Masca – Los Gigantes – Masca – a real adventure — Geocache of the Week
Some Multi-Caches are quick grabs that you can find during your lunch break, while others are much more labor intensive, taking you through multiple neighborhoods, around winding forests, or even requiring a drive to a different city. This T5 Multi-Cache, located in Spain’s Canary Islands, will send you on a three-hour long trek through a basaltic ravine to an isolated beach.
The journey begins in Masca, a small mountain village on the island of Tenerife. Home to only 90 inhabitants, the village is situated 650 meters (2130 feet) above sea level in the Macizo de Teno mountains.
As you pass through the gorge to the first and second waypoints, you’ll meander over trickling streams, duck through tunnels made of volcanic rock, and admire the wide varieties of plants that flourish in the ravine’s microclimates. The enormous cliffs that form the ravine, known as Acantilados de Los Gigantes (“Cliffs of the Giants”), were formed 5 to 7 million years ago by volcanic lava flows and guide you on your journey to the ocean.
The end of the arduous journey is the picturesque Playa de Masca. If you packed a picnic, you can enjoy it on the rocks after cooling off in the waters of the Masca Bay. This area of the Atlantic Ocean is popular among divers for its exceptional marine wildlife.
After finding the cache, the most ambitious geocachers will turn back and make the long journey back up the ravine to the starting point. For the rest of us, there are taxi boats offering regular rides back to the village nearby. Before embarking on your journey, be sure to stock up on water, snacks, and other necessities, as there are no convenience stores along the way.
Keep an eye out for some of these muggles who may be around to greet you on your journey!
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