Bikepack in the Canary Islands – surprising adventures in the sun
Mountain Biking Collection by Isabel Riffel
8
Tours
33:02 h
343 mi
36,050 ft
For a long time, I thought the Canary Islands was a place for pensioners and huge resorts where people stay on package holidays without leaving the confines of their hotel. I’m sure that’s true. But, the Canary Islands have so much more to offer.
A few months ago, I came across granguanche.com, a website that presents three bikepacking routes across the Canaries, for gravel, road bike and MTB. I booked my flights that very evening.
The Canary Islands are the perfect destination for autumn – consistently warm, minimal rain, and just a few hours away by plane. The islands are also a great destination for bikepackers thanks to the ferry connections and variety of terrain.
There is an incredible amount to see off the beaten path and roads, especially on a gravel or mountain bike. From narrow trails through volcanic desert landscapes on Lanzarote to lush green mixed forests on Tenerife. I heartily recommend this trip!
Travelling along allowed me to fully immerse myself in the islands and any chance encounters. I would like to thank all the nice people I met along the way who made this trip very special.
If you're curious to ride this version yourself, check out GranGuanche's Collection here: komoot.com/collection/1667538.
On The Map
Tours & Highlights
- 05:5668.3 mi11.5 mph4,450 ft4,475 ft
The first day of vacation in the Canary Islands. In perfect weather we went all over Lanzarote. Impressive paths and beautiful landscapes away from the big roads. I would rather avoid this one. That's why it's a bit of a mystery to me why all the triathletes are cycling around here with their TT bikes…
- 05:3861.2 mi10.9 mph4,500 ft3,925 ft
To be honest: The second day was much harder than expected. The underground and the heat often slow down the pace.
But the track was a dream. The first 50 kilometers were on gravel roads and narrow paths along the coast. While initially there were still many surfers with their vans in the bays, I was…
Sign Up To Discover Places Like This
Get recommendations on the best single tracks, peaks, & plenty of other exciting outdoor places.
- 02:5034.6 mi12.2 mph2,950 ft3,550 ft
After a good breakfast with cheese from our own goat, we headed towards the port. On the way I wanted to stop by a bike shop to fix the locking front brake. Because this worried me a bit, I also decided to shorten the gravel path along the coast via the well-developed cycle path - not recommended! While…
- 05:2046.5 mi8.7 mph8,075 ft3,925 ft
After a rest day in Las Palmas it was time to get to know the interior of Gran Canaria - and the mountains of the island!
In fact, I might have had a little too much time in Las Palmas to take a closer look at the elevation profile of the upcoming tour and to get a little nervous. In addition to a long…
- 03:4136.6 mi10.0 mph3,750 ft7,925 ft
After the previous stage had only gone uphill, I had reached the highest point on the island and now wanted to go down towards Agaete and the ferry, it should only go downhill - I thought ...
In the morning it was a bit difficult for me to leave the hostel and the many people (and four-legged residents…
- 04:1235.1 mi8.4 mph5,575 ft2,525 ft
Bike day number 6. From Agaete I took the early ferry to Tenerife. When I got there, I first had to get new camping gas, because of course I couldn't transport it on the plane. After the Decathlon was sold out, I found what I was looking for in a household goods store and was able to leave.
On the first…
- 04:3143.6 mi9.7 mph6,450 ft4,925 ft
The Teide - the third highest island volcano in the world and the highest mountain in Spain. Actually, I originally thought that day 7 would be the king's stage of my tour. However, on the way to Las Calderetas I had already covered half of the altitude difference and the ascent has a moderate gradient…
- 00:5416.8 mi18.8 mph325 ft4,825 ft
The last meters down to the beach. Crazy how quickly such a journey comes to an end. But fortunately the next adventures are always waiting.
Like this Collection?
Collection Stats
- Tours8
- Distance343 mi
- Duration33:02 h
- Elevation36,050 ft
You Might Also Like
Mountain Biking Collection by erwinsikkens_com
Mountain Biking Collection by Alvaro Hernandez
Hiking Collection by Lavanttal
Bike Touring Collection by Peaknik