Mountain biking tours

The points of interest on the island (the volcanic region in the interior, the dunes to the north and south, the mountain ranges of the central west coast, etc.) make for sensational bike tours that offer everything one could ask for in a biking holiday. There's always more than one way to get to the destination, so tours are an ever-changing experience.

Tour 1: Mirador Lighthouse
12 km; 1.25 h; elevation gain/loss 280 m
The 6-km-long asphalt road takes us straight to the lighthouse. This is a great way to get a feel for the colors and shapes of the island. The final climb is a bit steep, but on a clear day you can see as far as Morocco. 

Tour 2: Café Gran Tarajal
Circular tour; 13 km; 1.5 h; elevation gain/loss 100 m
This is what we might call our Grand Café Tour. After passing through the countryside and then the barranco (dry riverbed) of Gran Tarajal, we head straight on to the town's beach promenade. The high street furnishes a direct way home, and if you haven't had your fill of scenery yet, there's always the view to the right all along the highway. 

Tour 3: Camino Pardo Backcountry Tour
Circular tour; 11 km; 1.5 h; elevation gain/loss 185 m
This scenic loop is a discovery tour of the immediate surrounding area. Abandoned fincas, solitary windmills and the ever-present ranges of hills can be seen along the way. This is the get-acquainted tour of this part of the island.

Tour 4: Giniginamar Fishing Village
Partly a circular tour; 29 km; 2.75 h; elevation gain/loss 150 m
Giniginamar is a getaway destination located right on the ocean; there are only 20 permanent residents. The outbound leg of the journey usually takes us through the barrancos (stream beds), raising the question of whether it ever rains very much in the area. After stopping at a café we take it a little easier on the way back, using asphalt roads for part of the way.

Tour 5: The Vuelta Grande Big Loop
Circular tour; about 2.5 h; elevation gain/loss 300 m
This trip takes us a little deeper into the varied scenery of the island. Our route passes first through the stillness of the coastal hills, and then on into the hushed atmosphere of the volcanic region of the Malpais Grande Landscape Protection Area, unfrequented even by the native wild goats. The return trip passes through the livelier environs of El Charco as we head toward Gran Tarajal.

Tour 6: Valle de la Cueva
Circular tour; 4.25 h; elevation gain/loss 370 m
We first track along the imposing hills of the eastern coastal range, which are cut here and there by seaward valleys such as the Gran Valle (Great Valley). The pass we'll be taking is the Valley de la Cueva (Cave Valley), where goats can be seen as we make our way over to the ocean. After getting to know the valley, we enter the black wasteland of the Pozo Negro Landscape Protection Area. Our route lies straight through this volcanic region, with no brighter colors to be seen until we reach the drainage basin of the Gran Tarajal barranco.
Transportation: not necessary

Tour 7: Volcano and Malpais Grande
Circular tour through the Parque Natural Malpais Grande: about 4-5 h
The island of Fuerteventura was shaped by the massive forces generated by upthrusting tectonic plates. The volcanic activity that followed will be strikingly in evidence on this tour. The imposing lava fields stretching away on all sides give some idea of how destructive and abiding this force of nature can be. The final leg of our journey takes us back into the eastern coastal range, with the native goats its sole inhabitants.
Transportation: not necessary

Tour 8: La Pared Dunes
Circular tour; 45 km; 3.5 h; elevation gain/loss 700 m
From the Costa Calma along the Playa de Sotavento, best known for its wind and kite surfers, to the unique wandering dunes. Here again, we'll be following barrancos to the Parque Natural de Jandia, where, from the white sand, we'll have an unparalleled view of the west coast and the village of La Pared. Transportation: necessary

Tour 9: The American Star Shipwreck
Circular tour: about 2.5 h; elevation gain/loss 400 m; can be extended to 3.5 to 4.5 h, depending on what time we leave. This tour is named after the passenger ship American Star, which was stranded over twelve years ago. The vessel had been sailing the world's oceans for sixty years before running into a storm and going aground off Fuerteventura. The interesting route to the shipwreck begins in quaint Pájara, formerly a residential haven for well-to-do farmers, and follows a road that runs alongside the prohibited military zone.Transportation: necessary

Tour 10: Parque Nacional de Jandia
Circular tour; about 2 to 4.5 h; elevation gain/loss about 600 m
Depending on the route selected, this tour begins or ends with a unique crossing of the western coastal mountain range. A picturesque trail with some technically challenging stretches is the high point of the tour. Apart from this leg of the journey, with its splendid overlooks, the way lies over easy trails through the village of Cofete to the southernmost tip of Fuerteventura and back.

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