Marvel at the forms of nature from Roque Nublo

Erosion and the five volcanic episodes that occurred on Gran Canaria more than 10 million years ago generated a series of huge and spectacular landforms. This enormous monolith-shaped basaltic rock that bears the name Roque Nublo dates from the Lower Miocene, a devastating cycle for the island as it was almost entirely razed to the ground, but which left this unique territory.

Once a sacred place for the aboriginal Canary Islanders to worship the gods and celebrate rituals, Roque Nublo is today an iconic place to visit in Gran Canaria from where you can almost always see the island of Tenerife and its famous volcano, Mount Teide. Two different rocks on Roque Nublo are the Fraile, a monolithic rock whose name refers to its shape resembling a praying monk, and the Roque La Rana, whose shape is reminiscent of an amphibian.

At 1,813 metres above sea level, Roque Nublo is one of those unique places that you will only see when visiting Gran Canaria, and presides over the Caldera de Tejeda, one of the largest calderas on the island.

How to get there?

From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (northeast of the island), it takes about an hour to get to the car park at Degollada de La Goleta, where the trail begins. The quickest route is the one through Santa Brígida and San Mateo, taking the GC-15 road to the fork of the GC-15 and GC-600. Here you have to turn left and take the GC-600, following this road until you reach the car park.

If you are coming from Maspalomas (south of the island), the journey time is almost the same as from Las Palmas. To get to Roque Nublo, you have to drive up the GC-60 to Ayacata. Just before the Bar Casa Melo, you will see a turn-off to the right that will take you to the car park.

In case you don't have a car, you can also reach Roque Nublo by bus, better known as "la guagua". From San Telmo station in Las Palmas, take bus number 30 to Faro de Maspalomas, and then change for bus number 18, which will take you to Tejeda. If you are coming from Maspalomas, the journey is even easier, as you only have to take bus number 18 from Faro de Maspalomas station to Tejeda.

The route to Roque Nublo

The route to Roque Nublo from the car park at Degollada de La Goleta is a three kilometre round trip. It takes about 40 minutes to reach the highest point of the Roque, as the outward journey is uphill. However, the route is not circular, so it only takes 20 minutes to get back, as it is downhill to the car park where you started the route. It is a fairly easy route, which is why it tends to be very popular with tourists, be they athletes, families with children or senior citizens.

Along the way you will find signs to guide you from start to finish, so don't be afraid of getting lost. This will also allow you to make the most of the fabulous views on your hike, winding through pine trees, ancient lava flows and stone columns. Don't miss the Tejeda caldera, Pico de las Nieves and, if you're at the summit on a day when visibility is good, Teide in the distance on the island of Tenerife.

When you reach the highest point of the route, you will see the Roque Nublo. You can also see the two other monuments that are right next to it: Roque del Fraile and Roque de La Rana.

Tejeda is one of the most beautiful towns in Gran Canaria, and one of the prettiest villages in all of Spain. Located at 1,050 metres above sea level, it is the highest village on the island, with the Pico de las Nieves reaching 1,949 metres. This beautiful village belongs to the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain, so a stroll through its streets is something not to be missed when visiting Gran Canaria. Surrounded by Canarian pines and almond trees in bloom, it is not just the village itself, but also the beautiful surroundings.

So let's start in the old town. Although it is small, this part of the village is no less beautiful or charming than the rest of Tejeda, with all its white houses of traditional architecture and the unmissable views it offers towards the Roque de Bentayga, but also towards the Roque Nublo, not forgetting its perfectly preserved streets and façades. This whole landscape is part of the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria and, together with the Cultural Landscape of Risco Caído, was declared a World Heritage Site in 2019 by the World Heritage Committee of Unesco at its 43rd session. As you walk through the old town, you can visit the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora del Socorro, the Tres Cruces Typical Canarian Museum and the Medicinal Plants Centre.

Once in Tejeda, take the time to try something sweet at Dulcería Nublo, a very good confectionery specialising in almond sweets.

We also recommend a visit to La Cesta, a work by the Portuguese artist Rita Loureiro da Silva and one of the most Instagrammable spots in the village due to its view of the Roque de Bentayga. This artistic monument is made entirely of metal and is a symbol of the hard work of agriculture and livestock farming in Tejeda, next to which you can see a commemorative plaque of the Town Hall of Tejeda in tribute to a Tejeda family who died during a heavy storm in 1946.

Roque de Bentayga, once another sacred meeting place for the aborigines, is also worth a visit. Situated within the volcanic caldera of Tejeda, it has an Interpretation Centre and is close to the ancient Canarian aboriginal settlements of Cuevas del Rey and Roque Camello.

Spending the night in the heights of Gran Canaria