El Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria
Date: February 18-20, 2026
Ultramarathon # 25
Distance: 66 km
Our Time: 19:51:13
Total Ascent: 2,872 m
Total Descent: 2,752 m
Maximum Elevation: 1,721 m
Minimum Elevation: 3 m
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
El Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria [English: The Way of St. James in Gran Canaria] is a Joyful Journey to the Roots of Humanity.
“Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about,” @elonmusk—the richest man on the planet—wrote in a post on X on February 5, 2026, with a sad-face emoji. And the context is even more telling, as he made this statement just after his net worth “surged to $852 billion,” according to Fortune. So Elon Musk must be right, and his admission confirms that even the wealthiest can’t buy happiness, which should not surprise anyone, for the simple reason that happiness is not a commodity, which raises the question: how can human beings achieve happiness?
As I explain in my book, Running Barefoot for Human Survival, humans are born to be naturally happy, provided they meet four anthropological requirements, or at least most of them: direct contribution through natural reproduction to the survival our species, living in the natural habitat, i.e. in tropical or subtropical climate, spending time in nature, and regular long-distance running or walking. That was the case of our ancestors hunter-gatherers who lived millions of years without using any kind of money. Money was invented less than 10,000 years ago, evolving from primitive barter systems to shells, metal coins, paper money, and eventually, digital money.
We should bear in mind that Homo sapiens is a tropical hunter-gatherer species, which means that the human body and mind are designed for the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, absolutely not for the so-called civilized or modern lifestyle, and that’s the root cause of most of the physical and mental diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular diseases, many cancers, depression and dementia. Therefore, most medications, tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, yachts, private jets, palaces, golden toilets, etc., cannot help, because none of them address the root causes.
The 90 km Comrades Marathon in South Africa—which I have run four times so far—or the Camino de Santiago in Gran Canaria takes us back to the hunter-gatherer lifestyle in “tropical paradise,” offering a unique opportunity to experience intense and lasting happiness.
El Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria—the only officially recognized Jacobean route outside of continental Europe—provides the opportunity to combine a unique experience in nature and long-distance walking on the footsteps of the first inhabitants of the Island, taking walkers across the island from south to north in a religious or anthropological journey to discover first-hand why this island is also known as the “miniature continent,” while fully enjoying an unforgettable and enriching experience for body and soul.
Since 1965, the Way of Saint James in Gran Canaria has the same privileges as the Way of Saint James to Compostela. The 66 km challenging and often steep route ascends from sea level to the high central peaks, and then descends towards the coast, starting at the Maspalomas Lighthouse—the southernmost point of Gran Canaria—and finishing at The Church of Santiago de los Caballeros (Spanish: Iglesia Matriz de Santiago de Los Caballeros) in Gáldar, in the northwest of the island.
My wife Gisèle Diallo and I, at 71, did the route, as recommended, in three stages: from Maspalomas to Tunte (28 km), from Tunte to Cruz de Tejeda (17 km), and from Cruz de Tejeda to Gáldar (21 km). We set off at dawn on February 18 from the Maspalomas Lighthouse where we saw three men who later turned out to be Norwegian pilgrims who were also doing the route in the three stages: Kjell J. Johnsen, Stein Aarsheim and Bjornar Haugland. We were all very happy when me met in Tunte after completing the first and longest stage. Then one of them said: “Currently in Norway the snow is at knee level.”
We spent the night in Tunte, and started the next morning the second stage during which we met and talked to many hikers from Italy, the UK, Germany, etc., but none of them was doing the whole route. We reached Cruz de Tejeda in the mid-afternoon and spent night in the Hotel El Refugio.
The next morning, on February 20, we set off for the last stage, to Gáldar. After a very steep ascent, we came upon two men and a girl who were fixing the path on the slope on the mountain.
As in Santiago de Compostela, pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago in Gran Canaria can register their journey using a credential that they will stamp at checkpoints in order to obtain the certificate of the journey upon arrival in Gáldar.
He came back few minutes later with the two official certificates, and said that he would like to take a picture of us with El Santo (St. James) for their records. He also took a picture of us with my phone. Then we asked whether he had seen three Norwegian pilgrims, and he said, “no.”
He had just taken the picture when we saw the Norwegians rushing towards the Church. It was such a great pleasure to see each other again after completing an extraordinary human experience. We exchanged phone numbers, and the officer took a group photo. We said goodbye, they headed into the Church for their certificates, and we headed to the Gáldar main bus station. We took the bus # 100 to Las Palmas, where we boarded another bus to Playa del Inglés. The next day, I did the Gran Canaria Carnival Season Marathon.
The highlights of the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria include from south to north: the Maspalomas Lighthouse, the Maspalomas Beach and its boardwalk, the Maspalomas Pond, the Maspalomas Dunes, Tony Gallardo Park, Holiday World Maspalomas, the village of Arteara, the Arteara Palm Grove, the village of Fataga, the village of Tunte, the Church of San Bartolomé in Tunte, the Cruz Grande viewpoint, the Ventana del Nublo window, the views of the Twin Rocks—Roque Nublo y Roque Bentayga—and the Island of Tenerife once you reach the peaks, the Llanos de la Pez, the Garañón Camp, the Degollada de Becerra viewpoint, Cruz de Tejeda, the Cruz de Tejeda viewpoint, the Cruz de los Moriscos, the Pinos de Gáldar pine forest, and finally the Church of Santiago de los Caballeros in Gáldar.
The icing on the cake was that throughout the trip, we enjoyed the beauty and captivating aromas of different wildflowers, including the Canary Islands lavender.
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Ultramarathon # 25
Distance: 66 km
Our Time: 19:51:13
Total Ascent: 2,872 m
Total Descent: 2,752 m
Maximum Elevation: 1,721 m
Minimum Elevation: 3 m
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
El Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria [English: The Way of St. James in Gran Canaria] is a Joyful Journey to the Roots of Humanity.
“Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about,” @elonmusk—the richest man on the planet—wrote in a post on X on February 5, 2026, with a sad-face emoji. And the context is even more telling, as he made this statement just after his net worth “surged to $852 billion,” according to Fortune. So Elon Musk must be right, and his admission confirms that even the wealthiest can’t buy happiness, which should not surprise anyone, for the simple reason that happiness is not a commodity, which raises the question: how can human beings achieve happiness?
As I explain in my book, Running Barefoot for Human Survival, humans are born to be naturally happy, provided they meet four anthropological requirements, or at least most of them: direct contribution through natural reproduction to the survival our species, living in the natural habitat, i.e. in tropical or subtropical climate, spending time in nature, and regular long-distance running or walking. That was the case of our ancestors hunter-gatherers who lived millions of years without using any kind of money. Money was invented less than 10,000 years ago, evolving from primitive barter systems to shells, metal coins, paper money, and eventually, digital money.
We should bear in mind that Homo sapiens is a tropical hunter-gatherer species, which means that the human body and mind are designed for the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, absolutely not for the so-called civilized or modern lifestyle, and that’s the root cause of most of the physical and mental diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular diseases, many cancers, depression and dementia. Therefore, most medications, tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, yachts, private jets, palaces, golden toilets, etc., cannot help, because none of them address the root causes.
The 90 km Comrades Marathon in South Africa—which I have run four times so far—or the Camino de Santiago in Gran Canaria takes us back to the hunter-gatherer lifestyle in “tropical paradise,” offering a unique opportunity to experience intense and lasting happiness.
El Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria—the only officially recognized Jacobean route outside of continental Europe—provides the opportunity to combine a unique experience in nature and long-distance walking on the footsteps of the first inhabitants of the Island, taking walkers across the island from south to north in a religious or anthropological journey to discover first-hand why this island is also known as the “miniature continent,” while fully enjoying an unforgettable and enriching experience for body and soul.
Since 1965, the Way of Saint James in Gran Canaria has the same privileges as the Way of Saint James to Compostela. The 66 km challenging and often steep route ascends from sea level to the high central peaks, and then descends towards the coast, starting at the Maspalomas Lighthouse—the southernmost point of Gran Canaria—and finishing at The Church of Santiago de los Caballeros (Spanish: Iglesia Matriz de Santiago de Los Caballeros) in Gáldar, in the northwest of the island.
My wife Gisèle Diallo and I, at 71, did the route, as recommended, in three stages: from Maspalomas to Tunte (28 km), from Tunte to Cruz de Tejeda (17 km), and from Cruz de Tejeda to Gáldar (21 km). We set off at dawn on February 18 from the Maspalomas Lighthouse where we saw three men who later turned out to be Norwegian pilgrims who were also doing the route in the three stages: Kjell J. Johnsen, Stein Aarsheim and Bjornar Haugland. We were all very happy when me met in Tunte after completing the first and longest stage. Then one of them said: “Currently in Norway the snow is at knee level.”
We spent the night in Tunte, and started the next morning the second stage during which we met and talked to many hikers from Italy, the UK, Germany, etc., but none of them was doing the whole route. We reached Cruz de Tejeda in the mid-afternoon and spent night in the Hotel El Refugio.
The next morning, on February 20, we set off for the last stage, to Gáldar. After a very steep ascent, we came upon two men and a girl who were fixing the path on the slope on the mountain.
- “God bless you for fixing the route,” I said in Spanish. Then we joked and took group photos.
- “Do you have the credentials?” he asked.
- “Yes, we do,” I replied, and handed them to him.
- “Great, I’ll put the final stamp on them and issue you the official certificates for having completed the route,” he said and headed to a nearby room.
As in Santiago de Compostela, pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago in Gran Canaria can register their journey using a credential that they will stamp at checkpoints in order to obtain the certificate of the journey upon arrival in Gáldar.
He came back few minutes later with the two official certificates, and said that he would like to take a picture of us with El Santo (St. James) for their records. He also took a picture of us with my phone. Then we asked whether he had seen three Norwegian pilgrims, and he said, “no.”
- “Then, they should be arriving soon,” my wife stated. “We had not seen them the whole day, and we’re hoping to see them again,” she added.
- “God willing, you’ll see them,” the officer said, and volunteered to take another picture of us in front of the Church, so we headed to the exit door.
He had just taken the picture when we saw the Norwegians rushing towards the Church. It was such a great pleasure to see each other again after completing an extraordinary human experience. We exchanged phone numbers, and the officer took a group photo. We said goodbye, they headed into the Church for their certificates, and we headed to the Gáldar main bus station. We took the bus # 100 to Las Palmas, where we boarded another bus to Playa del Inglés. The next day, I did the Gran Canaria Carnival Season Marathon.
The highlights of the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria include from south to north: the Maspalomas Lighthouse, the Maspalomas Beach and its boardwalk, the Maspalomas Pond, the Maspalomas Dunes, Tony Gallardo Park, Holiday World Maspalomas, the village of Arteara, the Arteara Palm Grove, the village of Fataga, the village of Tunte, the Church of San Bartolomé in Tunte, the Cruz Grande viewpoint, the Ventana del Nublo window, the views of the Twin Rocks—Roque Nublo y Roque Bentayga—and the Island of Tenerife once you reach the peaks, the Llanos de la Pez, the Garañón Camp, the Degollada de Becerra viewpoint, Cruz de Tejeda, the Cruz de Tejeda viewpoint, the Cruz de los Moriscos, the Pinos de Gáldar pine forest, and finally the Church of Santiago de los Caballeros in Gáldar.
The icing on the cake was that throughout the trip, we enjoyed the beauty and captivating aromas of different wildflowers, including the Canary Islands lavender.
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Sidy Diallo and Gisèle Diallo with their official certificates in the Church of Santiago de los Caballeros in Gáldar, after completing the Camino de Santiago on February 20, 2026
Joyful Sidy Diallo, Gisèle Diallo, Kjell J. Johnsen, Stein Aarsheim and Bjornar Haugland in front of the Church of Santiago de los Caballeros in Gáldar, after completing the Camino de Santiago on February 20, 2026
Gisèle Diallo and Sidy Diallo at the Gáldar Sign with their official certificates of completion of the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria
Sidy Diallo and Gisèle Diallo’s Way of St. James in Gran Canaria Garmin data
Sidy Diallo and Gisèle Diallo did the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria in three stages: from Maspalomas to Tunte (28 km), from Tunte to Cruz de Tejeda (17 km), and from Cruz de Tejeda to Gáldar (21 km).
The elevation of the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria
Sidy Diallo and Gisèle Diallo on the central peaks of Gran Canaria on the Way of St. James: the rock in the background is Roque Nublo.
Gisèle Diallo on the central peaks of Gran Canaria on the Way of St. James: the rocks in the background are Roque Nublo (left) and Roque Bentayga (right). The island of Tenerife can be seen further on.
Sidy Diallo on the central peaks of Gran Canaria on the Way of St. James: the rocks in the background are Roque Nublo (left) and Roque Bentayga (right). The island of Tenerife can be seen further on.
Wildflowers on the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria in February 2026
Gisèle Diallo on the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria in February 2026
Wildflowers on the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria in February 2026
Sidy Diallo on the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria in February 2026
Gisèle Diallo on the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria in February 2026
Sidy Diallo and Gisèle Diallo with three workers who were fixing the Way of St. James near Tejeda.
Cruz de Tejeda, Gran Canaria
The Ventana del Nublo window on the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria
Gisèle Diallo on the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria in February 2026
The village of Tunte, and Sidy Diallo and Gisèle Diallo’s accommodation after the first stage of the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria in February 2026
The Church of San Bartolomé in Tunte
The village of Tunte aka San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria
The village of Fataga
Holiday World entertainment center in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria
Tony Gallardo Park in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria
The Maspalomas Pond and the Maspalomas Dunes, Gran Canaria.
The Maspalomas Beach and its boardwalk, Gran Canaria.
The Maspalomas Lighthouse: here starts the Way of St. James in Gran Canaria.