Garajonay National Park Trails

Garajonay National Park covers the central highlands of La Gomera and contains one of the best-preserved laurel forest ecosystems on earth — a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. From Valle Gran Rey, trails climb from the valley floor through banana plantations and terraced gardens to the cloud forest at around 1,200 metres, where the trees are draped in moss and lichen and the temperature drops 15 degrees from the coast.

Several well-marked routes make the ascent from the valley. The most dramatic starts near La Calera and climbs steeply up the valley wall before entering the forest. The round trip from the valley floor to the park boundary and back takes four to six hours depending on route; fit walkers can reach the summit of Garajonay (1,487 metres) for panoramic views across all seven Canary Islands on clear days. Bring water, food, and a layer — the forest is significantly cooler and often misty.

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A story
Garajonay's laurel forest is a survivor of the Tertiary forest that covered most of Europe and North Africa around 20 million years ago. When the climate shifted and the continent's forests died, the Canaries — warmer and wetter — preserved this ancient ecosystem. What you're walking through in Garajonay is a living fossil.

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