I joined this panoramic island tour departing from Playa del Inglés and covering a wide range of landscapes and villages across Gran Canaria. The route included Fataga, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the Tirajana viewpoint, Ayacata, Tejeda, Artenara and the cave house in Artenara, followed by Mirador Monte Pavón, Fontanales, Barranco Los Tilos de Moya, Moya, San Felipe and finally the Avenida Marítima.
Our guide, Raymond, did an excellent job throughout the day. He kept the group engaged with a steady flow of interesting facts, mixing local history with botanical knowledge and observations about the island’s geography. The explanations felt well prepared without being overwhelming, and they added real value to the experience.
Due to the mountain microclimates, we ended up driving through dense cloud at higher altitudes, which limited visibility at some viewpoints and brought a bit of rain. Even so, the trip remained highly enjoyable, as the changing weather added atmosphere rather than detracting from the journey.
On the return, we took a short detour near Las Palmas to see parts of the city from the outside. When a traffic jam appeared on the way back to Maspalomas, Raymond adapted the route on the spot, avoiding the congestion entirely. This unexpected change allowed us to see more than planned from the vehicle, including the old sugar factory and the Cuatro Puertas mountains.
Overall, it was a well-organised and informative day, made especially enjoyable by a knowledgeable and flexible guide.