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Including the GR130 and GR131 long-distance trails

Guidebook to 45 walks and scrambles on La Palma in the Canary Islands, ranging from 7 to 31km. Some walks combine to complete the GR130 long-distance trail (8 days) and GR131 trail (3 days). Areas explored include Santa Cruz and Buenavista. Contains a Spanish-English glossary.

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Quick facts

Island: La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
Walk format: 34 day walks plus GR130 (8 stages) and GR131 (3 stages)
Day walk distances: 6 to 32km (4 to 20 miles) per walk
Day walk duration: 2 to 10 hours per walk
GR130: 8 stages, 167km (104 miles), circular route around La Palma
GR131: 3 stages, 68km (42 miles), crosses La Palma's highest mountains
Main centres: Santa Cruz de La Palma, Los Llanos, Fuencaliente, Refugio del Pilar, Tijarafe, Puntagorda, Garafía, Barlovento, Los Sauces, Puntallana
Key highlights: Caldera de Taburiente national park, Roque de los Muchachos, Canary pine forest, laurisilva cloud forest, deep barrancos, GR130, GR131
Difficulty: Short and easy to long, steep, and strenuous; all routes waymarked and signposted; no special equipment required
Best season: November to May; spring is especially colourful; summer is too hot; higher areas may see snow in winter
Maps: 1:50,000 maps included for every walk
Series: Part of the 5-volume Cicerone series covering the whole of the Canary Islands

Detailed overview

La Palma is one of the greenest and most dramatic of the Canary Islands, home to the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, ancient laurisilva cloud forest, deep and rugged barrancos, and the highest peaks in the archipelago, including Roque de los Muchachos. With day walks and two long-distance trails, it rewards walkers of every ability with landscapes found nowhere else in the Canary Islands.

Written by prolific author Paddy Dillon, this second edition guidebook describes 34 day walks ranging from 6 to 32km (4 to 20 miles) and taking 2 to 10 hours, plus the GR130 and GR131 long-distance trails. It combines clear route descriptions with detailed information on planning, facilities, and public transport, giving you all the tools you need to explore La Palma.

The 34 day walks cover the full island from Santa Cruz de La Palma and the Caldera de Taburiente national park to the Canary pine forests of Refugio del Pilar, Roque de los Muchachos, and the laurisilva cloud forest of Los Tilos
The GR130, a circular long-distance walk around La Palma, is described in 8 stages covering 167km (104 miles), while the GR131 crosses the island's highest mountains in 3 stages over 68km (42 miles) and is part of the a longer route across all seven of the Canary Islands
1:50,000 maps are included for every walk alongside detailed information on planning, facilities, and public transport, with all routes waymarked and signposted and no special equipment required
Background sections cover La Palma's geology, wildlife, and national parks alongside practical information on food and drink and a Spanish-English glossary
Detailed accommodation information is provided throughout, with bases across the island including Santa Cruz de La Palma, Los Llanos, Fuencaliente, Refugio del Pilar, Tijarafe, and Barlovento

From the Caldera de Taburiente and the laurisilva cloud forest to the GR130 and the heights of Roque de los Muchachos, this second edition guidebook covers the full breadth of walking on La Palma.

Part of the 5-volume Cicerone series covering walking across all of the Canary Islands.

Where and when to go

Seasons

best between November and May, as the summer months are too hot, but it can sometimes snow on the higher parts; spring is especially colourful

Centres

Santa Cruz de La Palma, Los Llanos, Fuencaliente, Refugio del Pilar, Tijarafe, Puntagorda, Garafía, Barlovento, Los Sauces, Puntallana and the mountain road

Difficulty

routes vary from short and easy to long, steep and strenuous; all are waymarked and signposted, and no special equipment is required beyond ordinary walking gear, except when snow lies on the highest mountains

Must See

Caldera de Taburiente national park, Roque de los Muchachos, Canary pine forest, laurisilva 'cloud forest', deep and rugged barrancos, GR130 around La Palma, GR131 over the highest mountains

Map key

Overview maps

Introduction

Location

Geology

Wildlife

National parks

The Fortunate Isles

Getting there

When to go

Accommodation

Health and safety

Food and drink

Language

Money

Communications

Walking on La Palma

Getting there

Getting around

What to take

Waymarking and access

Maps

Food and drink

Tourist information offices

Emergencies

Using this guide

The Walks

1 Santa Cruz and Lomo de las Nieves

2 Fuentes de Las Breñas

3 Buenavista and Pico de las Ovejas

4 Santa Cruz and Montaña de Tagoja

5 Pico de la Nieve to Santa Cruz

6 Santa Cruz to Puerto de Tazacorte

7 El Paso to Refugio del Pilar

8 Refugio del Pilar to Santa Cruz

9 Refugio del Pilar to Playa del Hoyo

10 Refugio del Pilar to Playa del Hoyo or La Salemera

11 Refugio del Pilar and Pico Nambroque

12 Jedey to Tigalate

13 San Nicol&##xe1;s and Coladas de San Juan

14 Llanos del Jable and Coladas de San Juan

Caldera de Taburiente

15 Pico Bejenado

16 La Cumbrecita to La Cancelita and Los Llanos

17 Barranco de las Angustias and Caldera de Taburiente

18 La Cumbrecita to Caldera de Taburiente

19 Caldera de Taburiente and Hoya Verde

20 Tijarafe and Porís de Candelaria

21 Tinizara to Piedras Altas and Tijarafe

22 La Traviesa: El Time to Briesta

23 La Traviesa: Briesta to Barlovento

24 La Zarza and Don Pedro

25 Roque del Faro to Garafía

26 Roque del Faro and Franceses

27 Roque del Faro to Roque de los Muchachos

28 Roque de los Muchachos to Puntagorda or Tijarafe

29 Pico de la Cruz to Barlovento

30 Pico de la Cruz to Los Sauces or Barlovento

31 Los Sauces and Los Tilos

32 Fuente de Ol&##xe9;n to Las Lomadas

33 Fuente Vizcaína to La Galga

34 Pico de la Nieve to Puntallana or Tenagua

35 GR 130: Santa Cruz de La Palma to Mazo

36 GR 130: Mazo to Fuencaliente

37 GR 130: Fuencaliente to Los Llanos

38 GR 130: Los Llanos to Puntagorda

39 GR 130: Puntagorda to Garafía

40 GR 130: Garafía to Franceses

41 GR 130: Franceses to Los Sauces

42 GR 130: Los Sauces to Santa Cruz de La Palma

43 GR 131: Puerto de Tazacorte to Roque de los Muchachos

44 GR 131: Roque de los Muchachos to Refugio del Pilar

45 GR 131: Refugio del Pilar to Faro de Fuencaliente

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Topographical glossary

Appendix C Useful contacts

Which format is best for me?

Printed book

A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps — everything you need on the trail.

ISBN	9781852848538
Availability	REP
Published	11 January 2019
Reprinted	21 December 2026
Pages	240
Weight	270g

eBook

The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.

Updates

Updated 20 September 2021
Cumbre Vieja Volcano
A number of walking trails on La Palma have been closed due to the ongoing volcanic eruption on the Cumbre Vieja. In short, there are currently no open trails south of a line drawn between Santa Cruz and Los Llanos. Also, trails within the Caldera de Taburiente national park are also closed.
In the guidebook, this means that Walks 6 to 19 are all currently closed, along with Walks 35 to 38 and 43 to 45. However, the highest parts of Walk 43 and 44, from Roque Palmero to Roque de los Muchachos and Pico de la Nieve are open.
On the northern part of the island, Walk 31 is closed while work is done on a damaged section of the trail. Check the following website, showing which trails are open or closed. www.senderosdelapalma.es/senderos/estado-de-los-senderos
Updated 21 November 2022
Volcán Tajogaite
Following the eruption of Volcán Tajogaite on the Cumbre Vieja on La Palma, almost half of the island's trails were closed as a precautionary measure. The situation is now much improved, with only a handful of trails close to the volcano still being closed. For full details of closures see the website www.senderosdelapalma.es/senderos/estado-de-los-senderos
The lava from Tajogaite severed the long-distance GR130, on Walk 37 in the guidebook, around Los Campitos. This remains closed.
When walkers reach Las Manchas, or San Nicolás, they should catch bus number 5 across the lava flow to La Laguna. This bus runs three times a day in each direction, Monday to Friday. However, by walking 5km downhill on roads to a restaurant at Las Norias, bus number 24 can be used to cross the lava to La Laguna, and this operates over a dozen times in both directions, every day of the week.
Please note that it is forbidden to walk or cycle along the road between Las Norias and La Laguna. The lava is still hot and vents toxic gases, so only buses and cars are allowed to use the road, without stopping. See the map, provided courtesy of Editorial Alpina, for the location of the new road.
Updated 21 November 2022
Volcán Tajogaite
As a bonus, a new trail has been created, allowing walkers to reach safe viewpoints close to Tajogaite. See the map, provided courtesy of Editorial Alpina, for the location of the new trail.
Please note that it is necessary to join an authorised guided walk in order to use this trail. Go to the national park visitor centre above the town of El Paso and ask for details of any trips due to take place. The photo of Tajogaite from the new trail is used by kind permission of Jaume Tort.
Updated 21 November 2022
Volcán Tajogaite
The Editorial Alpina 1:25,000 map of La Palma is the most detailed map for walkers on La Palma. It shows all the waymarked trails and has been updated to show the extent of the lava flow from Tajogaite. Donations from the sale of this map are used to assist with ongoing relief on La Palma. www.editorialalpina.com/en/alpina-maps/canary-islands/
Updated 28 April 2025
Walk 1
While the lower part of this walk is fine, the longer upper extension to the walk has been closed off and can no longer be followed

Meet the author

Paddy Dillon

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Paddy Dillon is a prolific walker and guidebook writer, with over 100 guidebooks to his name and contributions to 40 other titles. He has written for several outdoor magazines and other publications and has appeared on radio and television.

Paddy uses a tablet computer to write as he walks. His descriptions are therefore precise, having been written at the very point at which the reader uses them.

Paddy is an indefatigable long-distance walker who has walked all of Britain's National Trails and several European trails. He has also walked in Nepal, China, Korea and the Rocky Mountains of Canada and the US.