Buggy and quad tours, jeep safaris and canyoning in the ravines and mountains of inland Gran Canaria, a short drive from the south coast resorts.
6 activities
Maspalomas
A small-group walk to Roque Nublo with two local guides, reserved access to the rock, a picnic in the mountains and a stop in the village of Tunte. Pick-up in Maspalomas included.
5 h 30 minFrom €87
Maspalomas
A 30-minute camel ride through the sandy landscape beside the Maspalomas dunes, with Sahrawi guides and two-seater saddles so you sit beside your companion rather than on the hump.
30 minFrom €18
Puerto Rico
Ride your own jet ski along Gran Canaria's southwest coast with an instructor following in a safety boat. A short, fast half-hour on the water from Puerto Rico harbour.
30 minFrom €70
Maspalomas
A full day inland by van to the Bandama crater, Cruz de Tejeda and a hike up to Roque Nublo, with a tasting meal and sunset from Pico de las Nieves. Hotel pickup is included.
10 hoursFrom €113
Maspalomas
An evening drive up into the mountains for sunset above the clouds with a glass of cava, then telescopes and guides at a dark-sky site. Pick-up or self-drive options.
3 hoursFrom €45
Maspalomas
A two-hour guided buggy drive into the south of Gran Canaria, on tarmac and dirt tracks, with viewpoints over the Ayagaures Valley, its reservoir and the mountains around it.
2 hoursFrom €65
Most of the island's adventure trips go inland, where the roads turn to dirt tracks and the ravines get deep.
Buggy and quad tours mostly run in the south, in the canyons and the Ayagaures valley above Maspalomas. Tours last around two to three hours on a mix of tarmac and dirt tracks, and several operators also run a sunset tour. You'll need a driving licence to take the wheel. Expect a lot of dust, so wear sunglasses and clothes you don't mind getting dirty.
Jeep safaris are the gentler option. A guide drives a 4x4 up into the centre of the island, through mountain villages and up to viewpoints, often on tracks a hire car couldn't use. They take half a day or a full day, and they're as much sightseeing as adventure.
Canyoning takes place in the greener ravines of the north. You walk, scramble, slide, abseil and swim down a ravine with a guide, who brings the ropes, helmets and wetsuits. You need reasonable fitness and a head for heights, but no experience.