Access points

Entrances to the crater

There are three main access points to La Caldera , although they all involve a walk and which one you choose will depend on how fit you are.

1. LOS BRECITOS FORESTRY TRACK
   You can go from Los Llanos de Aridane along this track (about 45 minutes) to the point where you have to leave your car. From there to the camp site takes less than 2 hours and it is downhill all the way (200 metres descent). It is advisable, but not vital (except in winter) to use a four-wheel drive vehicle. If you do not have one, you can resort to a four-wheel drive taxi which you will find at the bottom of the Barranco de las Angustias, right after descending Lomo de los Caballos, which is part of Los Llanos de Aridane. The alternative, and for large groups, you can also hire a mini-bus with a driver (Transportes Insular La Palma : 922 411 924 / 922 414 441 / 922 460 241- www.transporteslapalma.org ).
   
   
   
   

2. Die bunte Kaskade in der Ribanseras-Schlucht (10 Fußminuten von Dos Aguas ).

   BARRANCO DE LAS ANGUSTIAS
   The Las Angustias ravine offers a different and more demanding route, normally used in the opposite direction, i.e., to leave the National Park. The first part of this route, and the only stretch that can be done by car, is the stetch between Los Llanos de Aridane and the bottom of the Las Angustias ravine (more or less 15 or 20 minutes by car and 1 hour and fifteen minutes on foot).
   
   Then you walk up stream along the ravine bed for about three hours. The slope is not too steep and you only have to leave the course of the ravine occasionally to get around the odd natural obstacle. When you reach the spot known as Dos Aguas (that is, two waters, because at this point two springs, one containing rusty coloured waters and the other containing crystal clear waters, meet), you take the right fork. The climb up to the camp site is marked off to the left of the ravine a short distance further on. From here on, there is a fairly steep climb. The locals call it El Reventón, in reference to the effort required. If you decide to tackle it, it will take you about an hour and a half to two hours to get to the camp site from here.
   
   
3. LA CUMBRECITA PATH
   The last option is also the toughest and least used one. In this case, our starting point is located at the La Cumbrecita viewpoint , in El Paso . There are two paths leaving the car park, one goes to Lomo de las Chozas [see Routes in the Park]) and the other to the camp site. The latter is only advisable for experts who do not suffer from vertigo, as it can take up to seven hours and parts of the route are very steep, although downhill. This path can be dangerous, especially in winter, because of the landslides and the mist. In any event, it is essential to follow the signs at all times and to check the weather forecast and the conditions of the path with the Park staff before setting out [see Information Points]. Once you have reached the bottom of the ravine, Playa de Taburiente, you have to walk another kilometre to find the camp site, which is located on the left of the ravine next to a lush group of willows.