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Guillermo went way beyond what was required - an excellent guide and a delightful personality. His knowledge across all the subjects mentioned above was tremendous. In addition he always told us clearly what was going to happen each day and at times during the day. I can’t praise him highly enough. He was very kind as well as knowledgeable. Hotel was in wonderful location. Everything one would expect from a 4*star hotel - good value. The food was exceptional. The extra effort made for the two days over Christmas with the food was tremendous.
SG, Birmingham, Dec 23
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Gran Canaria at Christmas
Tour Code: ESP57An 8-day Christmas holiday focusing on Gran Canaria’s endemic wildlife and impressive archaeological sites.
8 days
from
£2,395
£2,395
Land only price
from
£1,995
£1,995
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
This Christmas holiday is based in a very comfortable and peaceful spa hotel situated in the quieter north of the island, just a short walk from the beach. From it we will enjoy, in leisurely fashion, both the island’s endemic wildlife and its cultural highlights which includes Roque Bentagya, a natural rock formation which is at its most impressive at the time of the winter equinox. This area also offers the best chance of seeing the island’s star endemic bird, the Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch, as well as wild Canary, Laurel Pigeon, and the local subspecies of Common Chaffinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Add a little wine-tasting, delicious local cuisine, plenty of opportunities in which to make use of the excellent facilities offered by the hotel, and a whale-watching excursion, and this promises to be a relaxed and varied break bathed in pleasant winter sunshine.
- Comfortable spa hotel with pool
- Explore the beautiful laurel forest of Unesco World Heritage Site
- Gran Canaria Giant Lizard and endemic flora
- Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch, Canary and Laurel Pigeon
- Chance to dive for any PADI-certified guests
- Short-finned Pilot Whales, Bottlenose Dolphins and other cetacean species
- Cory's Shearwater and Bulwer's Petrel
- Led by expert Gran Canarian naturalist guide + Naturetrek leader
Grading
A
The Canary Islands are remarkable for their wealth of unique plant and animal-life and are a popular holiday destination for those seeking rugged beauty and year-round sunshine. Whilst our long-standing and popular Canary Islands holiday visits Tenerife, La Gomera and Fuerteventura, this new Christmas tour will be one of our first to the centrally-located, circular island of Gran Canaria. Once an active volcano, Gran Canaria’s highest peak, Pico de Las Nieves, rises into the clear blue Atlantic sky to well over 6,000 feet at its summit, providing fabulous panoramic views all around.
In order to explore this island at a gentle pace, we will be based for the week in a very comfortable and peaceful spa hotel situated in the quieter north of the island, just a short walk from the beach. From it we will enjoy, in leisurely fashion, both the island’s endemic wildlife and its cultural and gastronomic highlights. In the Jardin Canario, Spain’s largest and arguably most impressive botanical garden, we will gain a wonderful introduction to many of the habitats that we will visit during the week, as well as some of the Canary Islands’ 600 endemic plant species. The gardens are also home to African Blue Tit, the local subspecies of Robin, and the impressive Gran Canaria Giant Lizard. The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on Gran Canaria covers 40% of the island and stretches from the spectacular mountain tops down to the coast. During our two full days in the reserve, we will search for its wildlife and explore the most interesting pre-hispanic archaeological sites, including Roque Bentagya, a natural rock formation which is at its most impressive at the time of the winter solstice which falls just before this tour. This area also offers the best chance of seeing the island’s star endemic bird, the Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch, as well as wild Canary, Laurel Pigeon, and the local subspecies of Common Chaffinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Completing the picture of our week on Gran Canaria will be a little wine-tasting, delicious local cuisine, plenty of opportunities in which to make use of the excellent facilities offered by the hotel, and a whale-watching excursion in search of Short-finned Pilot Whales, Bottlenose Dolphins and other cetacean species, as well as such seabirds as Cory's Shearwater and Bulwer's Petrel.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Gran Canaria; transfer to hotel
Day 2/7
Daily wildlife excursions around Gran Canaria
Day 8
Fly UK
Reviews
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Seven days on Gran Canaria with Naturetrek delivered a hugely interesting and relaxing holiday experience. The tour leader was fantastic and knowledgeable, telling us about the geology and history of the island as well as flora and fauna. We travelled to different areas where the habitats and climates vary resulting in different plant life. The tour itinerary was well thought out, every day expanding our knowledge of Gran Canaria but getting us back to the hotel by 16.30 each day for some holiday r&r. I found the theories of how the first inhabitants arrived in the Canaries fascinating, the volcanic landscapes are breath-taking, the geology stunning. We were driven by an expert and careful driver in a very comfortable coach which allowed everyone good views from the windows. The hotel in Ageate is peaceful and well away from the tourist areas. The breakfast was excellent. There is a short walk down to a little port with restaurants plus natural swimming pools in the rocks.Each day the activities contrasted and complemented those from the previous day. The botanical gardens were lovely, the visit to the almost tropical coffee farm and vineyard different again with enormous oranges on the trees and butterflies. The sunset views from the central mountain areas were stunning. I can't really pick one thing that stands out, it was all good which is definitely down to the abilities and experience of the tour leader who was able to adapt to the group and when the weather cancelled a planned boat trip. Gran Canaria is fascinating, beautiful, diverse and surprising.
C.S. Dorset, Dec 22 -
One of our best holidays - fantastic exploration of a fascinating island with an exceptional leader (a delightful individual with a depth and breadth of knowledge on all aspects of the island - nature, history, culture, archaeology, geology, geography), great hotel, perfect climate. We have been on 2 European trips a year with Naturetrek every year since 2013 (and several shorter UK trips), cannot speak highly enough of the company - superb organisation, responsive to clients' needs, excellent naturalist leaders and the company has been extremely innovative and enterprising in designing programmes during these past 2 difficult years.
V.Y. London, Dec 21 -
A natural history holiday on Gran Canaria based at Agaete for the whole week. Excellent guides who knew their subject. Some local history content too. Good & quiet hotel in a 'non touristy' part of the island. Very well organised: Naturetrek even checked in with EasyJet, so we had our boarding passes with the welcome pack. This is the fourth occasion that I have used Naturetrek. Their communication is very good, which is more than usually important given the Covid situation. Local guide, although Spanish, fully up to speed with UK Covid regulations. Everything well organised at the Gran Canaria end.
C.V Kent, Dec 21
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Mon 22nd Dec – Mon 29th Dec
SPACES
£2,395
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£250
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Guillermo Bernal
Tour Leader: Guillermo Bernal
Guillermo is a Spanish naturalist who lives in Gran Canaria, and is truly passionate about showing and sharing the beautiful things that the island has to offer. In his first part-time job, back in 2004, Guillermo was a wilderness guide in the surroundings of Doñana National Park, in Huelva and Sevilla, in southwest Spain, where he was completing his degree in Environmental Sciences. He arrived in Gran Canaria to work as a health and safety inspector in 2011, but he quickly decided that he had to spend his time and energy doing what he likes most and does best: showing off the beauty and natural and cultural heritage of Gran Canaria as an Official Canary Islands Guide.
Guillermo loves to give his clients the feeling that they have really squeezed the best out of their time in Gran Canaria, and to hear an often-repeated sentence: "I didn't expect Gran Canaria to be like this!"
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Tue 22nd Dec – Tue 29th Dec
SPACES
£2,395
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£250
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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