Canary Islands adventure travel: Outdoor activities in Canary Islands

Canary Islands adventure travel

A popular tourist destination since the late 1960s, Canary Islands adventure travel lovers have raved about these shores for some time. And it's not just for their beaches. Strong winds blast across the Atlantic, predictable temperature and rugged interiors support outdoor activities in the Canary Islands year round. The Canary Islands were born from volcanic eruptions 23 million yea... +A popular tourist destination since the late 1960s, Canary Islands adventure travel lovers have raved about these shores for some time. And it's not just for their beaches. Strong winds blast across the Atlantic, predictable temperature and rugged interiors support outdoor activities in the Canary Islands year round.

The Canary Islands were born from volcanic eruptions 23 million years ago. On Tenerife, one of the seven Spanish owned islands, get close enough and you can still smell the sulphurous emissions from its volcano, Mt.Teide. This reminds you that these islands are very much alive. Ignore the heavily-touristed areas and there are miles of rocky, craggy shores to discover, and bays and beaches aplenty.

The seven islands, from west to east are: Hierro, La Palma, Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote.

Lanzarote is nearest to the mainland, which surprisingly is African, not Spanish. At just 115km west of Morocco you'll discover Canarian beaches created from sands blown from the Sahara.

Looking for outdoor activities in the Canary Islands fuelled by wind then Fuerteventura is a great choice. It's the longest island, while the two smallest, Hierro and Gomera have remained relatively untouched by tourism and neither yet accepts international flights.

Year-round temperature remains stable at an average 22C - ideal for a wide range of Canary Islands adventure travel. The islands in this archipelago are different in geographical formation, but all enjoy 3,000 hours of sunlight each year.

The islands' mountains tell the story of violent eruptions where ravines, formerly filled with magma, cut troughs to the sea. However, there's always a beach nearby. But you'll find most are black sand, which takes a little getting used to.

With such barren rugged land, born of volcanic larva, it's a surprise to discover most of the islands feature a great diversity of natural life, including forests and luscious valleys fertility comes thanks to the nutrient rich larva and the great climate.

Given the choice - and to get the broadest choice of outdoor activities in the Canary Islands - we'd do a little island hoping, starting at Tenerife. After a few days wind down on one of its less commercial beaches, it would be time to get into the Teide National Park and peer into the island's live volcano.

From Tenerife it's a short ferry ride to Fuerteventura. Travelling overland on a mixture of 4x4s and quad bikes we'd aim for its eastern coast, turning north half way across and set our compass to the north coast for Corralejo and the island's best surf. To finish our Canary Islands adventure travel journey, it would be another island hop, over to Lanzarote and into the water for some quality scuba diving on its east coast.

Other outdoor activities in the Canary Islands

Thanks to the great waves that crash onto its beaches, surfing is another popular beach sport you'll spot in the Canaries. With expanses of flat sands it's just as easy to try kiteboarding as it is to have a go at kitesurfing. For added peace of mind, there are also yoga and pilates packages, which also feature surfing sessions. And dedicated surfers can opt for surf tours, where all their gear gets taken along as they go off road in the search of the elusive perfect wave. -

holidays

Surf camp in Fuerteventura: Costa Calma surfing & yoga holidays

€ 549 for 7 days

Activities: Surfing

Destinations: Atlantic Ocean, Canary Islands, Costa Calma, Fuerteventura, Spain

Find out more

courses

Costa Calma surf lessons in Fuerteventura: Surfing for all levels

€ 55 for 1 days

Activities: Surfing

Destinations: Atlantic Ocean, Canary Islands, Costa Calma, Fuerteventura, Spain

Find out more

experiences

Try scuba diving in Tenerife: Beginner dive experience in Adeje

€ 65 for 2 hours

Activities: Scuba Diving

Destinations: Atlantic Ocean, Canary Islands, Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas +

Find out more

Tenerife turtle snorkeling experience: Costa Adeje boat trip

€ 35 for 2 hours

Activities: Snorkelling

Destinations: Atlantic Ocean, Canary Islands, Costa Adeje, Puerto Colon, Tenerife

Find out more

accommodation

Puerto del Carmen apartment with pool: Accommodation in Lanzarote

€ 220 per room

Activities: Multi Activity

Destinations: Canary Islands, Lanzarote, Puerto Del Carmen, Spain

Find out more

discounts

Lavatrax Tenerife MTB Discount: 10% off Mountain Biking

€ 45 for

10%

Discount

Save up to £23

Activities: Mountain Biking

Destinations: Canary Islands, Europe, Tenerife

Find out more

Maybe Sailing discount: 5% off tall ship charters

£ 250 for

Discount

Activities: Yacht Charter

Destinations: Arctic, Atlantic Ocean, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Caribbean +

Find out more

VolcanoKite discount: 30% off kitesurfing course in Lanzarote

€ 400 for

30%

Discount

Save up to £120

Activities: Kitesurfing

Destinations: Atlantic Ocean, Canary Islands, Costa Teguise, Europe, Famara +

Find out more

View all canary-islands discounts

companies

Planet Windsurf Holidays

Activities: Kitesurfing

Destinations: Africa, Alacati, Algarve, Anse La Raie, Aruba +

Find out more

Kudu Travel

Activities: Hiking

Destinations: Adriatic Sea, Africa, Albania, Argentina, Armenia +

Find out more

Rapa Nui Surf & Yoga Camp

Activities: Bodyboarding

Destinations: Atlantic Ocean, Canary Islands, Costa Calma, Fuerteventura, Spain

Find out more

View all canary-islands companies

Latest Adventure Articles

Canaries windsurf spots: 10 best Canary Islands windsurfing destinations

Want to experience the best Canary Islands windsurfing destinations? Of course you do! After all the archipelago has some of the top...

Activities: Windsurfing,

Destinations: Atlantic Ocean, Bahia de Feliz, Canary Islands, Corralejo, Costa Teguise +

Find out more

Gran Canaria Walking Festival: More than a beach holiday

Looking for somewhere new to go walking and hiking when the current situation has resolved? There’s an island that each October...

Activities: Hiking, +

Destinations: Canary Islands, Europe, Gran Canaria, Spain

Find out more

20 best kite spots in Europe: Kitesurfing European style

Kitesurfing European style is not some newfangled way of riding, it's about experiencing the continent and enjoying some...

Activities: Kitesurfing,

Destinations: Andalusia, Atlantic Ocean, Belgium, Brandon Bay, Broughton Bay +

Find out more

View all canary-islands Articles