El Batan

📍Anaga Massif
👣5 km
🏋️Easy
⏱️Estimated hiking time: 2h30m
📈Total elevation gain: 688m
⬆️Maximum altitude: 968m
⬇️Minimum altitude: 348m
🅿️Nearby parking: Yes, but limited
🌥️The trail is mostly through the vegetation
ℹ️Cruz del Carmen Visitor Center
🗺️It's a very easy trail to follow
⚠️There are areas with vertigo and the possibility of significant falls
📸Views, viewpoint, hamlet, old Tenerife, traditional lifestyle
🌲 Laurel forest, relicts, and terraces of heroic agriculture
🏔️ Rural Park of Anaga
📋No permit required

The El Batán trail is one of the most special and authentic routes in Anaga Rural Park. It usually begins from Cruz del Carmen or from the hamlet itself, and as you walk along it, the landscape transports you to another era: the path winds through narrow trails covered by the laurisilva, a humid and ancient forest that is a World Heritage Site. The evergreen and lush vegetation creates a magical atmosphere with natural tunnels of trees, mosses, and ferns.

The route's destination is the hamlet of El Batán, a remote and picturesque place where time seems to have stood still. There, traditional Canarian houses and small terraced gardens cascading down the mountainside are still preserved, a testament to the rural life that for centuries depended on subsistence farming. Strolling through its narrow streets offers a glimpse into the living history of the inhabitants who have maintained customs and a way of life deeply connected to the land.

The route combines challenging terrain with the reward of spectacular views of the deep ravines and the north coast of Tenerife. On clear days, the panorama extends all the way to the Atlantic, creating a unique contrast between the intense green of the forest and the blue of the sea.

Hiking this route is not only about enjoying a stunning natural environment, but also about discovering one of the last corners where the authentic essence of rural and traditional Tenerife can still be felt.