Hiking in La Gomera from Valle Gran Rey: trails, the GR 132 and Garajonay

Because on an island of just 371 km² you climb from sea level to 1,487 metres at the Alto de Garajonay, and every ravine has a different landscape. The trail network covers more than 600 km and is generally well waymarked.

At the centre lies Garajonay National Park, a laurel forest listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, and the whole island has been a Biosphere Reserve since 2012. Around it, the old paths that once linked the coast with the hill villages zigzag down through terraces and palm groves to the sea.

The most practical ones start or finish in the valley and combine with bus route 1, which stops at Casa de la Seda, Arure, Las Hayas, El Cercado, Chipude and Igualero. Figures from La Gomera's official tourist board:

• Path of Salt and Wind: Mirador del Santo (Arure) to Vueltas beach. 11.7 km, about 4 h 30 min, moderate. It passes the La Mérica viewpoint, old lime kilns, Playa del Inglés and the Charco del Conde.
• El Guro to the Barranco de Arure: from Casa de la Seda to one of the island's few permanent waterfalls. 1 h 15 min, easy, but with slippery sections: skip it in the rain or if you suffer from vertigo.
• El Cercado to La Calera: 8.4 km and about 3 hours of descent, dropping more than 1,000 metres, graded difficult. It passes the Santos Reyes hermitage and, in winter, the Barranco del Agua waterfall.
• Among Terraces and Traditions: from Arure to Igualero and its monument to the Silbo Gomero whistled language, via Las Hayas, El Cercado and Chipude. 13.7 km, about 5 h 30 min, moderate.

The GR 132 is the long-distance trail that circles La Gomera along the coast: about 128 km in 8 stages, starting and finishing in San Sebastián, and it follows the same line as the Camino Natural Costas de La Gomera. Two stages touch the valley and work well as day hikes. To get back, Alojera and La Dama have buses to Vallehermoso (routes 5 and 4), from where route 8 runs to the valley; check the timetables before you set off.

• Stage 4, Alojera to Valle Gran Rey: 11.1 km with about 655 m of ascent.
• Stage 5, La Calera to La Dama: 16.5 km with about 990 m of ascent.

Up through Arure and Las Hayas, by car or on bus route 1, which also stops at El Cercado and at the Pajarito junction, the start of one of the routes up the Alto de Garajonay. The park covers around 3,986 hectares in the middle of the island. Three options, depending on your level:

• Laguna Grande: the park's largest recreation area, with an information point and an easy path of about 900 metres.
• Pajarito to Alto de Garajonay: a 1 h 15 min loop of moderate difficulty to the island's highest point at 1,487 metres, once a sacred site for the ancient Gomerans.
• El Contadero to El Cedro: 4.8 km through the El Cedro forest, one of the lushest in the park.

Less than you might think for the short walks, and rather more than you might expect for the long ones. The island is very steep: almost any path down to the sea means hundreds of metres of height difference and loose stones. A quick guide:

• Easy: Laguna Grande and the short walks in Garajonay.
• Moderate: the Path of Salt and Wind, Pajarito to Alto de Garajonay and the Arure trails.
• Demanding: El Cercado to La Calera and the GR 132 stages.
• If you suffer from vertigo, avoid El Guro and the clifftop sections, and use walking poles on long descents.

Any time of year: the climate is mild all year round, and the island's official tourist board considers it good for walking in every season. What changes is how you plan your day.

In summer, start early and avoid the middle of the day, especially in the sunnier, warmer south. When there is a wind or wildfire alert, the island council (Cabildo) can close trails and forest tracks, so check official warnings before you go. In winter, after rain, the waterfalls are at their best but the ravines get slippery. On the ridge and in Garajonay it is cooler and often misty, so always pack a warm layer and a rain jacket.

Plan your route the evening before and leave the car behind: take the bus up and walk back. If you prefer company, several local companies run guided walks, and the Juego de Bolas visitor centre offers free walks led by official park guides, in Spanish and with limited places.

• Water: at least 1.5 litres per person, plus energy snacks.
• Boots with good grip, layers, a rain jacket, a cap and sun cream, even in summer.
• An offline map and a paper one: the Info La Gomera app includes the trail network, and tourist offices hand out maps.
• Check the time of the return bus before you set off, especially on Sundays and public holidays.
• Stay on the trails, take your rubbish home and never light fires. In an emergency, call 112.

In Valle Gran Rey, choosing the part of the valley that suits your plans. If you want to walk from your door and finish each hike with a swim, stay in Vueltas: Mirador de Iguala and Retiro de Vueltas face the beach and harbour, and the Path of Salt and Wind ends on Vueltas beach. Both apartments sleep 4, with two double bedrooms and an open-plan kitchen and living room, and bus route 1 stops in the neighbourhood.

If you would rather sleep higher up the ravine, in peace and quiet, Casa Mimo is in El Hornillo, among terraces and palm trees. It is reached by a footpath of about 200 metres, not suitable for guests with reduced mobility, and a car is useful because buses up there are infrequent.

Book direct with us, with no platform fees and 10% off stays of 15 nights or more, handy if you are coming to walk at your own pace.