La Palma’s renowned Ruta de los Volcanes, or Volcano Route, is a spectacular hiking trail that traverses the spine of the Cumbre Vieja natural park in the southern part of the island. This challenging yet incredibly rewarding route takes you through a dramatic landscape shaped by centuries of volcanic activity, offering a tangible journey through the island’s recent geological history. As you hike, you pass by numerous volcanic cones, craters, and expansive lava flows, with the striking contrast between the black and red volcanic earth and the green of Canary pines creating truly unforgettable vistas. The route provides stunning panoramic views that, on clear days, can extend to the neighbouring islands of Tenerife, La Gomera, and El Hierro.
Table of Contents
Hiking the Ruta de los Volcanes is a must for nature enthusiasts and those fascinated by volcanic landscapes. It offers a unique opportunity to witness the raw power of nature and see how life reclaims even the most barren terrain. The well-signposted trail, part of the GR 131 long-distance path, typically takes between 6 to 10 hours to complete, depending on the chosen endpoint (either Los Canarios or the Fuencaliente lighthouse) and your hiking pace. It’s considered a demanding trek with significant elevation changes, so a good level of fitness is recommended. It is around 18 km (11.2 mi) to Los Canarios, and up to 25 km (15.5 mi) to the lighthouse depending where you finish you hike. It is indeed an active volcanic ridge, although eruptions are infrequent and closely monitored.
2021 Volcano Eruption that affected Volcano Route
The most recent eruption in the Cumbre Vieja area occurred in 2021, further adding to the route’s dynamic and ever-changing landscape. The eruption began on September 19, 2021, and was officially declared over on December 13, 2021, lasting for 85 days and making it the longest recorded eruption on the island since observations began.
During this eruption the Volcano Route hike was closed.
You can see the devastation caused by the eruption in 2021 in the videos and images below:
Our Volcano Route hike
I think Volcano Route is the hardest hike logistically to arrange as you it is one way hike, unless you can make it up and down or down and up, but that would make at least 24 km in one day if you do entire length, which is a bit excessive. To get an idea about the route you can check it out on AllTrails. Elevation gain is almost 700m (2300 feet) and total descent 1400m (4600 feet) and plan around 7 hours of hike down to Los Canarios. To the Lighthouse Fuencaliente it will be much longer as it is more than double of the distance.
The easiest way is to go by car or taxi to Refugio del Pilar. Go down and then take a taxi back to the parking of Refugio del Pilar. The price should be €40-50 (or less) per car. There is no direct public transport going there.
Alternatively you can just book a guided tour (especially if you are planing to do it alone), which will sort out your transfer problem (depending on where you are). However I can see they are organising only on Wednesdays.
8:10 am we were already on the road to Refugio del Pilar.
The views from the car going to Refugio del Pilar were amazing. You could see the black landscape and green trees thriving in that environment.
At 8:50am we arrived to Refugio del Pilar and soon after started the hike.
We could see Tazacorte peer (on the left) and Faro de Las Hoyas (on the right side). It was a really spectacular view and I could watch it for hours listening to some nice music. However, we still had a long walk down a head of us, so no time wasted.
I had a feeling we are being followed (not in a paranoid way) and I was right. The black raven was following us. Flying behind us from tree to tree. Finally, it landed on one of the signs and was looking at us when we were eating apples. My friend bit a peace of an apple and through it at the bird and surprisingly it caught with a beak the peace! Almost like a circus raven!
Later that raven landed on the ground and was coming closer for more. The beak was quite scary and to be honest it could pluck your eyes like in one of those horror movies! I guess it was really hungry. We gave the leftover core of the apple. Surprisingly, It took it straight from the hand and ate it! I was surprised that it wasn’t afraid to approach humans so up close.
The bits where there are little trees feels like hiking on the Moon. A completely different landscape you normally see in Europe. I think the only similar places I’ve seen was Tenerife and Lanzarote in Canary Islands, also Etna volcano in Sicily.
At the ned of the hike my hiking boots were completely destroyed! The parts of the sole just started literally falling off.
At 2:16 pm we were already down in Los Canarios, so entire hike took us 5h 20 min. We called a taxi from Los Canarios back to Refugio del Pilar. The ride took a good 40min or so and after we picked up the car we were heading to Charco Verde beach, to enjoy our last day in this island.
Charco Verde beach in La Palma is so named because of the characteristic colour of its water, which often has a blue-green gleam. The name “Charco Verde” translates from Spanish to “Green Pool” or “Green Puddle”. This greenish hue is attributed to the presence of algae covering the rocks in the shallow bay area near the shore.
While the beach itself features black volcanic sand common to the island, the relatively calm and shallow waters within the cove, combined with the marine vegetation on the seabed and rocks, create a visual effect that gives the water its distinctive green tint. This makes the name a direct and descriptive reference to the appearance of the water at this particular location.
So with this spectacular hike we were closing our trip in La Palma. Tomorrow we were already flying back to London. Oh and if you do go on this hike and meet this raven (they say in human care they can live up to 50 years), please do give it some apple slices! You will be surprised! I mean normally you shouldn’t feed wild animals, but I guess a piece of apple won’t do much harm.
Volcano Route on a cloudy day
My first experience in the Volcano Route was in 2012. At that time when we hiked I left in shorts and t-shirt, thinking it is going to be warm as it was warm and sunny in Santa Cruz de La Palma. I was so glad that I had my waterproof jacket! I was still cold, but at least I had a layer on my naked skin.
The place where you could see St Martin volcano, was only fog visible.
St. Martin volcano did look impressive with a bit of clouds surrounding it.
As we were going down and also the Sun rising higher, the fog was slowly dissipating and at some point lower it completely disappeared and again it felt warmer. We were below the cloud.
I think hiking on a Sunny and cloudy day are two completely different experiences. Yes on a Sunny day it is warmer and much more pleasant, but hiking in the cloud feels out of this world, adding some charm and making it feel enchanted. That part of the hike in the fog literally felt like walking on the Moon. In some places all you could see just black ground and the thick mist.
Interesting videos about La Palma Volcano
Alternative guided tours to Volcano Route
Technically it is possible to hike to Tajogaite volcano on La Palma without a guide as I can’t see any restriction anywhere, but it’s strongly recommended to take a guided tour. The official guides and other guides are listed below. Also consider visiting the volcanic tubes!
Tips for the hike
- Check the weather and do have warmer clothes (fleece and waterproof jacket). Ideally have long hiking pants that can be transformed to shorts. The weather varies and if you are hiking gin the cloud it will be humid and cold.
- Have cash for the Taxi just in case, not sure if you can pay by credit card.
- Bring plenty of water with you, especially if it is sunny and a hot day.
- Wear proper hiking boots. Mine got destroyed form all that lava rock!
- Bring some snacks/lunch as there is nothing on the route until Los Canarios and it is nice place to have a small picnic.
- Leave no trace! Take all the trash with you down to Los Canarios.
- Please don’t smoke (why would you in a such fresh air!) or start any fires as the spikes are very dry sometimes and it takes very little to start a wildfire.
- Take lots of pictures! You can thank me later!
Useful links
The following numbers are the La Palma taxi ranks located in some of the most popular towns on the island:
- Santa Cruz de la Palma: +34 (922) 416 070, or +34 (922) 181 396.
- San Andrés y Sauces: +34 (922) 450 928.
- Los Llanos: +34 (922) 462 740.
- El Paso: +34 (922) 485 003.
- Puntallana: +34 (699) 215 093.