Seen from the sea, La Gomera's jagged peaks and luxuriant landscapes tell you something special lies ahead. As Arianne, one of our expert local guides says, ‘Garajonay is primeval – it has vegetation from millions of years ago, which is why you can encounter outsize versions of flora such as giant dandelions, huge bush snapdragons and bay leaf plants twice the size you'd see at home.'
After crossing by ferry in VIP seating – with drinks included – you'll board an air-conditioned luxury coach. Soon, you'll be climbing up from sea level through ravines. There's a pit stop in the hamlet of Chejelipes, where you can take some snaps by its reservoir. Next up are the valley village of Hermigua and Agulo, a hamlet that looks down towards the north coast. It's famed for its dinky houses and views of Tenerife. But the cobbled alleys around its white-roofed, Greek-style parish church epitomise the romanticism of rural La Gomera.
But the best is yet to come. You'll ascend to the rim of Jurassic-like Garajonay – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – which is often shrouded in a misty horizontal rain, towards the visitor centre. Learn about the park's botany and history as well as its environmental protection programme. Plus, you'll visit an ethnographic museum, where you can sample some local delicacies. At a family-run restaurant, you'll savour a typical Gomeran lunch made from locally sourced ingredients. Then meander through laurel woods to Laguna Grande Forest. And if time permits, you'll get to wander around the island's capital, San Sebastian.
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