Gran Canaria: Canyons, Caves & Coastal Trails

Yet another good holiday from Inntravel.  Having seen the BBC news showing flash floods and cars being washed out to sea on Gran Canaria in the week before we travelled, we were slightly worried as to what we were letting ourselves in for!  Needlessly as it turned out, with blue skies, a mere 20 minutes of rain in the whole week and most importantly dry and stable paths.  Excellent and characterful hotels, good breakfasts everywhere and evening meals at the Parador.  Spectacular scenery and wonderful flowers everywhere on our walks.

In the week before travel we received an email from Inntravel warning of the need to obtain a permit to go up to Roque Nublo.  This was easy to obtain online from their instructions and we found that the one hour time slot for entry that had to be specified was best set at 12 - 13:00 to allow for both the taxi ride and the walk to reach the checkpoint.  The path at the entry point was indeed staffed and people without passes were politely being turned away so do make sure you obtain this before travel!

We found the walks about the right level for us (nearing 70 now!).  The walk instructions could stand a review as new signposting has been installed, but we still found our way without issue and the help of the GPX trails.  We have highlighted this to Inntravel.  The only major issue we encountered was the closure of the path over Risco Caido necessitating the diversion Inntravel describe for other reasons.

On the last day we rebelled and instead of doing the full walk, we decided to take the bus down to Puerto De las Nieves and spend the morning and lunch strolling around the port.  Catching the bus is really easy from the hotel, leave the hotel over the bridge and immediately carry straight on up the track ahead as the road bears left.  You ascend slightly to the main road where the bus stop for Puerto de Las Nieves is directly on the opposite side of the road.  We then followed the walking instructions back to the hotel , taking in a visit to the Necropolise De Maipes as described, which we found excellently laid out and very interesting.  The Huerto de las Flores that is mentioned is currenty closed for renovation.

We would strongly recommend NOT eating at Terraza Angor - very touristy, brusque staff and dried (should have been fried) fish.  We ate at the Confraderie De Pecadores for lunch (octopus and prawns - v good), and the same evening just a light (we thought) pizza at Pizzeria DI.BE. with very friendly service.

Looking forward to our next trip!

We realy enjoyed our trip and the chance to visit and see such stunning places and views. We had no idea Gran Canaria was so dramatic. It is a wonderful place to visit with a great walking route that takes you right across the island from one side to the other.

Spectacular scenary and some beautiful walks, though a couple with pretty challenging steep descents, especially if wet. Poles were absolutely necessary every day. Excellent walk notes. In late Jan the weather was varied but we loved watchin the the cloud/fog descend and lift from the Parador.  Four seasons in one day. The Paradour itself was very comfortable and we didn't get bored eating there over four nights.  Las Longueras a delight; a beautiful old house that feels more like a home, the garden an oasis of green.  We'd have loved an extra day here to relax after the adrelanin inducing walking!

The scenery as always was very good and the standard of accommodation was excellent except that it was extremely cold in the Cabañas in Fontanelles. It might be appropriate to put the actual grade of each of the walks on them.

Three really good hotels, all completely different in character. Taxis and transfers all worked well. Scenery was great, we especially enjoyed exploring Roque Nublo. Our one tip is to take care on the SL4 in Agaete if it has been raining. There are a lot of volcanic rocks to scramble over which are very slippy when wet. If we had known we might have found an alternative path on the minor roads. Overall a great holiday, recommended.

Our fourth Inntravel walking holiday. Excellent routes, amazing scenery. Mostly sunny, between 16- 20 degrees C. Some more challenging routes, due to length but accurately described. Welcoming, friendly people and good food.

Abraham Caedenes Museum in Tejeda was closed. No reason given .Texeda also closed for renovation. Cueva de la tea:Staff rude and food not good

Puerta de la Nieves would not recommend Terraza Angor

El Dedo de Dios. Very good nice staff, Great atmosphere, Good value for money, Locals queuing to get in.

We walked from Parador to do circular walk to Roque de Nublo. Fantastic hike and views. 5 stars a must do 

Spa in Parador needs a bit of updating but get a discount as a guest. Worth going to experience the infinity pool. Great steam room and sauna.

I would definitely take walking poles. Saves the knees and helps stability on steep descents. Can be hired at some of hotels.

We used all our kit, including full waterproofs, hat, gloves, compass, sunscreen, dark glasses, rehydration tablets in the space of 3 hours. 

Worth taking option B instead of the ravine to include El Hornillo on way down. Beautiful and interesting walk. We did not fancy the long walk back up from Las Longueras and would have missed out if not taken this option .

Refuge in El Hornillo sells food and drinks .

Highly recommend the Necropolis de Maipes. A unique experience. Well set out .

El Huerto de Las Flores was closed but it was a national holiday. 

Las Longueras is a beautiful place, so relaxing and tranquil. Make sure you order everything on the breakfast menu as all delicious . 

Swimming pool is not heated. There is no bar just mini bar in rooms.

Another fabulous Inntravel holiday, well planned and with every aspect of essential organisation arranged by Inntravel. The Parador and its setting were very impressive and we'd strongly encourage others to consider an additional night or two there. This would enable you to make full use of the spa (highly recommended) including having a massage and to do all the suggested walks. We went in May and enjoyed the cooler morning temperatures (sometimes as low as 12 to 15 deg) and clouds over the hotel, and at the start of a couple of the walks. The views are glorious when the clouds lift and the temperatures rise from mid-morning and of course on lower parts of the walks (getting up into the mid-20s deg). We wondered if an extra night at the Parador would be better spent than the extra night we took at Agaete, although this is a very personal choice. At Agaete we enjoyed visiting the coffee plantation (Los Berrazales) which includes coffee and wine tasting. After reading other reviews we did take poles, tho' felt they were only really necessary from Fontanales to Agaete (day 5).

Highlights: the spectacular location of the Parador, the old world charm of Las Longueras and the warmth of the hospitality at the Cabañas Valle Verde, the Roque Nublo day, the spectacular walk to Artenara and the walk from Fontanales to Agaete especially the Pinos de Galadriel section and the descent to El Sao.

For the most part we have traveled independently on our walking holidays so this was our first time with Inntravel. The self-guided nature of the trip suited us well and we were truely impressed by the accommodation, the routes offered and the guidance notes supplied. All in all we had a wonderful and hope to use Inntravel again in the future.

Another absolutely wonderful walking holiday organised like clockwork, challenging yet at the same time relaxing. Some amazing scenery, and the opportunity to stay at one of the best hotels in the Parador Cruz de Tejeda that we've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Can't wait for the next one.

We had a wonderful time on this spectacular Island, pretty much all aspects of the holiday perfect.

We very much enjoyed our trip to Gran Canaria with some excellent walking, sunny weather although it was very hot in the afternoons, and good food at all the hotels. We especially liked the Parador Cruz de Tejeda with its views towards Mt Teide, and the Hotel Rural Finca Las Longueras and its lovely swimming pool.

This is walking holiday with wonderful views, some challenging walks but one that we would definitely recommend for those who want to see and experience the mountains of Gran Canaria. The views from the Parador at Cruz de Tejeda were a highlight.

We had a great holiday, our third with Inntravel. So many highlights. The view from the restaurant at the Parador.  The welcome and lovely simple meal we had from Fatima. Swimming in the pool at the Finca after a day's walk.  Taxi to Puerto de las Nieves for our evening meals at the Finca is a great idea. We ate at Terraza Angor and loved it.

This is a fantastic holiday although the walking was harder than we expected. The Parador is a lovely hotel and sitting in the dining room at night watching the sunset is spectacular. And one night it was misty and the clouds came rolling down over the hills and that was almost even better. There is so much ascent and descent in this holiday that you do need to be very fit. The distances given in the brochure do not tell the story - it is the up and down that makes this holiday very challenging, to the point that at times I was asking myself why I was doing this. The little elevation plans in the brochure do not give you a real idea, which could be easily remedied as their walking notes have the relevant details.

I had a perfect holiday in Gran Canaria. Everything about the trip was seamless, including the booking process, queries I had, trip notes, hotel selection and walking routes. The walking was spectacular, views incredible, difficulty - just right. The whole experience was unforgettable, and I would thoroughly recommend Inntravel to my friends and family.

Gran Canaria is a beautiful island full of rugged ups and downs. Every hike was worth the effort. The Paradores in Cruz de la Tejeda is a wonderful place to spend time when not on the trail. Agaete has great fresh fish. We especially liked Bar Restaurant Terraza Angor!

The highlights of the trip are undoubtedly the spectacular views from the many ridge walks, taking place largely in quiet parts of the island. Frequently we found that the only thing we could hear was birdsong

This is a delightful holiday which seemed to take in the whole varied spectrum of landscapes that La Canaria has to offer. There were some challenging days of walking but these were worth it to absorb the incredible views, and flora and fauna which surrounded us.

We experienced all weathers and would strongly recommend taking layers and waterproofs. We were inadequately kitted out for the 4 degree temperatures and sleet that we endured one day, but better prepared for the warm spring sunshine, the next.

The accommodation is varied, but all was good. Loved the spa and incredible views at the Parador, the ambience at the Cabanas Valle Verde, and the charming faded glory of Las Longueras. We added an extra day at the end and couldn't resist returning to the mountains for one last clamber up and down the barrancos. Walking poles absolutely essential.

The Parador is a great place to stay, superb views from your balcony with wonderfully presented food.

Make sure you are fit before going on this holiday!

If going in Jan/Feb these mountains can be very cold at night (4 degrees) and long sleeved layers are a must.

Walk from el sol was a delight. There is an excellent cafe/bar 'refuge el hornillo' at the top of the climb, perfect spot for fresh orange juice or a beer plus delicoius home made apple cake. Could get lunch here.

Roque Nublo was a highlight and the walk excellent, we were lucky the cloud broke for views from the top. We had a good trip but the weather could have been kinder. We were very pleased to see the rifugio at El Hornillo and the staff kindly called us a taxi as we had had enough and were very wet. We loved the cave museum and church in Artenara. Spa at the Parador is lovely but pricey. 

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed this trip and would heartily recommend it to others. The scenery in Gran Canaria is stunning. We were slightly concerned about the grade of the walks being too hard for us before we went, but we managed all the routes OK. We are both just into our 60s and our walking experience is mainly Peak District, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District. We would classify the harder walks as being similar to climbing significant peaks in the Lake District - the ascents and descents are typically steep. We don't think of ourselves as having very strong heads for heights, however the paths were all decent and we didn't have any issues on this front. We did use local buses a couple of times and found the services to be excellent. We went in January and had very mixed weather, a couple of glorious sunny days but also a few days of heavy rain.

Early January we expected mist and possibly rain, but we were so lucky and every day was sunny with blue skies and amazing views of canyons and across to Tenerife. The woolly hat, gloves and waterproofs we had packed were not used at all. From experience of the Canaries I would always take these in case of colder weather. It is chilly after sundown at altitude, and a warm jacket or fleece is needed. On the day of departure from the Parador there was ice on the northwards path and we took it steady down the initially steep stretch. It was chilly in the shade but warm in the sun and we were walking wearing T shirts in the afternoon. The coast was warmer, although a warm fleece or jacket was still needed in the evening, and we ate outside at the port. This was because the hotel had lost their chef before Christmas. However, we noted a set three course evening meal was now available at the hotel.

Highlights were the sunny weather, the views, and seeing flowers, butterflies, bees and lots of birds, including birds of prey soaring below in the canyons. The second walk Roque Nublo uses a taxi to the start of the walk and was shorter than indicated on the website at the time of booking. This gave time to use the spa at the Parador after the walk, which we very much enjoyed. It also gives time to dry the swimming costumes as the following day is also at the Parador. The walk to Fontanales was lovely in its diversity with pine forest to start with and a lovely section of eucalyptus woodland with a gorgeous scent and flowering orange crocosmia. The walk to the coast was the longest with steep ascent followed by undulation and then the most stunningly deep gorge. As the instructions said it might be slippy and you needed to watch your footing, we chose the alternative which was an extra 2 km on a minor road to a less steep descent via the inhabited caves in the cliffs. The route tracked at 11.1 miles (17.9 km) and as we felt tired after that, the final day we chose Option B - to Agaete for lunch and then on to Puerto de las Nieves. We were lulled into a false sense of an 'easy stroll' - and I left my poles behind - yet the surface was loose and stony and sometimes angled sideways - so my tip is to take walking poles on all walks in case they are needed. The botanic garden was closed as it was Sunday, and although the Necropolis was open, we felt we had done enough for the day and headed back to the hotel. The hotel has a lovely peaceful garden. 
The Inntravel directions are very good, although the distances on the signs can be just slightly different to the instructions, and the shorter distances stated (i.e. of less than 100 meters) are sometimes much shorter than implied - just be careful not to miss your turn as it might be sooner than you think. We did not get lost and found the walking times very accurate for our walking speed. 

Spanish Christmas is 6th Jan and we had Christmas songs at breakfast and dinner for most of the holiday. The Christmas lights in Agaete were very pretty. We enjoyed the taxi ride to the port with Oscar. It's worth to revise some basic Spanish to converse with the locals. The service at the Angor restaurant at the port was very good.

The holiday was very well organised and once again we were very pleased we booked with Inntravel.

A lovely and varied holiday, challenging walking at times but lots of options. We thoroughly enjoyed the walk to Roque Nublo and the little cave houses at Artenara were charming. 

We loved this holiday. The walking and scenery surpassed our expectations, it was the best walking we've had on an Inntravel holiday so far. The Parador and Las Longueras were both excellent hotels. At the Parador we had excellent views from our room and also from the terrace where we enjoyed our post walk beers. Las Longueras was a lovely, relaxed hotel in beautiful grounds and a great setting. At Las Longueras we enjoyed going to the local port for our evening meals. Would definitely recommend this holiday. 

Another excellent Inntravel holiday. Great walking, stunning views, good food (and beer/wine!). This was our twelfth and we cannot wait for the next! Thank you!

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined two walks: To the Top of Spain and Canyons, Caves & Coast of Gran Canaria

A wonderful trip with spectacular views and challenging walking (walking poles essential). We loved the walking and would rate it 5/5 for length of walks and difficulty. 

This is a fantastic and uncrowded (at least when we were there) area for walking with fabulous views. Highlights were the Roque Noble walk (we took the shorter option), and the final long, and in part precipitous, walk to Las Longueros. We missed the views one day but instead had a rather magical walk through misty woods in absolute quiet. All highly recommended.

A wonderful holiday with great walks and spectacular mountain scenery. Hotel Parador in Cruz de Tejeda is at 1500m so don’t be surprised to find yourself shrouded in cloud one minute and then watch the views of the mountains and valleys unfold as the clouds lift. That’s part of the joy, the changing scenery and a different sunrise and sunset every day. The altitude though does mean that, even if it’s not raining, it can be chilly and damp so pack for all conditions. I would say that walking poles are essential, particularly on some of the rocky downhill sections. The walks were well planned, with differing scenery and it was fascinating to note the changing flora as we descended to sea level. All the hotels were great in different ways, and everyone so friendly and helpful. Walking notes and transfers were excellent. This was our second Inntravel hotel to hotel walking holiday – we’re just about to book our third!