Arrival in Lanzarote. The moment you arrive in Canarias, the Canary Islands, you feel you have actually landed in some faraway, alien planet. As you go inland, you discover a volcanic landscape, deprived of vegetation, but colourful and beautiful. The strange scenery is mellows somewhat in your eyes, as you join a wine degustation and go for a camel ride in the setting sun. From a volcanic desert, you hop to La Gomera. Here you explore the Natural Reserve of Garajonay, the perfect place to lose yourself in contemplation of nature. This is the largest laurel forest in the world.
Another day, another island. La Palma, with its black-sand beaches and rugged terrain is a true hikers’ paradise. There are over a thousand kilometres of marked trails and the landscape is varied as it is wonderful. You hike to Roque de los Muchachos, where some of the world’s largest telescopes gaze to the sky in the nearby observatory. The view is breathtaking. In the eastern part of the island, Santa Cruz de la Palma shows you the cultural and historical side of Canarias, with colonial neighbourhoods, in the junction of three worlds.
Mount Teide is the highest point in Canarias and the crown of Tenerife. From warm beaches you ascend the impressive volcano up to a snowy landscape that possesses an unsettling strangeness. A cable-car takes you to a high point where you can survey the Atlantic, and some of the islands you had just visited. A walking tour of San Cristobal de la Laguna lets you glimpse the unique identity and history of these fortunate islands.
After a few days in Tenerife, and the freedom to explore at your leisure, you leave the Canaries for Madeira, a Portuguese archipelago that prides itself in its love for nature. Two thirds of the total area are protected areas. Here, at the edge of a continent, you are eased by an aura of natural magic, and the tales of Atlantis all of a sudden don’t seem so far fetched.
Provide us with a few starting details about your travel plans, and one of our specialists will be in touch to give you suggestions and ideas.
