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The Caldera de Taburiente is a mammoth ring of summits stretching 8km in diameter, and dropping from 2000m at Roque de los Muchachos (2426m) down to Dos Aguas at the National Park's exit in Las Angustias Ravine. This National Park, with it's volcanic origin, was declared a national park on 6 October 1954 and covers an area of 3750 ha. The National Park area was later increased in 1981 to 4690ha when the El Paso town council included woodlands in their area. The Caldera de Taburiente is a spectacular centre for Canary Island Pines (Pinus Canariensis).
The Park is crammed with dramatic waterfalls, fascinating geological formations including pillow lava, dykes (vertical walls), volcanic cones and pyroclastic mantles as well as the spectacular roques produced by erosion. Flora is dominated particularly by the Canary Island pine, but you can expect to see Canary cedar, Canary Island willow, Viper's buglos, Spanish broom and Amagante (to name a few). Bird watching holidays are on the menu here on La Palma. There are 25 recorded bird species with the most renowned being the chough, and others including the chiffchaff, the kestrel and three species of bat including the Canary long-eared bat.
Not by chance has La Palma, the greenest of all the Canary Island, been nicknamed the Pretty Island). Shaped like a triangle, and the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands archipelago, in the northern interior is the Caldera de Taburiente National Park. Essentially this is an enormous crater or landslide, and outside of the crater is an abundance of 2 million year old Laurel pine forests and plummeting waterfalls. La Palma has no shortage of natural water supply - there are numerous springs in the park. Uneven erosion has been going on here for thousands of years, to great effect. The heights of the crater or caldera are dotted with crests known as Roques - there's diverse volcanci material here and the Roques jutting upwards have eroded at a slower pace. The heart of the Caldera is the Barranco de Las Angustias (Gorge of Fear), which is a semi-circular ravine stretching 8km in diameter and 2000m from the base to the highest point.
Although the Caldera de Taburiente looks like a volcanic crator it's actually the result of landslide, also known as seamount. When Volcanic islands like La Palma form and emerge from the ocean they begin to sink again under their own weight - the Caldera de Taburiente is mass subsidence. Another particular feature of the Caldera de Taburiente is the huge number of well preserved archeological remains in the park. The original settlers were pastoral, and they used Neolithic tools. Called Benahoaries, they decorated their cave dwellings with intricate petroglyphs. Three routes leading into the Park. From the south, starting from the Visitor Centre there is a path to La Cumbrecita. Coming from the west site there is a path through Lomo de los Caballos to Barranco de las Angustias. A popular starting point is the camping area at Brecitos.
The El Paso visitor centre is clearly marked and situated on the LP 2 road midway between Santa Cruz de la Palma and Los Llanos de Aridane. The centre has excellent wheelchair access, and numerous exhibitions, audiovisual rooms, a botanic garden, and a book and video library. The other centre is the Taburiente Service Centre which sits in the heart of the park adjacent to the camping area. The park leaflet recommends the Cumbrecita to Lomo de las Chozas trail or the peak of Roque de Los Muchachos if you only have a few hours in the park. If you're planning a whole day they recommend the Brecitos Camping Area to the Barranco de Las Angustias trail. There are numerous trails across the park if your planing for a week's holiday! Visitors wishing to camp in the Brecitos camping area need to obtain a permit first from the adjacent visitor centre!
Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente, El Paso Visitor Centre and Park Offices, Ctra. General de Padron, 47, 38750 El Paso, La Palma. Tel: 922 49 72 77/922 49 74 00. This visitor centre is easy to get to from Los Cancajos and Puerto Naos, and makes a good starting point to exploring the park. Videos, exhibits, books, walking guides and more are all here! Open 9am to 2pm and 4pm to 6.30pm daily. The government published guidebook is certainly worth purchasing! There are excellent viewpoints on the LP1032 road adjacent to the Astrological centre which afford sublime panoramic views of Roque de los Muchachos.
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