It will be held from October 19 to 22 and its route will allow you to discover areas of archaeological interest, enjoy impressive cliffs, discover the relics of the Doramas jungle and discover the water landscapes.
Everything is now ready for the start of a new edition of Gran Canaria Walking Festival, the international hiking meeting organized every year by the association Gran Canaria Natural & Active, with the sponsorship of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria through Turismo de Gran Canaria. The four routes designed for this 19th edition, which will be held from October 22 to XNUMX, will not leave indifferent hikers and nature lovers who participate in an event that will allow them to discover the wildest and most unknown side of the island.
The Minister of Tourism of Gran Canaria, explained during the presentation press conference, held at the headquarters of the Cabildo department, together with Serafina Suárez García, vice president of Gran Canaria Natural and Activa, that “the Gran Canaria Walking Festival returns as a consolidated event to celebrate its twelfth anniversary and it does so, once again, with a proposal of the highest quality and the intention of once again offering an unforgettable experience to its participants. In addition, it allows hikers and nature lovers from all over the world to highlight and make known some of the most spectacular landscapes of Gran Canaria, as well as its gastronomy and its historical and ethnographic heritage, through a tour of the geography. of the island".
For her part, Serafina Suárez, vice president of the organizing entity, pointed out that this edition has a total of 197 participants, with the majority of clients being German, British, Scandinavian, peninsular and from the rest of the islands of the Archipelago. Suárez presented a program that consists of four routes and highlighted that the participants of this edition will learn about the traces of different disused trades in Gran Canaria, on routes of about 9,5 kilometers on average "in which they will have specialists in nature and heritage , who will explain the landscape and natural keys of the walk in different languages. It is a different and very interesting way of getting to know our natural virtues and our idiosyncrasies, carried out with attention to detail and with references to many topics, such as our vineyards and our wine route.”
This annual meeting, whose celebration has been key to the recognition of the island as a favorite region in Europe for hiking by the German magazine Trekking Magazine, is a unique opportunity for those who want to discover the most beautiful and spectacular places in Gran Canaria, its gastronomy and its rich archaeological and ethnographic heritage, as well as the rural accommodation integrated into the Gran Canaria Natural & Active association, where you can rest and taste the most traditional products from each of the areas included in the programmed routes.
The routes
Under the suggestive title of 'The caves of the ancestors', the route on day 19, 7,7 km, starts in Artenara and is a suggestive invitation to discover the spectacular landscapes that characterize the route, passing through places with history and high archaeological interest until reaching the ancient volcano of Montañón Negro, a natural monument at whose feet lies the cozy María Luisa Rural House, in the municipality of Moya, where you can rest and regain strength.
'Rocks bathed in salt' is the title of the route planned for the 20th. A 10 km route along the northwest coast of the island, part of the small coastal enclave of Sardina del Norte, in the municipality of Gáldar, until reaching Agaete, a fishing town and tourist par excellence. During the tour you will be able to observe the impressive beauty of the cliffs that characterize this part of the coast, old agricultural and fishing docks, a bufadero, archaeological remains and natural pools where you can take a dip, and then enjoy the food in the Garden. from Las Flores, in Agaete.
The route of the 21st, 'Discovering the Doramas jungle', is a great opportunity to get to know the green heart of Gran Canaria and some of the most beautiful and picturesque urban and mountainous landscapes on the island. This route begins its 11 km journey in Firgas, also known as the 'water village', until reaching Valleseco Lagoon, a place of extraordinary beauty located within the Doramas Rural Park that preserves a natural lagoon where it is possible to observe different types of birds.
The route of day 22, 'Walking between springs' and 10,6 km away, it is a great opportunity to discover the impressive landscapes of the summit of Gran Canaria. The route that starts from Las Lagunetas, in the municipality of La Vega de San Mateo, will allow the walker to observe fascinating panoramic views, discover water dams and pass through lush natural landscapes until reaching the Hotel Rural Las Calas, in the municipality of San Mateo, where you can have lunch and relax.
In this edition, the Gran Canaria Natural & Active Association has for the second consecutive year the support of the Gran Canaria Wine Route, an entity made up of producers from the island that offers residents and visitors a unique wine tourism experience, while continuing its eco-friendly commitment with the use of paper packaging and the total elimination of plastic in its snack-type lunches or tastings, and picnics planned on the four scheduled routes, counting for the fourth consecutive year on the support and collaboration of the water in cardboard Aqualy distributed by Pricemesa.
Those interested in participating may register for one of the scheduled routes or for the complete pack at www.grancanariawalkingfestival.com, depending on the option they have chosen. All routes include guides specialized in hiking and languages, who will explain the natural, ethnographic and cultural values of the areas visited, and a tasting of Canarian products or a snack or picnic lunch. The tastings will take place at the end of each of the routes in rural accommodation associated with Gran Canaria Natural & Active. Registration also includes civil liability insurance and accident insurance, as well as the possibility for participants to obtain magnificent gifts.
The asociación
The asociación Gran Canaria Natural & Active It is an official brand of Tourism of Gran Canaria and responsible for promoting the offer of nature tourism and outdoor activities in the main source markets in Europe.
Within it it groups 23 rural accommodations: 18 rural houses and 5 rural hotels (Hotel Rural Fonda de la Tea, Rural Hotel Las Longueras, Hotel Rural Las Calas, Rural Hotel La Hacienda del Buen Suceso y Hotel La Aldea Suites), to active tourism companies Climbo, Bivouac Adventure y Turinka Canary Islandsat wineries LosBerrazales-Finca La Laja y Las Tirajanas Winery, And La Fortaleza Museum.
For more information and registration: www.grancanariawalkingfestival.com
www.grancanarianaturalandactive.com
