an eroded rock formation
fresh snow with in the background the Las Canadas caldera rim
near the visitor center you have a fantastic view of El Teide with Roque Cinchado in the forefront
stilled lava flows
the cable car will lift you to 3555 meters
above 2000 meters the vegetation changes to endemic shrubs and plants
lunch time!
the balancing act of Roque Cinchado
The main part of
Teide National Park is situated inside the
caldera of the Las Canadas volcano that violently exploded and collapsed
200.000 years ago.
The jagged rim of this ancient caldera is still very visible in the southern part of the park.
Several
volcanoes have formed and subsequently exploded since, burying the northern caldera rim in thick lava layers.
Presently the park sports
two active volcanoes,
El Teide and
Pico Viejo, with the summit of El Teide peaking at 3718 m.
The last major eruption was in 1906
but fumaroles emanating from the top suggest there is something broiling deep inside...
Flora and fauna have adapted to
the arid conditions in the park and you may spot
Atlantic canaries and endemic lizards.
But the 4 million visitors per year mostly
come here for the fantastic scenery of weirdly looking rock formations like
Los Roques de Garcia and the balancing act of colorful
Roque Cinchado. And always there is El Teide in the background.
Weather permitting, a
cable car brings you to an elevation
of 3555 m for a spectacular overview.
We visited the park in February 2013
the southern slopes of El Teide can sometimes be a bit foggy
soon we see the first lava deposits
people are dwarfed by these huge rocks
from the restaurant's terrace you have an unobstructed view of El Teide with a delicate layer of fresh snow
the colorful Los Roques de Garcia