A Tenerife content creator is preparing to take on an ambitious challenge in spring 2027: walking approximately 380 kilometres in ten consecutive days to visit all 31 municipalities on the island.
The project, called El Reto de la Isla (The Island Challenge), is the brainchild of Tenerife-based creator Héctor Díaz. But this isn’t simply about completing a gruelling sporting challenge and ticking off a few kilometres.
The idea is to bring the whole island together, using sport, local culture, landscapes and the stories of its residents to create something that represents Tenerife as a whole.
The planned starting and finishing point will be Plaza de España in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
31 municipalities, one island and plenty of stories to tell
Tenerife is often recognised internationally for its beaches, resorts and volcanic landscapes. But there’s considerably more to the island than the places that appear in holiday brochures.
That’s one of the main ideas behind El Reto de la Isla.
The route aims to pass through every municipality, highlighting local neighbourhoods, businesses, community groups, sporting personalities and residents along the way.
Rather than simply passing through each location, the project wants to give every municipality its own moment in the spotlight.
The intention is to uncover the stories that don’t always make the headlines and show a more authentic side of Tenerife.
As the organisers see it, the challenge is about making all 31 municipalities feel part of the same story.
380 kilometres of physical and mental endurance
Walking around 380 kilometres in ten consecutive days is no small undertaking.
The challenge will require considerable physical preparation, mental resilience and careful logistical planning. Each day will bring new distances, elevation changes and demands on the body.
However, the organisers want the sporting achievement to be just one part of the project.
El Reto de la Isla has four main objectives:
- Sport and personal achievement: Promoting endurance, discipline, perseverance and the ability to push personal limits.
- Tourism and territory: Showing Tenerife’s landscape, culture and heritage through a closer look at its municipalities.
- Identity and participation: Bringing together residents, sportspeople, community groups, institutions and local businesses.
- Communication and audiovisual production: Creating a documentary record of the journey, the people involved and the stories discovered along the way.
The aim is to give every kilometre a purpose and produce something that continues to have value long after the final steps have been taken.
Bringing the island together
One of the more interesting aspects of the project is its community focus.
The organisers plan to involve sportspeople, public figures, content creators and personalities from different backgrounds at various stages of the journey.
They are also working towards building partnerships with local councils, public institutions, private businesses, sporting organisations and other groups that share the project’s objectives.
The initiative is currently in its development and coordination phase, with the aim of establishing a network of collaborators and participants.
The idea is that Tenerife won’t simply watch the challenge happen. It will become part of it.
Telling Tenerife’s story through film and digital media
Audiovisual production will play a central role throughout the ten days.
Each stage will be documented, capturing the physical effort, scenery, local encounters and personal stories that emerge along the route.
The intention is to create a documentary-style record combining sport, territory and human stories, with content shared through media outlets and digital platforms.
Importantly, the focus won’t just be on Tenerife’s best-known attractions.
The project also wants to highlight everyday island life, from small businesses and traditional communities to local associations and the people who keep neighbourhoods ticking along.
The resulting material will provide a lasting collection of content that can continue promoting Tenerife after the challenge has finished.
The man behind El Reto de la Isla
Héctor Díaz is a Tenerife content creator whose interests include sport, travel and an active lifestyle.
What began as a personal idea has gradually developed into a much wider project with ambitions to involve the island as a whole.
He explains that his motivation comes from wanting to do something meaningful for the place he calls home.
“I’ve always felt that Tenerife has something that deserves to be told in greater depth. Not just its landscapes, but its people, municipalities, traditions and everything that makes living on an island like this so special.
“At some point, I thought I wanted to do something that reflected how much my home means to me. But I didn’t want it to be just a personal challenge, or simply walking hundreds of kilometres to reach a finishing line.
“I want every municipality to have its place, for people to identify with the project and for something to happen during those ten days that makes us look at our island differently.”
A multidisciplinary team is now working behind the scenes, covering areas including physical preparation, general coordination, legal advice, sports nutrition and audiovisual production.
The objective is to turn an ambitious idea into a properly organised project capable of delivering what it promises.
More than a sporting challenge
El Reto de la Isla also hopes to offer a different way of presenting Tenerife to the outside world.
Rather than concentrating solely on the island’s established tourist attractions, it wants to show the territory from the inside, through its communities, traditions and everyday life.
The organisers believe the project could create opportunities for local businesses, increase visibility for smaller municipalities and encourage residents to discover parts of Tenerife they may never have visited.
It’s an ambitious idea, particularly when you consider the distances involved and the logistics of coordinating 31 municipalities.
Ten days. 31 municipalities. One island-wide story.
The challenge is planned for spring 2027, with Plaza de España in Santa Cruz serving as both the starting and finishing point.
Around 380 kilometres, ten consecutive days and all 31 municipalities stand between the team and the finish line.
But for Héctor Díaz, the real achievement will be measured in the people met, stories shared and connections made along the way.
There are sporting challenges that end when someone crosses the finishing line.
This one is hoping to leave something behind long after the walking stops.