Key details
Why it is worth crossing the island
Because in an hour and a half by coach you go from one landscape to its opposite. The south where you are staying is dry, sunny and pale-earthed; Anaga is damp, green and misty almost all year. It is the same island and does not look like it, and that is exactly what makes this day stick.
Laurisilva is a forest that covered southern Europe before the ice ages and never quite disappeared here. Walking through it for two hours, between moss-covered trunks with mist drifting through the branches, is a strange experience: little noise, green light, and nothing like a mainland forest.
The second half of the day is La Laguna, the capital until the nineteenth century and still the university town. Its old quarter is a World Heritage Site because its sixteenth-century layout was later copied across colonial America. You walk it, and after a morning in the forest a coffee in a square goes down well.
Included
- Coach transport with pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation
- A guide throughout the day
- A guided walk through the Las Mercedes forest
- A visit to La Laguna, a World Heritage Site
- Stops at the Anaga viewpoints
Not included
- Food and drinks: bring your own
- Tips
Frequently asked questions
When do we not recommend it?
If you only have one free day and what you want is sun and beach, this is not the plan: you are going to the wet side of the island and it will most likely cloud over. And if you do not enjoy walking, two hours of forest drag on, however beautiful it is.
Is the walk hard?
No: about two hours and 300 metres of elevation gain on a forest trail, with no technical sections, low-to-medium level. What you need to know is that the ground can be wet and slippery, so shoes with a sole that grips are not a tip, they are the difference between enjoying it and spending the walk staring at the ground.
What if there is fog?
In Anaga fog is not bad luck: it is what keeps the forest alive, and with it the place looks better, not worse. What you do need to bring is a warm layer, because it can be eight or ten degrees colder than on the coast.
Is it worth it with children?
Yes, if they can already walk a while without complaining: the misty, mossy forest usually looks like a fairy tale to them, and the afternoon in La Laguna is relaxed. Children up to 11 pay €29.50. With a pushchair, no: the trail is dirt and roots.
Which day is it and do you pick me up at the hotel?
Mondays, with pickup and return at your accommodation anywhere in the south of Tenerife. It is a full day: you cross the whole island, walk in the morning and La Laguna comes afterwards. We confirm the pickup time when you book.
Anaga or Teide, if I can only do one?
If it is your first trip to Tenerife, Teide: it is the image of the island and the one you expect to take home. Anaga is for the second time, or for those who already know they prefer forest to volcano. And if you have both days, do them back to back: few islands change so much in an hour and a half by coach.
Do we eat anywhere?
Lunch is not included. Bring water and something for the forest, and eat in La Laguna in the afternoon: it is a university town with squares and pedestrian streets where there is everything, at normal prices rather than tourist-area prices.
Can I go on my own?
Yes, with a hire car, but the Anaga roads are narrow and one bend after another, and the forest has many trails where it is easy to take a wrong turn. With a guide you make more of the day and you do not drive two hours back tired.
Which language does the guide explain in?
Spanish, English or French, whichever you ask for when booking. If you travel in German, let us know: there is no German-speaking guide on this excursion and we would rather tell you beforehand.
What if the weather is really bad?
Fog and drizzle do not cancel anything: they are Anaga’s normal weather. Only with heavy rain or wind that makes the trail unsafe is the date changed or an alternative offered. For any other reason, free cancellation up to 48 hours before; we confirm places with the provider before closing the booking.
How is the booking confirmed?
Naventia Trips checks availability, provider conditions and the traveller's level before confirming the experience.
Can you tell me what else to do on those days?
Yes, and it is what we get asked most. Tell us which days you have free and where you are staying, and we will say what pairs well with this excursion and what should not go on the same day.