Garajonay National Park – Hiking

A UNESCO World Heritage Site (1986) covering 40 km² (10% of the island), protecting one of the best-preserved laurisilva (laurel forest) ecosystems on Earth — a relic of the Tertiary period when subtropical forests covered much of southern Europe. The park features a network of 18 marked trails through misty, moss-covered ancient forest with endemic flora including Canary Island laurel (Laurus novocanariensis), tree heather (Erica arborea), and ferns. Key trails: the challenging Alto de Garajonay summit hike to the island's highest point (1,487 m), Route 14 (El Cedro circular, 5.5 km through laurel forest), and the popular Laguna Grande–Alto de Garajonany (9 km return). The visitor centre (Juego de Bolas, La Palmita) provides maps and route information. The park is traversed by the GR 132 and GR 131 long-distance trails. Best hiking: March–May and October–November. Mornings often bring mystical fog (horizontal rain) that sustains the laurisilva ecosystem.