Mid-Atlantic Islands 2024

Fueled by the thrill of reaching Teide’s summit years ago, my eyes remained fixated on the other ultra-prominent peaks that dominated the Atlantic horizon. Excuses kept popping up, but I never gave up hope for the perfect chance. And then it arrived! John invited me to hike Roque de los Muchachos. While tackling just one easily accessible peak wasn’t thrilling, discovering climbing guides for Gran Canaria’s true highpoint, El Morrón de la Agujereada, completely changed the game – two peaks down! Fueled by this exciting prospect, I immediately scoured the area for other nearby p600 peaks. Initial flight logistics presented a hurdle, but a memory surfaced – seamless connections to Madeira in the past. With a hunch, I checked their schedule. Success! The perfect flight appeared, turning this long-held dream into reality. Pico Ruivo, here I come! With three prominent peaks secured, any additional climbs would be a wonderful surprise.

Day 1. Two Flighs, One Peak Day

Gran Canaria greeted me with smooth skies and a bumpy landing (on taxi prices, that is!). My Lufthansa Vilnius-Frankfurt flight LH889 was a breeze, followed by a few hours’ layover. Discover Airlines flight 4Y302 (4.5 hours) delivered me to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with a perfect window seat. Stepping off the plane, sticker shock hit – even app-based taxi services quoted a whopping 40-50 EUR for the short ride to my accommodation. Public transportation saved the day! On the second floor, a little in front of the arrivals area, I found the public bus stop. A quick ride for a mere 1.65 EUR replaced the outrageous taxi fares. Casa Campilo, my basic B&B, offered a clean bed for the night. With two hours of daylight left, I fired up my peakbagging app and set my sights on Montaña de las Palmas. The climb offered beautiful evening views, and just before sunset, I was back in Telde. Casa Mario restaurant capped off the day perfectly – delicious food and friendly service made me genuinely regret having only one day in Gran Canaria.

Frankfurt to Las Palmas

Costs, logistics…

• Taxi to Vilnius airport – 6.20 EUR
• Coffee at airport – 3.50 EUR
• Flight tickets: Vilnius – Frankfurt – Gran Canaria and Funchal – Lisbon – Frankfurt – Vilnius. 586.20 USD at Expedia (~544 EUR).
• Cold tasteless sandwich with cofee at Frankfurt airport – 10 EUR
• Coffee at airplane – 3.00 EUR
• Bus from Las Palmas De Gran Canaria Airport to Telde – 1.65 EUR
• Excellent three-meal dinner at Casa Mario at Telde – 55.00 EUR including tips. I can recomended!
• Casa Campanilo Habitaciones Individuales at Telde – 31.58 EUR

Day 2. Two Spaish Ultra-Prominent Peaks in One Day

After breakfast, news energized us – John was on his way from Tenerife and our mountain guide, Aron, awaited at the airport. Fueled by excitement, we charged straight for Gran Canaria’s highest peak, El Morrón de la Agujereada. Aron’s expertise ensured a safe climb with stunning views, but the real crown jewel was an unforgettable abseil through a dramatic double rock window, Aron’s pick for the island’s most beautiful. Gratitude expressed and bellies full from a delicious local feast at Grill El Cazador, we hopped on Binter Canarias flight NT330 from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Santa Cruz de La Palma. A rented car became our chariot as we raced the sunset to tackle Roque de los Muchachos, another ultra-prominent peak with intriguing observatories. Back on land, spacious rooms at Aparthotel El Galion awaited. John opted for rest, while I devoured a late-night burger to quiet my post-adventure cravings.

El Morrón de la Agujereada

Costs, logistics…

• Basic breakfast at Cafeteria el Mercado – 4.60 EUR
• Transportation – 100 EUR. Aron’s airport-hotel-highpoint-airport shuttle deal, better than taxi or car rental.
• Aron Perez de Umiaga Experience – 100 EUR (including 20 EUR tip) shared by two. Highly recommended professional mountain guide – Aron! WhatsApp: +34 646 396 746.
• Lunch at Grill El Cazador – 40 EUR (for three)
• Binter Canarias flight tickets – 159.90 USD (approx. 145 EUR) (Initial price for tickets was around $30 USD, but an additional $120 USD is added for non-Canary Islands residents). Purchased at Expedia.
• AVIS car rental in Santa Cruz de La Palma – 140 EUR (rather expensive for one day)
• McDonalds in Santa Cruz de La Palma – 13.80 EUR
• Aparthotel El Galion – 60 EUR for a room comfortable big including breakfast

Day 3. Detours, Delayed Departure, & Delicious Dinner

After a decent hotel breakfast, I dropped John at the airport. With a few pre-flight hours on my hands, I decided to explore the island further. A hike up Montaña Quemada offered stunning landscapes, culminating in a view of the still-smoking volcano, a testament to a recent eruption. I detoured to Montaña de Breña before returning the rental car and catching Binter Canarias flights NT321 from Santa Cruz de La Palma to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and NT4072 to Funchal (delayed by 2 hours, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise, granting me more airport time). Touching down in Funchal, I pickup rented car, reached the very good (especially for the price) Hotel Solar Bom Jesus in Santa Cruz, and enjoyed a basic but satisfying dinner at El Bilheteria restaurant.

Montaña Quemada

Costs, logistics…

• Shell petrol station, close to Airport – 18.51 EUR. Approximately 12 liters of gasoline.
• Airport water – 2 EUR. Mastering the automatic payment machine was an adventure.
• AVIS car rental at Funchal – 206.08 EUR for free days including full insurance. Reservation was done with Expedia in the exact same amount of USD. However, the lady at AVIS refused to convert the currency and simply charged me same amount in EUR. I hope this additional 7% difference due to the exchange rate will benefit AVIS company management and shareholders.
• Basic dinner at El Bilheteria restaurant in Santa Cruz – 23.65 EUR
• Hotel Solar Bom Jesus in Santa Cruz – 162.51 USD (approx. 150 EUR) for three nights including breakfast. Booked at Expedia. Nice and comfortable 4-star hotel close to the airport.

Day 4: Summiting the Final Ultra-Prominent Portuguese Peak.

After a hearty hotel breakfast at the hotel, I embarked on a one-hour drive to the Pico Ruivo trailhead. This comfortable hike led me to the summit of Pico Ruivo, with a detour to Pico Ruivo East Peak on the descent.

Next, I drove along the scenic north coast, passing through the charming town of Santana. Before reaching Ponta Delgada, I took a detour to the Miradouro de São Cristóvão viewpoint, where powerful waves crashed against the sea stacks. After navigating a few tunnels, I arrived in São Vicente, where I unsuccessfully attempted a shortcut to Pico Ruivo do Paul da Serra. Retracing my steps, I continued along the dramatic north coast, reaching the town of Seixal. Later I couldn’t resist a detour to witness the awe-inspiring sea stack pinnacle at the mouth of Ribeira da Janela.

Further north, I visited Ponta da Tristão, the island’s northernmost publicly accessible point A quick stop at Achada da Cruz revealed a crowded cable car, so I opted to continue my journey. At Ponta do Pargo, I marveled at the lighthouse and its impressive cliffs, the westernmost public point on the island.

Turning north again, I ascended to the island’s plateau, accidentally discovering and hiking Pico do Remal. Finally, I parked at the base of Pico Ruivo do Paul da Serra, ready for the next hike. After a short hike, I drove towards Calheta, then turned east along the south coast, passing Ponta do Sol and Ribeira Brava. At Cabo Girão, I quickly bagged Pico do Galo before catching the sunset at Pico da Torre. My day concluded with a delicious meal and a refreshing beer at the Sweet Satisfaction restaurant in Santa Cruz.

Pico Ruivo

Costs, logistics…

• Apple pie and soda at one of the Bride’s Veil view point – 7.5 EUR not bad, but…
• Baguete with milk and soda at the local shop – 4.58 EUR
• Cabo Girão tickets – 2 EUR
• Good steak dinner at Sweet Satisfaction restaurant in Santa Cruz – 26.10 EUR

Day 5: Madeira Sun? Myth Confirmed.

Sunshine wasn’t the only thing the Windy app promised that morning – a cloudless day in Madeira! And, it delivered. This translated into a day packed with incredible hikes, stunning views, and the deep satisfaction that comes with reaching the top of a few peaks. My journey began by traversing the heart of the island, tackling the ever-popular Pico do Arieiro. While the crowds were present, the views were undeniably breathtaking. Next, I ventured to the even more crowded Cabo de São Lourenço, where I ascended Pico do Furado, Madeira’s easternmost public point. This hike truly stole the show – the sunshine illuminated the landscape, making the panoramic views even more incredible, even with the company of fellow hikers.

Continuing along the northeast coast, I embarked on a mission to reach the unreported Pico do Castanho, followed by another uncharted peak, Pico da Coroa. As the sun began to set, I found myself at Penha d’Águia near Ponta da Cruz, witnessing a magnificent sunset that painted the sky in vibrant hues. To conclude this epic day, I took in the panoramic night views from Pico do Facho above Machico. The day wrapped up with a familiar and enjoyable dinner at a restaurant in Santa Cruz. It was a perfect ending to a day filled with stunning scenery, nice hikes, and the satisfaction of reaching some lesser-known peaks.

Madeira

Costs, logistics…

• Ice Cream and Cofee at Cabo de São Lourenço trailhead – 6 EUR. Refreshing hihe finale.
• Petrol at GALP 46.05 EUR,Approximately 25 liters of gasoline. Depressing looking petrol station with whisky shots inside.
• Another basic dinner at El Bilheteria restaurant in Santa Cruz – 24.00 EUR. Including tips.

Day 6: One Flap at a Time, Back to My Nest

Day six kicked off with the all-too-familiar challenge of an early morning flight. Let’s be honest, what’s a trip without a sprinkle of mayhem? Waking the receptionist up at 3 am wasn’t exactly intentional, Thankfully, the check-in for TAP Portugal flight TP572 from Funchal to Lisbon was smooth sailing. Lisbon was supposed to be my next adventure, a chance to explore what missed last trips. But alas, the travel gods had other plans – a peek out the airplane window revealed a downpour, effectively dampening (pun intended) my enthusiasm. So, I found a quiet corner and embraced my inner digital nomad, getting some work done while waiting for my next flight – TAP Portugal TP752 from Lisbon to Frankfurt. This flight was a breeze, relaxed and spacious with half-empty seats. A few more hours, and I found myself aboard the usual Lufthansa flight LH888, whisking me from Frankfurt back to familiar ground in Vilnius.

Costs, logistics…

• Drinks at Hotel Solar Bom Jesus in Santa Cruz – 18.00 EUR
• Airport Breakfast – 5.70 EUR
• Funchal Airport Snack: 3.20 EUR. Greetings!
• Lisbon airport snack – 13.10 EUR Wow! Similar quality, vastly different price tag compared to Funchal.
• Airplane coffee – 3.50 EUR
• Bolt Taxi from Vilnius Airport to home – 5.60 EUR

Thanks

First of all, thanks a lot, John, for inviting me and for reminding me about it for the past six months! I finally decided to come, and I’m glad I did. Persistence pays off! I also want to express my sincere gratitude for organizing an excellent mountain guide for the El Morrón de la Agujereada climb. A big shoutout to Aron as well – his knowledge and experience as a Gran Canaria mountain guide were invaluable for this quick climb. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Aron to anyone interested in climbing Gran Canaria. The remaining logistics I handled myself were flawlessly executed, proving that a little planning and self-reliance can go a long way.