Contrasts of La Palma

You stay in three different accommodations and have 6 days of walking, with an average of 14km per day. The walks involve steep and exposed ascents and descents. In the traditional towns and villages, you can explore the narrow cobbled streets and famous houses with wooden balconies whilst finding a nice restaurant or café serving local food and wine. We’ve pre-paid for your transfers to/from the trail heads so that your loose change goes towards a cool beer or cake, instead of the bus fare. We’ve done the work, so you can concentrate on the important things of your holiday.

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

This trip is graded moderate to strenuous, with the longest day being just short of 18km. The greatest elevation gain is almost 1000m and the largest day of descent is almost 1500m. As you’ll be walking for at least 4 to 6 hours each day you should have a good level of walking fitness to enjoy this aspect of the holiday. The terrain is volcanic and the walks have sections that are rough and rocky underfoot, as well as being exposed and steep. You will need a good head for heights and be surefooted to enjoy the walks.

This is a self-guided walk and you will be responsible for navigation, decision making, and safety during your trip.

This walking trip on La Palma includes overnight accommodation in simple 3 and 4* hotels in two different locations: Santa Cruz de la Palma and Los Llanos. All rooms are en-suite. The towns are small and the hotel options are limited on the island, and we use the best in the range to ensure that you get good and friendly service and the hotels are clean, even if simple. 

Details of the local hotels we normally use are detailed below. These are subject to availability, and early booking is recommended as they is limited accommodation on the island.

Alternate Accommodation

We will always try and use the hotels detailed in the accommodation information. Occasionally, because of limited availability we may have to accommodate you in alternative hotels which are not listed in the description. The alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard than those described. In case of alternative accommodation needing to be booked, supplements may be payable, and we will advise you accordingly.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

Due to the remote nature of some of the walks we do not offer this route to solo walkers.

If you require any single rooms within your party, we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable.

Meals

7 breakfasts are included. These usually consist of breads, fruits, cheeses and meats, as well as tea and coffee.

Packed lunches are available from your accommodation (please request these the night before). Alternatively you can stock up with delicious local produce at the village shop for your lunches.

The majority of dinners are not included giving you the freedom to choose what you fancy each evening. The last night, at the Parador dinner is included as there is no alternative nearby. The restaurant in the Parador is excellent. When eating out you can expect Canarian specialities which include grilled meat dishes such as puchero canario (a meat-based soup) and papas arrugardas con mojos (boiled potatoes with dipping sauces). It all tastes a lot nicer than it sounds!

Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure App which has maps, GPS tracks and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost.

You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

You can start your La Palma hiking trip on any day of the week, year-round, as the weather is generally very pleasant and ‘spring-like’ at any time of the year. The summer months of June, July, August are hottest and if you are walking at this time of year it is important to keep hydrated, wear a sun hat and apply plenty of sunscreen.

In the winter months Oct-May you should expect temperatures between 16-24 degrees Celsius with a little rain (average 5cm per month) Summer, from Jun-Sep the ranges 22-32 degrees Celsius and very little rain These are approximate ranges and extreme heat, cold and rain can occur during any season. Generally speaking it is a lovely climate to walk in all year around, with a sea breeze keeping you cool in the hot months.

By Air: Santa Cruz , La Palma Airport (airport code: SPC) is the best airport for the start and end of the tour. From the UK you can find several low-cost airlines that fly into Santa Cruz de La Palma. 

Skyscanner is useful when searching for flights. Remember to reserve your flights after we have confirmed your booking.

Return airport transfers on La Palma are included in your arrangements. Details will be given in your pre-departure information pack.

Baggage transfers are included on this tour, as per the itinerary, so you only walk with a small back-pack. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.