Climbing Calderon Hondo with kids, Fuerteventura
Without volcanoes, we wouldn’t even have the Canary Islands – the islands themselves are the peaks of giant underwater volcanoes, so climbing Calderon Hondo with kids topped my wishlist during our family holiday to Fuerteventura.
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My daughter has already seen the lava-blasted landscape of Timanfaya in Lanzarote, while I’ve explored the peak of Mount Teide on Tenerife, so this seemed like the perfect easy adventure.
One of several extinct volcanic caldera on Fuerteventura, Calderon Hondo was formed more than 50,000 years ago in a series of eruptions which created the eight volcanic peaks in the north of the island.
And while climbing Calderon Hondo with kids might sound challenging, it’s actually more than doable for families, with paths leading to the crater 278m up.
In fact, there are three different routes that you can take, depending how much of a challenge you want. We went for the easiest option, which took around 20 minutes from the car park at Camino Calderas.
Staying just outside Corralejo in the north of the island, the drive was due to take around 15-20 minutes, although we quickly realised Google Maps hadn’t factored in the fact that the last few km was on un-tarmacked roads.
As we were in a hire car, and I didn’t fancy returning it with extra chips, I took those last few km at around 15km per hour – we actually got overtaken by someone on a mountain bike at one point. But as long as you’re careful, you don’t need a 4×4 (although one is a bonus over our trusty white Seat Ibiza, which got distinctly dusty).
Once you’ve parked, there’s a path made of volcanic stones – at a distance, it looks a lot smoother than it is, so this isn’t a walk to attempt in flipflops, although trainers are fine if you don’t want to pack walking shoes.
The path itself weaves fairly slowly up the slope until the last section which is a steeper climb, but still very easy for anyone of average fitness.
And at the top, there’s a railing by a viewpoint looking down into the caldera, with the base 70m below onto the deep brown, black and burned red soil.
According to blog posts I’d read, there’s also a path around the caldera, which I’d been warned was tricky, especially in high winds (which Fuerteventura is known for). When we got to the top, I couldn’t even work out where it was, unless you balanced on the very edge of the caldera – so we didn’t even try to attempt that!
From here, there’s a view onto several other small stone outlines and other ruined buildings if you want to explore further on the way down.
On a clear day, you can even see out as far as Isla de Lobos although the clouds meant we had a more limited panorama.
If you’re lucky, you can also spot some of the chipmunks which make their home on the slopes around the volcano, but we only spotted a series of cute sparrow-sized birds, which flitted off at speed every time we looked at them.
If you fancy a longer trek, there are two other routes which lead to the top, both starting from Aparcamiento Sendero Volcano Calderon Hondo – you can take one up and the other down for a bit of variety if you are happy to walk around the rim.
Taking Route 2 up and Route 3 down is the easier option, according to this useful blog post I found, or stick to Route 2 for less scrambling, and a path that leads to the same viewing point. Allow around 90 minutes if you’re taking the longer path.
If you’re visiting Corralejo, including the sand dunes in the natural reserve, it’s really easy to fit into a day out. And best of all, you get the satisfaction of climbing a volcano and enjoying an adventure that is very family-friendly.
For more ideas of the best things to do in Fuerteventura with kids, check out my top picks
Climbing Calderon Hondo with kids: Need to know
Before you set off, here’s everything you need to know about climbing Calderon Hondo with kids.
Go prepared
Unsurprising, there’s no shade at all on the walk up or while you’re at the caldera, so it’s best to time your walk for earlier in the day or late afternoon to escape the strongest sun. We arrived at around 9.30am on a cloudy day in October, and it was an easy climb, but even in autumn, it would have been much harder in full sun.
Do take plenty of water (and any snacks you might want, especially for the longer walk), SPF and decent footwear. The shorter path is easy enough in trainers, or even walking sandals, but with uneven volcanic rock, you need something supportive.
It can be windy at the top, so you may also want to bring a hoody, although even at around 10am in October, it was warm enough for us not to need one once we’d started walking.
Be aware that you’ll need to drive on dusty roads with loose stones to reach the start point. You can do it in a standard compact car, but allow for the fact that you’ll want to go slowly (unless you’re very relaxed about your paintwork).
Visit responsibly
Be responsible – Calderon Hondo is in a protected area and you’re asked to keep to the paths to avoid damaging the fragile environment. You’ll see various dusty trails leading off the volcanic stone path as short-cuts but also signs asking you not to walk along them.
As ever, leave only footprints (on the marked trails!) and take only photos. There’s nowhere to dispose of litter until you get down.
Don’t feed the chipmunks (actually Barbary ground squirrels) – they’re actually an invasive species as they have no natural predators on the island, however cute they look.
Can you visit Calderon Hondo with kids?
It’s all perfectly doable for primary school age kids who can stick to a path and won’t wander off – the climb isn’t hard and it’s well marked.
The path itself is uneven, so it’s not suitable for anyone who does have mobility issues, but otherwise the shortest route are easy for kids, and the longer ones are fine if you have more time/kids who aren’t fazed by a short hike.
Do be aware of the dangers at the top. While there is one viewing platform behind a metal rail, the rest of the caldera is not fenced and it’s a 70m drop – this isn’t the place to bring a toddler who thinks it’s funny to run off!
How much does it cost to visit Calderon Hondo?
It’s completely free to climb if you’re happy to do it independently. If you prefer to explore with a guide, there are guided tours to Calderon Hondo.
You can even choose a sunset hike as well as stargazing at the volcano although I’d suggest those are better with tweens and teens given that you’ll be hiking at least one way in darkness.
When can I visit Calderon Hondo?
There are no opening hours so you could visit at any time you choose – needless to say, there’s no lighting along the dirt road to the car park, or to the peak, so the idea of trying to climb the volcano in the dark is a really really bad one (unless you’re with a guide/group).
If you have your own hire car, you can go at any point during the hours of daylight though. It’s best to avoid the hottest period in the middle of the day, and stick to early morning or late afternoon though.
How long does it take to climb Calderon Hondo?
It depends on which route you want to take, and how much you want to explore along the way. If you’re following the shortest route to the top, and stopping for a few minutes here and there to take photos, it’s easy to do it in around 45-60 minutes.
If you’re taking the longer route, allow at least 90 minutes. And if you’re planning to follow some of the little paths to the other points of interest, factor in some extra time, although you can probably see most things within around 30 minutes max.
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