Tindaya Mountain

Local name: Montaña de Tindaya

Sacred 401 m mountain of Fuerteventura's pre-Hispanic islanders, ringed by a walking track and closed to climbing.

Tindaya Mountain rises to 401 m beside the village of Tindaya in La Oliva, in the north of Fuerteventura. The island's pre-colonial population treated it as a sacred place, and it is still called the Montaña Sagrada, or Sacred Mountain. Engravings near the summit are protected, and the mountain is closed to climbing. It is also the proposed site of Eduardo Chillida's Monument to Tolerance, a large artificial cave cut into the rock; local environmentalists opposed the plan, and as of 2019 work had not begun.

Historical landmark Hiking

Entrance: No ticket; the tracks around the mountain are open to walk.
Accessibility: No wheelchair-accessible parking or entrance; the mountain is seen from tracks around its base.
Parking: Two free car parks about 1.1 km from the mountain in a straight line; there is also room to park in Tindaya village, where the walk starts.
Difficulty: Easy walking: the loop around the base is about 6 km, takes around two hours and involves no climbing, on a track exposed to the sun.
Transport: Nearest bus stop: Iglesia, about 1.1 km away in a straight line.
Advance booking: Not needed — there is no ticket or booking.
Hours: Open ground with no set hours; the mountain itself is closed to climbing.
Address: 35649 La Oliva, Las Palmas, Spain

What makes it special

Tindaya stands on its own above the plain, and it looks most striking from the track at its foot. The loop around it runs about 6 km and takes around two hours at an easy pace, with no climbing at all. The track is quiet. The bare rock shifts from ochre to rust as the sun moves across it.

What gives the mountain its weight is out of sight from below. The island's pre-Hispanic inhabitants held it sacred, and the foot-shaped carvings on the summit are the reason the ascent is closed. It also carries an unfinished story: Eduardo Chillida's Monument to Tolerance would hollow a large cave out of its interior, a plan local environmentalists fought and on which, as of 2019, no work had started.

Good to know

Entering the mountain and climbing it are forbidden; you see it from the tracks around its base.
There are no toilets, drinking water or information point at the mountain or close by — fill up before you come.
The loop around the base is about 6 km and takes around two hours, with no climbing.
A second track runs from Tindaya village to La Oliva, about 6 km each way, with the mountain in view.

Getting there

Walks start in Tindaya village, where there is room to park. Two car parks lie about 1.1 km from the mountain in a straight line, and the Iglesia bus stop is about the same distance away.

From the village a track heads out and circles the base of the mountain, about 6 km in all and level enough to stroll. A second track leads on to La Oliva, about 6 km each way, and the mountain stays in view along it. If you are only passing by car, the road gives a clear look at the mountain and a place to stop for a photograph.

Best time to visit

Best: early morning or late afternoon, when the heat eases and low sun brings out the colour of the rock.

Avoid: the middle of a hot day, summer middays above all.

The track around the mountain crosses open ground with no shade, and a two-hour loop that is easy in mild weather turns hard going in the heat.

Access & restrictions

Tindaya is protected ground. Entering the mountain and climbing it are forbidden, to protect the engravings on and near the summit left by the island's pre-Hispanic inhabitants, who held the mountain sacred. Keep to the tracks that run around the base and view the mountain from there.

Sun & daylight

Viewpoint

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