Barrancos & Hiking Trails

Gran Canaria's highlands are crisscrossed by deep Barrancos (ravines) that radiate from the center to the coast — massive erosion valleys that reveal the island's volcanic past. Each Barranco is its own world: lush vegetation on the northern slopes, barren rocks in the south, hidden cave villages, and archaeological sites of the indigenous people.

Barranco de Guayadeque

The Barranco de Guayadeque east of Ingenio is one of the deepest and most impressive ravines on the island. Here you find archaeological sites of the indigenous people (over 2,000 years old), a cave church (Ermita de Guayadeque), and several cave restaurants where you dine carved into the rock. The Guayadeque Cave Restaurants (Tagoror and Vega) are legendary: Canarian cuisine in a natural rock setting, often with a fireplace in winter. The ravine is accessible by car (the road ends at the restaurants) or can be hiked through (various routes, 2–6 hours).

Barranco de Fataga

The Fataga Ravine connects the highlands with the south and offers one of the most beautiful drives on the island: The GC-60 winds through dramatic rock formations, past the picturesque village of Fataga (white houses, palm trees, a small church — postcard motif) down to San Bartolomé. The Mirador de Fataga offers an overview of the entire ravine. In the village itself: a café, a small shop, and absolute tranquility.

Hiking Routes in the Highlands

Gran Canaria has a network of over 30 marked hiking trails (GR, PR, and SL) that open up the highlands. The main ones:

Route	Distance	Duration	Difficulty
Roque Nublo Circular Route	3 km (round trip)	1–1.5h	Easy
Cruz de Tejeda → Artenara	8 km (one way)	2.5–3h	Moderate
Barranco de Guayadeque	8–12 km (variable)	3–5h	Moderate
Camino de la Plata	14 km	5–6h	Hard
Tamadaba Circular Route	6 km	2–3h	Easy–Moderate
Pico de las Nieves → Cruz de Tejeda	10 km	3–4h	Moderate

Practical Tips

• Best hiking season: October–May (summer can be too hot in the sun, but mornings are fine).
• Equipment: Sturdy hiking boots, sun protection, at least 1.5 liters of water per person, light jacket (wind on the peaks!).
• GPS/maps: Komoot and Wikiloc have excellent map coverage for Gran Canaria. Download offline maps — mobile network is patchy in the ravines.
• Beware of rain: After heavy rain, the Barrancos can turn into raging rivers within minutes. Never hike in a ravine if rain is forecast!