Hiking in La Gomera (Canary Islands)

Hi there, I’m planning to go hiking on this island and would like to know the best time to do it. I visited for a few days in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains. So, is a star-shaped itinerary doable if I rent a car and maybe use two different accommodations?

I’m not planning to join an organized group—just traveling with one other person and organizing things ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide. Finally, even though I’ll be getting maps, a topo guide, and a GPS, I’d really appreciate your top hiking recommendations. Thanks so much for your tips!

Hello,

Planning to go hiking on this island, I’d first like to know the best time to do it, since I spent a few days there in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore the island—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains.

In September, we had really nice weather, though you should expect some mist on the ridges.

So, is it possible to plan a star-shaped itinerary if I rent a vehicle and maybe use two accommodation points?

Yes, you can easily explore from one or two base accommodations. We opted for just one.

I’m not planning to join an organized group—just the two of us organizing everything ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide.

No need for a guide; you can do everything on your own.

Even though I plan to get maps, guidebooks, and a GPS, I’d still appreciate your recommendations for the top hikes to prioritize.

Here are the ones we chose (since choices are very personal ;))

https://sites.google.com/site/fabuleuxvoyagescanaries/

Happy planning! 🙂

Hi there, and thanks for your reply! I’ll keep planning this trek in La Gomera by picking the hikes that seem most interesting to me. For timing, I’m leaning toward early October, or else checking if conditions are safer around late May to early June.

Hi,

Last February, the weather was perfect. Talking to locals, it seems October is also a great time for weather.

Actually, you don’t need a guide to hike in La Gomera. It’s really easy to get around on your own with a car, the buses (guagua), or even hitchhiking.

At the tourist office in Valle Gran Rey, I picked up a detailed map, bus schedules, and a little booklet with different hikes. On my phone, I have the Maps.me app, which offers very detailed maps and lets you track your location (even in airplane mode). So with that, in the evening I’d plan my hike for the next day by marking different points along the route in Maps.me, and the next day I’d head out with just my phone (plus water, a hat, and my picnic 😉).

What’s more, the trails are generally well-marked.

To give you an idea, here are the two hikes I did: I wanted to do more, but I ran out of time. Ruta 18, the longest one, is truly stunning. The hike starting from Arure and going down to Valle Gran Rey is also amazing.

Here are the ones we chose to do (since choices are very personal)

Hello, Your post is a bit old, but while reading your account of La Gomera with interest, I’d be curious to know the name—or at least the coordinates—of the villa you rented near the Gulf of Tecina in Playa Santiago.