Canary Islands: the wild island of El Hierro

Moderate. Daily walks of 5 to 6 hours. Trails with no technical difficulties. Walks from a fixed base allow you to rest between hikes. 100m – 1300m of elevation change per day.

You only need to carry a small daypack with your picnic lunch and belongings for the day. Your luggage will be waiting for you at your accommodation every evening.

All journeys use private transport, providing comfort in several ways: comfortable transfers on roads that are often winding, and greater convenience for the walks thanks to a degree of flexibility in timing that taxis could not offer.

From 5 to 15 participants.

Guide gratuities are optional and at your discretion. To reward outstanding service, a suggested guideline is 5–10% of the total trip cost. Local currency is preferred.

8 days / 7 nights / 6 days of hiking.

All year round.

Tour leader

A French or French-speaking tour leader living in the Canary Islands.

Accommodation

2 nights in an apartment on Tenerife, 5 nights in an apartment on El Hierro (Tigaday).

Meals

Breakfasts and dinners will be eaten in restaurants. Meals not included: lunches on Days 1 and 8 (from breakfast to dinner) and dinner on Day 7. Allow an average of 15 to 20 € per meal.

Drinks are not included, so please budget for these. Prices are generally slightly lower than in France.

Please let us know about any food allergies or special dietary requirements when booking; we will do our best to adapt your meals.

Flights

We usually use charter flights departing and returning on Saturdays, which have the advantage of flying direct from France. However, both outbound and return flights may operate overnight from Saturday to Sunday.

The prices shown are only valid for certain booking classes on airlines serving this destination. They may therefore change if seats in these classes are unavailable at the time of booking.

Airport taxes, security charges and fuel surcharges (= flight taxes): these may be adjusted without notice until tickets are issued (approximately 30 days before departure).

Meeting point / End of trip

Meeting point

On Day 1 at Tenerife airport.

End of trip

On Day 8 at Tenerife airport.

Around two weeks before departure, you will receive joining instructions specifying the meeting time and place, your guide’s name and contact details, and your flight numbers and times. Your electronic tickets will be included.

Please note! For trips using charter flights, flight times are confirmed approximately 8 days before departure. In this case, your joining instructions will be sent shortly before departure.

You can combine 2 consecutive stays of 8 days in the Canary Islands to explore the archipelago more fully.

Several of our trips offer opportunities to swim along the way or at the end of the day. It would be a shame to miss out. However, please bear in mind that your guides are not lifeguards; you therefore swim under your own responsibility and at your own risk.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – walking, cycling and snow-based – to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

As members of the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the industry develop more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we focus on:

• Transparency in our practices and pricing
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and encourage meaningful encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has held Travelife Partner status, an international label that certifies our responsible practices in environmental protection, ethics and sustainable management, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a rigorous international certification, recognises our practical efforts to support responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainable development policy

In this section, you will find links to products from our partner Alpinstore, a French online retailer specialising in outdoor equipment, based in Annecy.

Carrying your belongings

• A comfortable 30 to 50 L backpack with a hip belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day
• One bag for luggage transfers: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition or a reasonably compact suitcase. One bag per person, with a 15 kg weight limit

Find out how to pack your hiking backpack in our magazine.

For hiking

Adapt your clothing to the season:

For maximum comfort, opt for a layered clothing system: warm base layers (leggings + top), such as “Carline” or “Capilene” (hollow fibres that wick away perspiration), plus a sweatshirt or fleece jacket, plus a mountain jacket and overtrousers with a waterproof, breathable membrane (such as Gore-Tex or equivalent) for bad weather. As a general rule, except in hot climates and countries, avoid cotton, which holds moisture close to the body and takes a long time to dry, and choose suitable synthetic fabrics instead.

• Hiking boots with ankle support, a sole with good tread, a supportive heel counter and good waterproofing
• Comfortable hiking socks (at least 3 pairs)
• 1 pair of water shoes (sandals) (if you would like to swim!)
• 1 swimsuit for any swimming opportunities + towel (a mask for those who enjoy diving)
• A fleece or 1 good wool jumper
• Comfortable walking trousers (quick-drying technical fabric)
• Comfortable shorts in technical fabric
• T-shirts or technical base layers (quick-drying fabric)
• A long-sleeved shirt
• Walking poles (telescopic), very important for making walking easier. Discover all the benefits of hiking poles in our dedicated article or how to choose your hiking poles
• Gloves and a warm hat for cooler weather
• A scarf to protect your neck

Note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. Merino wool clothing is also now available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the added advantage of resisting perspiration odours!

Equipment

• 1 one-litre water bottle
• 1 folding knife*
• 1 airtight container, such as Tupperware, + cutlery
• 1 head torch with a spare bulb and batteries
• Your camera
• Basic toiletries (biodegradable products)
• Pen, lighter, safety pins*.
• 1 emergency blanket (heavy-duty model)
• A few plastic bags to protect your belongings from rain, or a waterproof backpack cover
• 1 waterproof pouch for carrying your identity documents, cash + bank card.

Protection from sun and rain

• Sunscreen (high protection)
• Sunglasses, sunscreen and lip protection
• Hat, cap or bucket hat
• A rain poncho or a waterproof jacket, such as a softshell or Gore-Tex jacket, and, if needed, waterproof trousers

After your walk

• A pair of running-style trainers for the evening
• A change of clothes and underwear
• Toiletry bag and towel (small)
• A small first-aid kit: personal medication, surgical masks, hand sanitiser, plasters, sterile dressings and a bandage, gauze, disinfectant, arnica pellets and aspirin, etc. (Please note that this list is not exhaustive and should be adapted to your own medical needs.)

Find these tips in our article #"What to pack for a hike".

Further equipment advice

For departures in January and February, although temperatures are generally mild, it can be cooler during these months, particularly in the evening. We therefore recommend bringing slightly warmer clothes or an extra layer.

*Warning: When checking in at the airport, remember to pack your pocket knife and any sharp or pointed objects in your checked baggage, otherwise they will be confiscated when you board.

Remember to carry your hiking clothes and essential items in your hand luggage when travelling by plane, in case your baggage is delayed or misplaced.

This list is a guide and should be adapted to your trip and the season in which you are travelling.

The Canary Islands, or Canaries (in Spanish: Canarias), are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coasts of Western Sahara and Morocco. The Canaries are part of Macaronesia, a geographical region comprising the volcanic island territories of the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores and Cape Verde, located to the west of and close to the African coast. The Canary Islands are the largest and most populous archipelago in Macaronesia3.

The archipelago forms one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain, the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (in Spanish, Comunidad Autónoma de Canarias)4, divided into two provinces, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and is an outermost region of the European Union. Until 1927, Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the archipelago’s sole capital, but from that year onwards, it has had to share this role with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, alternating every four years

A valid national identity card or passport.

Remember to bring your European Health Insurance Card, issued by your social security provider.

Spanish Tourist Office
22 rue Saint Augustin
75002 Paris
Tel.: +33 (0) 145038250

From the Canary Islands to France: 0033
From France to the Canary Islands: 0034

When it is 12 noon in Paris, it is 11 am in the Canary Islands.

Tenerife is known as the island of eternal spring thanks to the prevailing winds (trade winds), which contribute to its exceptional climate throughout the year. The climate is very mild and temperate in every season. There are no periods of extreme cold or intense heat. Average temperatures range between 17 and 18° in winter and between 28 and 30° in summer. Bear in mind that temperatures can drop depending on your altitude during a hike. In winter, for example, you can swim in the sea in the morning and walk through snow on the slopes of Teide at 3000m!

Spanish is spoken in the Canary Islands. Many people also speak English, and some speak French.

I.G.N - Map of the Canary Islands 862031:150000
Canary Islands, Guide du Routard 2019