europe

Where is it?

North-west Tenerife is home to one of the most well hidden, beautiful walks in Europe. The village of Masca itself is perched 650 metres above sea level on the side of an impressive gorge, home to only about 100 inhabitants.

Why it’s awesome

The entire valley is located in the crater of a volcano which provides some jaw dropping views and vistas. If you enjoy nature, then the flora and fauna in this area is particularly diverse, with unique rock formations and it even has its own micro climate.

The tiny village has a feel of going back in time, with traditional stone buildings, many of them now empty, with most of the residents staying simply to serve the tourism in the area. The path starts in the village and is relatively easy to follow, with the gradient increasing as the walk goes on, you will need to do some scrambling and boulder hopping nearer the beach. At its narrowest the gorge is only 20m wide, creating amazing views down the valley, this is a trip where you don’t want to forget to take your camera!

Once you reach the bottom, there is a pretty black sand beach, perfect for resting tired legs and cooling off with a swim, before either hiking back to the top or taking a boat back to Los Gigantes.

The easiest way to get to Masca village is by car, although if you hire your own car then you will have to trek back up the gorge once you have hiked down to the beach, which will be about a 6 hour round trip. To reach the village there is a very narrow, winding road so if you are hiring a car to drive here make sure it’s a small one!

Your other options are the infrequent buses, be sure to check the timetable, or to take a guided tour. If you get the bus then you can then hike down to the beach, and then travel back to Los Gigantes by boat. These boat trips need to be pre-booked and will pick you up from the beaches at a specified time.

If you are planning a trip to Tenerife and you enjoy hiking and the outdoors then this is an experience not to be missed! The walk is suitable for people with a good level of fitness and not just hiking enthusiasts.