Transport
We were initially mistakenly booked in to a tour for French speakers. The actual Tour-Guides managed to re-arrange things as best they could, and we were transferred to another coach containing just 2 other English Couples amongst a coach full of Germans. The Tour guide then first gave the usual lengthy commentary mainly in fluent German, interspersed occasionally by a few brief words of English.
La Gomera boasts unspoilt landscapes and a distinct culture all of its own. On this tour, you'll visit this Jurassic-like island and discover Garajonay National Park, a string of villages and the charming capital, San Sebastian. Arianne, one of our guides, says of the island, ‘La Gomera is a totally different world – it's a return to the past, to the origin of the Canary Islands.'
The star of the show is without doubt Garajonay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a mishmash of deep ravines and gorges filled with ancient, misty laurel forests and rare plant life. On a visit to its interpretative centre, you'll find out about its botany and history. You'll also get to know hamlets such as oasis-like Chejelipes, which is on the banks of a reservoir, and the northern villages of Hermigua and Aguilo. One of the highlights is a visit to a family-run restaurant famed for its jaw-dropping views over the island's volcanic landscapes. Here, you'll enjoy a typical lunch made from locally sourced ingredients.
And you'll get you to learn about local culture, too. There's a demonstration of the unique-to-the-island ‘whistling language' known as 'silbo gomero'. To round off the experience, there's free time to explore San Sebastian. Here, you can follow in the footsteps of Columbus before he began his first voyage of discovery. More than a visit to another island, a trip to La Gomera is a journey to another era.