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Go to plannerThe Anaga Rural Park, which occupies 7% of the island and is part of the Anaga Biosphere Reserve, was one of the first landmasses to emerge from the seabed when the island of Tenerife began to form.
The effect of erosion over millions of years has created an abrupt massif of jagged peaks with deep ravines leading down to the sea. Numerous beaches of fine black sand dot the coastline, often only accessible on foot or by boat.
The park is a beautiful natural area, rich in contrasting landscapes, that harbours a wealth of flora and fauna featuring a great variety of endemic species.
Cruz del Carmen is a hotspot that has the highest biodiversity per square kilometre in Europe. Moreover, as it is a rural park, it contains villages in which many of the traditional popular, agricultural and livestock farming customs are still preserved.
The special climate of the area favours the existence of one of the finest examples of laurel forest in the Canary Islands.
Another highlight is its impressive geological formations, which time and erosion have sculpted into capricious landforms, carving out crags, dykes and deep ravines scattered across the massif.
Thanks to these features, the Anaga Rural Park has become one of the natural symbols of the island, attracting both local and foreign visitors all year round.
As the park stretches from the coast to Cruz de Taborno at an altitude of 1024 metres, it has different levels of vegetation depending on the elevation.
Along the coast you will find tomillo de mar (Frankenia capitata) and lechuga de mar (Astydamia latifolia), and tarajal (Tamarixcanariensis) at the mouths of the ravines.
A little further away from the coast you can find cardón or Canary Island spurge (Euphorbia canariensis), tabaiba (Euphorbia balsamifera, Euphorbia lamarckii) and verode (Kleinianeriifolia).
As you continue upwards, the vegetation changes and in some places there are copses of sabina (Juniperus turbinatassp. canariensis), Mount Atlas mastic tree or almácigo (Pistacia atlantica) and acebuche (Olea cerasiformis).
Then, further up, you enter the monteverde ecosystem, with typical laurel forest species such as laurel (Laurus novocanariensis), viñatigo (Persea indica), mocán (Visneamocanera), follao (Viburnum rigidum) and marmulano (Sideroxyloncanariense), fayal-brezal species – faya (Morella faya), tree heath (Erica arborea) and acebiño (Ilex canariensis) – and tejo (Erica platycodon) on the ridgetops.
Significant plant communities are also found at the bottom of the ravines, with healthy populations of a native willow known as sauce canario (Salix canariensis), and rock-dwelling communities on the slopes and cliff faces, with many different Aeonium and Sonchus species.
The laurel forest has a powerful role to play in biodiversity, with many endemic species of fauna, especially invertebrates, of which there are well over a thousand species, many of which have yet to be studied.
Among the species native to Anaga are a slug known as the babosa de boinaenana (Insulivitrina reticulata), a millipede (Anagaiulusblancatypa), a cockroach (Lobopteraanagae) and an earwig (Guanchiatenerifensis).
The reptiles that can be seen in this rural park are the Tenerife skink, the Tenerife gecko and the Tenerife lizard, with a subspecies that is found only at Roque de Fuera.
As for birdlife, the largest populations of laurel forest pigeons are to be found here, along with those of Teno.
Seabirds feature particularly prominently, as the Roques de Anaga are home to the largest breeding grounds on Tenerife for Bulwer’s petrels and Madeiran storm petrels.
14,418.7 ha (7.1% of the island)
Tarajal (Tamarixcanariensis), cardón or Canary Island spurge (Euphorbia canariensis), tabaibaduce (Euphorbia balsamifera), tabaibaamarga (Euphorbia lamarckii), verode (Kleinianeriifolia), tajinasteblanco (Echium decaisnei), Mount Atlas mastic tree or almácigo (Pistacia atlantica), acebuche (Olea cerasiformis), sabina (Juniperus turbinatassp. canariensis), acebiño (Ilex canariensis), follao (Viburnum rigidum), tejo (Erica platycodon), Canary laurel or barbusano (Apolloniasbarbujana), til (Ocotea foetens), faya (Morella faya), saúco (Sambucus palmensis), Portugal laurel (Prunus lusitanica), mocán (Visneamocanera), marmulano (Sideroxyloncanariense), sauce (Salix canariensis), laurel pigeon, Bolle’s pigeon, goldcrest, sparrowhawk, spectacled warbler, chiffchaff, canary, Bulwer’s petrel, Scopoli’s shearwater, Barolo shearwater, Savi’s pipistrelle, Madeira pipistrelle, European free-tailed bat, lesser noctule, barbastelle bat.
Coastal tarajal/tamarisk, cardonal-tabaibal (Euphorbia), thermophilic, monteverde, rock-dwelling plant communities.
Cruz del Carmen Visitor Centre, Pico del Inglés Viewpoint, Amogoje, Taganana, Roque de Las Bodegas, Benijo, Afur, Chinamada, Taborno, Chamorga.
To consult permits for use and updated regulations for this Protected Natural Area, visit the official website of the Government of the Canary Islands.
These are some of the points of interest you can find along this route.
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