The island of Gran Canaria is renowned for its variety of landscapes and its scenery. There is a huge range of flora and fauna and this is the main reason that one third of the island is a World Biosphere Reserve.
This reserve covers six areas of rural towns with more than 18,000 inhabitants, most of whom are involved in traditional activities.
Owing to its central position in the Canary Islands archipelago itself, Gran Canaria is possibly the island with the greatest diversity of flora and fauna. Also, the island is quite round in shape with an approximate average diameter of 47.5 kilometres.
It has been described as a ‘massif’ rising out of the sea and at the centre of this massif lies Roque Nublo or Cloud Rock.
The name is appropriate as this huge rock has a habit of disappearing into the clouds and mists but even on a cloudy day, it's still worth a visit as the rock will occasionally appear through the clouds even if just for a few seconds.
Roque Nublo is 80 metres tall making it one of the biggest free-standing rocks in the world. It's 1813 metres above sea level but still not the highest point on the island. This is reserved for Pico de las Nieves which is just to the east and is higher at 1956 metres.
You can walk up to Roque Nublo from Tejeda village or across the top from San Bartolome or Cruz de Tejeda. The routes are well signposted but make sure to bring plenty of water as there are very few shops on route.
Another of island`s main attractions is the immense, deep crater (Caldera de Tejeda) that dominates the centre of the island, providing a drainage network of rainwater which in turn runs down the ravines towards the coastal areas.
The altitude of the island and the complexity of its shape have made it possible for many different micro-climates to exist. The lack of big vertebrates and harmful species has also helped the development of terrestrial flora and fauna. Indeed, birds and reptiles are the most numerous species of Gran Canaria wildlife.
While roughly five hundred of the plant species found on Gran Canaria are also found on the other islands, there are another hundred or so species that are endemic to Gran Canaria. This has led the island to become a focal point for the study of the flora and many experts believe Gran Canaria is to botany what the Galapagos Islands are to zoology.
The most preserved areas are in the southwest of Gran Canaria where the very best pine forests in the Canaries may be found. The Canarian pine is an endemic tree with peculiar characteristics making it unique in the world. Among the vertebrates, the Canary Island lizard, which is very abundant, is endemic to the island as are the Gran Canaria skink, Boettger's wall gecko and Osorio shrew. Endemic birds include the great spotted woodpecker, robins and the blue chaffinch, the latter can be found in the pine forests of Pilancones-Inagua.
In coastal areas, huge contrasts can be found, with underwater deltas, volcanic submarine caves, enormous cliff faces and interconnected sandbanks, making the coastline rich in bio-diversity. It is in these areas that giant turtles and different types of cetaceans inhabit the waters. Among other species, there are ‘mular’ dolphins and a large colony of grey ‘calderon’ dolphins.
Cycling in Gran Canaria is very popular and offers a whole host of routes for cycling enthusiasts and anyone who loves to be in direct contact with nature. There are plenty of great routes, from north to south, around the coast, through the mountains and many more. For the real enthusiasts, there are lots of long distance routes and arduous mountain climbs and hardcore descents.
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