Barranco de la Virgen: hiking, flora and fauna

Located within the Doramas Rural Park, the Barranco de la Virgen is an impressive natural canyon located in the municipality of Valleseco, in the north of Gran Canaria. This ravine is characteristic for being one of the deepest and narrowest of the whole island, with an impressive natural beauty and a dreamlike landscape. 

 

It’s a fantastic route for hiking and nature lovers, as it has a great variety of native flora and fauna and numerous trails that allow you to explore this impressive ravine in a truly unique way.

 

Furthermore, the Barranco de la Virgen is one of the most emblematic and popular places on the island, as it’s surrounded by numerous legends and myths related to its history and natural beauty.

 

How to get to the ravine

First we must get to the municipality of Valleseco, in the north of the island, as the path of La Virgen is one of the main roads that cross the municipality. Once there, we can access the canyon by the GC-305 road, from the historic centre of the municipality that connects with the neighbourhood of Valsendero. From here we can start the path of the Barranco de la Virgen that connects until we reach the municipality of Firgas.

 

Circular hiking route in Barranco de la Virgen

barranco de la virgen hiking route

This ravine is one of the most popular ones for hiking in Gran Canaria. There are numerous trails that pass through the Barranco de la Virgen. In this article, we recommend a circular route that goes from Los Chorros to the Barranco de la Virgen and back to Los Chorros.

start of the route

This advanced level circular hiking route is 12 km long, lasts about 6 hours and has a difference in altitude of about 575 metres. 

 

The path starts at Los Chorros, next to the restaurant and near the car park. From there, a path begins after a short stretch of road, at Las Huertecillas. Afterwards, the path enters a eucalyptus forest that goes down to the Firgas water bottling factory, until it reaches the Guadalupe watercourse.

 

Once in the riverbed, the path reaches the district of Las Madres, passing along the road, the vueltas de camello, and after a short stretch of country road. We’ll return to a path that leads to the fountain of Los Chorros, ending back at the restaurant where we started the route.

Distance12 km
Duration6 h
Circularyes

 

Flora and fauna of the ravine La Virgen

Along the path of the Barranco de la Virgen, it’s remarkable for its lush vegetation, as well as its fauna with a multitude of species of birds, reptiles, and insects. You’ll be fascinated by its landscape, slopes and numerous species of autochthonous vegetation.

 

Flora in the canyon of La Virgen

flora in gran canaria

The flora of this region is especially notable for its laurel and barbuzano trees. Get to know some of the vegetation you can find arrount El Barranco de la Virgen:

 

  • Wild Olive Tree (Olea europaea var. sylvestris)
  • Tree Heather (Erica arborea)
  • Fire Tree (Myrica faya)
  • Canary laurel or Barbusano (Apollonias barbujana)
  • Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa)
  • Strawberry Tree or Madroño canario (Arbutus canariensis)
  • Laurus novocanariensis
  • Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)
  • Hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)
  • Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis)

 

Fauna in the canyon of La Virgen

fauna in gran canaria

As we mentioned before, most of the native animals we can find are birds, small rodents, insects, and reptiles. Here is a small list with some of the animals that we can find in the area of the Barranco de la Virgen:

 

  • Giant lizard of Gran Canaria (Gallotia stehlini) - A endemic species to Gran Canaria in danger of extinction.
  • Scopoli's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) - A species of seabird that breeds on the Canary Islands.
  • Common blackbird (Turdus merula) - A common bird in wooded areas.
  • Long-eared owl (Asio otus) - A forest-dwelling species of owl.
  • Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) - A small falcon popular on the island.
  • Hoopoe (Upupa epops) - A migratory bird that breeds on the island.
  • Booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) - A migratory bird of prey that visits the island during its travels.
  • Laurel pigeon (Columba junoniae) - A species of pigeon endemic to Gran Canaria.
  • Tenerife speckled lizard (Gallotia intermedia) - Another species of lizard endemic to the island.

 

Explore the natural beauty of the Barranco de la Virgen: a unique experience in Gran Canaria

If you like to hike on trails and to discover ravines on the island, we also recommend the Guayadeque ravine. Here you can walk, discover and enjoy all the green corners that Gran Canaria offers you to make your stay in the Canary Islands perfect.

 

If you’re a traveller looking for adventure, VillaGranCanaria is your solution. If you’re looking for tranquillity and comfort, the best choice is to stay in a country house. The rural houses in Gran Canaria offer you everything you need for a holiday in which you can enjoy nature to the fullest and have a peaceful stay. Find the best holiday rental in our catalogue for an unforgettable holiday on the island.

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