Nacientes de Marcos y Cordero Trail Hiking Route

Description

At the indicated time, we'll pick you up at the meeting point of your choice and drive by minibus to the heart of the west of La Palma. Once we arrive at our destination, we'll get out of the vehicle to begin this hiking route through the Nacientes de Marcos y Cordero trail.

In total, the hiking route will last approximately 5 hours. It's a hike of high difficulty and is 12.5 kilometres (7.7 miles) long, but the scenery you'll see is well worth the effort.

We'll cross areas of lush vegetation following the course of canals that collect water from the high mountains and are used to irrigate the island's vine and banana plantations. In fact, the name of the route, Marcos y Cordero, comes from the fusion of the names of the promoter and architect who designed this network of tunnels and canals on the peaks of La Palma.

On our hike, we'll walk through a total of 13 tunnels excavated in the middle of the mountain until we reach the source of the water that flows through these underground passages. Once we complete the ascending route, we'll descend on foot through the well-known Barranco del Agua, discovering an impressive laurel forest. This forest, which dates back to the Tertiary Era, stands out for its great leafiness and its huge ferns. They are taller than humans!

Of course, during the route, we'll make several stops to rest. If you bring a picnic, you'll be able to refuel during these breaks. And, as a finishing touch, we'll reach the Los Tilos waterfall, a real jewel of the Las Nieves Natural Park.

After a truly enriching hiking experience, you'll be dropped off at the starting point 6 to 7 hours after the initial pickup.

Pickup

When booking, you can choose between the following pickup points:

• Fuencaliente: Princess Hotel at 8 am
• Puerto Naos: Hotel Sol at 8 am
• Los Llanos de Aridane: Bus station at 8:15 am
• Los Cancajos: Bus stop at the tourist office at 8:45 am or bus stop at the pharmacy at 8:50 am
• Santa Cruz de La Palma: North stop of bus line 2 at 9:30 am

Partial Closures

Due to a landslide in the area, access to the Bosque de Los Tilos is currently closed, so it will not be possible to visit its waterfall. Instead, we'll go through 13 tunnels with helmets and headlamps until we reach the Cordero Spring and return along the same path. It will be approximately 8.8 kilometres (5.4 miles).