Starting tomorrow, Monday, the Cabildo of Gran Canaria will impose restrictions on access to the Roque Nublo Protected Area in an effort to ensure its sustainability. A new reservation system aims to reduce the number of visitors at any given time from 2,000 to a maximum of 300.
These measures will also involve reordering public transport to aid conservation efforts, improving road safety, and enhancing visitor experience, the Cabildo announced on Friday.
The primary goal of these measures is to protect Roque Nublo and its natural surroundings while preventing overcrowding. Additionally, they aim to eliminate road blockages caused by illegal parking and ensure emergency services have unobstructed access when required.
To address the issue of traffic congestion caused by large numbers of vehicles at the monument, parking will no longer be allowed in the immediate surroundings of Roque Nublo. The main parking area at Degollada de la Goleta, the primary access point, will be closed.
Instead, two new parking areas have been designated in Tejeda town centre and Cruz de Los Llanos. Visitors will be able to reach the Roque Nublo trailhead via shuttle buses managed by the Cabildo in collaboration with Global, the island’s public transport provider.
The journey from Tejeda will take approximately 30 minutes, while from Cruz de Los Llanos, it will be around 10 minutes.
Additionally, Global’s Line 18 service will be adjusted to connect the southern part of the island (departing from and returning to Maspalomas Lighthouse) with Roque Nublo three times a day. This modification will introduce a new stop at Roque Nublo, allowing tourists and other visitors to reach the trailhead directly.
Bus fares will be similar to other Global routes and will include existing public transport subsidies. Buses will run every 30 minutes between 9:30am and 6:00pm, except at 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm, and 4:00pm.
Reservations for visits to this natural monument can be made on the website www.grancanariasenderos.com daily from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Each visitor can request up to five reservations, with cancellations permitted up to three days in advance. Failure to use at least 80% of reserved slots will result in penalties preventing new bookings for a set period.
Residents of Artenara and Tejeda, the municipalities encompassing the protected area, will be exempt from the reservation requirement but must present basic documentation to gain access at any time.
Schools may visit Roque Nublo with groups of up to 60 people per day, while tourist excursion companies will have a quota of 30 visitors every two hours.
The increasing human footprint in Gran Canaria’s natural landscapes has been putting endemic species at risk. To further mitigate environmental impacts, Morales has indicated that an eco-tax for Roque Nublo visits is being considered, though it has not yet been implemented to avoid delaying the access restrictions.
