The Canaries - Whales, Dolphins & Other Wildlife of La Palma

Tour Code: ESP31

An 8-day holiday to La Palma in search of whales and dolphins at sea, and a wealth of natural history on land, including a healthy percentage of endemic species and subspecies.

8 days from
£2,195
Land only price from
£1,995
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Highlights

Summary

Summary

La Palma is one of the lesser-known Canary Islands and boasts a remarkable variety of habitats in a relatively small area. It is home to 870 native plant species as well as many other endemic and Macaronesian endemic species and subspecies. La Palma is of volcanic origin and its waters drop off rapidly to depths of over 1,000 metres, which attracts a wealth of marine-life, including cetaceans. We will begin our holiday with a direct flight to La Palma then transfer to our hotel in Los Cancajos on the sunny south-east coast. We will aim to make boat excursions on alternate days hoping to see Bottlenose Dolphins, Short-finned Pilot Whales and other cetaceans. On land we will explore lava flows, scrub, wetlands and other habitats in search of a wide variety of flora and fauna. After a week of deep blue Canary Island sea vistas and, hopefully, some autumn sunshine we will return home.

  • La Palma is a small, relaxed & relatively undeveloped Canary Island
  • Enjoy autumn sunshine & gentle daily wildlife excursions
  • Bryde's Whale & Blainville's Beaked Whale found in La Palma's waters
  • Atlantic Spotted Dolphin & Rough-toothed Dolphins seen regularly
  • Look for Berthelot's Pipit, Bolle's Pigeon, Stone Curlew & Atlantic Canary
  • Canary Blue, African Grass Blue & Canary Speckled Wood butterflies in hotel surrounds
  • La Palma Cleopatra & La Palma Grayling possible
  • Barbary Falcon, Spectacled Warbler & chance of Nearctic waders among special birds
  • Led by expert naturalist guide

The Canaries, a Spanish archipelago, lie just over 60 miles off the coast of north-west Africa and about 680 miles south-west of mainland Spain. At their western extremity stands the beautiful and unspoilt island of La Palma. About half the size of Greater London, it is one of the lesser known Canary Islands, mostly visited by those on walking holidays in search of tranquillity. La Palma boasts a remarkable variety of habitats in a relatively small area and a rich accompanying flora and fauna that has been relatively little explored by visiting naturalists. Like the other Canary Islands it is entirely of volcanic origin, resulting in the waters dropping off rapidly to depths of more than 1,000 metres within a few miles of land, and this attracts a wealth of marine-life, including cetaceans. On this new 8-day holiday we will explore the special land and marine-life of La Palma, making leisurely day walks, and boat trips, in search of dolphins, whales, birds, butterflies, wild flowers and other wildlife, against a backdrop of dramatic volcanic scenery and deep blue Canary Island seas.

Our holiday begins with a direct flight to La Palma. We will base ourselves in a small and relaxed holiday resort of Los Cancajos on the island’s sunny south-west coast, that comprises a long sandy beach dotted with palm trees and bordered by a restaurant-lined boulevard. Our hotel will provide a first opportunity to explore the mixture of endemic, European and North African species that characterise the island’s fauna. Its grounds and surrounding areas offer Plain Swift, Berthelot’s Pipit, Canary Island Chiffchaff and Atlantic Canary, whilst Cory’s Shearwater, Bottlenose Dolphin and Short-finned Pilot Whale are regularly seen offshore. The grounds are attractive to butterflies too, with Canary Blue, African Grass Blue, Canary Speckled Wood, African Monarch and Monarch all possible.

During our stay on La Palma we will aim to make boat excursions on alternate days, weather permitting, from the nearby port of Tazacorte in search of whales and dolphins. By basing ourselves on the relatively remote and undeveloped island of La Palma, we will avoid the large-scale, largely unregulated scrum of whale-watching operators that is, sadly, now a feature on some of the other Canary Islands. The deep, food-rich and unpolluted North Atlantic waters that envelope La Palma support Bottlenose Dolphins and Short-finned Pilot Whales, as well as such charismatic species as the petite and playful Atlantic Spotted Dolphin.  Rough-toothed Dolphins are found in the waters around La Palma throughout the year, while during the summer months Bryde’s Whales visit the islands. Blainville’s Beaked Whales are also regularly seen around the island, with many of our recent groups having excellent views of these widespread, but little-studied, beaked whales.

On land, La Palma is home to more than 870 native plant species, as well as a wealth of other endemic and Macaronesian endemic species and sub-species amongst its flora and fauna! We will explore its semi-desert, lava flows, scrub, wetlands and native pine woodland in search of such gems as Canary Long-eared Bat, butterflies such as La Palma Cleopatra and La Palma Grayling, the La Palma Giant Lizard (rediscovered in 2007 having been considered extinct for some 500 years!), and birds including African Blue Tit, Bolle’s Pigeon, Stone Curlew, an endemic subspecies of Chaffinch and at least eight other Macaronesian endemics.  As La Palma is the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands it can provide first landfall in the autumn for migrating birds from North America displaced across the North Atlantic; rare species turn up annually, especially waders and gulls.  European wetland birds are well represented too, with a wide variety of species occurring, including Curlew and Wood Sandpiper. Las Salinas, in the northeast, is a good area for Barbary Falcon and Spectacled Warbler, whilst Lesser Short-toed Lark can occur in the surrounding volcanic landscape and the seawatching is good here, too.

This is a Canary Island getaway that offers peace, tranquillity and some of Europe’s best whale-watching, combined with an enjoyment of the island’s other rich flora and fauna, in the islands’ famed warm and pleasant early autumn sunshine. The volcanic landscape and wonderful deep blue of the sea add to La Palma’s wildlife attractions and should make this a most enjoyable holiday.

 

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Fly Santa Cruz, La Palma.
Day 2/7
Daily whale-watching/wildlife excursions from Los Cancajos
Day 8
Fly UK
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What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    A comfortable 3-star hotel in Los Cancajos, La Palma. All rooms are en suite.

  • Food: All included in the price.
Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Thu 17th Sep – Thu 24th Sep SPACES £2,195
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£295

2027

Departures Availability Cost
Thu 16th Sep – Thu 23rd Sep SPACES £2,295
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,095
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£345

Tour Dates or Itinerary Don't Suit?

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!

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