260 Tejina, Tenerife

3. Campamentos Punta Del Sordo

We’d go as far as saying this is Tenerife’s hidden gem when it comes to cheap campsite options.

This site’s pitches overlook the sea on the island’s east coast, and as such, is within walking distance of several beaches. In fact the campsite has access to its own private beach.

It’s also very cheap – costing just a few euros per person to stay here. The amenities are clean but basic.

Price: From €3 per night

Address: Tajao, B, 38588 San Miguel de Tajao, Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Wild camping in Tenerife: Everything You Need to Know

Unfortunately, wild camping in Tenerife is illegal. This is mainly due to the authorities wish to stop any threat of a forest fire.

In fact, if you are caught wild camping in Tenerife, you could be subjected to a very heavy fine. However the reality is that people do still wild camp here.

Although we don’t advise it, if you do decide to wild camp, then ensure you camp discreetly. And be careful not to damage the ground where you pitch your tent.

If you do go wild camping in Tenerife, we’d advise sticking to the following guidelines in order to be as considerate as possible:

You should camp in the same place for one night only, and pitch your tent discretely and in a remote place. Therefore don’t camp in or near settlements, someone’s farm or on cultivated land. If you think you’re on private land, always seek out the landowner and ask permission.

Campers should set up their tent at dusk, and take it down at dawn. A tent that is discreet and pitches quickly is best. Therefore a lightweight walking and hiking tent like this one would be a great investment for someone planning to camp in Tenerife.

If you are walking a main trail you should camp away from the path as a matter of courtesy.

When wild camping in Tenerife you must never make a campfire. For cooking, use a storm cooker such as the Trangia brand.

And of course, take any trash with you, and leave your camping spot the way you found it.

Below are our tips for camping in Tenerife

Tips for Camping in Tenerife

• Thunderstorms and heavy rain can happen in Tenerife – even during the holiday season. Make sure you have a durable, rainproof tent that can survive heavy rain. A lightweight one-man hiking tent like this or similar would be perfect. For a good value tent that fits more than one person, this mosquito-proof one would work well too.

• Remember to always have plenty of water on you when you’re walking and camping. A space-saving collapsible water bottle would be a good purchase.

• If there is no toilet near your pitch, or on the campsite, then only go to the toilet far from water sources, such as rivers and lakes. Make sure to use a trowel (like this folding one) to bury any human waste – don’t just leave it out in the open.

• Like many rugged and wild rural areas around the world, there are flora and fauna to be aware of. So read up and make sure you know what to expect in the region or area you are planning to wild camp in.

Recommended For Your Trip to Tenerife

Tempted to go camping elsewhere? Check out our guides to camping in, Estonia, Finland, Lanzarote, Norway, Patagonia, Pyrenees, Scotland and many others!

La Gomera GR 132 long distance hiking trail – Two Go Global

by Wayne | Nov 29, 2018 | Europe, Spain

My choice was the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Andrea’s some winter sun in the Canary Islands, the latter winning out. This was to be a Thanksgiving break for Andrea so how could I not be accommodating! The Canaries ended up as a win-win, and although my last visit was a drunken fortnight in my twenties on this occasion the Spanish island chain showed themselves in a totally different light. Our main reason for going was hiking and with a little delving into the opportunities we discovered La Gomera, the second from smallest of the islands and apparently a mecca for endless trails – GR132 is its long distance coastal route that covers 128km and over 25,000’ of altitude gain! We now had a plan and knew there was good reason for us having lugged a tent and cooking gear around Europe for the previous six weeks.

La Gomera’s 128km GR132 coastal route

Usually we pack ziploc bags of carefully selected food for our daily rations but on this occasion after reading a couple of blogs from previous hikers decided it would be easier to stock up with a couple days as we passed through villages. It was also entirely possible that we wouldn’t be able to get hold of a screw top propane cartridge for our miniature MSR stove, hence leaving us no way of even being able to boil water! Turns out that hardware stores, ferretería’s, and some gas stations stock them, larger than what we would normally take on a weeklong hike but we had no choice. Tenerife’s only Decathlon sports store apparently stocks them in various sizes and fittings. Other than the gas cartridge we found a perfect ham and cheese delicatessen in Los Cristianos and bought enough aged ham and manchego cheese to go with the sun-dried tomatoes and hot sauce into integral wraps – this was lunches taken care of.

Our biggest concern was definitely access to drinking water, also likely to be our biggest weight culprit! We had read that most of the fountains we were likely to come across would be dry and although we had a purifier with us finding clean enough standing water probably wouldn’t work. Reluctantly, bottled water it was.

Church of our Lady of the Assumption in San Sebastian

Christopher Columbus last port of call before heading off to discover the Americas

San Sebastian de la Gomera’s pretty harbour

The Fred Olson ferry whisked us over to San Sebastian de la Gomera from Los Cristianos in a quick fifty minutes, a little too fast to justify the total $155 return price tag! Still, the service was great with onboard WiFi for Andrea and cheap espresso coffees for me. We had one night accommodation either side of the hike, both nights spent in San Sebastian which was kilometer 1 and kilometer 128, dependent on whether we walked clockwise or counter-clockwise. Prior blog authors had decided to begin at stage 8 doing it in reverse, perfect reason for us to make that our choice too.

Due to us having to wait to be able to leave all unnecessary gear, clothing and electronics at our stylish accommodation we eventually departed a couple hours later than anticipated – with no distance plan all we knew was that we needed to be back 6 days later. The circular hike would take us through most, if not all of La Gomera’s larger towns, over mostly hilly volcanic terrain, past ruins, beaches and almost all on empty trails. From the signage at the beginning it was clearly going to be well marked (as are all of the long distance hikes we’ve done in Europe), separated into 8 stages with the last or first in our case, coming in at 20km.

La Gomera terrain with well marked signage

All we had to do was follow these markers

GR132 Day 1: San Sebastian de La Gomera to Playa de Santiago
Leaving town, and as we were going to discover on a regular basis the trail followed a fairly steep incline, the main reason being the shape of the island – whilst it looked pretty circular the landscape had deep cuts that headed inland from the ocean. Known as barrancos, we were going to go up and down these whilst following their contour inland and then back to the water. What usually looked like a relatively short distance was always more substantial as we could never take the route that a crow flies!

At the top of our first climb at Barranco de la Guancha we were greeted by the rugged volcanic landscape that La Gomera is known for, complete with endless walled terraces that looked like they hadn’t been tended to in many years, cacti and tropical plants, with the occasional wild looking sheep. It was already easy to see how we were going to ascend well over 20,000′ in the coming days!

Pretty soon it was back to sea level as we headed down Barranco de Juan de Vera to the isolated resort of El Cabrito. Accessible only by sea this sustainable finca would be the perfect location for a couple of chilled and relaxing nights. Apparently there’s a water fountain attached to a bar but being fully h3O loaded we completely missed it.

Once again we moved on up towards our highpoint of the day at over 1,700′, passing by the ruins of Morales and Contreras. With wild camping being off limits in the Canary Islands both of these uninhabited farming neighborhoods would be perfect places to spend the night. We chose to stop only for our eagerly anticipated lunchtime wraps. Following our third barranco of the day, Contreras, the well marked trail once again made its way towards the ocean and the small tourist town of Playa de Santiago – by now it was 4pm and we had made it 12 miles, neither of us thinking of anything more appropriate than inhaling a cold beer or two! Less than 5 Euros later and we were on our way on the days final leg.

With sunset being a little after 6pm we were on a mission to find a suitable campsite, far enough away from civilization not to be discovered, and flat enough that we’d get some sort of a decent nights sleep. Seven hundred feet of switchbacks later we ditched our packs on a stony terrace overlooking town hoping that no one would stumble across our humble abode! We were soon to find out that with the sun setting so early and darkness falling not much later we were horizontal by 7. 30pm – it didn’t get light until almost 7.30am meaning that we had far too many hours of downtime each night.

The day had gone pretty good, our legs given a good awakening to what lay ahead, a few rainy spells that would keep us guessing as to whether we should stop and add wet weather gear, and pretty spectacular scenery that would set the stage ahead.

Looking down towards Playa de Santiago from our first night campsite

The lush green oasis of Finca El Cabrito

Abandoned ruins of Contreras

GR132 Day 2: Playa de Santiago to Playa de Iguala
The chance that we might get discovered and the anticipation of devouring one of our regular healthy breakfasts before a long day were enough to get us up and about an hour before sunrise. We happily left an immaculate leave-no-trace campsite as we would go on to do every morning.

Today would continue as it had left off, initially following a steadily uphill and mundane trail before a series of long switchbacks to civilization and the days highest elevation at over 2,700′. Two short hours after breaking camp and we were chowing down on warm freshly baked bread and replenishing water at Alajeró’s fairly well stocked Spar grocery store – it didn’t matter that we had to detour to the opposite end of town for these luxuries! We had already passed by an open cafe bar so knew that my daily caffeine kick, another of life’s necessities, was not too far away. If each day went like this then life would be good.

Where there’s an up theres a down and although both of our least favorite directions we were left in awe at the beauty of more barranco’s. Hiking down and along Barranco de la Negra may have been our favorite section of the entire long distance trail; full of precariously cut terraces that looked unfarmable, palm trees along the valley floor, caves etched into the walls, and the mysterious screaming from goat herds. How and why farmers chose to keep animals and try to grow anything in such terrain was unfathomable. Looking both forward and back the narrow trail was indistinguishable at more than a hundred yards as it became lost in the vertical hillside.

GR132 continued lower and lower before it finally bottomed out at La Rajita, a small stony beach in Barranco de la Rajita. The final 800′ of steep descent was mirrored by a similar ascent of 800′ to the small town of La Dama, conveniently separated by a quick refreshing swim in the crystal clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Although we couldn’t find a grocery store in town we did happen to walk right past a cafe bar that happily served up a couple of cold beers and topped up our water supply. They also stocked extremely limited food items.

Leaving banana growing La Dama behind the long switchbacks wound their way back down to the ocean at Playa de Iguala – we thought about spending our second night here but the obvious cave looked a little too lived in, and the derelict graffiti covered building unwelcoming! Once again we reluctantly took the steep trail uphill surprisingly popping out at a perfectly located site overlooking touristy Valle Gran Rey. Whilst the lights of town looked close it was a good six miles away; we were happy to be once again camping far away from civilization.

Sunset from campsite number two, the island of El Hierro to the far right

Deep inside Barranco de la Negra

Our first refreshing swimming hole at La Rajita

GR132 Day 3: Playa de Iguala to Arure
Day 3 and we were loving this hike; with its mixture of ups, downs, rain showers, plenty of sunshine, the occasional beer, cheap espressos, and amazing landscapes. We began today by seeing our first other hiker and a decent 2,000′ of elevation gain that took us away from the ocean and inland towards the small village of Gerian – with no grocery stores and no water fountains we plodded on through en route to La Gomera’s second most populous town, Valle Gran Rey. Even though we could clearly see the tourist town from our previous nights camp it took 4 hours of steady hiking to reach the outskirts and a further 2kms to find a decent place for brunch.

We were continuously left wondering who built these amazing trails and how much we’d like to thank them for making these hikes possible! Barrancos and terraces were once more the order of the day, then throw in cacti and a bunch of endemic plants, a cool little chapel that hosts a yearly festival, and a miserable downhill (for Andrea) into town, and that pretty much sums up through lunchtime.

Being in no rush and having access to grocery stores, cafes, and a perfect little swimming cove for some sweat removal got us geared up nicely for the big-ass climb back out of town. We eagerly took the opportunity to buy kiwi, persimmon fruit, and other fancy food items that we couldn’t get in the smaller Spar stores – next resupply point would be Alojera the following morning and being a Sunday we weren’t sure what would be open. Our biggest excitement was seeing the shower just waiting for us at the end of the small popular beach, unfortunately a shower that under closer examination had probably been disconnected for some time. Oh well, we’d just have to make do with another salt water wash. Definitely the worst thing about these refreshing swims was that so far they had been followed by a long sweaty mid afternoon hike!

The first couple of kilometres of our pm hike backtracked through town winding along narrow roads making its way to the marker indicating the end of stage 4. We had no plan for a possible place to camp, instead taking each kilometre at a time until we found something remotely suitable – this probably wouldn’t happen for the next 2,800′ of uphill. So much for the refreshing shower! The trail was no tougher than we had experienced on previous days other than the fact that we had maxed out on water supplies. My pack seemed to have weight similarities to the hefty loads carried on the JMT hike.

Taking a couple of hours to reach the days highpoint at La Mérica and with an hour or so left of daylight the hunt was on to find a sleeping place. Our vicinity to Valle Gran Rey meant we had seen too many foreign tourists out hiking and decided to skip past many perfect looking campsites on virtually flat terraces, instead continuing on along comfortable trails to the small town of Arure. We would definitely preferred to have stopped before this round of human inhabited dwellings and on this occasion found that trying to keep a low night time profile wasn’t so easy.

Not much more than a kilometre from town we stumbled across a perfectly carved cave right at the side of the trail, complete with a totally smooth floor and coming in at a little bigger than our tent footprint. We were pretty beat after our biggest climbing day and neither of us had any desire to continue! There was surely absolutely no reason why anyone would be walking this trail after dark so we were happy.

Reaching the top of cliff La Mérica at 2,100′ on a picture perfect afternoon

Touristy Valle Gran Rey seafront

First night we ever spent in a cave!

GR132 Day 4: Arure to Las Rosas
Not sure how well cave living could work for us as an hour after settling down for the night the centipedes that once seemed tightly fastened to the cave ceiling began dropping. Luckily for us the tent fitted perfectly without its flysheet and was promptly put up; still leaving a long night ahead but at least void from being ‘attacked’.

We left bright and early, the beginning of the day spent in low cloud, before dropping down far enough to enjoy the not-too-bad trail into Alojera. Stopping en route only to strip off our early morning clothing the surroundings took away from the fact that caffeine was still absent from the day – a small grocery store with attached cafe bar would soon see to that. The shelves had an ample supply of water, cheese and fresh bread, with the bar able to fulfil our coffee and tea needs. This was an amazing Sunday morning, our lives and views looking very good right now! The only dampener being a lonely old boy that complained to us that his friends had all died or moved away.

Leaving town was a mirror of the first hour and a half of the day, the ascent taking us back up to the same altitude we had camped. The steep cobbled path in warm early morning temps seemed to just go on and on, the only slight reprieve being a switchbacked road we had to keep crossing. At least with steep ascents altitude is gained pretty quickly and before long the sight of the only natural fountain so far came along – being on the tourist route and easily accessible by road we weren’t the only people enjoying the spring water of Chorros de Epina. This was the chance for Andrea to try and get the salt water from her hair and to top up water bottles again.

Close to the spring we also had a decision to make; do we take route 3 and descend down to the beach, Playa del Vallehermoso, or stay up in the mountains on the 6km shorter route 3.1. Both eventually merged at Las Rosas some 4-5 hours walk away. We decided to take the more mountainous option as it gave us the chance to head into the town of Vallehermoso for decent grocery dinner options. The trail downhill into town was the best descent so far, with sand underfoot and few rocks ensuring that whining from Andrea was kept at a minimum! Actually being able to enjoy the views of Mt Teide on neighboring Tenerife and Roque Cano overlooking town whilst putting one foot in front of the other was a new experience.

Neither of us having any desire for a hot or cold refreshment town was a brief visit, allowing just enough time for a quick grocery stop and snack, then immediately into the last section of the days ‘W’ descent, ascent, descent, ascent profile. The second 2,000′ climb always had us heading up towards the impressive looking Roque Cano, a huge rock that from a distance sat precariously above Vallehermoso – up close this behemoth lost its impressiveness and just became another huge rock face that we had to follow the trail around. We had hoped that once out of sight of town we’d have a fighting chance of finding a place to camp, this not being the case, and with the narrowness of the trail things didn’t look hopeful.

Finally we found ourselves heading down towards a small lake dammed at one end, the trail having become one of the rare sealed roads that we would walk on. Having returned to civilization there was little chance of finding a place to pitch a tent, the hope now being that as we headed back into trees and up a very narrow trail an opportunity would arise – as luck would have it and not long before the sun was about to set a few hidden and unused looking terraces appeared off the main trail. We were done and no longer cared if anyone came along now!

Roque Cano towering above Vallehermoso

For such a small island the road infrastructure was impressive

Morning mist shrouds the mountains above Arure

One of the best downhill trails we traveled

A discreet campsite nicely located on an old terrace

GR132 Day 5: Las Rosas to Enchereda
Having now passed the 90km mark we had two full days to make it back to San Sebastián, plenty reason enough to not depart camp until the ungodly hour of 8am! Today would end up being our longest walking day with only one long ascent. Immediately we headed down, and with another hikers blog stating that it was a slippery one we were mentally prepared for a long and slow descent – this didn’t end up being the case and we made a good pace all the way to Agulo. Surprisingly we had been walking for 2 1/2 hours and covered only 4 miles. So much so for our perceived good pace!

The sun was shining, the town looked really picturesque, and the first cafe bar we came across looked extremely welcoming… and so did whatever the couple at the adjoining table were eating. We didn’t hesitate to order a couple of the dense potato filled pancake looking things, along with coffee and tea. As usual this is exactly what these two smelly sweaty hikers needed! Another couple of kilometres downhill to Playa de Santa Catalina and we came across the first working shower of the hike (we had heard this was here and prayed that it was still connected). Not sure what the few other people milling around thought of us stripping naked to don beachwear for showering! Also we were happy that we couldn’t fully translate the sign attached to the shower post, probably stating that soap and nudity were strictly prohibited.

Feeling the most refreshed we had in 5 days it was time to start climbing again. In need of food for dinner and water a couple of kilometre detour into town was first necessary, me wrongly thinking that the onward trail was accessible by shortcut across a narrow ravine. Turns out that the route I had drawn with our trusty Gaia App was wrong for pretty much the entire day! Both back to feeling hot and sweaty we found the correct trail and plodded up a very steep 700′ zigzagging trail to the start of some of our most favorite scenery, Mt Teide showing off in its entirety.

The remainder of the day was spent following a little used dirt road that was probably just for access to the water pipeline that wouldn’t leave our side as it relentlessly followed us along the road. It was a great way for Andrea and I to communicate with when I got too far ahead; 1 bang to slow down, 2 for I’m in trouble, 3 for… On and on it went as we slowly made our way from 140′ above sea level to 2,420′ – the trail wasn’t so very steep but seemed to go on forever. Worse was that there was always a cliff on one side and a steep dropoff on the other, and no place to camp in between. Time was ticking by and with the next place name on our hike looking inhabited the latter few days of the hike, at least on our schedule, weren’t the most convenient for wild camping. Almost in the dark we rolled on past Encherada – if it wasn’t for dogs barking we would have thought it abandoned and may have camped close by. Instead we made our way off of the dirt road and back onto marked trail to what we eventually discovered would be our best campsite.

The worst part of our best campsite was the illuminated view of our endpoint, San Sebastián, looking far too close!

Our only freshwater wash, quickly followed by a sweaty uphill slog

One of the rare road sections

Our guiding pipeline went on for at least 10km

GR132 Day 6: Enchereda to San Sebastian de La Gomera
Waking on our final morning, wherever we’re hiking, is always somewhat disappointing. Why does this have to be the end we ask ourselves? Still, we managed to get ourselves motivated just as we had for the last four mornings, and again we had not been discovered. We had left absolutely nothing behind and felt like class A hikers!

Pretty much the order of the day was to get from 2,200′ down to sea level in 9 kms – day 6 couldn’t be any easier. The day was amazing with blue skies and whispy clouds, perfectly adding to the continuously spectacular terrain. We meandered up and down alongside herds of goats, caves, and fauna that we’d come so used to, before heading down getting ever closer and closer to unwanted civilization. Trail soon became sealed road and for the final few kilometres we were alongside cars, houses and barber shops! In a way we were kind of happy to be back at our official finish, the kilometer 1 and kilometer 128 GR132 signage.

At 10am we got to sit down in the towns square, newly displaying banners for the Talisker Whisky Atlantic rowing challenge, and drink an ice cold beer – this was far from the first over the past 6 days but was certainly the most deserving!

We’ll be back soon for La Palma’s GR130: Camino Real de la Costa

Fauna and the final trail back towards San Sebastian

Final nights campsite tucked away under the shrubs

Our welcome back to San Sebastian de La Gomera

Daily Hiking Stats
Day 1: San Sebastián de La Gomera to Playa de Santiago
Distance: 22. 44 km, Ascent: 4,549 ft, Moving Time: 6 hrs 17 min
Total Distance: 22.44 km, Total Ascent: 4,549 ft

Day 2: Playa de Santiago to Playa de Iguala
Distance: 27.91 km, Ascent: 4,911 ft, Moving Time: 7 hrs 51 min
Total Distance: 50.35 km, Total Ascent: 9,460 ft

Day 3: Playa de Iguala to Arure
Distance: 22.65 km, Ascent: 5,844 ft, Moving Time: 6 hrs 54 min
Total Distance: 73 km, Total Ascent: 15,304 ft

Day 4: Arure to Las Rosas
Distance: 21.37 km, Ascent: 5,108 ft, Moving Time: 6 hrs 48 min
Total Distance: 94.37 km, Total Ascent: 20,412 ft

Day 5: Las Rosas to Enchereda
Distance: 28.85 km, Ascent: 4,743 ft, Moving Time: 7 hrs 54 min
Total Distance: 123.22 km, Total Ascent: 25,155 ft

Day 6: Enchereda to San Sebastián de La Gomera
Distance: 8.87 km, Ascent: 542 ft, Moving Time: 2 hrs 17 min
Total Distance: 132. 09 km, Total Ascent: 25,697 ft

Transportation
Arrival: Glasgow -> Tenerife South, Carrier: Ryanair, Cost: $80.20 pp
Departure: Tenerife South -> East Midlands, Carrier: Ryanair, Cost: $75.68 pp

Dates
November 22nd – November 27th 2018

Camping near Las Vegas – Top10 Campgrounds + Free Campsites

Camping in Las Vegas may seem like a strange activity, given the boisterous casinos and attractions on the Strip. Yet, you can find several campgrounds in Las Vegas, as well as free camping near Las Vegas if you leave the city center.

Camping is a great alternative to staying in a hotel if you plan on taking day trips and spending more time in the surrounding areas. Besides, Sin City is close to beautiful natural places like Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire, just two popular places to camp near Las Vegas.

I wrote a whole guide about Las Vegas’ best RV parks, so in this article, I’ll focus on campgrounds near Las Vegas, NV. You may be surprised by all the places where you can pitch a tent or park your pop-up trailer and camp out near Las Vegas!

RV PARKS IN LAS VEGAS

Spending a night in the desert and under the stars is an experience you’ll never forget, so let’s see the best camping sites in Las Vegas, NV!

1. Red Rock Canyon Campground, the best place to camp in Las Vegas

Visiting Red Rock Canyon is one of the best things to do outside Vegas, and it has some of the best camping near Las Vegas. The Red Rock Canyon Campground is two miles from the park’s Visitor Center and has over 60 campsites. Most of these are individual sites, but there are a few RV and large-group sites.

1. Red Rock Canyon Campground, the best place to camp in Las Vegas

The individual standard campsites have grills, fire pits, and picnic tables, and many sites have shaded areas to protect you from the desert heat. Speaking of the heat, this campground is closed during the summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day due to extreme temperatures.

Also, this campground is quite basic, and there are no hookups, dump stations, or showers. You can find vault toilets and drinking water spigots throughout the campsite. Still, you can’t beat the gorgeous red sandstone of this park because there are so many fun things to do in Red Rock Canyon.

• Number of campsites: 66 (60 tent sites, 6 RV sites)
• Price: $10/night
• Open: September-May
• Reservations accepted: Yes
• Electric hookup: No
• Restrooms/showers: Vault toilets/no showers
• Dump station: No
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

2. Atlatl Rock Campground, one of the best campgrounds near Las Vegas

We have a complete guide to camping in the Valley of Fire, but I’d like to share more about Atlatl Rock Campground here.

There are over 40 campsites, half of which are RV sites. This is one of the campgrounds near Las Vegas, NV, that is open year-round, and the competitive nightly rates are great for families. Pets are allowed, and the RV sites can accommodate trailers up to 55 feet long.

2. Atlatl Rock Campground, one of the best campgrounds near Las Vegas

That said, you’ll be just fine at one of the individual sites, which includes a fire pit and picnic table. Atlatl Rock also has dump stations, showers, and flush toilets to make your stay more comfortable. You can easily access drinking water and BBQ grills or spend time at the group pavilion before exploring the park’s impressive sandstone formations.

• Number of campsites: 44 (22 tent sites, 22 RV sites)
• Price: $20/night (+$10 for utility hookup)
• Open: Year-round
• Reservations accepted: No
• Electric hookup: Yes (at half the sites)
• Restrooms/showers: Yes
• Dump station: Yes
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

3. Arch Rock Campground, another great place to camp near Las Vegas

There are tons of things to do in Valley of Fire, including staying overnight. Arch Rock Campground is smaller than Atlatl Rock, but it’s still one of the top places to camp near Las Vegas.

3. Arch Rock Campground, another great place to camp near Las Vegas

You can camp at Arch Rock in a tent, trailer, or RV. Each site includes a shaded picnic table and fire pit, and there are spigots and vault toilets on the grounds. Just be mindful that there aren’t utility hookups here, but you can access the dump station at the Atlatl Rock Campground.

You can stay at Arch Rock on a first-come, first-served basis, but if you can’t find a spot, check Atlatl Rock Campground next door.

• Number of campsites: 29 (tent/RV sites)
• Price: $20/night
• Open: Year-round
• Reservations accepted: No
• Electric hookup: No
• Restrooms/showers: Vault toilets/showers
• Dump station: No
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

4. Las Vegas Bay Campground, a scenic place to camp near Las Vegas, NV

One of the best places to camp near Las Vegas is the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. There are several campgrounds here, but one that I recommend is the Las Vegas Bay Campground.

4. Las Vegas Bay Campground, a scenic place to camp near Las Vegas, NV

The verdant campground is a scenic change of pace from the busy Strip, and the recreation area offers lots of outdoor activities. While the campsites are a few miles from Lake Mead, you can enjoy the hiking trails in the area. Once you reach the water, you can swim, boat, kayak, and take in the lovely waterfront and views of Lava Butte Wash Wildlife Refuge in the distance.

Reservations aren’t accepted, but there are over 80 sites for RV and tent camping in Las Vegas, so you should be able to find a spot. The semi-private lots have picnic tables, fire pits, and grills, and they can accommodate trailers up to 35 feet long. A dump station and potable water are available on-site, and you can purchase firewood for your grill or fire ring from the camp store.

• Number of campsites: 84 (tent/RV sites)
• Price: $20/night
• Open: Year-round
• Reservations accepted: No
• Electric hookup: No
• Restrooms/showers: Flush toilets/no showers
• Dump station: Yes
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

5. Calville Bay Campground, another nice place to camp in Vegas

If you’re looking for other places to camp near Las Vegas‘ Lake Mead area, consider Calville Bay Campground.

This campground is on the edge of the Boulder Basin, and it’s an affordable place to enjoy tent camping in Las Vegas, NV. The individual sites have picnic areas and fire pits, and a few have lake views. Plus, flush toilets and running water are available throughout the grounds. You can bring an RV or trailer here, but there aren’t any utility hookups.

5. Calville Bay Campground, another nice place to camp in Vegas

This scenic campground also has public grilling areas, shaded picnic tables, and interpretive panels explaining the native plants and animals in the region.

As if the location weren’t convenient enough, the campsite is next to the Calville Summit Trailhead. This 2.7-mile hike leads to gorgeous views of Lake Mead, Fortification Hill, and the Hemenway Valley. You can also walk to the Calville Bay Resort & Marina, which has restaurants, cafes, shops, and boat rentals.

• Number of campsites: 52 (5 RV sites)
• Price: $20/night
• Open: Year-round
• Reservations accepted: Yes
• Electric hookup: No
• Restrooms/showers: Flush toilets/no showers
• Dump station: Yes
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

6. Boulder Beach Campground, one of the most inclusive campgrounds near Las Vegas

In my guide on visiting Hoover Dam, I mention all the cool things to do in the area. So, if you’d like to make the most of your time there, consider staying overnight at Boulder Beach Campground, next to one of the best beaches in Las Vegas.

This Las Vegas area campground is suitable for tent and RV camping, with over 150 individual sites. Each lot has a picnic and grilling area, and there are water spigots throughout the campground. You can camp here year-round and enjoy the refreshing shoreline along Boulder Basin.

6. Boulder Beach Campground, one of the most inclusive campgrounds near Las Vegas

Not only is this one of the most inclusive campgrounds near Las Vegas, but it’s also family-oriented. The facilities include flush toilets, showers, laundry machines, and a general store. You can walk to the marina and rent a boat or kayak, plus you won’t be far from Boulder City, where you can find dining, shopping, and other attractions.

Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, although you can reserve group sites. The nightly rate is $20, and, like other campgrounds in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, there is a $25 entry fee.

• Number of campsites: 154 (tent/RV sites)
• Price: $20/night
• Open: Year-round
• Reservations accepted: No
• Electric hookup: No
• Restrooms/showers: Flush toilets/showers
• Dump station: Yes
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

7. Echo Bay Campground, a beautiful campground near Las Vegas, Nevada

If you’re willing to travel a bit further from Sin City, an excellent camping option is Echo Bay Campground. This campground near Las Vegas, NV, has nearly 150 sites in total, and over 50 of them have RV hookups.

7. Echo Bay Campground, a beautiful campground near Las Vegas, Nevada

Echo Bay boasts some of the best camping near Las Vegas, especially since it’s less than a mile from the shores of Lake Mead. Here, you can enjoy fishing, boating, kayaking, and other water activities. The campground is also close to hiking trails and other natural areas like the Valley of Fire.

The campground is divided into two sections so you can find RV and tent camping. There is a camp store on-site, spigots with potable water, and a picnic area. Your individual lot will come with a picnic table and fire ring.

• Number of campsites: 146 (58 RV sites)
• Price: $20/night
• Open: Year-round
• Reservations accepted: No
• Electric hookup: Yes (at 53 sites)
• Restrooms/showers: Flush toilets/showers
• Dump station: Yes
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

8. McWilliams Campground, another great camping site in Las Vegas

Less than an hour outside Sin City, you’ll find McWilliams Campground in the Mt. Charleston area. Nestled within the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, this is a beautiful place to camp near Las Vegas.

8. McWilliams Campground, another great camping site in Las Vegas

McWilliams Campground is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors while also having the convenience of flush toilets and drinking water. Keep in mind there aren’t any showers or RV hookups.

While staying at a single or double-family campsite, you can enjoy biking, rock climbing, and horseback riding among the ponderosa pines. This area is also home to the Bristlecone Trail, one of the best hikes in Las Vegas. McWilliams accepts reservations and allows pets, and your campsite comes with a picnic table, BBQ grill, and fire pit.

• Number of campsites: 75 (tent/RV sites)
• Price: $25/night
• Open: May-October
• Reservations accepted: Yes
• Electric hookup: No
• Restrooms/showers: Flush toilets/no showers
• Dump station: No
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

9. Hilltop Campground, some of the best tent camping near Las Vegas

Hilltop Campground is also in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, although it’s smaller than McWilliams. Hilltop is great for tent camping near Las Vegas, and while it accommodates trailers up to 25 feet, there aren’t any hookups.

You can choose from a single or double-family campsite with picnic tables, fire rings, and grills. The sites sit atop a forested hill and, while it can get windy, you’ll get great views of the valley.

9. Hilltop Campground, some of the best tent camping near Las Vegas

Hilltop Campground is just ¼-mile away from the North Loop Trailhead, and there are biking trails throughout the area. Like other Mt. Charleston campgrounds, Hilltop is usually open from May to November.

• Number of campsites: 38 (tent/RV sites)
• Price: $23/night
• Open: April-November
• Reservations accepted: Yes (sites 12-38 only)
• Electric hookup: No
• Restrooms/showers: Vault toilets/no showers
• Dump station: No
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

10. Fletcher View Campground, another campground near Las Vegas to stay at

Finally, Fletcher View Campground is smaller and slightly more expensive than the other Mt. Charleston campsites, but it’s closer to Vegas. Just a few minutes from the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway, this camping site offers a respite from the noise of Las Vegas Boulevard.

Out of the 11 sites, two can accommodate RVs, and both single and double-family lots are available. Also, Fletcher View has electric hookups, so I recommend it if you’re trailer-camping in Mt. Charleston. Whether you camp in an RV or tent, your site will have a fire pit, BBQ grill, and outdoor tables.

10. Fletcher View Campground, another campground near Las Vegas to stay at

This Las Vegas area campsite has flush toilets, water spigots, paved roads, and a stunning location perfect for biking, wildlife viewing, and nature walks. Also, while it’s open year-round, the campground may close between mid-July to mid-September due to flooding risks.

• Number of campsites: 11 (tent/RV sites)
• Price: $33/night
• Open: Year-round
• Reservations accepted: Yes
• Electric hookup: Yes
• Restrooms/showers: Flush toilets/no showers
• Dump station: No
• Pets allowed: Yes

MORE INFO

Free camping near Las Vegas

All of these campsites are worth checking out, but if you’re looking for free camping in Las Vegas, you have some options.

You can stay at BLM campgrounds in Nevada, including the sites around Lake Mead, Sloan Canyon, Red Rock Canyon, and Valley of Fire. In the map below, you can find free dispersed camping near Las Vegas and nearby BLM sites.

Las Vegas campgrounds map

With that, you’re ready to start planning your Las Vegas camping trip! Be sure to check out the Las Vegas campgrounds map below to see the ten campsites I mentioned and free BLM campgrounds in Nevada. I’ve labeled the RV campsites in red and the free campgrounds in green.

If you have any questions about RV or tent camping in Las Vegas, leave me a comment below, and I’ll get back to you! Have a fun camping trip!

Hiking Through Garajonay National Park on La Gomera, The Canary Islands – Uncover Travel

March 6, 2016April 17, 2016

Uncover Travel

Garajonay National Park, Hiking in La Gomera, Laurel Forest in the Canaries, Visiting La Gomera, What to do in La Gomera

The island of La Gomera is also known as ‘La Isla Mágica’ (The Magical Island), due to its changing landscapes, magical natural surroundings, rich history and legends. The only way to truly understand the reason for this nickname is to spend some time in Garajonay National Park, the heart of the island.

Garajonay National Park covers 3,986 hectares and is home to one of Spain’s most extraordinary forests. The laurel forest (or laurisilva forest) was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1986 and covers approximately 70% of the national park. The national park is often enveloped in fog and the constant moisture this provides gives life to the forest.

The southern slopes were an area of degraded vegetation and plantations of exotic trees when Garajanoy was declared a national park. Since the mid-1980s, a prolonged restoration programme has been running, with the intention of returning the national vegetation to the five hundred hectares of land. When the programme commenced, 13% of the original vegetation had been replaced by Canary Island pine trees, California pine trees and even eucalyptus. This exotic vegetation is now being gradually and carefully replaced using a technique called the ‘shelterwood system’.

We set off from Pajarito and follow the trail to Altos de Garajonay, the highest point on the island at 1,487 metres. The name Garajonay is said to come from the names of two young lovers, Gara, a young girl from La Gomera, and Jonay from Tenerife. The girl’s family opposed their relationship and, unable to be together, they escaped to the top of the peak and decided to commit suicide by placing a stick, sharpened at both ends, between them and embracing each other. On a clear day visitors can see the islands of Tenerife, La Palma, El Hierro and Gran Canaria. Today we can only see Tenerife but the view is magnificent, with Teide’s snowy peak showing above the clouds.

El Alto was one of the holy mountains of the ancient people of La Gomera. A stone building at the peak is a reproduction of the ceremonial grounds on which the aboriginal peoples of La Gomera would communicate with their god, ‘Orohan’. They used this site as they felt they were closer to heaven and therefore could communicate better. Excavations of the archaeological site, which is situated just below the ‘mirador’ (lookout point), show that the stone construction was a sacrificial altar, known as ‘pireos’. It has been dated back to the 6th century and offerings including the bones of goats and sheep and the remains of plants have been uncovered. During the invasion of the Spanish in the late 15th century, the last of the free people of La Gomera took refuge in this mountain, probably seeking divine protection.

The trail from Altos de Garajonay leads to El Contadero. It begins with a paved path leading into the park’s ecosystem. We enter the forest and find ourselves in a mystical and  enchanting place. This is one of the best examples of a laurel forest, a sub-tropical forest made up of evergreen trees that are exceptional at capturing water from mist. This forest ecosystem covered the Mediterranean area millions of years ago but disappeared due to climate change. The park now shelters a large number of species, many of which are exclusive to the area and so conservation of its floral biodiversity is of high importance. We occasionally pass other hikers on the trail but for most of the time we hear nothing but the sound of the birds in the trees above us.

Soon the sound of a river breaks the silence and we find ourselves following the El Cedro stream, through the thick vegetation among some of the 2,000 plant species that can be found within the national park. We continue past the Chapel of Lourdes and around mid-way through our hike we reach the hamlet of El Cedro.

We climb a rickety staircase that leads to the small bar/restaurant and campsite of La Vista, meaning ‘The View’. At the top of the stairs the reason for the name becomes apparent. We are at the very peak of the cliff that separates El Cedro from the village of Hermigua. We enjoy a well-deserved baguette of local goat’s cheese and a ‘tapa’ of almogrote, a traditional spicy cheese paste.

Having replenished our energy we are ready to continue our hike to Hermigua. We set off on the path that leads down the cliff, towards the valley. The steps are uneven, steep and at times quite slippery. The way down is turning out to be much more complicated than the path from Garajonay to El Cedro.

Slowly and carefully we follow the hairpin bends. We stop for a moment and realise that the 200 metre-tall waterfall, El Chorro de El Cedro, that cascades from the top of the cliff has come into view. This waterfall is the highest in the Canary Islands and, although it has less water just now than at other times of the year, it is still quite spectacular.

The path continues steeply winding downwards towards the valley. The fog is lowering over the peaks behind us and the sun is beginning to set. Two hikers carrying large backpacks are climbing up the steps and stop when they see us. They look tired and ask us if they are heading in the right direction to reach El Cedro. We nod and look back up the cliff to point out their final destination only to see that the fog is about to envelop the hamlet. We are now about half way between the valley and the peak and decide that pointing out the little dot that is La Vista will not be encouragement for the couple. We wish them luck and continue on our way.

Over an hour after we set off from La Vista we finally reach flat terrain. The path remains rocky and we are still following the river, meaning that the stones are wet and slippery at some points, however we are glad to be on reasonably level ground.

We follow the trail through overgrown fauna, past wild goats and towards the town of Hermigua. In the early 20th century, a team of meteorologists defined Hermigua as the place with the most beneficial climate in the world. It never drops below 18 degrees celsius in the winter or rises above 27 in the summer. The town’s economic activity is based on banana growing, wine making and rural tourism.

The rocks of Pedro and Petra, also known as Roque Chico and Roque Grande (Small Rock and Large Rock), that were mere dots a short while ago, are now towering above us. We reach a tarmac road as our adventure comes to an end and we enter the hamlet of El Convento.

Our final challenge is to find a way back to San Sebastián de la Gomera, where we are staying. We ask in a local bar and find that we have just missed the last bus by a few minutes. We continue to walk in the hopes of passing a taxi but see none. Eventually we reach a small grocery store and are able to call a taxi. Our taxi speeds along the winding road and we watch as we leave the valley behind. Pedro and Petra shrink to the tiny stones they were when we set off from El Cedro.

Around six hours after we set off from San Sebastián we return to the Parador Hotel, exhausted but exhilarated after a wonderful hike through the prehistoric forest on ‘la Isla Mágica’.

SOURCES: 

• http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/380
• B. Domínguez, Travel Guide La Gomera, Ediciones A.M.
• http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/garajonay.html
• http://www.gomeralive.com/garajonay/
• http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/parks/garajonay-spain/
• http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/provincias/la_gomera.html
• http://turismo.sansebastiangomera.org/en/la-gomera-magic-island/

Camping Montaña Roja, El Medano – Updated 2022 Prices

• Option and Price Information
• Amenities and Services
• Accommodation Conditions
• Guest Reviews (515)

We refund the price difference

carretera TF643 La Tejita 1, 38612 El Medano, Spain
–

Great location – 9. 0 out of 10! (based on 515 reviews)

According to guests’ ratings, stays at Camping Montaña Roja.

Camping Montaña Roja is located in El Médano and overlooks the garden. It offers a restaurant, a shared kitchen, a bar, a garden, a year-round outdoor pool and a children’s playground. It offers free Wi-Fi and free private parking.

Towels and bed linen are available at an additional cost.

Guests can relax on the terrace at Camping Montaña Roja and go cycling.

Playa del Cabezo is 2.7 km away. Tenerife South Airport is 2 km away.

Couples especially like the location – they rated accommodation in the area for a trip as a couple at 9.1 .

Camping Montaña Roja has been welcoming Booking.com guests since Sep 2, 2019 2019.

Distance in description calculated using © OpenStreetMap

Read more

Most Popular Amenities & Services

1 swimming pool

Free WiFi

Free parking

Beach (first line)

family rooms

Benefits of this option

낍
Great Location: Highly rated by recent guests (9. 0)

끸
Free private parking on site

Please select dates to see availability and rates.

Number type

Fits

Double Room with Private Bathroom

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Family Bungalow

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Double or Twin Room with Shared Bathroom

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Superior Bungalow

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• Affordable prices

• Security

• Booking management online

• Staff speaks 2 languages ​​

• Excellent facilities and location for couples

Nearby beaches

• La Tejita beach

  8.7 Stunning beach

  200 m from accommodation

• Nudist beach Texita

  8. 7 Awesome beach

  800 m from the option of accommodation

Beach for dogs

8.4 Very good beach

1.2 km from the option of accommodation

9000

beach Machado

8.5 Very nice beach

1.5 km from property

• Playa la Maretas beach

  7.9 Nice beach

  1.6 km from property

• El Medano Beach

  8.7 Stunning beach

  2.2 km from property

• Playa Chica beach

  8.3 Very nice beach

  2.4 km from property 9004

  Playa del Cabezo beach

  8.4 Very nice beach

  2.7 km from property

• Playa Chica beach

  7.7 Nice beach

  2.9 km from property 9004

Questions and answers about the property

See what other guests are asking to learn more about this property.

• Do you allow camping with tents?

  Good afternoon
  Correct, we also have space for tents and motorhomes: it is a campsite, we offer different acommodations. If you´d like more info, I ca…

  Reply October 28, 2019

• When is the best time to visit your property for the perfect beach holiday?

  South Tenerife is always high season, it doesn´t mean the place is crowded, but the good weather is always present.. Usually tradewinds blows strong i…

  Reply September 6, 2019

• Hi, camping in tents is still possible at your place now or is that camping option closed during times of Covid-19?

  Hello you can camp with a tent you can see at web camping

  Reply October 5, 2020

• Good morning, do you offer late check-in/late check-out? We arrive to Santa Cruz de Tenerife (by ferry) at 9:30pm so wouldn’t be able to get there til. ..

  Good morning!
  Check-ins are from 2-8pm and check-outs are until 12 noon, but please kindly let us know if you already have a booking with us so we can…

  Reply 17 December 2020

• Hi, is there any bars, restaurants and supermarkets close to the site

  Hola, Si hay unos que estan cerca

  Reply 11 February 2022

*
All distances are measured in a straight line. Actual distance may vary.

Restaurant


Kitchen:
Spanish,
local,
European,
Grill/BBQ

Open on:
Breakfast,
Dinner,
Dinner,
cocktail time

Most Popular Amenities & Services

1 swimming pool

Free WiFi

Free parking

Beach (first line)

family rooms

Bathroom

• Toilet paper

• Towels

• Towels/bed linen for extra charge

Bedroom

• Underwear

• Garden view

Outdoors

• Picnic area

• Garden furniture

• Outdoor dining area

• Outdoor furniture

• Terrace

• Garden

• Dining table

• Refrigerator

Amenities in the room

• Socket near the bed

• Clothes dryer

Sports and recreation

• Walking tours
  Additional charge

• Beach

• Public baths

• Water park
  Beyond the territory
  Additional charge

• Beach (first line)

• Squash
  Beyond the territory
  Additional charge

• Horse riding
  Beyond the territory
  Additional charge

• Diving
  Beyond the territory
  Additional charge

• Bowling
  Beyond the territory
  Additional charge

• Cycling
  Outside

• Hiking trails
  Beyond the territory
  Additional charge

• Canoe
  Beyond the territory
  Additional charge

• Windsurfing
  Beyond the territory
  Additional charge

• Children’s playground

• Golf course (within 3 km)
  Additional charge

Food and drink

• Coffee house (on site)

• Wine/champagne
  Additional charge

• Children’s menu
  Additional charge

• Bar

• Restaurant

Internet

Wi-Fi is available in public areas free of charge.

Parking

Free private parking on site (reservation is not needed) .

• Parking spaces for people with disabilities

• Electric vehicle charging station

Reception desk

• Invoices issued

• Private check-in/out

• Concierge services

• Luggage storage
  Additional charge

• Tourist office

Cleaning services

• Laundry
  Additional charge

Business center services

• Fax/Photocopying
  Additional charge

Security

• Fire extinguishers

• Video surveillance in common areas

• Key entry

• 24 hour security

• Mini market (on site)

• Transfer (additional charge)

• Smoking areas

• Non-smoking throughout

• Wooden or parquet floor

• Packed lunches

• Family rooms

• Facilities for disabled guests

• Non-smoking rooms

Availability

• Premises entirely located on the ground floor

Open pool

Is free!
Access to all pools is free

• Open all year round

• Working hours

• No age limit

• Chaise/beach chairs

• Pool with a view

• Incremental pool

Health services

• Sun umbrellas

• Chaise/beach chairs

The staff speaks these languages

• English

• spanish

Sustainability Initiatives

Special measures are taken here to make travel conscious and environmentally friendly.

check in

14:00 – 19:30

Departure

11:30 – 12:00

Cancel/
prepayment

Cancellation and prepayment policies vary depending on the type of option chosen.
Please enter your dates of stay and review the booking conditions for the requested room.

Curfew

Entrance to the territory is closed from 22:00 to 00:00

Refundable security deposit

A security deposit of EUR 50 is required upon arrival. Payment is in cash. You will receive the deposited amount at the time of check-out. Once the condition of the property has been checked, the deposit will be fully refunded to you in cash.

Beds for children

Child Policy

Children of all ages are welcome.

To see exact prices and availability, please enter the number of children in your group and their age when searching.

Cribs and Extra Beds Policy

This property does not accommodate cots.

This property cannot accommodate extra beds.

Age limit

Minimum entry age: 18 years old

Cards accepted by the property

Camping Montaña Roja accepts these cards and reserves the right to temporarily hold an amount prior to arrival.

Camping Montaña Roja accepts these cards and reserves the right to temporarily hold an amount prior to arrival.

---

Smoking

No smoking.

parties

No parties/events allowed.

“Quiet Hours”

“Quiet hours” for guests (when you can not make noise): from 22:00 to 09:00.

Pets

Pets are not allowed.

1582150,15

,1582050|2,1574600,1589350,1589190,15

• ,1588550,1588150,1580280,1583440,1583220,1572550,1588860,15
  ,15
  |2,1570820,1575670,1582050,1583350,1579080,1579790.1586300|4.1588050.1586300

  5 reasons to go hiking in the Canary Islands in the winter season + Video + Quiz!

  winter trekking | canarian chronicle

  Based on our experience of 5 years of trekking around different islands of the Canary archipelago + video

  Canary trekking is simple and monstrously picturesque. Especially if you stock up on the right lightweight equipment that is convenient to take on a plane. And, most importantly, this is a great alternative to traditional winter snow hikes, if they do not appeal to you at all. We have been successfully replacing the romance of wet ski pants and chattering teeth in a tent at minus 20 for many years with trips to the Canary archipelago. And now I’ll tell you why.

  Reason number 1 to go on a Canary hike:

  trekking price

  The Canaries are volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa

  The Canary Islands belong to Spain. So officially it is Europe. But, in fact, they are located in the Atlantic, off the coast of Africa, literally “across the road” from Morocco. It is believed that all the sand that is on these volcanic islands was brought by the wind from the Sahara.

  You can fly here from Central and Western Europe in 3-4 hours and, with a strong desire, spend only about €20 on it. But this, of course, if you take care of buying tickets three months in advance, or get on a pleasant promotion. It will be a low-cost airline, where you will have to pay a little extra for luggage. (It is better to take a backpack, then they will cheat less). Most often we fly with Ryanair. The airline is capricious and not particularly pleasant, but they have a lot of flights from Europe to Tenerife – the largest and most touristic island of Canaries, from which many begin their journey through the archipelago. Any of the islands is suitable for trekking.

  The cheapest tickets are from other regions of Spain, as well as from Vienna, Budapest and Copenhagen.

  As a result, such a hike still turns out to be very affordable. The price-quality ratio of the adventure here is definitely in favor of such a track.

  The Canary Islands are still the Northern Hemisphere, and this is not for you.
  Agree, not bad conditions for a winter hike

  Reason #2 to love Canarian trekking:

  100500 different climates
  and natural diversity

  Teide volcano. Screenshot from Google Maps.

  Going on a hike in the Canary Islands means dooming yourself to a difficult choice, from which I am completely delighted! Even within the framework of one island, you will encounter incredible climatic and biological diversity, and now remember that there are 7 main Canary Islands (!), Plus a couple of small rocks and poor La Graciosa, which is always forgotten to be counted.

  Do you want to climb higher in the mountains and play snowballs? Conquer the Teide volcano, Spain’s highest peak at 3718 m.
  Perfect if you’ve never been to high mountains but want to get a taste of mountain climbing. In the truest sense of the word. Even at such a low altitude, many have the first symptoms of altitude sickness.

  “

  Book your date for the ascent of to the summit of Teide volcano here.
  Permit is free , don’t be fooled by the offers of travel agencies!
  But during the season, book no later than a month in advance, otherwise there may be no places! Otherwise, you will have to overpay the same agencies that buy tickets in advance.
  You can NOT climb to the very top without any permission – just come and climb to the observation deck along the path or cable car (two-way ticket €27.00). About the very top – read below. (Oh, that’s a pun!)
  Dress warmly.

  — GOOD ADVICE FROM THE EQUINOX 9 TRAVEL TEAM0019

  That same Homeric sunset that makes one want to philosophize and/or sob. Underline whatever applicable.

  Are mountains not attractive? Do you want an easy walk and the sea breeze swaying your hair? And at the same time a warm overnight stay at +18? Feel free to go down to the ocean and camp for the night at the campsite on the beach. It is always dry and warm there.

  Want to freshen up? Let’s go to the island of La Gomera – the birthplace of rainbows, dense endemic forests, fogs, rains and sunsets that make you want to hug and cry.

  Tired of getting wet? The deserts of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are at your disposal.

  Do you want to contact civilization more often during your hike? Densely populated Tenerife will do. There, as in Gran Canaria, you can live comfortably in civilization, and at the same time make small forays into microtravels to the surrounding forests.

  By the way, bring along our 212 grams easy-to-move kitchen where you can make tea/coffee and treat yourself to a hot meal during your outings.

  Western El Hierro

  Are you looking for privacy and peace? El Hierro, the smallest and quietest island of the Canary archipelago, will welcome you with open arms and alternative energy. It remains only to wait for the ferry, which does not run every day.

  Population – 10,000 people.
  Cozy campsite in the heart of the island in the Hoya del Morcillo pine forest and many, many free and almost deserted campsites along the coast.

  Wild landscape. Black and sometimes scarlet rocks. Chocolate volcanic cones sprinkled with “cinnamon” sulfur.

  “

  We are looking for and buying tickets for all Canarian ferries through the Directferries aggregator, since several ferry companies operate on the islands at once and it is inconvenient to shovel the site of each separately. Not like tucking an ice ax into your shorts, but almost. Moreover, some of them go only to large islands. Nuance: first look at the map the name of the port city, and then drive it into the search. Searching for the name of the island is bad – you may not find anything at all.

  – GOOD ADVICE FROM THE EQUINOX TRAVEL TEAM

  Do you want a more or less long track? The island of La Palma is waiting. Together with its 20-kilometer volcanic caldera, in which dozens of routes have been laid. By the way, it is forbidden to make fires there, do not forget to grab a compact gas mini-burner and a lightweight titanium pot.

  The natural diversity of the Canary Islands is one of the strongest arguments for going here on a winter hike. Whatever track you have planned, it will never be enough for you. Checked on myself. Once falling in love with these places, we return here again and again, every year trying to pay maximum attention to one of the islands. Three years ago it was La Palma (here is an article about the local observatory). Two years ago – La Gomera, this year – El Hierro. A video about them is still in the editing.

  Observatory “Roque de los Muchachos”, La Palma, Canaries | The best starry sky on Earth!?

  Video from our Youtube channel Equinox Adventure

  Reason #3 why going to the Canaries is cool:

  endemic

  “

  or flora or fauna. Endemics include species, genera, families or other taxa of animals and plants, whose representatives live in a relatively limited area, represented by a small geographical area. Endemic species of plants and animals, due to their limited range and, therefore, limited numbers, are often listed in the Red Books as rare or endangered species.

  – WIKIPEDIA QUOTE

  Due to its relative isolation, the Canary Islands hold the European record for the number of endemics.

  If you hike not only to get physically active, but also interested in contact with the local nature in the place where you actually move, then the Canary Islands provide incredible opportunities for this.

  Firstly, there are Canarian pines, endemic trees that grow only in the Canaries. Very beautiful. In addition, the laurel forests “Laurasilva”, which in ancient times covered the whole of Europe, and now remained fragments only in the North of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro.

  On the smallest island of the Canary archipelago, El Hierro, there are
  giant lizards, of which there are only a couple of hundred left on the entire planet. They live on an impregnable rock in the ocean, and a little more in a special museum-scientific laboratory Centro de Recuperación de El Lagarto Gigante de El Hierro, where they are trying to be preserved, and where you can look at them half-heartedly.

  There are also a lot of birds in the Canary Islands. Laurel dove and blue finch are also endemic.

  Every time I think about where to go trekking this winter, my thoughts invariably return to the Canary Islands. It is the local nature
  draws me here the most. Buckwheat tastes best there.

  Reason #4 to go trekking in the Canary archipelago:

  cheap or free camping and parking

  About the European approach
  to camping , and without receiving any permits. At least in the central square of the city. In Central and Western Europe, this is quite strict.

  Moreover, this is a whole problem. If you want to go to any track in Europe, then, exploring the route, you will be surprised to find that you will have to sleep in expensive mountain shelters, or “dive” through the bushes with your tent, risking a fine with three zeros. In Euro. We encountered a similar problem in August in the Dolomites in Italy. Soon we promise to tell you how we got out. And we did it. Subscribe to blog updates.

  But why am I…
  Oh yes, Canarian campsites compare favorably. First, they are. Secondly, there are quite a few of them. Thirdly, they are indeed often free. It is enough to write the administration in advance to the email indicated on the site (if any), and warn that you are arriving on such and such a day, indicating your passport details and the number of days of stay. If there is no website, you can write to the Cabildo, the local government agency, something like our city council, if I understand correctly. For example, here is the website of the Tenerife Cabildo. You can also write to the local tourist center. Each island has its own, often more than one. And often tied to the same Cabildo. The address you need is very easy to find on Google.

  An ode to the Canarian campsites

  Free campsites are usually poorly equipped. This, by the standards of the Canarians, should include: parking for a car or a camper, cleared places for tents, stone hearths with a supply of firewood and grates for cooking, wooden tables and benches. And the toilet is in a separate building.

  What then can you get for money, you ask.
  In addition to the above benefits of civilization, for the amount of about 4-5 euros from your nose you can get showers with hot water and the ability to recharge your devices. There may also be play areas, playgrounds and charging stations for campers and electric cars. It all depends on the specific campsite.

  If you put on a little more, you can live in cozy wooden houses and not worry about having a tent. Of the things you need to grab only a sleeping bag.

  That’s why hotels are needed in this situation, I’m already asking myself. Here is no need.

  Reason #5 to go to the Canary Islands

  with a backpack:
  there is a Decathlon here

  Sounds weird. What’s up with Decathlon? Let’s explain.
  Decathlon, in case you didn’t know, is a giant tourist supermarket where you can buy your gear very cheaply. Sleeping bags, mats, clothes for the track. It turns out inexpensive, average quality tourist shopping.

  Travel life hack: instead of paying extra for luggage to a greedy low-cost airline about 50 euros on the way to the Canary Islands, throwing them into the air, in the truest sense of the word. It is better to fly without luggage at all! And on the spot to buy something that did not fit into hand luggage. For example, the same sleeping bag at +10 from this video. Savings and upgrades.

  My video about Decathlon dedicated to the opening of the first store of this chain in Ukraine

  Video from my Youtube channel “Girl on a hike”

  Bonus reason #6:

  photo locations for landscape and astrophotography

  Canary Islands is one of the universally recognized best places on the planet for observing the starry sky.

  Sunrises, sunsets and starry skies are simply incredible on the islands of the Canary archipelago!

  Less words, more photos. ..

  To sum it up: is it worth it to go hiking in the Canaries in winter? Video

  Already been / was in the Canary Islands and know everything about them?

  Take the canary test and please us and yourself with the results!

  Test yourself

  How expert are you in the Canary Islands?

  Start test

  7

  Even the Russian-language Wikipedia writes that there are 7 of them, but this is not so. There are 8 of them. Small deserted rocks do not count. The eighth island that is almost never mentioned is Graciosa (La Graciosa). The population is 734 people as of 2018. On June 26, 2018, Graciosa OFFICIALLY became the 8th Canary Island.

  8

  Correct! Usually everyone thinks that there are 7 of them, but the eighth island, which is almost never mentioned, is Graciosa (La Graciosa). The population is 734 people as of 2018. On June 26, 2018, Graciosa OFFICIALLY became the 8th Canary Island.

  Further

  9090

  904 904 904 904

  05

  Gran Canaria

  Here is the correct list of Canary Islands as their size decreases:

  1. Tenerife
  2. Fureteventure
  3. Gran Canary

  9000

  Tenerife

  Here is the correct list of the Canaries in descending order of size:

  1. Tenerife
  2. Fuelventure
  3. Gran Canaria
  4. Lansarot
  5. La Palma
  6. La Homer
  7. El Yerro
  8. La gracios

  Fureteventure

  FUITS FUITHER RETENRIAS:

  0 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000
  Gran Canaria
  Lanzarote
  La Palma
  La Gomera
  El Hierro
  La Gracios

  Lansarot

  Here is the correct list of Canary Islands as their size decreases:

  1. Tenerife
  2. Fureteventure
  3. Grand Canary

  9000 Graciosa

  La Palma

  Here is the correct list of the Canaries in descending order of size:

  1. Tenerife

     Since 1927, both cities have been the capitals of the archipelago alternately, alternating every 4 years.

     Gran Canaria (city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)

     Since 1927, both cities have been the capitals of the archipelago alternately, alternating every 4 years.

  Further

  90

• 07

  1

  There are actually two of them – on the islands of Tenerife and La Palma. But they all belong to the same Canary Institute of Astrophysics.

  2

  Right! There are two of them – on the islands of Tenerife and La Palma. But they all belong to the same Canary Institute of Astrophysics.

  4

  There are actually two of them – on the islands of Tenerife and La Palma. But they all belong to the same Canary Institute of Astrophysics.

  18

  There are actually two of them – on the islands of Tenerife and La Palma. But they all belong to the same Canary Institute of Astrophysics.

  More than 500

  El Hierro has more than 500 open-air volcanic cones and about 300 more covered by later deposits.

  Over 700

  Oh yes! El Hierro has more than 500 open-air volcanic cones and about 300 more covered by later deposits.

  Next

  902

  Check

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  You are a lazy sausage and you still have a lot to learn about this world and about the Canary Islands. Get your butt up and let’s travel!

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  La Gomera Island – Guide in Russian

  Canary Islands, holidays in Spain

  Description

  La Gomera is one of the islands of the Canary archipelago, located in its western part. Island area – 369, 76 sq. km. The island is home to 21.7 thousand people.

  It is located just 30 km from the southwest coast of Tenerife and is part of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

  Content:

  • Description
  • History
  • Swist language
  • Geography
  • On the map
  • Population
  • Climate
  • weather for months
  • How to get?
  • Transport
  • Visa
  • Mobile communications, Internet
  • Resorts
  • Beaches
  • Hotels
  • Points of interest
  • Viewpoints
  • What needs to be done?
  • Cuisine and restaurants
  • Where can I book a tour?
  • Reviews and ratings

  ---

  History of

  Ancient map of

  La Gomera has been known since ancient times,
  there is mention of it in the writings of Ptolemy
  (90-168).

  The native inhabitants of the island are Homers, they
  were tall, fair-skinned, with fair-haired
  or red hair and remember how
  smart and strong warriors. Homero were
  pagans and worshiped their idols,
  associated with the forces of nature. Among
  local residents were people of great
  forces, stories of their exploits were transmitted
  through generations. The names of some of them
  survived to the present day, many of
  they died in the war with the Spaniards.

  In the pre-Hispanic period, La Gomera ruled
  supreme ruler, but after death
  the last king at the end of the 14th century, the island
  divided into 4 parts: Agana, Orone,
  Mulagua, Ipalan, who led
  individual leaders.

  The modern stage of the history of La Gomera begins with its conquest, which began with the arrival of the Castilian expedition of Alfonso El Benigni de Aragon in the Canary Islands in 1404-1405.

  Since 1445, La Gomera has been ruled by several
  generations of the Peraza clan. The board was
  difficult, intermittent locals
  raised uprisings because of tyranny and
  mistreatment of them.

  The most controversial person in the history of the island is Beatriz de Bobadilla, wife of Hernán Peras El Joven, who was killed by rebels (Hautakuperche) during an uprising. The reason for the uprising was the depraved behavior of the ruler, he seduced and dishonored the princess of the Gomero people.

  Beatriz de Bobadilla

  After her husband was killed, Beatriz, with the help of the ruler of Gran Canaria, Pedro de Vera, crushed the uprising in the most brutal way, destroying a large number of local natives. The cruelty shown and the large number of people killed forced one of the local priests to go to Madrid to complain to the queen. But only Pedro de Vera was punished, he was recalled to Spain and imprisoned, the captive homeroes were released, and Bobadilla managed to escape punishment.

  La Gomera is famous for the fact that in 1492 Christopher Columbus stopped there before his sailing to America. Other famous sailors also visited the island, such as Hernan Cortes, Francisco Pizarro, Vasco Nunez de Baalboa.

  In the 16th century La Gomera repeatedly
  attacked by the British and
  Dutch cappers, although the worst
  pirate attack in 1618
  Berbers.

  Gomero had to go through hard times, many locals left for America, for example at 19In 1950, 170 men went to Venezuela.

  For a long time the economy of the island was
  in decline, but after the introduction of modern
  agricultural technology and irrigation of agricultural
  cultures, it began to revive, and
  population gradually
  increased. grown on La Gomera
  bananas, tomatoes, grapes.

  ---

  Silbo Gomero whistle language

  Silbo Gomero whistle language

  Silbo Gomero is a whistle language that has been used since time immemorial on the island of La Gomera to communicate over long distances. This is not a series of conditional codes to which limited information can be conveyed, but a full-fledged, articulate and unusual language that allows the exchange of a wide variety of information, reproducing the sound characteristics of spoken language with the help of a whistle.

  No roads, many
  ravines and gorges made it difficult to move
  between settlements. To quickly transfer
  messages to neighbors, was invented by Silbo
  Gomero. This unique language has been recognized
  UNESCO intangible cultural
  legacy in 2009.

  The whistling language is of exceptional value, because it confirms the creative genius of a person. It also helps to adapt and survive in a particular environment. The whistling language is aesthetically and technically complex and interesting.

  Silbo Gomero is part of the culture of the indigenous people of Gomero, it has become a hallmark of La Gomera and the entire Canary archipelago.

  The Silbo Gomero language is passed down from generation to generation
  generation as cultural heritage
  people. Now the whistle language is being studied in
  cultural centers of La Gomera. it
  will keep it for posterity.

  Book a tour

  ---

  Geography

  Relief

  La Gomera is of volcanic origin, its highest point is the peak of Alto de Garajonay, it has a height of 1487 meters above sea level. La Gomera is a natural reserve. It is the only one in the Canary Islands where there are no traces of volcanic activity. The last volcanic eruption on La Gomera occurred more than 2 million years ago.

  Capital San Sebastian with Tenerife in the background

  The largest city and capital is San Sebastian de la Gomera. Despite its “capital” status, the town is very calm and small.

  There are very few comfortable places to live – a significant part of the territory is occupied by mountains, but there are several cities and villages. La Gomera is divided into 6 municipalities: Agulo, Alajero, Hermigua, San Sebastian de La Gomera, Valle Gran Rey, Vallehermoso.

  ---

  La Gomera on the map

  La Gomera on the world map is barely
  conspicuous point near Tenerife.
  The area of ​​La Gomera is very small –
  only 20-25 km. If you look at the map
  La Gomera, you can see that island
  has an almost round shape.
  La Gomera is divided by mountains, which
  influence its climate and form several
  microclimatic zones.

  ---

  Population

  According to statistics, La Gomera had 21,794 inhabitants as of 2018. The population growth is negative, since 2011 the number of inhabitants has decreased by almost 1.5 thousand people.

  Main language in La Gomera is Spanish
  (Castilian), but the locals speak
  in a dialect that has its own specifics.

  ---

  Climate

  The climate of La Gomera differs little from other islands of the Canary archipelago. It is comfortable throughout the year, thanks to the trade winds and the Canary Current, there are no cold weather and sudden changes in average annual temperatures on La Gomera. La Gomera has a mild tropical climate with an average annual temperature of +26°C and an annual rainfall of 1900 mm.

  Climate in the morning hours

  But because of the mountains that divide the island into
  two parts, climate in north and south
  is different. In the northern zone, subject to
  windy, much higher humidity levels
  and lower air temperature. Main
  part of the rain falls in the northern part,
  the mountains hold back the streams of the cold
  air, so in the south the rain is
  an extremely rare occurrence.

  The action of the trade winds and the so-called sea of ​​clouds is concentrated on the northern slope of the mountains, where the Garajonay National Park is located, where relict forests grow.

  ---

  Monthly weather

  Winter on La Gomera is warm, the average temperature during the day does not fall below +21°C, at night – +15°C. The water temperature off the coast of La Gomera in winter is + 18-19 ° С. Most of the rain falls in winter. The “wettest” month is January, the average number of rainy days is 6, in February – 4, in March – 3.

  Spring on La Gomera is warm with an average
  daytime temperature from +22 to 24°C, at night
  +15-17°C, water temperature – +18-19°C. spring
  sometimes it rains, but it happens
  no more than twice a month.

  The most comfortable summer on La Gomera
  time, the air heats up to + 25-29 ° C during the day
  and up to +20-21°C at night, the water temperature in
  Atlantic Ocean +22-23°С. rainy
  almost never happens in the summer. Sun
  shines for 9 hours.

  Climate data	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
  Day temperature	21	21	22	23	24	25	27	29	28	26	24	22
  Temperature at night	15	15	15	16	17	18	20	21	20	19	18	16
  Sun hours per day	6	6	7	8	9	9	9	9	8	7	6	5
  Rainy days per month	6	4	3	2	2	1	0	0	2	5	6	7
  Water temperature	19	18	18	18	19	20	21	22	23	23	21	20

  Autumn on La Gomera is warm, in September
  and October the holiday season continues,
  the air during the day warms up to + 26-28 ° C during the day
  and + 19-20°C at night, the water in the ocean is warm, it
  heated to record temperatures.
  From November it starts to get colder, in the afternoon already
  the air is heated up to +24°C, at night – up to
  +18°С. In October and November there are 5-6
  rainy days per month.

  ---

  How to get there

  How to get to La Gomera? By plane
  or by ferry. Island capital
  San Sebastian de la Gomera, these are the main
  air and sea gates of the island. AT
  the city has a large commercial port,
  which accepts cargo and passenger
  court. Cruise ships arrive at the port
  and ferries from neighboring Canary Islands
  archipelago and from Spain.

  Sea port in the capital
  ferry companies Fred Olsen and Naviera Armas. They are
  ply between the port of Los Cristianos
  in Tenerife and San Sebastian de la Gomera.
  There are also flights to Gran Canaria.
  and El Hierro. Travel time to Tenerife
  only 60 minutes.

  Companies Fred Olsen and Naviera Armas provide a free transfer to their passengers from the main bus station (Intercambiador) in the capital of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to the port of Los Cristianos. To do this, you need to contact the offices of companies in the station building.

  Get ferry prices

  Book a tour

  La Gomera also has its own
  the airport. It is located in the south of the island
  in the municipality of Alajero, 34 km from
  capital Cities. This is the newest airport.
  Canary Islands, it was opened in 1999
  year. The airport receives flights from
  neighboring islands and the mainland. Time
  flight from Tenerife is 30 minutes.

  ---

  Transport on the island

  Public transport is well developed on La Gomera. Bus transportation on the island is carried out by the company Guaguagomera . Its comfortable green buses are easy to recognize. There are 8 bus routes in total:

  1. Valle Gran Rey – San Sebastian de la Gomera
  2. Vallehermoso – San Sebastian
  3. Alachero-San Sebastian
  4. Valiermoso-La-Dama
  5. Valeermoso-Alocher
  6. Val-Gran-Ray-Airport
  7. San Sesbastyan-Airport
  8. Valle-gran-Roy

  Cost of the cost from the distance, the minimum fare is 1 euro, the maximum is 4. 5 euros.

  Fred Olsen Express boats also run between the beaches of San Sebastian de La Gomera, Playa de Santiago and Valle Gran Rey, the cost of the trip is 2-2.5 euros.

  Every municipality has a service
  Taxi. They work on a fixed basis.
  tariff, it is 0.53 euros per kilometer,
  while there is a minimum cost
  trip, it is 3 euros. On the weekend
  and holidays the rate per kilometer increases
  up to 0.6 euros and the minimum cost
  trips at 3.35 euros. On trains to the airport
  and from it is necessarily taken
  airport tax of 1.65 euros.

  Convenient way to see the island
  on your own – car rental
  on La Gomera. The island has
  representatives of most European
  car rental companies and operates
  several local companies:

  • EUROPCAR
  • AVIS
  • OASIS
  • Cicar

  on La Gomera have their offices
  at the airport and seaport.

  ---

  Visa

  Those wishing to spend their holidays in La Gomera need to take care of such organizational issues as obtaining visas in advance. Do I need a visa for La Gomera? Citizens of the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan need to apply for a Schengen visa. Citizens of Ukraine since 2016 can enter the countries of the Schengen agreement on a biometric passport.

  The best way to get a Schengen visa is at the embassy
  Spain, especially since it is quite
  loyal to the issuance of visas to tourists,
  the failure rate for it is one of the highest
  low.

  Visa required
  the following documents:

  • Passport valid for more than three months at the time of completion of the trip.
  • Questionnaire completed in English or Spanish.
  • Photocopies of all pages of foreign and civil passports.
  • If there are visas in expired passports, their copies.
  • Valid travel health insurance covering at least 30,000 euros.
  • Bank statement on the availability of funds in the account at the rate of 57 euros / day.
  • Certificate of income from the employer or from the tax office.
  • Certificate confirming the presence of a permanent place of work.
  • Hotel reservation, round trip tickets.
  • When traveling with a child of school age, an additional certificate from the school is required.

  Documents are submitted for consideration
  Consulate or Visa Application Centre. Before
  by submitting a package of documents is paid
  visa fees and consular fees.

  The term for consideration of the application is 10-14 days,
  you can order urgent registration, but
  it will cost more.

  ---

  Mobile communications, Internet

  Cellular companies

  Going on vacation to the Canary Islands, any tourist is concerned about the issue of telephone communication and the availability of the Internet. Using services in roaming is not always advisable due to high tariffs. It is much more profitable to buy a SIM card from one of the local mobile operators upon arrival, especially since there are plenty to choose from.

  Mobile communications on La Gomera are provided by the same companies as on other islands of the Canary archipelago. Nationwide mobile operators: Movistar , Vodafone , Orange . In addition to them, virtual mobile operators work, the most popular are: Lebara , DIGI , Lycamobile .

  Minimum cost of starting
  package starts from 8-10 euros, for these
  money can be obtained 5-10 GB of internet
  and 100 to 500 minutes for calls within Spain.

  You can buy a SIM card in La Gomera at
  port, tourist office, airport
  or at the mobile operator’s office. For
  purchases, you must present your
  the passport.

  Mobile communication in La Gomera has one peculiarity – the connection fee is charged from each call.

  Mobile internet operators
  provide fairly high quality
  as a rule, the 4G standard works,
  but in some places the quality drops to the level
  3g.

  Top up your account if necessary
  you can online, the office of the mobile operator
  or in supermarkets.

  If the priority is large
  stock of Internet traffic worth paying
  attention to Orange tariffs.
  This mobile operator focuses on
  Internet, it is most often chosen in
  as a home provider
  the Internet. Monthly traffic is
  limited, but after 50 GB speed
  connections are significantly reduced.

  Guide in Russian recommends you the best rate in Spain with Orange. Here you save, and all the more so because you can buy or order a SIM card while in Russia, that is, in advance. You do not need to look for an office in Europe and study the proposed rates. To get discount 10% from our travel site, use the coupon:

  Coupon 10% discount: tenerife-orange

  Order a SIM card

  ---

  Resorts

  small beaches with black volcanic sand or pebbles. There are several resort towns and villages on La Gomera, where the main tourist infrastructure is concentrated. Most tourists come here as part of day trips from Tenerife, but the island is becoming more and more popular as an independent resort. It is preferred by fans of silence, beautiful nature and provincial charm.

  San Sebastián de La Gomera ( San Sebastián de La Gomera ) is the largest resort and capital. A significant part of tourists chooses this place for recreation. The city has many excellent hotels of various stars and a decent selection of apartments. Also, all the main entertainment, historical and architectural sights are concentrated in the capital.

  Playa Santiago ( Playa de Santiago ) – the second most popular resort, located in the southern part of the island. It is located simultaneously in two municipalities: Alajero and San Sebastian. Previously, there was a fish processing plant in this village, but now it is closed and the city is developing as a resort. Playa Santiago attracts tourists with one of the largest beaches on the island and good infrastructure.

  Valle Gran Rey ( Valle Gran Rey ) is the famous Valley of the Kings, where the rulers of the island used to live. The resort is located in the southwestern part of La Gomera. A picturesque road leads from the capital to Valle Gran Rey, passing through the gorge. The resort has a well-developed infrastructure, several comfortable beaches, it is ideal for family vacations and water sports. Bananas, dates, vegetables are grown in the valley, palm honey is made. In the vicinity of the resort there are several viewing platforms and architectural sights.

  Valle Gran Rey

  Agulo (Agulo) is a resort town located on a hill. On its streets you can see perfectly preserved buildings in the style of colonial architecture. Terraces descend from the city to the sea, on which various agricultural crops are grown. In Agulo, there is the Red Wall, which offers magnificent views of the island and the Teide volcano.

  Playa de Vallehermoso

  Vallehermoso ( Vallehermoso ) is a small picturesque town surrounded by mountain peaks and banana plantations. Vallehermoso has preserved many old buildings. This resort attracts travelers with sparsely populated pristine beaches, unhurriedness reigning around and beautiful nature.

  Vallehermoso

  Hermigua (Hermigua) is a resort in the south of the island, located next to San Sebastian de La Gomera. According to scientists, Hermigua has the best climate in the world. The city is hidden in a gorge, protected from the winds and surrounded by banana plantations. Hermigua has one of the most popular beaches of Santa Catalina and several attractions and places of interest: the Ethnographic Museum, the Gofio Museum, the Dominican Monastery. Also, it is in Hermigua that the most hiking trails for tourists are laid.

  ---

  Beaches

  La Negra or Black Beach is located in a place untouched by civilization in the area of ​​Alachero. This beach can be reached on foot from La Rajita beach. The beach of La Negra ( La Negra ) is 200 m long and 10 m wide. It is covered with black volcanic sand. Moderate waves are possible on it. The beach is not well maintained.

  La Cantera is a beach in the municipality of Alajero, located in a pristine isolated area. The easiest way to get to the beach is by boat or walking down the path. The length of the beach is 180 m, the width is 10 m. There is no infrastructure on the beach.

  Playa de Santiago – the beach in the resort of the same name, the largest in La Gomera, has a length of 1.5 km and a width of 30 m. Adapted for people with special needs, has excellent infrastructure. There are many cafes and restaurants near Playa de Santiago. There are car parks nearby. The beach is covered with pebbles and black sand.

  Playa San Marcos – the beach of the municipality of Agulo, is a small bay, 150 m wide and 10 m wide. The beach is covered with black coarse-grained volcanic sand. This beach has strong waves. There are no settlements nearby.

  La Caleta de Hermigua – beach in Hermigua, covered with black coarse sand. This is a quiet, calm place, great for swimming, since there are practically no waves and there are no undercurrents. La Caleta beach is equipped with showers, has a car park. There is a restaurant near the beach.

  Santa Catalina is the largest beach in Hermigua, 850 m long and 35 m wide. Santa Catalina beach is covered with fine volcanic sand. It is located in the area of ​​the village, terraces descend to it. There are strong waves on the beach. The beach is considered quite dangerous due to its great depth.

  Playa de Vallehermoso is a beach in the municipality of the same name, stretching for 200 meters along the coastline. The width of the beach is about 20 m. It is quite quiet, because due to the large waves, few people swim on it. The beach is equipped with showers and umbrellas. There is a restaurant on the coast. Near the beach there is a park popular with tourists with large saltwater pools. . There are moderate waves on the beach. Beach de la Calera has the necessary infrastructure: parking lots, showers, toilets, adapted for people with disabilities. There are restaurants and cafes near the beach.

  Playa de Vueltas is a beach located on the territory of the port of Valle Gran Rey. It is 150 m long and 10 m wide. It is covered with black volcanic sand. There are practically no waves in this area, so the beach is popular with vacationers with children. There is the necessary infrastructure: showers, toilets, restaurants and cafes, parking lots.

  Playa del Inglés is another beach in Valle Gran Rey covered with black sand and pebbles. The beach is 300 m long and 80 m wide. The beach is popular with nudists. Nearby there is a parking lot.

  Playa de La Cueva ( Playa de La Cueva) is one of two beaches in San Sebastian de La Gomera. The beach of La Cueva is 200 m long and 85 m wide. It is covered with black volcanic sand and gravel. The ocean in this part of the coast is calm, so the beach is suitable for families with children. Adapted for people with limited mobility. The beach is equipped with everything you need, there is a parking lot and several restaurants nearby.

  La Playa de San Sebastián

  Playa de San Sebastian ( La Playa de San Sebastián ) – located next to the historic port of the capital, is one of the best beaches in La Gomera. It has a length of 600 m and a width of 55 m, covered with black volcanic sand and pebbles. There are no waves on the beach. San Sebastian beach has everything you need for a comfortable stay: showers, bathrooms, a first-aid post, restaurants, parking.

  ---

  Hotels

  On the island of La Gomera there are about 300 hotels of different price categories and stars. Most of them are located in the capital of San Sebastian de La Gomera, in the city of Valle Gran Rey and Playa de Santiago. You can also rent a villa or apartment.

  The most interesting hotels of the island – Parador Nacional de La Gomera , built in the style of neo-Canarian architecture. It has been named the best hotel in the Canary Islands, and its restaurant is recommended in the best gastronomic guides. Also of interest is the Jardín Tecina hotel, located next to the municipality of Alajero and having the only golf course on the island. The hotel is close to the airport.

  Cost of hotels and apartments in
  La Gomera is quite high, in season it is
  does not fall below 40-45 euros for the most
  humble number.

  Guide in Russian recommends that you choose trusted hotel booking systems. You will have the opportunity to choose the best offer from the two links below. The possibility of booking both from Russia and abroad is available from Booking.

  All offers from:

  Yandex Travel

  Offers from:

  Booking

  ---

  Places of interest

  Despite the proximity of Tenerife, La Gomera differs in many ways from the neighboring island. Tourism on La Gomera began to develop quite recently, this allowed to preserve the pristine nature, authentic cultural traditions and find its own way in the development of the tourism industry. La Gomera is a very small island, but it has several national parks and reserves. What to see in La Gomera? Where to start your tour?

  We recommend starting with a visit to the tourist office located in the capital. There you can take diagrams and maps of the island, which mark all the interesting places of La Gomera, beaches, restaurants and other useful locations. A definite plus is that maps and information booklets are available in several languages, including Russian.

  Many of the architectural and historical sights of La Gomera are located in the capital, so the tour should start from San Sebastian.

  Church of the Assumption of Our Lady (Assumption of the Virgin Mary)

  Iglesia de la Virgen de Asuncion

  Church of the Assumption of Our Lady ( Iglesia De La Asunción ) is located in the capital on Real Street. This is the main Catholic temple of the island and a famous historical landmark of the Canary archipelago. The church is known for the fact that Christopher Columbus prayed in it before his trip to America.

  The temple is located in the historical part of the city. The church is made in the architectural style – Mudéjar, Gothic and Baroque. Three doors lead inside. The church has three naves. The crucifix for her was created by the famous Spanish sculptor José Miguel Lujan Pérez .

  Church of the Assumption of Our Lady

  Garajonay National Park (Parque
  nacional de Garajonay)

  Garajonay Park

  The main natural attraction of La Gomera is the Garajonay National Park, it includes a mountain range of the same name with an area of ​​40 square meters. km. This unique place is worth seeing, because there are practically no analogues in the world. The Garajonay National Park is declared a heritage of mankind and is under the protection of UNESCO.

  The park is home to the highest point on the island, Alto de Garajonay, at 1,487 meters above sea level. Its slopes are covered with laurel subtropical forests. They are remarkable in that they look exactly the same as they did 2 million years ago. At that time, the laurel forests of Monteverde covered the entire territory of Europe, but they were destroyed during the Ice Age.

  Laurel forests have a height of about 40 meters, their crowns practically do not let in sunlight, so it is always humid, cool and foggy under them. The soil around is covered with lichens and moss. Laurel trees, tree-like heather, ferns, and sesame grow on the territory of the park.

  Extremely diverse in the park
  fauna, on its territory lives about
  1000 species of invertebrates, with
  150 of them are endemic, then
  are not found anywhere else in the world.
  Among the 38 species of vertebrates,
  Canary is considered the rarest
  dove and laurel dove.

  There are several hiking trails in the Garajonay National Park, which you can walk on your own or as part of an organized tour.

  Garajonay National Park

  Rocks of Los Organos

  The rocks are located in the north of La Gomera, this is a rather unusual attraction created by nature. This basalt rock is considered one of the most beautiful in the Canaries and is officially a natural monument. Why is she so interesting? Its cliffs resemble the pipes of a large organ soaring into the sky. The height of the cliffs is 800 m, the width is 200 m.

  You can see the cliffs of Los Organos from the sea during a sea excursion. Usually such excursions are offered in Playa de Santiago and Valle Gran Rey.

  Los Organos Rocks

  Count’s Tower (

  Torre del Conde or Los Peraza )

  Torre del Conde

  The Count’s Tower is one of the oldest buildings on the island, an important historical landmark. The tower was built (beginning in 1447 – completed in 1450) and reconstructed in the 16th century. Used to protect the ruling elite of the island during internal uprisings. She went down in history because of Beatrice de Bobadilla, the wife of the governor, who was killed by the local population because of his cruelty. The countess hid in the tower after the murder of her husband, waiting for help from the governor of Tenerife.

  The Count’s Tower has been perfectly preserved to this day. Now it houses an exhibition of old maps.

  Count’s Tower

  La Gomera Ethnographic Park

  PEG Los Telares

  Los Telares

  To learn more about the history of La Gomera,
  it is worth visiting the ethnographic park,
  consisting of an ecological farm,
  botanical garden and old mill
  for making gofio. In the house,
  located on the farm
  contains the largest collection
  antiques on the island. During
  excursion, which takes place three times in
  day: at 10-00, 12-30 and 14-00 you can learn a lot
  about the culture of La Gomera, its development
  economy, nature. The museum will tell
  how the Homero lived and worked.

  The ethnographic park is located in
  half an hour drive from the seaport
  San Sebastian. Entrance ticket price
  – 3.5 euros.

  Book a tour

  Drago de Agalán

  In the municipality of Alajero
  grows the oldest on La Gomera
  dragon tree. It is considered a symbol
  islands and depicted on the coat of arms of Alajero.
  You can find a dragon tree in the gorge
  Tajonaye.

  Rock of Roque de Agando

  Rock of Roque de Agando

  A rock that has become one of the most recognizable symbols of the island of La Gomera and a popular attraction. You can’t walk to the top of the cliffs. Previously, these rocks were popular with climbers, but now they are recognized as a natural monument, and therefore climbing is prohibited on them. There are several hiking trails near the rocks, from where you can see them perfectly. On the top of the rocks, the remains of the sacrificial sanctuaries of the Gomero have been preserved.

  Video: Agando Rock

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  Viewpoints

  Viewpoints of La Gomera worthy
  special attention. On the most picturesque
  25 observation decks have been equipped on the island’s locations
  sites, many of them adapted
  for people with limited mobility.

  Examination list
  Venues:

  1. Mirador de La Lomada del Camello – offers a magnificent view of Tenerife and Mount Teide rising above the clouds.
  2. Mirador de El Sombrero – Stepped terraces are visible from the observation deck, where locals grow their crops.
  3. Mirador de La Laja is an observation deck on the way to the Garajonay National Park, from where you can observe a unique natural phenomenon known as the sea of ​​clouds.
  4. Mirador de La Curva del Queso is an observation deck from where you can see the town of Baja del Secreto, where important historical events took place. It was in this place that the locals executed the governor, Hernan Peras, because of his unworthy behavior. His wife, in order to take revenge, executed all the homeroes over 15 years old.
  5. Mirador de La Punta – a beautiful view of the picturesque village and the sea coast.
  6. Mirador del Almendrillo – you can see the slopes of the mountains, on which grows the endangered sabinas shrub, known for its light and very hard wood.
  7. Mirador de La Retama – offers a view of the mountain slopes with natural terraces that were created by the action of the wind.
  8. Mirador de Los Manaderos – view of the reservoir and Chejelipes dam. This is one of four reservoirs with a capacity of 630 thousand cubic meters. m., providing the island with water.
  9. Mirador de Punta de Belete – overlooks the mountain slopes where goats usually herd and the local village where cheese is made.
  10. Mirador de La Punta de Alcalá – view of the cliffs located in the south of the island.
  11. Mirador de La Ladera de La Rama – mountain views.
  12. Mirador de La Hila – a picturesque view of the sea and the marina, where boats and boats are moored.
  13. Mirador de Igualero – mountain views.
  14. Paisaje de Abrante is an observation deck in the north of the island, from where you can see amazing landscapes in red tones. Picturesque red dunes, erosion processes and vanishing sparse vegetation. The red color of the soil is due to the high content of iron oxide in the soil.
  15. Mirador de Roque Blanco – Mountain views on the border of the Garajonay park.
  16. Mirador de Barranco de La Palmita – view of the valley, located near the Garajonay National Park.
  17. Mirador de Tagaragunche – observation deck on the site of the former gomero sanctuary. It used to be a place of pilgrimage for the locals. The observation deck is located next to the chapel of San Isidro.
  18. Mirador de San Lorenzo is an observation deck at the chapel of San Lorenzo, which offers an excellent view of one of the largest mountains of the island de la Fortaleza de Chipude and the Barranco de Erque gorge.
  19. Mirador de Las Trincheras – overlooking Playa Santiago, cliffs and sea.
  20. Mirador de San Juan – view of the Ermigua valley, where villages and terraces are located. You can also see the church.
  21. Mirador de La Carbonera – offers views of the Garajonay National Park.
  22. Mirador de El Moralito – view of the mountain ranges and gorges.
  23. Mirador de El Santo is an observation deck with a magnificent view of the coast.
  24. Mirador de El Palmarejo – View of Valle Gran Rei and palm groves where guarapero juice and dates are harvested.
  25. Mirador de San Antonio – mountain view.

  Mirador de Abrante Mirador de Almendrillo Mirador de El Sombrero

  10 things to do
  to do on the island of La Gomera

  1. Visit the observation deck Sagrado Corazon de Jesus , from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Teide volcano.
  2. Take a walk along one of the hiking trails of La Gomera.
  3. Try local cuisine and palm honey.
  4. Walk through the Garajonay park.
  5. Enjoy a natural bath on the beach of Vallermoso.
  6. Visit the village of Hermigua.
  7. Visit the restaurant Mirador de Abrante and take a photo on its glass observation deck.
  8. Go to the observation deck of Los Roques.
  9. Admire the cliffs of Los Organos on a boat trip.
  10. Buy local palm honey for souvenirs.

  ---

  Kitchen and restaurants

  The cuisine of La Gomera has common features with
  other islands of the archipelago, but has
  and their own characteristics.

  Watercress cream soup with salted ribs and millet. Roasted goat leg with smoked cheese toast. Palm honey. Rice with fried bananas. Gofio. Sweets. The cuisine of La Gomera contains the essence of those who lived on the island at different times and reflects their way of life.

  Of particular interest is palm
  honey is delicious and healthy. Represents
  a well-boiled palm honey.
  It is added to many local dishes.
  cuisine and even alcohol – in combination
  with vodka it turns out very original
  cocktail.

  The spicy snack is also worth trying
  Almogrote, made with goat cheese
  fried tomatoes and spices. If a
  like it, you can buy a jar of
  yourself.

  Mistela liqueur prepared from white
  wine made from local grapes
  and palm honey. drink pretty
  strong and tasty.

  All this is traditional cuisine
  on La Gomera, many local products,
  such as almogrote sauces, palm
  honey, liquor, wines, goat cheese produce
  local companies on the island.

  Of course, the cuisine of La Gomera includes many fish dishes.

  Cheese is one of the most basic products
  on La Gomera. It is made from raw
  goat milk or a mixture of goat and
  sheep. Cheese is used for
  preparation of many dishes and served,
  as a separate meal. He has
  excellent taste and intense aroma.
  Cheeses are made according to traditional technology,
  just like centuries ago.

  Gofio is another local product
  which is millet flour and
  wheat, sometimes mixed with barley and
  other cereals.

  La Gomera produces grape wines, since 2003 they have all had a denomination of origin La-Gomera . Mostly white wine is produced on the island, they have an intense aroma and a pleasant taste. Red wines are also made, they have a ruby ​​color and a soft fruity aroma.

  Some of the best local restaurants in La Gomera are Mango , La Tasca , La Cuevita , La Zula , Las Rosas , Roque Blanco , Los Chorros de Epina , Mirador del Palmarejo . Fans of sea delicacies and fish should visit the El Descansillo restaurant, which is considered one of the best. You can eat inexpensively and satisfyingly in the restaurant La Molina . Also on La Gomera there are a lot of establishments with Spanish, international cuisines, pizzerias, vegetarian restaurants.

  ---

  Official website: lagomera.es

  Car rental La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port

  What you need to know about renting a car in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  If you want to choose the best option, start your car search as early as possible. Compare options, check the required documents and study the requirements of the companies. Be sure to ask anything that’s bothering you, questions can be asked at [email protected]. When you travel, check your rental car carefully and make sure you have your rental voucher and the address of the representatives you are renting the car from. Also, be sure to specify whether you need an international driver’s license and a personalized Credit Card (It often happens that car rental companies do not accept Debit cards or cash, be careful!).

  How can I get cheap car rental in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  Avoid renting a car without comparing rental conditions, especially if demand is high, such as at airports or hotels. You need to find the best location for cheap car rentals. Of course, it’s always worth checking out a few locations and comparing them all (for example, the city center and the nearest airport). Usually car rental on holidays is more expensive.

  How much is renting a car in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  There are several reasons why a car rental price is determined. First of all, the earlier you start looking for a car before the date of receipt, the more profitable offers you will receive and the more chances there will be at least some kind of car. Don’t do it in the last minutes, and even more so don’t expect a discount if less than 1 day is left before the rental date. The second reason is the day of your arrival. This will affect the price – the lowest price will be on a weekday. Avoid additional costs that should not be hidden from you when renting a car. To do this, carefully read the voucher with the conditions for receiving the car.

  What is the most popular rental car brand in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port in Spain?

  Of course, if you want to rent a car, in most cases you will not be able to choose the specific model that will be given to you. But in the car rental industry, there are five cars that are the most popular worldwide: Chevrolet Cruze, Chrysler 200, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla. Therefore, if you need to travel frequently for work or just travel for pleasure, you can choose one of them.

  What is the cheapest car rental company in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  As someone said, in life you have to try everything, especially when dealing with the particular world of car rental. To get the best deal, you have to do a lot of research from the wide variety of options and offers. See the top list of leading companies on our website, choose the best offer for you and you can get the cheapest car.

  What is the best car rental company in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  To choose one of the best car rental companies, you must compare important facts about all offers, such as security deposit, insurance cost and conditions, mileage or geography limits. After reading all the conditions, you will choose the best car rental agency. It should contain one or two great promotional offers, great prices, and offers that other vendors don’t offer. Also, if necessary, companies should have programs that allow you to rent a car for a few hours. But there is a general rule – the minimum rental period is 4 hours!

  Which car rental companies will pick you up at the airport: La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  A free shuttle service is available at the airport around the clock. They pick up passengers at special stops. Usually this is a shuttle bus or a personal meeting with a sign at the airport. If you have a need, they will bring you back, and sometimes even bring the car directly to the airport. Try to find the most suitable car rental location in our long list of offers.

  How can I find car rentals near me in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  To find the best car rental partner near you, you need to compare their list. Also pay attention to the best rates for car rental in different places. Use the pages for your region to find out which car rental companies are near you. Try to work with vendors that primarily have a wide range of car rental classes.

  What type of car is best for driving in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  If you want to choose a car that exactly matches your needs, try to make a short list of your expectations. Think about your passengers, how comfortable they will be while riding. Notify the company about booking a car of a suitable class. Check out the safety and fuel economy features if that’s important to you.

  La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain – what are the prices for petrol? What fuel policy is available?

  You should be aware of the fuel policy and prices of petrol or diesel because it means that you have probably chosen the right car and will not be overloaded. You will know how much fuel you pay for using the car. Controlling everything is a guarantee that you won’t be overwhelmed by extra charges and refueling when you return your car. You can pay for services in various ways: using cash, credit card (Visa, Maestro, MasterCard), ATM or just PayPass.

  Where is the best place to park in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  Before you start driving, you need to think about which parking spaces you will use. Also take notes with parking information. There are several ways to park, such as parking or special parking on the sidewalk, because regular parking on the street is more difficult to find. Especially in tourist cities

  What is the right age to rent a car? How old do I have to be to rent a car?

  Many landlords make strict restrictions on the driver’s age when renting a car. They can also charge a young driver an additional fee if he is not only under 18 years old, but even if he is under 25 years old. It doesn’t matter how old you are, but it’s important to be aware of all age requirements, especially if you’re under 21. And do not forget that this can affect the cost of booking a car, even if you are under 25 years old. It often happens that different car rental companies set different age requirements and take different additional insurance amounts for a young driver.

  Do I need car rental insurance?

  When renting a car, pay attention to the insurance cover and do your research beforehand. This will affect your choice of insurance coverage that is best for you. Ask about your personal responsibility, find protection from damage and injury. In most cases, insurance is already included in the car rental price, but it happens that it is not included, this is always indicated in the rental voucher and when booking the car in a special information form.

  Can I book with unlimited mileage when renting a car in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain?

  Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you can benefit from car rental with unlimited mileage. Often, car rental agencies most often apply mileage limits to certain vehicle classes. Thus, this can be the determining factor in the car rental you should choose.

  Can I rent a car one way in La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain and drop it off in another city?

  Yes, most companies offer this service for an additional fee. If you want to rent a car in one location and drop it off in another city, you can pay a one-way rental fee. But be sure to find out what you need to know about this payment. For example, car rental companies charge a one-way fee to cover the cost of returning a car.

  La Gomera San Sebastian Ferry Port, Spain – wonderful long journeys

  If you want to be lucky enough to make one of the great road trips, you need to rent a car. All you need is to be excited about a good trip. To be able to drive on the open road, get your own car, stop and go whenever you want. Just get inspired for your next adventure and rent a car for the long haul.

  Where is the best place to spend the night on a rented car?

  If you’re thinking of a short trip, driving a car can be a surprisingly cheap adventure. In this case, you can spend a lot of money on a hotel or motel. If you want even cheaper – try to explore the campsite.

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