We have companies offering rock climbing courses and holidays with trained instructors to suit all levels of climbers.

The delightful climate and an exceptional volcanic terrain with magnificent high peaks, are providing Gran Canaria with ideal conditions for practicing non-winter mountain sports. One of the most popular of these is rock climbing, which has an unexpected paradise of rocks and vertical cliffs waiting to be discovered in the island that by the way has generated some important school sites.

Volcanic eruptions and erosion created a paradise for all lovers of this sport, with rugged rock formations, rock needles, vertical cliffs, cracks, chimneys, gullies, crests, cauldrons,  wedges, etc. – everything a serious climber could wish for.

There are presently climbing sites all over the island. The most popular areas and climbing schools are found at the sites having good access possibilities and the best rock compositions such as Roque Nublo, which was the first climbing site to be developed on the island with 12 excellent routes and endless difficulties, El Palmés, El Toscón de Tejeda, Betancuria in Ayacata or Narices at the north face of Roque Bentayga. Climbing is restricted on this latter rock, because of its archaeological value.

Close to El Nublo there is also the rock circus of Ayacata, a sanctuary of traditional climbing with the largest  number of classical routes of different lengths and degrees, scattered in the area or Tamada an ancient mountain massif with vertical cliffs in the northwest rising over the sea to an altitude of over 1000 m.

On its upper lave flows, you can find the sites of Lomo Caraballo, Supernova, la Perfumería and El Gulich, with its famous Emiliano Zapata route, which made this area the sports climbing capital of Gran Canaria.  Other areas known as La Librería,  La Candelilla, El Frontón del GEC and   El Montañón. Somewhat further away, El Pino and El Aserrador, offer the highest routes on basalt conglomerate walls on the island.

Other fascinating climbing sites such as a former climbing school, Costa Ayala,  Bañaderos,  sea cliffs located few kilometres from Las Palmas, along the northern motorway GC2, and  Las Meleguinas, next to the bridge of the same name, in the borough of Santa Brígida.

The leading site for sports and boulder climbing in the south, La Sorrueda very near Santa Lucia in the Tirajana gulley, together with the southern gullies of Ayagaures and Berriel Fatagonia  are the sites most attracted to climbers.

With the exception of a few publicly owned places, sites of special ecological sensitivity or military terrains, climbing is allowed everywhere. This makes it important for all climbers to respect, preserve and in no way disturb the natural environment and habitats of those areas, where they practice their sport.

Sports climbing requires certain regulative documents for your own security such as federation licence, insurance policy covering civil liability, accidents, etc.

We recommend you acquire more detailed and more up to date information about climbing sites, regulations, equipment, etc, from the Canary Island Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing before your departure to find all the details, or that you go with local climbers.