The Masca Gorge is one of the most famous and perhaps the most beautiful sights of Tenerife. Every year, a huge number of travelers rush here, going to test their strength on a difficult, but rather fascinating route.
General information
The Mask is a picturesque crevice located in the village of the same name in the west of Tenerife. Length-9 km, maximum depth – up to 1300 m. Being one of the deepest hollows of the island and having a lot of difficulties on its way, Masca Walk is one of the most popular tourist routes, which takes from 3 to 5 hours to complete. Most travelers who want to try their hand at this hiking trail arrive in the village by taxi, car or bus, then go down the gorge to the ocean and transfer to the ferry or boat going to Los Gigantes. You can go this way either independently or with a tourist group, which includes people of various age categories (from teenagers to pensioners).
Interesting fact! There are many legends associated with the Masca Gorge on the island of Tenerife. According to one of them, it was in this place that Spanish pirates hid their treasures from local residents and conquistadors. True or not, it is not known for certain, but since then it has been called pirate.
Maska Village
The village of Masca, which has just over 100 inhabitants, is located right in the mountains at an altitude of 600 m. Perhaps no one would have known about this place if it hadn’t been for the entrance to the famous gorge located here. Interestingly, until the 60s of the last century, there was not even a light, not to mention some other, more modern amenities. The situation changed only after a narrow and incredibly steep road was built here from the neighboring town of Buenavista del Norte, on which two cars can hardly pass each other. It was she who not only connected the Mask with the “mainland”, but also opened it for numerous travelers.
Interestingly, despite the large number of tourists coming to Tenerife from all over Europe, the villagers managed to preserve both the pristine beauty of its nature and the special atmosphere inherent in the old Canary settlements.
Today, the main occupation of the indigenous population is agriculture and servicing people hiking in the gorge. In this regard, on the territory of the Mask there are several tourist shops and a couple of small restaurants offering traditional Spanish dishes. On Saturday and Sunday, there is a museum here, whose exhibits introduce visitors to the life of previous generations and the history of the hollow.
The main attraction of this place is the ancient Church of the Immaculate Conception, reminiscent of gingerbread, and a huge hundred-year-old tree, which in former times served as a gathering place for pirates. And at the entrance to the village there is a spacious observation deck, which offers a beautiful panorama of the crevice itself, the Los Gigantes Mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the island of La Gomera.
Road to the gorge
The descent to the Masca Gorge (Tenerife) begins with steps that very quickly grow into a narrow and barely discernible path. It is very easy to get off it, so you should stay close to each other and not go astray from the route. The road is very steep, but quite surmountable. In addition, the most difficult areas are equipped with ladders and railings, and along the way there are often numerous tourists who either go down or return back to the village. So in any case, you will not be left without help.
Along the way, you can expect very heavy loads, which for an ordinary person who is not engaged in professional sports and leads a sedentary lifestyle, can be quite unusual. You will probably have to jump from rock to rock, move along the edge of a cliff, crouch, cross streams, fallen trees and other obstacles, so don’t forget to bring a stretch ointment or balm to relieve muscle fatigue. However, all these difficulties are worth it to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding landscapes and try yourself in such an extreme business.
Masca Walk really has a lot to see. It has a special climate-warm, humid and bright, lots of green plants, and eagles are circling in the sky. By the way, some guides like to arrange whole performances, forcing these formidable birds to descend to the ground for a delicious treat. Otherwise, people moving between the rocks do not arouse any interest among the permanent inhabitants of the hollow, so you should not be afraid of them.
The end of the long descent will be a small rocky beach, at the northern end of which is the only marina in the entire neighborhood. Here you have two options-either go back to the village, or go to the city. In the first case, try to manage before dark. In the second case, be sure to specify the schedule of boats, otherwise you risk spending the night right on the beach. Tickets can be purchased both in the village itself and from guides.
The pleasure boat ride is no less enjoyable than the descent on a hiking trail. The route of the tourist boat passes by the volcanic cliffs of Los Gigantes, which hang over the sea at a great height and shimmer in the sun with all the colors of the rainbow. In addition, you will discover beautiful wild beaches, sea caves and, if you are lucky, Bottlenose dolphins that live near these shores.
Useful tips
Having decided to go down to the Maska Gorge, take care of careful preparation and take note of a few recommendations from tourists who have been there:
- The route will not be easy, so choose the most comfortable clothes and good shoes with strong grooved soles (preferably waterproof).
- It is better to stock up on food in advance – prices in the village store are off the scale, and there are simply no other options here.
- You don’t need to take a lot of water – there are many mountain springs on the way to the gorge.
- Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, a bathing suit (if you plan to go swimming after a long drive), gloves, a hat, a flashlight, a lighter, and a fully charged phone.
- It is better to go down to the gorge not alone, but with a tourist group. Those who still decide to travel independently should follow the signs indicating the mileage traveled (the last one will show 5,8 km). Well, the fact that you have passed about 1/3 of the way will indicate a natural arch created from rock.
- If you are not sure about the right destination, wait for another tourist group to pass by and follow them.
- There are many caves in the hollow, but you can only enter them if you have a powerful lighting device at your disposal. Otherwise, it’s easy to get lost.
- If you were unable to calculate the time correctly or were late for the boat due to some other reason (you twisted your leg, got injured), do not go back in any case. Especially if you don’t have light, warm clothes, or professional support. It is better to look for travelers on the beach who have decided to spend the night in tents, and ask them for help.
- Once in a dangerous situation, call the rescue service. To do this, just call 112.
- Masca Walk is currently closed to the public. The exact date of its opening is not yet known, so do not forget to follow the news.
