Gomera Loop Hiking Tour 7 Days in Autumn

In a couple like ours, consisting of a dedicated climber, fierce opponent of water, and a swimmer at heart dreaming of spending holidays floating in the sea, planning vacations can quickly become a subject of “heated” debates.

But, linked by a shared passion - Hiking -, after endless discussions, we always manage to find a compromise that satisfies the whimsical desires of our two stubborn minds.

This year, our common ground took on the colours of Gomera, at the heart of the Canary Islands archipelago: with its brown-black relief plunging steeply into the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, this volcanic island indeed offers a multitude of trails for trekking enthusiasts.

Gomera’s coastline viewed from the ocean © Giovanna Crippa

Our project? Hiking around Gomera in 7 days by following the GR-132, also called “Camino Natural de las Costas”.

If this name makes you think of a peaceful walk along the coastline, with gentle climbs and descents near the sea, think again! Because, as we soon learned at our expense, after each ascent los barrancos – steep ravines carved into the mountain by the erosion of runoff water – will block your path, forcing you to make a long detour to get around them.

Gomera’s relief interrupted by barrancos © Giovanna Crippa

Thus, what in another geography could have been a loop circuit with little elevation gain turned out to be an exhausting zigzag route for us.

Stage 1 – From San Sebastián to Hermigua

The GR 132 starts and ends at San Sebastián, the capital of La Gomera, which we reached by ferry from Los Cristianos port in Tenerife. It was from this same city that, more than 500 years ago, Christopher Columbus set sail with his caravels to undertake his voyage to discover America.

On our arrival, this island steeped in history welcomed us warmly. On the agenda: an afternoon of snorkelling to explore the dark depths of Concha beach, followed by an evening of dancing to the frenzied rhythm of Spanish rock. But this dolce vita of carefree holidaymakers was not to last long.

Start of GR132 © Giovanna Crippa

After a good night’s rest, at first light of day, we were already climbing the steep stairs leading to the start of the GR 132. This first effort was rewarded with a clear view of San Sebastián, with its expanse of low, colourful houses, in traditional architectural style.

To our right, a sleepy sun illuminates in orange the imposing mass of Teide which, from its 3714 m-metre altitude, dominates unrivalled the island of Tenerife. The faint silhouette of this volcano, the highest peak of Spain, will accompany us throughout today’s stage.

Sunrise over Teide © Giovanna Crippa

The itinerary of this day’s hike is divided into two parts. The first, essentially uphill, leads us to the heart of the “Eden Garden of Cacti”. Here, all forms, colors and varieties of succulent plants are allowed: “trees” of agaves and aloe vera, “bouquets of roses” of echeverias, “bushes” of prickly pears…

Eden Garden of Cacti © Giovanna Crippa

The second part, much more humid, offers an atypical mix of tropical and Mediterranean plants, where palms and pines unite to form a single large forest. For us, continental hikers, the effect is disorienting: as if nature itself had gone on vacation.

We savor in silence this immersion in a landscape that is both fascinating and hostile, where only a few rare shepherds dare venture.

After 8 hours of hiking, 28 kilometers and 1 200 m of elevation gain, our first stage of the La Gomera tour on foot ends with a looooong descent towards the village of Hermigua, where we are welcomed by a vast expanse of banana plantations and papaya trees.

Hermigua’s banana plantations © Giovanna Crippa

Stage 2: From Hermigua to Vallhermoso – 18,5km, 1000m D+

Another early morning wake-up for an early departure, before Sauron’s incandescent eye comes to destroy our energy.

Hermigua and its colorful houses © Giovanna Crippa

After returning to the coast, first warm-up of the day: an almost vertical climb through banana plantations leads us to Agulo. A brief coffee break in this charming traditional village with red-green-white houses, before resuming the warm-up of our quadriceps on another even steeper path.

The small village of Agulo © Giovanna Crippa

Arriving at Juego de Bolas, we make a cultural stop at the Garajonay Park Visitor Center. Here, we learn that the laurel forest, of ancestral origins, which covers the center of the island represents one of the best-preserved examples of laurisilva in the Canary Islands and of the Macaronesia (archipelago comprising the Azores, Madeira, Canaries and Cape Verde).

Now limited to a few rare places in the world, this humid forest of evergreen-leaved trees covered practically all of Europe in the Tertiary era, several tens of millions of years ago.

In the museum, in addition to refreshing our knowledge of natural sciences, we retrace the traditions of La Gomera’s inhabitants through the ages: from the Guanches, the indigenous people of Berber origin, to the current Gomeros. To our great surprise, we discover that the mummification of the deceased, whose bodies were preserved in caves, was once a common form of burial on this island.

Another note of local folklore: the silbo, a whistled language (unfortunately disappearing) that the inhabitants use to communicate at a distance, given that sound can travel from one valley to another without being hindered by elevation differences.

Always to adapt to La Gomera’s steep geography, shepherds developed an ingenious mode of travel: pole jumping. Using long wooden poles, they can thus climb any slope and bound agilely from rock to rock while following their goats.

The visit ends with a botanical garden where a multitude of tropical trees and plants bloom in a thousand colours. Our favourite: the white and elegant protea.

Protea © Giovanna Crippa

After this peaceful break, the time has come to pick up our backpacks again. We have eight kilometres left to cover before arriving at the Playa de Vallehermoso, with its abandoned castle overlooking the ocean. The view of the sea makes us (so to speak) forget the suffering endured during this endless descent.

The castle of Playa de Vallehermoso © Giovanna Crippa

But this spell vanishes as soon as we touch the water. Gio’s feet, covered in blisters, stop walking. In these conditions, it is impossible to reach our accommodation, located 3 kilometres from the beach (uphill, of course). Thanks to quick negotiations with the locals, we obtain passage to the village of Vallehermoso, where we can finally collapse into our beds.

Stage 3: From Vallehermoso to Arure – 16km, 1380m m elevation gain

Today’s stage, non-refundable and non-modifiable (sales conditions that we imposed on ourselves), forces us to continue despite Gio’s painful blisters.

3rd stage of the GR © Giovanna Crippa

Leaving directly from the Vallehermoso centre, we take a variant of the GR which leads us to the Chorros de Epina, a natural fountain that the recent drought has not spared.

After this first morning climb (900 m elevation gain), we begin our usual descent to the village of Alojera, where the third stage of the GR officially ends. However, as we have booked accommodation in Arure, on the Valle Gran Rey plateau, we must cover 600 m of additional elevation gain in the full heat.

Despite the fatigue, we appreciate the beauty of this stony path that winds along a black and red cliff, where the only signs of life are the beats of wings of the Gomeran pigeons that fly off and the rustling of lizards hiding as we approach.

Solitary hiker © Giovanna Crippa

In total solitude, we thus have the privilege of being the only spectators of this stunning scene where this arid nature reveals itself in all its splendour.

Like cairns, the prickly pears mark our way to the Arure hermitage, where we enjoy a magnificent view over the cliffs we have just climbed. The indefinite outlines of La Palma island appear on the horizon.

Gomeran landscapes © Giovanna Crippa

Having arrived at the village, we take time to chat with an elderly couple who run a Wine Shop, the only shop open during siesta hours. Witnesses to a bygone era, they recount the island’s recent history: life under Franco’s dictatorship, the emigration of Gomerans to Latin America and Tenerife in search of a better future, and then the economic revival following the ferry inauguration in 1974, which enabled the island, previously quite isolated, to open up to tourism…

After this immersion in the past, our exploration of local culture continues at the table, with a tasting of local specialties. On the menu: almogrote (a cream-based dish with cheese and mojo picón), fresh fish served with papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes) and a dessert prepared with gofio flour.

Stage 4: From Arure to Valle Gran Rey – 8 km, 800m km–

This morning, the alarm goes off at 8 a.m. A luxury made possible by the fact that we’ll have only 8 km to cover today… and downhill at that!

In reality, we had planned a much longer leg of 26 km, which was supposed to take us to the tiny hamlet of La Dama, on the island’s south-west coast. However, having found no accommodation for the night, we had to change our plans: hiking gave way to water navigation, and cactus watching to observing cetaceans.

Descent towards Valle de Gran Rey © Giovanna Crippa

The price for this last-minute change is a long and grueling descent with 800 m m of elevation loss, which we traverse against the tide of other hikers. Indeed, our struggles are shared by many hikers who, undeterred by the heat, have taken this same trail in the opposite direction. In solidarity, we exchange a few words of encouragement.

Valle Gran Rey from the GR132 trail © Giovanna Crippa

Once we arrive at Valle Gran Rey, we recharge our batteries with a refreshing swim in the turbulent waters of what is nicknamed “La Gomera’s seaside resort and tourist destination”. But don’t let this label discourage you: here, even the places most favored by holidaymakers have managed to preserve their authenticity.

Valle Gran Rey harbour © Giovanna Crippa

In the afternoon, our plans include an excursion aboard the boat Oceano, flying under the German flag, to observe marine life. Barely out of the harbour, we already spot two dolphins following the boat. “It’s to wish us good luck,” the captain assures us.

Albatross © Giovanna Crippa

However, this good omen doesn’t seem to materialize right away. For two long hours, we float on the blue ocean waters, carefully scanning the horizon, but in vain: except for a few albatrosses, no other sign of life appears.

Suddenly, alert to port! After diving for hours in search of fish, a pod of whales finally surfaces to sunbathe, just a few metres from our boat. What an emotional moment to see them leap, swim, and play together in their natural habitat! The wait was worth it.

But the moment to say goodbye to them arrives much faster than one would wish. Indeed, although we turned off the engine and respected the recommended distances, the captain explains to us that it is better not to disturb them for too long. The boat turns to starboard heading toward the port.

Sunset © Giovanna Crippa

Once back on land, nature reserves one last surprise for us: a magnificent sunset that unites the sky and sea in the same shades of orange.

Step 5: visit to Garajonay Park

After four days of hiking, we can finally enjoy a moment of rest. Our mission today? Reach Playa De Santiago, which will be the starting point for our final stage of the La Gomera tour on foot. But, as to go from point A on the coast to point B also on the coast, you must pass through the center of the island, we will take the opportunity to visit the Garajonay Park, green lung of this volcanic island.

Garajonay Park © Giovanna Crippa

All morning, we stroll through this labyrinth of laurels and ferns, remnants of a distant past. The mixture of mist and soft light filtering through the leaves illuminates the dense layer of moss that covers the tree trunks, giving them a mysterious air.

The enchanted laurisilva forest © Giovanna Crippa

Although charmed by this magical atmosphere, we must quickly end the spell because our movements are governed by the (very limited) schedules of guaguas (buses, in the local dialect). At the exit of the forest, a kind German tourist offers us a ride to Chipude, where we wait more than two hours before the bus comes to our rescue.

Arriving in Playa de Santiago, we are not surprised by the small size of what is considered the second beach resort in La Gomera. Quick swim and fish restaurant by the sea: our mission here is accomplished.

Step 6: from Playa Santiago to San Sebastián - 20 km, 1020m elevation gain

For this final stage of our La Gomera tour, we wake up by starlight. The sea breeze that caresses us at the exit of our hotel will be the last taste of coolness we savor before venturing into the most arid side of the island.

We have already left Playa de Santiago when the first rays of sun reach us. The black waters of the ocean turn golden.

Boosted by the beauty of this landscape, we devour the first kilometers of the GR at a fast pace. The goal? Complete the 1000 m of elevation gain that await us today before the heat becomes unbearable (spoiler: mission failed!).

Final stage of the GR © Giovanna Crippa

Alternating (as routine) small climbs and descents, we slalom between dried shrubs and old abandoned sheepfolds. From time to time, a few stray sheep cross our path. This crossing of the “desert” seems endless to us.

Gomera goats © Giovanna Crippa

But suddenly, like a mirage, the turquoise waters of El Cabrito beach reveal themselves to us after yet another bend. The trail markers indicate that this distant oasis will be our intermediate stop. What a pleasant surprise! Since the beginning of our trek, this is indeed the first time that El Camino Natural de las Costas de La Gomera truly lives up to its name by hugging the coastline for a few kilometres. Arriving at El Cabrito – a small hidden cove, accessible only by boat or on foot – a refreshing swim is a must, with a snorkelling session included in the package.

The south coast of La Gomera © Giovanna Crippa

Around noon, after soaking up our vitamin D, we reluctantly leave this paradise on earth. It’s time to wrap up our adventure.

Energized by the life-giving power of seawater, we find the energy needed to tackle, one last time, a long series of climbs and descents at a steady pace. Only the heat manages to slow down our experienced hikers.

Hikers become holidaymakers © Giovanna Crippa

The sun still shines high in the sky when we spot the colourful roofs of San Sebastian de la Gomera below. After covering 92 km and 4830 m of elevation gain over 5 days, we can finally put away our backpacks and get out our swimsuits to join the other holidaymakers on the beach. The loop is complete.