Canary Islands Ride

Day 1: Arrival

¡Bienvenidos a Tenerife, globetrotters! Welcome to the island of eternal spring. A transfer from either Tenerife South or Tenerife North Airport will take you to your home for the first three nights, a beautifully restored historic hotel set in a traditional Canarian manor house in the heart of UNESCO World Heritage-listed San Cristóbal de La Laguna. Settle in, then gather in the early evening for a welcome drink and an informal briefing, where your guide will introduce the week ahead, talk you through the riding programme and answer any questions. It’s the perfect chance to meet your fellow riders over a relaxed dinner at the hotel.

Day 2: First Ride, Wine Tasting & La Laguna

After breakfast, you’ll head to the stables to meet the horses who’ll carry you through the week. Every rider is carefully matched with their horse before setting off on a relaxed first ride along country tracks, past small farms and through traditional Canarian villages around La Laguna, giving you time to build confidence before the longer days ahead.

Once the horses have been safely returned to the stables, you’ll head off to enjoy a tasting of Tenerife wines paired with traditional local goat cheeses, followed by lunch at a restaurant with panoramic views across the north of the island. This afternoon, an Official Tourist Guide of the Canary Islands leads you through La Laguna, the island’s first capital, founded in the 15th century and the model for many colonial cities across Latin America. Wander its colourful streets, elegant mansions and charming courtyards, then return to the hotel for dinner.

Day 3: The Laurel Forest

Today’s ride takes you into one of the rarest habitats on Earth: the ancient Laurisilva, or laurel forest, a subtropical woodland that dates back millions of years and survives today on only a handful of Atlantic islands. For around six hours, you’ll follow winding trails beneath a canopy of evergreens, giant tree heathers and moss-covered trunks, with soft light filtering through the leaves and birdsong echoing through the valleys. As you climb, the laurel gives way to Canary pine forest, home to a tree found only in the Canary Islands and known for surviving both fire and volcanic eruptions, with wide mountain tracks and views stretching across the island. A picnic lunch is enjoyed in a beautiful forest clearing before you ride back to the stables.

The afternoon is yours, and it’s the only free afternoon of the week. Unwind at the hotel spa (additional cost for treatments), browse La Laguna’s boutiques for local souvenirs, or simply wander its historic streets and squares before dinner at a local restaurant specialising in traditional Canarian cuisine.

Day 4: Teide National Park

After breakfast, you’ll leave La Laguna for the heart of the island. In little more than an hour, the drive takes you from humid evergreen forest to a high-altitude volcanic desert. Accompanied by an Official Guide of Teide National Park, you’ll travel through the Esperanza Forest before the trees give way to the otherworldly landscape of Teide National Park, home to Spain’s highest peak. Stop at some of the park’s most spectacular viewpoints to admire vast lava fields, ancient craters and rock formations sculpted by centuries of eruptions, and enjoy a picnic lunch surrounded by it all.

From here, you’ll continue west to your rural hotel near Santiago del Teide, your base for the next three nights. After settling in, you’ll saddle up for an afternoon ride into the Chinyero Natural Reserve, following old tracks once used by shepherds and farmers towards Tenerife’s youngest volcano, which erupted in 1909. You’ll ride across black lava fields where lichens and resilient Canary pines are reclaiming the rock, with lava stone walls and views towards the western coastline along the way.

Dinner is served at the hotel.

Day 5: Volcanoes of Chío

Today is the signature ride of the week: a full day exploring the Volcanoes of Chío, in the southwest of Tenerife. After a generous breakfast, you’ll saddle up and ride straight from the hotel, watching green forest give way to a raw volcanic world of dark lava flows, ash, rugged terrain and ancient cones. Traces of different eruptions are visible throughout, with vast lava fields and contrasting colours revealing the island’s geological history. You’ll follow quiet trails far from roads and crowds, with views over the mountains and out to the Atlantic.

Around midday, a picnic lunch is enjoyed in the heart of the volcanic landscape, before you ride back to the hotel, arriving by mid-afternoon. There’s time to enjoy a swim in the pool, shower and recover, with the option of a massage (at additional cost), before dinner at the hotel.

Day 6: Northern Highlands & Los Gigantes

After breakfast, you’ll saddle up for your final ride, through the fresh, fragrant Canary pine forests above the north coast. As you climb, the trees open up to reveal the Atlantic stretching to the horizon, the rugged coastline, green valleys, terraced farmland and traditional villages far below and, on clear days, Mount Teide rising above the island. Stop at some of the best viewpoints along the way to soak it all in and capture your final riding memories.

Lunch is back at the hotel, then this afternoon you’ll head to the coast at Los Gigantes, where immense cliffs tower above the sea. Board a boat for an approximately two-hour excursion along the coast, admiring the cliffs from the water and looking out for dolphins and pilot whales, which are regularly seen off Tenerife’s southwest coast (sightings depend on sea and wildlife conditions). Return to the hotel to freshen up before a farewell dinner celebrating a week of horses, volcanic landscapes, forests and Atlantic views.

Day 7: Departure

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to Tenerife. Transfers will be arranged to both Tenerife North and Tenerife South Airport, depending on your flight schedule. You’ll leave with memories of ancient forests, volcanic landscapes, traditional villages and unforgettable days in the saddle. Until next time!

Non-Riders

Non-riders are warmly welcomed and can enjoy all of the off-horse experiences included in the itinerary, from the wine and local cheese tasting and guided visit to UNESCO-listed La Laguna, to the guided visit to Teide National Park and the boat excursion along the Los Gigantes cliffs. While the riders are in the saddle, the time is yours to explore. If you enjoy exploring the outdoors either by hiking or cycling, Tenerife is a nature-lovers’ playground.

For added freedom and flexibility, it is recommended that non-riders hire their own rental car, allowing you to venture out each day and discover the forests, villages, coastline and natural pools of northern and western Tenerife at your own pace.