Best Day Trips from Gran Canaria

One of the best things to do in Gran Canaria is an excursion to discover all the natural charms of the island and its surroundings. This Canary Island is located off the northwest coast of Africa and is well known for its beaches with crystal clear waters and white sands. However, that is not its only attraction.

You can make different excursions from Gran Canaria to the south or north of the island or to neighbouring islands. Everywhere you go you will find picturesque villages, jungle, natural parks and much more. Every corner hides a lot of beauty and fun. Choose the plan that suits you best and enjoy your holiday. What are you waiting for?

Tenerife and Gran Canaria are islands that are very close to each other. If you are on Gran Canaria you can take a day trip to Santa Cruz de Tenerife by ferry from Agaete in Gran Canaria. These excursions usually take around 15 hours and cost on average €70.

These excursions start in the morning and usually depart from the small town of Agaete in Las Palmas. From there you will travel for around 80 minutes to the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Once there you can do one of the best excursions in Tenerife.

Your guide will take you through the streets and alleys of Santa Cruz to do some shopping and then visit a restaurant or cafe. Afterwards you will pass some of the most beautiful beaches of the island. For the next stop your guide will take you by bus to La Giganta de Santa Ursula, a stone statue of about four metres high.

Following this route, you will reach the Villa de la Orotava, the most beautiful village in the north of Tenerife. The historic centre of this town has been declared a historic-artistic site. You will be able to see the churches and houses with colonial architecture, the Victoria Gardens, the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, among others. At the end of the tour you will return to Santa Cruz and then travel by ferry to Gran Canaria.

Interesting details

• Price: around 70 €.

• Duration: approximately 15 hours

• Means of transport: ferry and bus.

• Advantages of this option: you will be able to visit several of Tenerife's emblematic sites.

• Disadvantages of this option: lunch or snacks are not included in the tour, only transport and guide.

The Doramas Rainforest or Parque Rural de Doramas is located in the north of Gran Canaria and with this excursion you will get to know it in all its splendour. Dazzle yourself with beautiful waterfalls and natural pools. An adventure like this lasts on average eight hours and costs approximately €90.

These excursions start early in the morning. The bus will pick you up from your hotel to join the group and take you into the jungle. You will be able to see all the beautiful natural scenery as you head into the Azuaje Gorge. In this Special Nature Reserve you will see hillsides full of laurisilva, waterfalls, Tilos de Moya which are part of the Doramas Forest and trees from the Tertiary Era.

Your guide will help you to walk through all these natural landscapes on a gentle and quiet hike. You can even visit a farm and bodega to see the fruit trees and coffee plantations. Here you can taste these fruits and have a cup of Canarian coffee. Before the tour ends, your guide will take you for a swim in the natural pools.

Interesting details

• Price: around 90 €.

• Duration: approximately 8 hours.

• Means of transport: bus and walking tour.

• Advantages of this option: you will be able to explore the rainforest and interact with nature.

• Disadvantages of this option: you should be prepared for a long walk in the jungle, so be careful on the way not to fall off and be attentive to the route.

Traveller Tip
When you go to the jungle you should be prepared with a few things like sunscreen, comfortable clothes, mackintosh and long trousers. Although this is a gentle trail, it is best to take precautions. Ask your guide which items you will need on your tour.

From Gran Canaria you can also take a trip to Fuerteventura. To get there you have to take a ferry from the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Puerto de Rosario on Fuerteventura. The average cost of this excursion is at least 90 € and it takes on average 15 hours. Please note that the journey time is about 4 hours.

This island was declared a biosphere reserve by Unesco in 2009. Upon arrival, your guide will take you to explore Corralejo, the most touristic area of the island. Here you can go to the Natural Park of Dunas de Corralejo, Fuerteventura's main attraction, where you can enjoy beautiful beaches and visit the nearby village.

Then it's time to visit the village of La Oliva. There you will find the church of Candelaria and the Casa de los Coroneles, an old stately building. You can also stop by the Ecomuseum Alcogida on Fuerteventura, where you will see animal pens in beautiful vegetation and an atmosphere that evokes what life was like in the 19th century.

At the end of the tour your guide will take you back to the starting point for a ferry back to Gran Canaria. However, you can decide to stay here for a few more days or return home. Depending on your final destination the price of the tour will change.

Interesting details

• Price: around 90 €.

• Duration: approximately 15 hours

• Means of transport: ferry and bus.

• Advantages of this option: you can get to know several green and attractive areas of Fuerteventura.

• Disadvantages of this option: it is a very long trip and you must be sure whether your guide will accompany you during the tour of the island or not.

In the geographical centre of Gran Canaria you can take an iconic hike through the volcanic formations of the island. This tour lasts on average ten hours and costs approximately €90. Throughout the tour you will be guided by an expert to discover ravines, rock walls and much more.

This type of excursion starts very early in the morning. Your guide will tell you where to meet the bus to take you to the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria. The first stop will be in the village of Moya to visit the House-Museum of the poet Tomás Morales to learn about his life and work. Afterwards you can go to the viewpoint of the Doramas jungle.

When you leave there, you will continue up the mountains by bus. On the way you will make another stop at the pine crater of Gáldar and the Montañón Negro. Further on is the village of Artenara, from where you can enjoy beautiful views of the Roque Nublo Rural Park.

There you will have at least an hour to stroll around and have lunch in one of the local restaurants. Finally, you'll pass through the cobbled streets of the village of Tejeda, where you'll taste its almond sweets. At the end of the tour, your guide will take you back to the starting point.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 90 €.

• Duration: around 10 hours.

• Means of transport: bus and walking tour.

• Advantages of this option: you can visit several villages and natural parks of Gran Canaria.

• Disadvantages of this option: it is a long excursion that will take several hours, so you will need to make adjustments to your holiday itinerary.

The trip from Gran Canaria to Lanzarote can take around six hours by ferry. You should depart from the Las Palmas dock in Gran Canaria for Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote. It is best to make your own travel itinerary as there is usually no detailed excursion between the two islands. The cost of the ferry trip can be around €50 or more.

When you arrive in Lanzarote you can explore the town of Arrecife starting with the Charco de San Ginés. Because of this place the city was nicknamed "the Venice of the Atlantic". In the surroundings you will find several restaurants and bars where you can go in and eat whatever you want with a beautiful view.

Another stop I recommend is the Puente de las Bolas de piedras where the Castillo de San Gabriel used to be accessed. Nowadays there is the Museum of the History of Arrecife which you can visit and learn a lot more about the city.

Finally, and to end the day, it is not a bad idea to visit the Playa del Reducto, an urban beach with calm waters. It is located in the centre of the city and you can spend some time here before taking the ferry back to Gran Canaria. Note that you can also take a flight for a quicker journey.

Interesting details

• Price: around 50 €.

• Duration: approximately 15 hours

• Means of transport: ferry.

• Advantages of this option: it is an excursion where you will have more freedom to decide your itinerary as you are travelling without a guide.

• Disadvantages of this option: it is a very long trip and you'd better plan everything very well, as you won't have a professional guide.

So far I have recommended excursions where the highlights are the places you will see. However, this excursion in a VW Beetle convertible is also about the means of transport. This is one of the ten best things to do in Gran Canaria for a cost of around 75 € and a duration of at least six hours.

To participate you must go to the meeting point indicated by your guide. There you will be told which car to drive. In total there will be at least ten cars on this adventure. The first stops you will make will be in San Bartolomé de Tirajana and then at the Mirador El Guriete. You will also continue on to Santa Lucía and Pico de las Nieves.

Another interesting stop on this tour is a visit to the Finca Canarias Aloe Vera. Here you can learn a little about the benefits of this plant and if you like, you can take a sample or a product with you. This is at your own expense, but the visit is included in the price of the tour.

If you are travelling to Gran Canaria during winter months such as December some roads may be closed. Please note that this route is very weather dependent, so always check with your guide and take precautions.

Details of interest

• Price: around 75 €.
• Duration: approximately 6 hours.
• Means of transport: VW Beetle convertible.
• Advantages of this option: in addition to seeing many picturesque places in Gran Canaria, you will experience a different kind of adventure in a convertible.
• Disadvantages of this option: you must know how to drive to be able to follow the route.

The Canary Islands archipelago has seven very picturesque islands where you will find a variety of recreational activities related to water and the sea, but Gran Canaria is usually the starting point for many of them. Apart from enjoying the islands, you will also have the opportunity to visit villages with very nice houses and natural parks.

You will always be in contact with the sea as many of these excursions are done by ferry or boat. If you are travelling to an island far away from Gran Canaria, then it is recommended to travel by plane. If so, you will be able to observe the scenery from above.

Excursions from Gran Canaria usually take a long time. When you travel inland the experience is over quickly, but if you go to other islands it can take more than four hours. It is therefore advisable to think carefully about your itinerary and allow for the hours.

If you want to explore a whole island it is best to stay there for at least a day before returning to Gran Canaria. This way you'll make sure you don't miss out on any tourist destinations.