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Europe's Volcanic Outpost
8-day geo tour on La Palma and El Hierro
La Palma in eruption in September 2021
La Palma in eruption in September 2021
Lava flows at La Restinga/El Hierro
Lava flows at La Restinga/El Hierro

Europe's Volcanic Outpost

8-day geo tour on La Palma and El Hierro
Tour type
Walking & study tour: photography - geology & volcanism - nature & culture
Difficulty
Easy to Moderate
Group size: 4-8
Duration
8 days / 7 nights
12-19 Apr 2025
Price per person
2490 € $£¥
The Canary islands form a fascinating and very diverse volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Famous for their mild weather year round, the hospitable islands not only offer spectacular scenery, delicious cuisine, friendly people and an interesting culture deeply involved in Europe's time of early trans-Atlantic discoveries, but also a myriad of geologic highlights to discover: historic young lava flows, cones and craters, lava tubes, calderas, impressive dikes, and a multitude of different deposits.
This tour visits two of the most volcanically interesting islands, each with her own character: La Palma and El Hierro. Their young volcanoes have formed amazing landscapes. Aimed towards people who have an interest in geology, nature, culture, photography and walking, the tour will be guided by the French geologist and volcanologist Evelyne PRADAL.
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  • Two islands in one tour: La Palma and El Hierro
  • Visit the new volcano on La Palma that erupted last in 2021
  • Young volcanic features explained
  • Spectacular scenery
  • Small groups
  • Accompanying geologist

8 days La Palma + El Hierro

Day 1: Arrival on La Palma
Arrival on La Palma airport. Transfer to El Paso/LLos Llanos de Aridane to our accommodation. Trip presentation, visit Llos llanos de Aridane with its beautiful historic downtown. Group dinner in a local tavern.
Day 2: Barranco de las Angustias and Cumbre Vieja
In the morning visit of Barranco de las Angustias to observe rocks from old oceanic crust. In the afternoon visit the Cumbre Vieja volcanic massif where the 2021 eruption took place (3 hrs hiking, 200 m climbing / descending).
Day 3: Taburiente caldera
Whole-day excursion to the spectacular Taburiente caldera rim to enjoy amazing landscapes and very interesting geological spots such as Roques de Muchacho (easy walks from stops accessed by car).
Day 4: Young volcanism of Teneguia volcano
Discover the young volcanism onf the San Antonio/Teneguia volcano: We will do an easy, 3-4 hours hike from San Antonio to El Faro along the Teneguia lava flows, and climb to the top of the 1973 Teneguia stratocone. At El Faro, visit the famous salinas (salt flats) close to the Atlantic Ocean
Day 5: La Palma - El Hierro
Morning flight to El Hierro Island. After landing, we visit the huge modern hydro and wind turbine plant making the island energy independent with renewables.
Continue to our accommodation at La Frontera with a stop at the Mirador de la Pena viewpoint offering amazing views on the giant El Golfo landslide. After lunch, visit of the eco-mueum Guinea (also known as Lagartorio) dedicated to the famous endemic lizards.
Day 6: El Malpais - Tanganasoca
Visit the El Malpais area, best described as volcanic badlands: depending on preferences / circumstances, we either hike to the Tanganasoca volcanic cone (4-5 hours, easy) and the iconic Garoe tree, or hike to the Ermita de la Virgen de los Reyes and/or Ermita de Jimana.
Day 7: El Pinar - La Restinga - submarine eruption 2011 - Sabinosa - Frontera
In the morning, we visit El Pinar and La Restinga where the last submarine eruption on the Canaries took place in 2011-12. We discover the dramatic southern coast with its impressive young lava fields and beautiful ropy surfaces of pahoehoe lava.
After lunch, visit a lava tube, the El Julan landslide, Sabinosa village until returning to Frontera. Farewell dinner.
Day 8: Departure from El Hierro
The tour ends with transfer to El Hierro airport in time for your flight (or own extension).
Dates and details
Booking inquiry

Arrival info:

The tour starts at La Palma airport and ends at the airport of El Hierro.

Tour guide

French geologist Dr. Evelyne Pradal who joined our team in 2010 is a trained geologist and volcanologist with a passion of showing and teaching her subject to the general public. Born in Cantal, in the heart of the Auvergne French volcanic field, she studied in the renowned Center of Earth Sciences of the university of Clermont-Ferrand, one of France's leading research institutes in the field of volcanology.
Her research and trips led her to study volcanoes in Mexico, the Caribbean, East African Rift and other areas.
After completing her doctorate degree in 1990 she went on to work as consultant and teacher in earth sciences, and she has been organizing expeditions and study trips to volcanoes in Italy, France, Iceland, the Caribbean, Ethiopia and Tanzania, Djibouti, Canaries islands, New Hebrides trench, Indonesia, ... designed to share knowledge and the fascination of her subject, the beauty of our living earth, to the general public. She is also (co-)authored the books: "Volcans (2021, Ed Fleurus Docu Dys), "Tout savoir sur les volcans" (2018, Ed. Fleurus jeunesse), "A la découverte des volcans extrêmes" (2013, Vuivert De Boeck Ed), "Au coeur des volcans" (2004, Ed. Fleurus - Geo Ados).
Evelyne Pradal during our eruption special tour in Iceland in Aug 2023

Additional info

Physical requirements

You will need a normal to good physical condition and should be used to go hiking on easy to moderate unpaved trails, lengths of up to approx. 10 km distance and climbing up to 3-400 m in total.

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