Day 1: Garajonay National Park. Guide.
West zone of the Park + summitour

During this first step, I will guide you to give you information on the geology, vegetation, culture of La Gomera… Many “keys” which will allow you to interpret the landscape during the rest of your trip. I will be your contact throughout your stay.

In one day, we will explore the different facets of the Garajonay National Park (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site). In La Gomera, many times, to discover the most beautiful landscapes you have to walk but not necessarily go on long and demanding hikes!
We will take several guided walks to discover the most representative landscapes and ecosystems of the national park.

1. We will do a 2 hours botanical hike to understand the incredible botanical and ecological value of the laurel forest. You will discover the crest Laurel forest of the Garajonay National Park. Winding trees covered in moss, like long “beards” floating in the trade winds, all shrouded in mist… Absolutely magical! I will show you the beauties of this very ancient forest in an excellent state of conservation. I will also help you understand what the plants and animals of this ecosystem have to tell us about the natural history of this island and our planet.
   2. If the weather is clear, we will climb to the top of Garajonay (highest point on the island) to enjoy a 360º view of the island and neighboring islands. (1h30) If the weather is cloudy, we will change it for a hike in another area of the forest.
   3. Short walk to a viewpoint over the natural monument of Los Roques.
   Then we will cross palm groves and rural areas which bear witness to the past and present agricultural cultures of high altitude villages.
   Opportunity to stop at a traditional restaurant which serves dishes from yesteryear.

Night: Alajero
Services included: Guide, transport (from any area of La Gomera), accident insurance, Briefing of the week

The dragon tree is a very emblematic endemic plant of the Canary Islands with a very characteristic shape, of great beauty and legendary! The dragon tree that you will discover is the emblem of the municipality of Alajeró.
This very pleasant hike will take you to the largest and oldest dragon tree in La Gomera. It is located in a very pretty valley.
You will also discover the adorable hamlet of Imada which is located in a superb palm grove nestled between the mountains. The route between Alajeró and Imada will also allow you to enjoy superb views of the Teide volcano (highest point of Tenerife and Spain).
In Imada, if you wish, you can enjoy an excellent, simple and tasty meal in the small typical Imada bar/restaurant.

You will have the choice between 2 levels of hiking.
For the easy level you will go to a viewpoint over the Imada valley, you will not go down to Imada.

Night: Alajero
Services included: GPS tracks, map, telephone support

Day 3: Tagaragunche Mountain and troglodyte village

Tagaragunche, a volcanic dome characteristic of the village of Alajeró, was a sacred mountain and a burial place for the Guanches, the first inhabitants of the Canary Islands. Today it houses the charming chapel of San Isidro at its summit and is popular with locals and visitors who go up there to enjoy the sunset.
The north slope facing the village side is rounded and easy to access. The southern slope, much steeper, is radically different, and is home to a cave village that is now abandoned and seems frozen in time.

You will have the choice between 2 levels of hiking.
For the easy level, you will climb to the top of this mountain but you will not go to the troglodyte village.

Night: Alajero
Services included: GPS tracks, map, telephone support

Day 4: Abrante, Agulo (North of La Gomera). Guided day

This day is guided so that you can discover the North of La Gomera and I will explain its particularities to you. The other side of the island is windier and more humid than the southern side where you are staying. This part is therefore “greener” and more suitable for agriculture. When the inhabitants lived from subsistence agriculture, it was the most populated part of the island. Now, the inhabitants mainly live in the south where the weather and the ocean are milder and therefore conditions more conducive to tourism (limited but nevertheless the main economy of the island). Geologically, this part is older and more eroded. The difference in landscapes between the two slopes is surprising.
We will do several short hikes and we will visit the interpretation center of the national park (Juego de Bolas):
– 1h30 walk to discover the most beautiful village on the island (Agulo) and its spectacular cultivation terraces (in the highest areas of La Gomera)
– 1 hour to 2 hours walk in the red dunes area and discovery of the spectacular Abrante belvedere
Lunch in a typical restaurant possible.

Night: Playa Santiago
Services included: Guide, transport from Alajeró and return to Playa Santiago to your new hotel, accident insurance

Night: Playa Santiago
Services included: GPS tracks, map, telephone support, round trip transport

Day 5 or 6: Cetaceans or free day. Self-guided.

For this day, you will have the choice between a maritime excursion to see the cetaceans, rest at the beach, hike near Playa Santiago, or go by boat to Valle Gran Rey to discover its coastal part.

Whatever your choice, I will give you all the necessary advice so that you make the most of this day!

Maritime excursion:
Excellent experience to discover the Island from the sea! You will be impressed by the cliffs classified as a site of scientific interest where gulls, shearwaters, fishing eagles live…
The Canaries are one of the world’s main destinations for cetacean watching. On the islands of Tenerife and La Gomera, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) live sedentarily. From spring to early winter, Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera eden) also live. They breed and raise their young off the coast of La Gomera and Tenerife. Then when the ocean temperature drops, they cross the Atlantic to “spend” the winter in the Caribbean.
Many other species of cetaceans pass near La Gomera during their movements. 30 species out of the 87 that inhabit the planet’s seabed have been recorded in the Canaries.
During the excursion, a swimming stop is planned as well as drinks and tapas.
Duration: 3 hours

The coast of Valle Gran Rey:
From Playa Santiago it is possible to take a boat to Valle Gran Rey. This allows you to discover the entire coast with its cliffs, its wild beaches which are located between these 2 small towns.
In Valle Gran Rey, you can swim, eat in a good restaurant, and discover its pretty seafront.

Hiking:
I will give you all the information for:
– or take short walks along the coast near Playa Santiago.
– Or do an intermediate level hike which starts from the mountain, passes by a pretty wild beach where it is possible to swim and which ends at Playa Santiago.

Night: Playa Santiago

Services included: GPS tracks (if you choose to go hiking), map, telephone support.
In addition: maritime excursion, transport to get to the start of the hike (not essential because it is possible to go there by public bus).

This day can be an additional day or replace a free or self-guided day.
This day is guided so that you can understand and make the most of this superb forest.
I will be happy to help you discover the incredible botanical richness of the laurisylva (main ecosystem of this protected natural area). This ecosystem is fascinating on many points: it is full of incredible biodiversity, it allows us to understand the evolution of species and it is home to very ancient tree species that have now disappeared from the African and European continents.
This is one of my favorite hikes both in terms of landscapes and botanical interest. Throughout the walk, we will cross open spaces where we can contemplate the entire Hermigua valley, we will discover waterfalls and we will enter a forest of great beauty!
You will have the choice between 2 levels of hiking.