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Choose your own adventure on La Gomera

Get active on the trails, seas and cliffs of this lesser-known but spectacular Canary Island

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Words by Ross Clarke

Though one of the smaller Canary Islands, and often overlooked by sun seekers in favour of its larger and better-known siblings, La Gomera is no retiring wallflower. On the contrary: this rugged isle, lying some 30km west of Tenerife, lures active travellers seeking outdoor adventures away from the crowds. La Gomera boasts dense, ancient forests, dramatic volcanic landscapes and a storied history, having been Christopher Columbus’ last port of call before heading west on his first transatlantic expedition. No wonder its younger people, many of whom had been leaving the island to find jobs elsewhere, are now staying or returning to showcase La Gomera to active visitors keen to experience its great outdoors.

Photo by Claudia Mañas

Hike the trails

With over 600km of routes, ranging from beginner friendly paths to challenging hikes, La Gomera is a tempting destination for anyone aiming to lace up those walking boots. The best-known trails lace Garajonay National Park, which stretches across the island’s mountainous centre.

Here you’ll find precious surviving swathes of often misty laurisilva forest – living fossils of the lush rainforests that once covered much of Europe. Further north, a popular 12km circular walk around Vallehermoso delves into juniper groves and among a range of other plant species; watch for birds such as buzzards soaring overhead.

People hiking up a mountain

Pedal peaceful roads

La Gomera is a favourite with cyclists of all levels; indeed, many top athletes come here to train. Road cycling is popular, not least because the routes on La Gomera are never too busy with traffic.

For beginners and those less confident about cycling solo, local companies such as Gomera Cycling & Walking offer guided excursions. This family-run outfit leads various small-group tours – both on and off road – that can be adapted to suit different experience levels, as well as providing bike hire and sales. For a gentle guided road circuit, try the Southern Villages tour, a 45km loop rated ‘Easy’.

A rocky mountain peak in the distance

Photo by Tara Vester

Photo by Eugen Sacalî

Dive thriving seas

The waters around La Gomera are warm and clear, with visibility typically around 30m, so scuba diving is a delight year round. Spectacular dive sites include Playa de la Cueva, off the island’s easternmost tip, and Los Órganos, beneath those namesake basalt ‘organ pipes’ on the sea cliffs of the north coast, where you might spy whales, dolphins, rays and schools of barracuda.

On any dive, it’s common to spot creatures including parrotfish, moray eels, lobsters and sea turtles. Book with a local outfit such as Splash Gomera to ensure your dive is both safe and sustainable.

Kayak the coast

To admire dramatic cliffs and appreciate the island from a different perspective, rent kayaks to explore at sea level. La Gomera’s many sheltered bays range around the coast and ensure calm waters, so it’s an ideal family activity; favourite spots for beginners include Playa de Santiago, where Splash Gomera hires out kayaks and paddleboards.

The waters around La Gomera are bustling with loggerhead turtles, bottlenose dolphins and various whales – in fact, 23 of the world’s 90 or so cetacean species have been sighted in the strait between Tenerife and La Gomera, Europe’s first Whale Heritage Site

Scramble and leap the cliffs

Rock-climbing opportunities are mainly suitable for experienced enthusiasts. The most famous site is Roque Cano; climbing here requires permission from La Gomera government, in an effort to preserve the rock for future generations.

Instead, why not try the Canarian pastime of leaping? The tradition of salto del pastor (shepherd’s leap) – a little like pole-vaulting using a long wooden asta or staff – was possibly developed by the islands’ pre-Hispanic Guanche inhabitants as a technique for crossing ravines. Try it yourself and help preserve this ancient activity.

Mountains surrounding the coastline of the sea

Photo by Julia Elliot

Photo by Reiseuhu

Need to know

Getting there

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for hiking and active pursuits; summer can be very hot, though winter days can be great for walking.

Photo by Johannes Óvegur

Getting there

Fly with one of several airlines linking the UK with Tenerife South Airport (about four hours), then catch one of the frequent fast ferries sailing from Los Cristianos to San Sebastián de La Gomera (50 minutes).

Photo by Tara Vester

Sunset above the clouds

Photo by Marek Piwnicki

Photo by Julia Elliot

Glossary

The quality of being able to continue over a period of time, or the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance (Camrbdige Dictionary).

This refers to ‘the variability of living organisms, between and within species, and the changeability of the ecosystems to which they belong’ (The Convention on Biological Diversity).
According to the Responsible Tourism Partnership, ‘Responsible Tourism requires that operators, hoteliers, governments, local people and tourists take responsibility, and take action to make tourism more sustainable. Behaviour can be more or less responsible, and what is responsible in a particular place depends on environment and culture’. The concept was defined in Cape Town in 2002 alongside the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The process of protecting an environment and returning it to its natural state; for example, bringing back wild animals that used to live there (Cambridge Dictionary).
A movement reducing the distance between producers and sales and consumer establishments to a radius of under 100 kilometres, with the aim of minimising the effects that large-scale industry have on the planet, including soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat loss for wild species.
Being ‘green’ is used to describe actions or initiatives that are conducted in a sustainable way, in an attempt to reduce impact on planetary resource limits. However, the word can be used to describe actions or initiatives that do not actively do this, but rather convey an ethos of being planet-friendly; eg being outside, walking or riding a bike. This can be considered ‘greenwashing’ (when an individual or company paints an action as credibly sustainable when, in fact, it is an action that beenfits them, or that should be considered the bare minimum).