la palma hiking festival september 2026

La Palma hiking festival returns in September with 16 guided routes

La Palma hiking festival returns with 16 guided routes this September

La Palma will once again assert its status as one of the world’s top destinations for hiking enthusiasts this September. The 18th International Hiking and Mountain Festival, which runs from 18-20 September with a programme of 16 guided routes, will put the Isla Bonita back in the global spotlight for active tourism, offering visitors from home and abroad the chance to explore some of Europe’s most spectacular and unique trails.

Registration now open for nature‑focused edition

Organised by the La Palma Island Council (Cabildo) in collaboration with Santa Cruz de La Palma town hall, the festival has opened registration for an edition that aims to strengthen the island’s leadership as a specialist nature destination. The programme is designed to showcase the extraordinary diversity of landscapes, geology, culture and ethnography found in a territory that – in just 708 square kilometres – packs in recent volcanoes, laurisilva cloud forests, pinewoods, peaks over 2,400 metres high, cliffs, ancient royal roads and some of the clearest skies on the planet.

Routes to include Tajogaite volcano and Caldera de Taburiente

The festival will take in many of La Palma’s most iconic locations, including the Tajogaite volcano, the Route of the Volcanoes, the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, the Cubo de La Galga, the rural landscapes of Garafía, the Monteverde forests and the ancient paths linked to the island’s hydraulic and agricultural heritage. These are complemented by unique experiences such as night-time itineraries with astronomical observation, routes focused on geothermal features, coffee and almond cultivation, and trails that revive the memory of traditional trades and the old paths that for centuries connected La Palma’s different municipalities.

One of Europe’s best hiking destinations

It is no coincidence that many specialists consider La Palma one of the best hiking destinations in Europe. The island boasts one of the most comprehensive networks of certified trails in Spain, with nearly a thousand kilometres of signposted paths that allow walkers to traverse virtually all its ecosystems, from the coast to the summits, via European trails, long-distance routes, short-distance paths and local footpaths. This natural heritage has become one of the main pillars of La Palma’s tourism model.

Sustainable tourism model in focus

Rejecting mass tourism, La Palma has focused on attracting visitors who seek experiences connected to nature, sport, stargazing and sustainability – a profile that tends to generate higher average spending, longer stays and a significant boost for rural accommodation, activity tourism businesses, restaurants, local shops and specialist guides. The Island Council itself has placed hiking at the heart of its tourism promotion strategy, alongside astrotourism and ecotourism, in order to differentiate the island on the international market.

Growing global reputation for active tourism

Over its 17 previous editions, the International Hiking and Mountain Festival has attracted several thousand participants and has established itself as one of the leading specialised events in the archipelago, helping to project La Palma’s image as a reference destination for active tourism. More than 300 hikers took part in the last edition, a figure that reflects the loyalty of an audience that returns year after year to discover new itineraries and explore lesser‑known corners of the island.

The island’s president, Sergio Rodríguez, emphasises that the festival represents “a perfect example of the tourism model that identifies La Palma”, based on enhancing natural spaces, boosting the local economy and projecting the island internationally as a benchmark for nature tourism. Miriam Perestelo, managing director of Sodepal, adds that the event goes beyond sport to become a tool capable of generating economic activity, strengthening the business fabric and connecting residents with visitors through the island’s natural heritage.

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