Tour in a real VW 70’s Buggy in Gran Canaria 4 People.

A 1970s VW buggy beats any sightseeing bus. I love how this tour feels hands-on from the first turn to the last view, and I also love the way the route mixes coastal roads with canyon climbs and short photo stops. There is one big thing to plan for: these buggies are manual, so if you cannot drive a stick shift, you may have to share a buggy.

This is a small-group experience capped at 4 travelers, and you get pickup offered plus a mobile ticket for easy check-in. The route has four distinct “pause points” with included coffee/tea, soda/pop, bottled water, and time for photos, all wrapped around Gran Canaria’s classic coastal-and-mountain drama. If you like talking cars and the island with guides who actually know their stuff, you’ll click fast with Philippe and Simon.

Quick hits before you book

• Real 70s VW buggies with an actual driving experience, not a guided look-through glass
• Small group size (up to 4) for a calmer, more personal ride
• Guides who are car people, with Philippe and Simon repeatedly mentioned for energy and instruction
• Four scenic stops including Arguineguin viewpoints, a canyon village drink break, and Mogan’s seaside return
• Included drinks and refreshments plus free photo collection via the 70’sbuggy Facebook page
• Manual transmission is the reality, so plan your comfort level with stick shift

The real point: driving a classic VW, not just riding

The biggest value here is simple: you’re not watching the island from behind a window. You’re driving an open-air 1970s VW Buggy, which changes everything about how the coastline heat hits you and how quickly you feel the road in your hands.

The guides, especially Simon (often praised for teaching and keeping the vibe fun) and Philippe (praised for his petrolhead energy and hospitality), help set you up so you can actually enjoy the drive. If you’ve never driven a manual before, it’s not automatically impossible, but you should be honest with yourself about comfort. One unhappy booking specifically flagged that the cars were manual and that this created a problem for their group.

Price and what $169.31 per group really means

The tour price is $169.31 per group (up to 4), which changes how you should judge value. Instead of paying per person for a vehicle-based experience, you’re essentially paying for a guided use of vintage buggies plus the scenic route and included drinks for a small group.

In plain terms, it can be a great deal if you’re traveling as a pair or a family group of four. If you’re going solo, it may feel less “cheap,” but it still can be worth it because the experience is built around the driving and the views, not just a couple of quick photo stops.

One more value point: the photo library is included. You’re told you can collect the excursion photos for free on the 70’sbuggy Facebook page, which helps if you want more than just your own shaky phone pictures at speed.

Where you go: the route’s rhythm from Arguineguin to Mogan

This runs about 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.), but the ride can stretch with time for viewpoints and breaks. I like this timing style because it gives you enough driving to feel like a proper tour, but it doesn’t swallow your whole day.

You’ll move through coastal viewpoints, then push inland toward canyon and mountain roads, then come back down toward the seaside again. That “climb and return” feel is part of why people get hooked on this style of tour: it’s the same island, but it looks totally different depending on altitude and angle.

Stop 1 Arguineguin: the coast view with Apollo 11 history in the distance

At Arguineguin, you’ll stop after a scenic road by the sea at a viewpoint over the coast. This is where the tour leans into big-horizon moments: you can see the ocean spread out, the Maspalomas lighthouse in the distance, and even the former NASA space center connection tied to the first Apollo 11 image.

The best part of this stop is that it’s not just “stand and stare.” It’s timed after a drive that sets you up to appreciate what you’re seeing. If you like geography cues—where the island landmarks line up—you’ll probably enjoy this stop more than a generic viewpoint.

Time is short (about 10 minutes), so come with your camera ready. If you want extra time, you can usually ask your guide to point you to the best angle before you hop back in.

Stop 2 Cercados de Espinos: canyon village, drink break, and road-side photo chances

Next comes Cercados de Espinos, described as being in the heart of the canyon with a small Canarian village stop. This is where the tour gives you a proper decompression break: a drink stop is included, and there are also multiple moments on the road to enjoy views of the canyon and mountains.

I like this kind of stop because it’s functional. You get shade or at least a reset after the earlier coast driving, and you get a pause before the climb continues. The canyon setting also means you’ll likely feel the road change—tight turns, dramatic angles, and the sensation of being higher than you were 20 minutes earlier.

If you’re sensitive to heat, use this stop as your reset point. Reviews also hint that the mountains can get hot, so drink water steadily and don’t wait until you feel totally wiped.

Stop 3 Province of Soria: where the view payoff matches the climb

Then you reach the Province of Soria area for about 15 minutes, described as “stunning landscapes.” Even without a checklist of what to see, this stop makes sense in the tour’s structure: it happens after canyon driving, so your eyes are primed for wider scope.

This is the kind of stop where it helps to take five minutes just watching the route you already drove. From a viewpoint, you can often spot the road snake pattern and understand why people describe the driving as thrilling rather than scary.

A small practical note: because the tour involves open-air buggies and mountain roads, you’ll want to plan for wind and sun at the same time. Bring sunscreen and something for your head, not just one or the other.

Stop 4 Mogan: village crossing, windmill stop, then seaside return

Finally, you hit Mogan for about 10 minutes. You’ll cross the village at the wheel of the buggies, stop to see a windmill, then head back down by the seaside.

This stop works as an emotional ending. The canyon and mountain stretches feel intense and high-energy, and then Mogan brings you back to something calmer. The seaside return is also where you can exhale and take in the island’s coastal rhythm without the same climbing pressure.

If you like photo ops that feel like they belong to a real place (not just a random rock pile), the village + windmill combination gives you that.

What’s actually included (and what you might still want to bring)

Included basics are solid and practical: coffee and/or tea, soda/pop, bottled water, private transportation, and all fees and taxes. You’re also riding in a Reals Buggy from the 1970s, which is the heart of why the tour exists.

One more inclusion that’s easy to overlook: all photos are free to collect from their 70’sbuggy Facebook page. That’s useful if you don’t want to stop for every photo while driving.

What you still might want to bring depends on your comfort level in open air. I’d plan for:

• Sun protection (the mountains can heat up)
• A hat (wind and sun both matter in open vehicles)
• Comfortable shoes for getting in and out of a buggy

If you’re the kind of person who hates waiting in lines, this tour’s structure helps because stops are scheduled, not random. You still get time for photos and drinks, but the day doesn’t feel chaotic.

Guides: Philippe and Simon are part of the experience

This tour is strongly guide-driven. Philippe shows up repeatedly as the friendly host who’s willing to chat and explain, and Simon is often mentioned as the one who makes the ride fun while also teaching you how to handle the buggy.

That matters more than you might think. Driving a vintage vehicle on winding roads is easier when you know what to do next: where to brake, how to handle turns, and when to slow down. If you’re nervous about manual driving, a good instructor keeps you relaxed enough to focus.

The tour also seems to keep a social tone. People mention laughter, welcoming energy, and a good atmosphere. That doesn’t mean it’s a party bus; it means the guides do the human work that turns “transportation” into a shared moment.

Pickup, cruise ports, and the all-important timing buffer

Pickup is offered, and the tour starts at Sunset Beach Meloneras Playa (address listed) and ends back there. If you’re staying nearby, this is convenient because you’re not forced into an awkward meeting point hunt.

If you’re arriving by cruise, I’d treat timing as a bit more fragile. One unhappy booking described issues with an arranged port pickup and a later delay, plus confusion about tour length. I can’t generalize that to every day, but I can tell you what I would do: confirm pickup details clearly and build in buffer time so you’re not sprinting across a dock while dealing with logistics.

Also note: the tour is capped at 4 travelers, and the buggies can be shared depending on driving capability. That’s fine if you’re flexible, but it’s worth knowing before you arrive if everyone in your party expects to drive.

Who should book this tour, and who should think twice

This tour is best for you if:

• you want driving to be the main event
• you like classic cars and road storytelling
• you enjoy viewpoints and short stops more than long museum-style pacing
• you’re comfortable with open-air riding and sun

It may not be ideal if:

• you cannot drive a manual and you’re traveling as a group that all expects to drive
• you need very strict timing promises for tight cruise schedules
• you dislike the idea that not every minute is a slow, guaranteed calm moment (this is a motion-heavy experience)

If you’re traveling with kids, you might still enjoy it, but use common sense. The car is open, the driving is active, and heat matters. In at least one positive account, a family with children enjoyed it, including the fact that there were breaks for drinks and photos.

Practical tips for driving comfort in Gran Canaria heat

Gran Canaria’s mountain sun can sneak up on you. Bring sun cream and a hat, and don’t “save” your water intake for the end.

A few small habits help:

• hydrate at each drink stop rather than waiting
• keep your hands loose on the wheel and let the road flow
• treat photo stops as time to rest your neck and shake out your shoulders

Also, because you’re driving a vintage buggy, expect it to feel more “alive” than a modern car. That’s the point. If you can accept that as part of the charm, the experience will feel more exciting and less stressful.

So should you book 70’sbuggy in Gran Canaria?

I think you should book this if you want a small-group day that mixes real classic-car driving with big coastal viewpoints and a simple rhythm of climb, canyon, and seaside return. The included drinks and free photo collection add nice value, and the fact that guides Philippe and Simon are repeatedly praised for energy and instruction makes it feel like a guided experience, not just a rental.

I would hesitate only if manual driving is a dealbreaker for your group or if your schedule is ultra-tight (like a cruise port where missing a window is stressful). If that’s you, message the provider before you go and clarify who can drive and how pickup will work for your arrival time.

If you’re flexible and you like authenticity over polish, this is one of those tours that gives you a story you’ll still tell months later.

FAQ

How long is the buggy tour?

The tour lasts about 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.), with stops along the way for viewpoints and included drink breaks.

How many people are in a group?

The tour has a maximum of 4 travelers.

Is pickup included?

Pickup is offered. The tour starts at Sunset Beach Meloneras Playa and ends back at the meeting point.

Are the buggies automatic or manual?

The buggies are manual, not automatic.

What’s included during the tour?

You get coffee and/or tea, soda/pop, bottled water, private transportation, and all fees and taxes. The 70s buggies are part of the experience too, and photos can be collected free from the 70’sbuggy Facebook page.

Does the tour run in poor weather?

This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.