Best Day Trips from Gran Canaria

One of the best things to do in Gran Canaria is an excursion to get to know all the natural charms in and around the island. This Canary Island is located off the northwest coast of Africa and is well known for having 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 or to neighboring 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 you like the most and enjoy your vacation. What are you waiting for to travel?

Tenerife and Gran Canaria are islands that are very close to each other. If you are in Gran Canaria you can take a day trip to Santa Cruz de Tenerife by ferry from Agaete in Gran Canaria. These excursions usually last about 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 about 80 minutes to the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Once there you will be able to 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 by 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 meters high.

Following this route, you will reach the Villa de la Orotava, the most beautiful village of northern Tenerife. The historic center 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.

Details of interest

• Price: about 70 €.

• Duration: approximately 15 hours

• Means of transport: ferry and bus.

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

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

The Doramas Rainforest or Doramas Rural Park is located in the north of Gran Canaria and with this excursion you will get to know it in all its splendor. Dazzle yourself with beautiful waterfalls and natural pools. An adventure like this has an average duration of eight hours and an approximate cost of 90 €.

These excursions start early in the morning. The bus will pass by your hotel for you to join the group and head into the jungle. You will be able to see all the beautiful natural scenery as you enter the Azuaje Ravine. In this Special Natural Reserve you will see slopes full of laurel forests, waterfalls, Tilos de Moya that are part of the Doramas Forest and trees from the Tertiary Era.

Your guide will help you walk through all these natural landscapes in a gentle and quiet hike. You can even visit a farm and winery to see the fruit trees and coffee plantations. Here you will be able to taste those fruits and drink a canarian coffee. Before the tour ends, your guide will take you for a swim in the natural pools.

Details of interest

• Price: about 90 €.

• Duration: about 8 hours.

• Means of transportation: 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 must be prepared for a long walk in the jungle, so you must be careful on the way not to fall and be attentive to the route.

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

From Gran Canaria you can also make an excursion to Fuerteventura. To get there you must take a ferry from the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Puerto de Rosario in Fuerteventura. The average cost of this excursion is at least 90 € and has an average duration of 15 hours. Please note that the travel 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 Corralejo Dunes, the biggest attraction of Fuerteventura, where you can enjoy beautiful beaches and visit the nearby village.

Then it will be 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 in Fuerteventura, where you will see animal pens in a beautiful vegetation and an environment that evokes what life was like in the nineteenth century.

At the end of the tour your guide will take you to the starting point to take 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 excursion will change.

Interesting details

• Price: about 90 €.

• Duration: about 15 hours

• Means of transport: ferry and bus.

• Advantages of this option: you can see several green and attractive areas of Fuerteventura.

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

In the geographical center of Gran Canaria you can make an iconic excursion through the volcanic formations of the island. This excursion has an average duration of ten hours and costs approximately 90 €. During the whole 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 indicate the meeting point for you to board the bus and head 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. Then you can go to the viewpoint of the Doramas jungle.

When you get out of there, you will continue climbing 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 will have beautiful views of the Roque Nublo Rural Park.

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

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 90 €.

• Duration: about 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 require several hours, so you must make adjustments in your vacation itinerary.

The trip from Gran Canaria to Lanzarote can take about six hours by ferry. You must depart from the Las Palmas dock in Gran Canaria to Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote. It is best to make a travel itinerary yourself 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 city 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 enter and eat whatever you want having a beautiful view.

Another stop I recommend is the Puente de las Bolas de piedras (Bridge of the Stone Balls) where the Castle of San Gabriel was accessed. Currently there is the Museum of the History of Arrecife that you can visit and learn much more about that city.

Finally, and to finish the day, it is not bad to visit the Playa del Reducto, an urban beach with calm waters. It is located in the center 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 and the trip will be faster.

Interesting details

• Price: about 50 €.

• Duration: about 15 hours

• Means of transportation: ferry.

• Advantages of this option: it is an excursion in which you will have more freedom to decide your itinerary since you are traveling without a guide.

• Disadvantages of this option: it is a very long trip and you better plan everything very well, since you will not have a professional guide.

So far I have recommended excursions where the highlights are the places you will visit. However, in this excursion in convertible VW Beetle also highlights the means of transport. This is one of the ten best things you can do in Gran Canaria for a cost of about 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 in 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 to Santa Lucía and Pico de las Nieves.

Another very interesting stop that is usually included in this excursion 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, take a sample or a product with you. This is at your own expense, but the visit is included in the price of the excursion.

If you travel to Gran Canaria during winter months like December some roads may be closed. Please note that this route is very weather dependent, so you should always communicate with your guide and take precautions.

Details of interest

• Price: about 75 €.
• Duration: approximately 6 hours.
• Means of transportation: convertible VW Beetle.
• Advantages of this option: besides visiting many picturesque places of Gran Canaria, you will live a different adventure in a convertible.
• Disadvantages of this option: you must know how to drive to be able to follow the route.

The Canary 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. Besides 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 travel 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 landscape from the heights.

Excursions from Gran Canaria usually take a long time. When you travel to the interior of the island the experience is over quickly, but if you go to other islands the trip may take more than four hours. It is therefore advisable to think carefully about your itinerary and take the time into account.

If you want to explore a whole island it is best to stay there for at least one day before returning to Gran Canaria. This way you will make sure that you didn't miss any tourist destination.