Do you like hiking or trekking? We have the ideal place for you to do both: the Caldera de Bandama in Gran Canaria. It is a place that you should not miss during your stay on the island.
Other places that may also interest you:
- The best caves to visit in Gran Canaria
- Hiking to Roque Nublo: how to get there and what to see
- Visit Hoyo Azul, an impressive cenote in Punta Cana
At Lopesan we want to give you the best experience. We bring you all the information you need to visit the Caldera de Bandama on your next vacation. Are you ready to know everything about this ancient volcano?
What is the Caldera de Bandama?
Gran Canaria was formed more than 2000 years ago and has a volcanic origin. As its name refers, the Caldera de Bandama is a volcanic caldera formed by the eruptions that occurred during the formation of the island. These shaped the territory, which now has a space of 900 meters in diameter and 250 meters deep.
Likewise, the name of Bandama is given by a Flemish merchant Daniel Van Damme, who bought the land in the 16th century for growing vines.
Don’t be alarmed because the volcano has not been active for a long time. The unevenness of the route is approximately 411 meters, which is why we advise you to wear resistant and non-slip footwear so that you do not slip on the gravel ground.
How to get to the Caldera de Bandama?
If you want to get to the Caldera de Bandama you should know that it is located 20 minutes from the center of the capital of the island, between the municipalities of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Telde and Santa Brigida. You can get there both by car and by public transport.
The public transport that you must take is the guagua (bus) 311 of the Global company and get off at the Bandama station. This will leave you at the beginning of the trail, depending on your location you can find how to take bus 311 to get to the Bandama stop.
If you have a car, take the GC-802 road, from the Monte Lentiscal roundabout, you will not get lost. You will arrive at the Hoyos de Bandama Winery, where you can buy the much appreciated Canarian wines or buy a souvenir before starting the tour. In this area you can also find a place to park.
Hiking The Caldera de Bandama
Hiking The Caldera de Bandama trail is long, but affordable. If you go hiking or trekking, it will be quite easy to cover the 6.4 km in an approximate time of 2 to 3 hours depending on your jog. Go well hydrated, without much weight and, as we mentioned before, with good shoes.
Viewpoints and sites with history
Now, let’s start the tour of the Caldera de Bandama. We start the road and approach the first viewpoint, where we will find historical information about the volcano and how the caldera was formed. You will also have extraordinary views from there. You will be able to see Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Telde and Santa Brígida.
In this place you will find a lot of indigenous vegetation and flora. If you are one of those who likes to disconnect with nature, this is a unique experience to do in Gran Canaria.
We will advance through the volcanic walls to the Cornical Viewpoint until we reach Las Piedras, a natural wonder formed by millenary rocks that will guide us to the Victorian Era. In the latter we will see old buildings and we can learn more about the history of the site.
The path splits in two
If you don’t want to miss any detail on the trail, after going through the Victorian Era, remember that the path splits in two. The first short path takes you towards a beautiful eucalyptus vegetation. The longest path, leads you to another old house known as Casa de Agustinito, full of a lot of history.
Do not worry, both paths will lead you to the most emblematic site of the tour, Cuevas de las Bodegas. Another ideal place to take a break, eat and have a good Canary wine. It is an ideal plan before continuing with the trail.
The descent continues. We continue our way through the extensive Caldera de Bandama. We will notice that from this point the path becomes narrower. So we recommend that you take that break if you are not used to this type of hike, but if you like challenges or are used to this type of activity, continue without problems.
You will reach El Culatón pond, where you can continue descending to reach the center of the caldera until you descend to 250 depths. And so you will have completed a great tour of the Caldera de Bandama.
During your journey through the Caldera de Bandama you will find many places where you can make several stops to get to know the flora, admire the view, learn its history and even take a break or two and enjoy the rich Canarian cuisine.
Where to stay in Gran Canaria?
At the Lopesan Group we want to give you the best travel experience. Not only as an accommodation option in our hotels and resorts, but on our website you will find valuable information about different places to visit in the fortunate Islands such as the Caldera de Bandama.
If you need to know how to get around Gran Canaria, pertinent information, places you shouldn’t miss and how far to stay, be sure to visit us and read some of our articles published on the blog:
How to get around Gran Canaria: transport and connections
Can you drink tap water in the Canary Islands?
The best caves to visit in Gran Canaria
We will be waiting for you to offer you that opportunity to rest that you need so much. Do not stop contacting us in all the ways that we have for you on our website.
