Sunset on Gran Canaria: volcano day, stargazing, buggy, boat or a walk — which tour to book?
Updated October 7, 2026 · 8 min read
The short answer: for most people, the Sunset & Stargazing Tour is the better evening. It costs €38.25 per person, takes 3 to 6 hours, watches the sun go down from the Pico de las Nieves viewpoint with a glass of cava or juice, and then moves on to telescopes in the dark. It has 4.9 stars from 261 reviews. If you want a full day of landscape with the sunset as the finish, book the Volcano Sunset Tour and Local Food Tasting: €112.50 per person, 10 hours, 4.9 stars from 878 reviews. Teenagers who want to drive something should look at the buggy tour, but read the warning about its name first.
See availability and prices for the sunset and stargazing tour
The five types, side by side
“Sunset tour” covers very different evenings on Gran Canaria. Some are a day trip into the mountains that ends at sunset, some are an afternoon activity that happens to carry the word in the title, and one is a stroll on the dunes.
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volcano Sunset Tour and Local Food Tasting | 10 hours | €112.50 per person | 4.9 (878) | a full day: craters, a hike to Roque Nublo, a food tasting, sunset at the top |
| Sunset & Stargazing Tour | 3 to 6 hours | €38.25 per person | 4.9 (261) | sunset above the clouds, then telescopes; the cheapest mountain evening |
| Buggy Tour, 100% Off-Road Sunset Tour | 2 hours 30 minutes | €69.50 per person | 3.7 (583) | driving your own buggy off-road; do not count on the sunset |
| Sunset Sailing Experience | 2 hours 30 minutes | €79 per person | 4.7 (32) | golden hour on the water, with a chance of dolphins |
| Maspalomas Sunset Walking Tour with Lighthouse Views | 1 hour 30 minutes | €25 per person | no reviews yet | a gentle walk from the lighthouse through the dunes |
What the sunset actually is on each one
The volcano day. Everything on this tour points to the last hour. According to its page, you are picked up from one of nine locations in the south and the Las Palmas area, visit the Caldera de Bandama, stop at Cruz de Tejeda for a meal and local products, hike to Roque Nublo, and finish at Pico de las Nieves for the sunset before being driven back. The food tasting is French fusion dishes; a shot of honey rum and the sunset views (weather permitting) are listed too. Guides speak English and Spanish.
The stargazing evening. Sunset is the middle of the programme, not the end. A scenic drive past Arteara and Fataga, a photo stop at the Degollada de las Yeguas viewpoint, then about an hour at Pico de las Nieves, 1949 m above sea level, with cava or juice and, in the words of the booking page, a sunset above the clouds. After that comes the dark-sky site at Llanos de la Pez: telescopes, a laser-guided constellation tour and a photo of you under the stars that you can download. Blankets are provided.
The buggy. This is the one where the title and the experience come apart. The tour starts from Maspalomas and goes off-road towards Fataga; you drive your own buggy, goggles and dust masks are provided, and you can swap drivers at no extra cost. But the booking page’s own review summary says some travellers feel the “sunset” promise is not met and ask for clearer timing information. One reviewer wrote that the 4:00 p.m. departure was much too early for a sunset; another wrote that the tour had nothing to do with sunset. Treat it as an afternoon buggy ride, and if the sunset matters, ask the operator which departure it is.
The sailing trip. The listing describes sailing along the coast in the golden hour, “maybe even” spotting dolphins as the sun sets over the Atlantic, in 2 hours 30 minutes. It has 4.7 stars, but only from 32 reviews, so the evidence is thin compared with the mountain tours. Dolphins are a possibility, not a promise. The departure harbour, what is served and the minimum age are on the booking page, and that is where to check them.
The walk. The Maspalomas walk starts at the lighthouse, where the guide waits in Faro square with a sign saying “Maspalomas with Mila”, then goes to the Punta Mujeres settlement for the story of the Guanches, the first inhabitants, and on to the Charca lagoon and the dunes. It ends at Playa del Inglés. It is listed as a new activity and has no reviews yet, so you would be among the first to judge it.
When does the sun go down?
None of these pages gives a single time, and we will not invent one. The operator tells you the start time for your date when you choose it, and since the light changes through the year, the departure time changes with it. The booking page of the volcano day says only to check availability to see the starting times. Pick your date, read the pickup time in the confirmation, and ask the operator if you want it checked against the sunset.
The volcano day: who it is for, and who should skip it
It is a long day, and the page is honest about the physical side. The Roque Nublo hike is 3.5 km round trip with a 200-metre climb, an average incline of 16% and a maximum of 60%, over rocky terrain, and the page says good physical condition is required. Sandals and flip-flops are not allowed; hiking shoes are on the packing list. There are no restrooms during the hike, and the page warns that you may be back after typical hotel dinner times.
The operator lists these groups as not suitable: children under 5, pregnant women, people with mobility impairments, people with heart problems, people over 80 and people with pre-existing medical conditions. If you are unsure whether that applies to you, ask your doctor or the operator before booking, not on the day.
There is a second caveat. Several reviewers from July to September 2026 report that the hike was called off because of wildfire risk and replaced with an alternative itinerary, including cave dwellings and the sunset from the island’s highest area. Most still rated the day highly, but if the hike is the reason you are paying €112.50, ask about the current situation. The review summary also notes that travellers would like clearer expectations about hiking time versus driving time.
This tour is not for you if you dislike long days in a vehicle, travel with small children, or want to be at the hotel for dinner.
See availability and prices for the volcano sunset tour
The stargazing evening: cold, clouds and the weather
The page puts the stargazing site at around 1,800 m and says it can be really cold in the evening: warm clothes and closed flat shoes or trainers, no open-toed shoes. Blankets are provided. Children under 5 and wheelchair users are listed as not suitable, and so is anyone who has been diving within the last 24 hours, so do not book it on a dive day.
The honest downside is the weather. A sea of cloud below you is the picture the highlights sell, but cloud above you will hide the stars, and one October reviewer’s advice was to check the weather before booking. You can choose pickup or self-drive. With pickup, the page lists collection from hotels or pickup points in the south and drop-off there; transport from the north of the island is listed as not included, so confirm that if you stay in Las Palmas. Self-drivers meet the group at the designated meeting point and follow the lead vehicle. Meals and snacks are not included beyond the welcome drink.
See availability and prices for the sunset and stargazing tour
The buggy: who it suits
If someone in your group wants to drive, the buggy is the only option here where you do. You must bring your driver’s licence, drivers need at least one year of driving experience, and people without a licence are excluded. Children from 1 metre in height, roughly 4 to 5 years old, are welcome according to the page. Hotel pickup is included from areas running from Bahía Feliz to Puerto de Mogán; bookings made less than 24 hours ahead do not guarantee pickup. Expect dust, and one reviewer’s advice was not to wear white.
Its 3.7 stars from 583 reviews are the weakest score in this comparison, which is partly the sunset issue above. If you only want the buggy, the buggy and quad tours page lists the alternatives, and our buggy tour guide compares them in detail.
Boat or walk
For the sea, the sailing trip in the table is one option; if you would rather have a bigger boat with a swim stop, the catamaran trips are collected on their own page. If you are staying in Maspalomas and the budget is tight, the walk at €25 per person is the cheapest and shortest of the five, and the only one whose description gives no pickup: you walk to the lighthouse square yourself. Its weak point is that it has no track record yet.
For the mountain side without the sunset, Roque Nublo and mountain tours shows the daytime options, and if you are travelling with children, Gran Canaria with kids is the place to start.
Our recommendation
For most people: the Sunset & Stargazing Tour at €38.25. It costs roughly a third of the volcano day, takes an evening instead of a day, and gives you the sunset from 1949 m plus the stars. Bring warm clothes and check the forecast.
For hikers and anyone who wants a full day of the island: the Volcano Sunset Tour and Local Food Tasting at €112.50. Book it if 10 hours and a steep 3.5 km hike sound like a good day, and ask about the current state of the Roque Nublo route.
For drivers and teenagers who want action: the buggy tour at €69.50 per person, as an afternoon off-road ride, not as a guaranteed sunset.
For the sea: the sunset sailing trip at €79, knowing it has only 32 reviews.
For a cheap, easy evening in Maspalomas: the sunset walk at €25.
