The beautiful and mysterious Garajonay National Park

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When we think of destinations to spend our vacations, many times we consider traveling outside of Spain to discover unique and surprising landscapes, without being aware that our country hides really incredible corners. At Vuela Viajes we have told you about many of them, but we still have more places to show you.

Today, for example, we move to the Canary Islands to show you one of the most beautiful natural parks in the entire archipelago. We are referring to the Garajonay National Park , a wonder of nature located in La Gomera. Do you want to discover this place more thoroughly? Well, you just have to join us! I assure you that you will love it!

Laurel forests

If this park stands out for something that either shines under a radiant sun or is surrounded by fog, it is because of its Canarian laurel forests, an ecosystem that comes from the Tertiary Era and that disappeared from the rest of the continent due to climatic changes. that took place in the Quaternary. Therefore, we can speak of a practically prehistoric landscape, although without dinosaurs involved. What a pity! A surprising fact is that this forest concentrates practically half of the mature trees of this species in the entire archipelago. The best of all is that they are in optimal conditions of conservation.

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Flora and fauna

Of course, beyond the Canarian laurel forest, the park is home to other interesting plant formations, such as the white heather, the mocán or the strawberry tree. The number of endemic species is striking, in addition to the impressive geological monuments, such as the Roques, which are typical rock formations of the Canary archipelago from volcanoes . The Roque de la Zarcita, the Roque de Ojila and the Roque de Agando stand out. In addition, we cannot forget the streams of the place, which are part of the network of permanent water currents that are best preserved throughout the Canary Islands.

As for the fauna, we can find a great variety of species of invertebrates, vertebrates, amphibians, reptiles and birds. The most curious thing is that many of them are endemic animals, such as the rabiche pigeon or the turque pigeon.

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World Heritage

Considered a true living fossil, Garajonay National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 in order to protect this valuable ecosystem . In addition, it must be taken into account that the park is also integrated into International Conservation Networks, among which are the Natural Network 2000, ZEPA and LIC.

Shrouded in mist

Another of the things that most attracts the attention of the Grajonay Park is that it is almost always surrounded by mists, which rise from the Atlantic Ocean to stick to the peaks of the islands. In fact, the humidity and freshness provided by the proximity to the sea of ​​this park make the existence of these splendid forests possible.

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Services

We cannot say goodbye without first talking about the park’s wide network of services and facilities, which has a Visitors Center, where you can enjoy gardens with a representation of the archipelago’s flora ; an Information Center, numerous viewpoints, recreational areas and marked trails, among many other services. In addition, in Alto de Garajonay you can find several archaeological sites of the previous inhabitants of the island.

Have you wanted to visit the Garajonay National Park? We are not surprised! Then we leave you with our gallery , where you can discover more images of this beautiful Canarian corner. Are you going to miss it?