GR131 Canary Islands, Day 4 – Friday, Jan 16, 2026
We spent the night in a nice, modern apartment in the town of Yaiza, which has a population of just under 1,000. By 9:00 AM, we were on the trail for our final stage here on Lanzarote.
The route started along the road out of town through beautifully landscaped surroundings, complete with palm trees and a pedestrian path.
After a few hundred yards, the trail left the road and headed up a long stone staircase in a park. From there, we followed a track above and parallel to the main road at the foot of the volcanic mountain Montaña de la Cinta.
Looking north, we could see into Timanfaya National Park, home to the newest volcanic peaks dating back to the 1730s. The lava flow from these eruptions reached all the way to the base of the mountain we were hiking along and continued down to the sea. The lava sits in the landscape like a thick, jagged, black mass that looks almost impenetrable.
After a few miles, the trail turned left and climbed slightly. The terrain became harder to hike on here. Our guidebook had mentioned this, so we were prepared, but luckily it wasn’t quite as bad as the book made it out to be.
From a small hilltop, we caught our first glimpse of the ocean and the town of Playa Blanca. On the horizon, we could also see Fuerteventura, where the GR131 continues. We had to cross an old lava plain for a few miles before finally entering
Playa Blanca.
Arriving in Playa Blanca
Located on the southern tip of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca was originally a fishing village. Today, it’s a harbor town and a tourist destination with 8,000 residents, and you can definitely feel that vibe. As the name suggests, there are white sandy beaches here, and the town is somewhat sheltered from the dominant northern winds.
From here, we were set to take the ferry to Corralejo on Fuerteventura. The route is operated by Fred Olsen Express. I tried booking tickets on my phone to no avail, so we went straight to the terminal and booked for the first available departure. It turned out the ferry was leaving at 1:30 PM—just 25 minutes away—so we headed straight on board.
The 25-minute crossing has different pricing for residents and tourists, which seems fair enough. Tourists pay €27, while residents pay about half that.
Crossing to Fuerteventura
Corralejo, where we’ve just arrived, has also grown into a tourist hub, though the town center still has an older feel to it. The city has just under 20,000 inhabitants and features a lot of new development north of the harbor area. We’ve booked an apartment right in the heart of downtown.
Today’s stats:
• Distance: 10 miles (16 km)
• Elevation gain: 460 feet (140 meters