Spain · GRAN CANARIA TOURS
Dunes in the south, laurel forest in the middle, and dolphins offshore most of the year. These 15 sort the boat trips, the island drives and the Las Palmas walks by price, pickup and how long the road takes.
Visit Poema del Mar for a self-guided day of ocean, river, jungle, and Canary Island habitats. See 35 ecosystems, a 400,000-liter coral reef cylinder, the huge curved window, and Deep Sea’s dark-water tanks. The aquarium is wheelchair accessible and close to the cruise terminal.
“Such a stunning aquarium – an absolute must on Gran Canaria. Speechless!”
Board the Golden Shark in Puerto de Mogán for a 40-minute underwater tour to 25 metres. Watch the submarine descend on personal screens, pass shipwrecks and artificial reefs, and follow commentary through headphones in nine languages. The submarine is air-conditioned and suitable for most visitors who can manage the steps.
“Excellent trip really loved it , well worth the money , not a trip that you see every day .”
Ride through the Maspalomas dunes in a comfortable two-seat saddle with Saharawi guides speaking Spanish, English, or German. The 30-minute route returns to the camel station, and camels such as Raul and Santiago may become part of your family story. Bring water, sunscreen, and a hat.
“Excellent experience for our family M/W40, M10, M7 and M4. Would definitely recommend.”
Explore a working banana farm near Arucas with an English-speaking guide, visit a restored 1804 Canarian house, and taste banana wines, jams, snacks, and other island-made products. The visit lasts about 50 minutes to an hour, with time to browse the shop afterward.
“Fantastic experience! The tour was short at 40 minutes but it was really informative, lots of time for questions, and tasters at the end and the gift shop were great. The only thing I wish is that there was an easy shuttle over to it. We stayed in Puerto Rico, so it took about an hour and a half to get to Las Palmas and then 20 minutes to a bus stop about 10 minute walk from the plantation, but these roads were not the best to walk on. We also could only stay for about 20 minutes after the tour as we had to get a bus and they…”
Set out from Puerto Rico aboard Spirit of the Sea, a 97-person catamaran with a glass-bottom viewing area. Your multilingual crew searches for dolphins, whales, turtles, and other cetaceans along Gran Canaria’s southwest coast, with return transport and a free second trip if no cetaceans appear.
“staff were lovely saw dolphins, glass bottom boat was not what I expected as you had to go below deck to be able to see the glass bottom, which I was led to believe was tiny cramped and very hot, I am disabled so couldn't get down the very steep narrow steps. lots of people also jumping up blocking your view when you did spot the dolphins. but managed to catch a glimpse of two. won't do it again”
Set out from Puerto Rico at 10:15 for a 2.5-hour dolphin and whale cruise with Líneas Salmón. Guides speak English, Spanish, and German. Watch for bottlenose and Risso’s dolphins, whales, turtles, and flying fish, with guide Mario often helping guests spot wildlife.
“Excellent experience. We saw some dolphins and some flying fish. The whole trip was very well organised. We truly enjoyed every second of it. Many thanks to Super Mario and his colleagues. 😆❤️”
Drive a two-seater buggy through Gran Canaria’s Ayagaures Valley, stopping at Pedro Gonzales viewpoint and mountain villages. Guides including Eloy, Lucian, and Speedy keep the outing lively, with road driving, short off-road sections, scenic stops, and optional photo and video downloads.
“We booked the 2 hour buggy tour which was great fun! Eloy collected us with the van at our hotel on time. On our way there we collected other passengers that were also participating in the same tour. They give a good in depth briefing on how to drive the buggy and safety. Goggles are provided as you will be going through some dirt roads. You can buy a face scarf there or bring your own. We did a couple of stops during the tour to take some cool scenic pictures up in the mountains and change driver, in case you are two people and want to take turns. Eloy…”
Ride for one or two hours through El Salobre’s rocky volcanic hills with gentle, well-trained horses and guides speaking English, Spanish, or German. You’ll see tropical plantations, Maspalomas dunes, and the beach from above. Hotel pickup is available, and groups are limited to 10 riders.
“Excellent day, the trainers are so confident and reassuring. They know the horse’s behaviours so well. Felicia was a bit naughty when she was in the school but they knew when she was out on the path she was fine which she absolutely was, Luther was my horse and he was beautiful. Very loving from the get go nuzzling in and falling asleep on my shoulder before we rode. Thoroughly enjoyed the day and thank you for taking the time to experiment my drone and see if it was safe for us and others, allowing me to capture some great shots. Very kind of you!Read more”
Spend a full day at Palmitos Park, a zoological botanical park in the hills near Maspalomas. Your ticket includes the dolphin, birds of prey, parrot, and exotic bird shows, plus the aquarium, butterfly house, primate island, reptiles, gardens, and free parking. Expect steep paths and plenty of walking.
“had an excellent day, the surroundings are beautiful, the shows were great”
Spend a full day at Gran Canaria’s largest water park, with more than 40 slides, the Anaconda, a water maze, wave pools, Polynesia Park, and Children’s Paradise. Sea lion encounters, lockers, loungers, food, and fast passes cost extra, so plan your budget before arriving.
“Absolutely amazing experience. The waterpark slides suit all ages, starting with young toddlers and finishing with thrill seeking grown ups/teenagers/children. We spent full day there from 10am until the last slide at 4.30pm. If you want to chill out, you can hire a lounger for 5 euros or you can dip your toes in the pool with beautiful surroundings around. We were lucky that we went straight after Christmas holidays, so it wasn't busy and we could go on every slide pretty much without queueing. The only negative comment would be the cost of the locker which was 7 euros (a bit steep if you ask me). Other than that…”
Ride from Maspalomas through Salobre, Chira Reservoir, Tirajana, Fataga and the Valley of the Thousand Palms. Expect mountain roads, steep drops, photo stops and a coffee break, with multilingual guides such as Juan, Paco, Luis and Karolis. Hotel pickup is available in southern resorts.
“Fantastically beautiful trip. It is a bit bumpy when the gravel road starts but it gets considerably better later.”
Spend about three hours at Camel Safari Park La Baranda in Fataga’s Valley of the Thousand Palms. You’ll tour tropical gardens, feed camels and donkeys, ride for an hour through the ravine, and optionally finish with homemade tapas and drinks. Pickup is available from several southern resorts.
“Great adventure. Fair price. The tour was amazing, very scenic. Just be aware it is in a canyon without any shade, so come prepared. Tapas had locally harvested/made items. Very good. Drive there was even neat. Highly recommend!!!”
Spend a full day in Gran Canaria’s high country with guides such as Víctor, David, Daylos, Celeste, or Angélica. See Bandama’s craters, taste Canarian food, hike to Roque Nublo, and finish with sunset at Pico de Las Nieves and honey rum. Pickup, lunch, photos, and insurance are included.
“It’s a wonderful trip, Angelika and Celeste are fabulous guides and superb drivers. The hike to Roque Nublo is challenging but rewarding and we were blessed with good weather for the sunset. Wished we had gloves on though 🥶”
Spend 4.5 hours aboard Afrikat, cruising from Puerto Rico along Gran Canaria’s southwest coast to a bay near Mogán. Swim, snorkel, eat a chicken wrap and pasta salad, and enjoy unlimited beer, sangria, soft drinks, juice, coffee, and water. Optional jet skis, parasailing, donut rides, and speedboat trips cost extra.
“Excellent trip, We had great fun on the water sport activities. The host Potter made our trip.”
Take control of your own jetski from Puerto Base and follow an English- or Spanish-speaking guide along Gran Canaria’s southwest coast. Choose 30 or 60 minutes, share one jetski if you wish, and watch for flying fish, dolphins, and turtles. Guides including Riad, Miguel, and Esther help first-timers get moving safely.
“Brilliant watersport company to jet ski with. A great guide who took us to see the dolphins on their rib and then back to the jet ski in the water. Very knowledgeable guide! We were over an hour and had a great time. Great value for money.”
Pick a city, a coastline or a kitchen.
