Parque Nacional de Garajonay

Introducing Parque Nacional de Garajonay

A jungle of nearly impenetrable green that dominates the heart of La Gomera, the Parque Nacional de Garajonayencompasses one of the last vestiges of the ancestral laurisilva forests that were once spread throughout the Mediterranean. This wonderland of lush vegetation contains the island’s best hiking and cycling trails, and it is a must-see sight for anyone visiting the island.

A universe of organisms has forged out a life in this damp, dark forest, which covers a full 10% (around 40 sq km) of the island’s surface. As many as 400 species of flora, including Canary willows and Canary holly, flourish, and nearly 1000 species of invertebrates make their home in the park; insect lovers will have a field day. Vertebrates here include mainly birds and lizards. Relatively little light penetrates the canopy, providing an ideal landscape for moss and lichen to spread over everything.

Up here, on the roof of the island, cool Atlantic trade winds clash with warmer breezes, creating a constant ebb and flow of mist through the dense forest, something called ‘horizontal rain’. The best place to see this in action is at the peak of the park, the Alto de Garajonay (1487m), where a single pine tree planted by the park rangers serves as an example of how the forest works. The dripping tree, which sits in a puddle of water that it has collected, acts like a sponge, trapping moisture in its green boughs. The pines’ role in feeding the island’s springs is one of the reasons why conservation here is so important.

The frosty fingers of the last Ice Age didn’t make it as far as the Canaries, so what you see here was common across much of the Mediterranean millions of years ago. Humans have done more damage on the islands than has ice, but in this case, at least, we’ve acted to protect a good chunk of unique land before it was too late –Garajonay was declared a national park in 1981 and a Unesco World Heritage site in 1986.

Lighting fires in the park is forbidden, except in a few designated areas. Free camping is also prohibited. It can get cold here, and the damp goes right to your bones, even when it is not raining. Bring walking boots, warm garments and a rainproof jacket.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009