GR131 Canary Islands, Day 9 – Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026
We traded our usual cereal and yogurt for a feast this morning. The hotel served a massive breakfast buffet, and I honestly haven’t eaten that much for breakfast since our cruise last fall. We spent a full hour lingering in the dining hall before heading back to the apartment to shoulder our packs. We hit the trail at 9:00 AM sharp.
La Pared sits perched by the sea on the island’s rugged northwest coast. It’s a magnet for surfers who come to brave the powerful onshore winds and the massive Atlantic swells that crash against the shore. From here, the GR131 cuts directly inland, climbing away from the coast.
After 1 km (0.6 miles), we entered the El Jable desert, where the trail veers to follow the island’s spine. This vast, sun-drenched expanse of sand stretches about 12 km (7.5 miles) to the southwest.
The initial path follows a weathered track, but it soon gives way to the challenge of deep, shifting sand. The landscape is mesmerizing, with undulating dunes that ripple toward the horizon like a golden sea.
In certain areas, the ground is blanketed by millions of bleached, ancient snail shells. These are haunting remnants of a time over 10,000 years ago when this arid wasteland was a lush environment teeming with vegetation.
After 12 km (7.5 miles) of trekking through the sculpted dunes, we reached a road leading down to the southeastern coast.
We briefly considered detouring to the southwest to follow the shoreline, but Inger had had her fill of trudging through sand, so we pushed onward.
After 18 km (11.2 miles), the colorful sails of windsurfers appeared in the distance—a sure sign that we were approaching the ocean once again.
The final 14 km (8.7 miles) stretch along the coast into Morro Jable is beautiful but demanding. The trail hugs the coastline, weaving up and down through a series of dramatic ravines and gullies.
The terrain is a mix of soft sandy beaches and rugged, volcanic rock sections that require careful footing.
Just as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the town, we reached our apartment in Morro Jable after 33 km (20.5 miles). Morro Jable marks the finish line for our trek across Fuerteventura. We’re tired but excited to move on to the next chapter: Gran Canaria!
Stats for the day:
• Distance: 32.5 km (20.2 miles)
• Elevation gain: 690 meters (2,264 feet)