Betancuria Rural Park

Betancuria Rural Park is a natural and wild area that borders the town of Betancuria , located in the western part of the island of Fuerteventura.

The area was declared a Natural Park in 1984 and reclassified as a Rural Park in 1994, where the true Majorera culture and centuries-old tradition can be seen.

The Betancuria Massif is one of the most spectacular outcrops in Fuerteventura, declared a SPA (Special Environmental Protection Area) with a breathtaking and unique landscape.

The Betancuria Rural Park is made up of rows of hills with rounded peaks, as well as scrubland meadows and spectacular flora and fauna.

The total area of ​​the park is 16,000 hectares and almost 91% of the territory of Betancuria is part of the park, where every corner is a true paradise.

It is an arid and semi-desert terrain, with a rugged orography of ravines and mountainous escarpments, with particular copper tones and geomorphological and ethnographic values.

 

Characteristics of the Betancuria Rural Park

Betancuria Natural Park is one of the three most beautiful parks on the island of Fuerteventura and is located in the western part of the island, inland from Fuerteventura.

A very suggestive and picturesque place, the Betancuria Rural Park , displays in all its beauty the culture, tradition and centuries-old history of the Majoreros.

The park’s vegetation is largely made up of palm trees and tamarinds, and its fauna includes bird species such as the osprey, kestrel, and erillo. 

The park is a landscape of great beauty where traditional customs intertwine perfectly with the natural, uncontaminated and wild values ​​of the island.

The flora and fauna of the Betancuria Rural Park is rich in rare and protected species, and the structures and ethnographic elements reflect the transformation of the landscape over time.

 

What to see at the Betancuria Rural Park?

There are many attractions to visit in the Betancuria Rural Park , each with its own breathtaking landscapes and views.

In the Mirador de Morro Velosa , with rocks and volcanic flows, there is a temporary exhibition centre, designed by the famous Lanzarote architect César Manrique.

The building displays a harmonious integration of the construction with the surrounding nature with materials, shapes and colours similar to the landscape.

The earth tones of these arid landscapes are marked by green and white patches, which represent centuries-old cultures of the island of Fuerteventura.

From the Mirador de Ayose y Guise you can enjoy enchanting views and are named after the two Majoreros kings from times before the conquest of the island.

The gazebo with the two statues is a must-see for tourists, as is the enchanting view from this terrace over the northeastern part of Fuerteventura.

Other must-see attractions

Las Peñitas ravine is located on the border between the municipalities of Betancuria and Pájara and it is impossible not to stop to enjoy the breathtaking view.

The Las Peñitas Reservoir is a pleasant contrast to the natural aridity of the rest of the Betancuria Rural Park.

Valle y Huerto de los Granadillas , composed of igneous rocks and volcanic rocks, where you can see numerous terraces used by the Majoreros for agriculture.

The park contains the oldest rocks in all the Canary Islands with the highest mountains in this area such as:

• Montaña de la Atalaya , 724 m
• Gran Montaña , 708 m
• Morro de la Cruz , 676 m
• Morro Janana , 670 m
• Morro Velosa , 669 m
• Teteguno Mountain , 645 m
• Pico de la Muda , 600 m

Inside the Park is Puerto de la Peña, Natural Monument of Ajuy , a spectacular landscape.

This evocative place is made up of deposits of ancient materials, marine sediments and fossils of extinct animals.

 

Excursions and access to the Betancuria Rural Park

In compliance with the Protected Natural Area‘s indications there are lots of excursions that can be organised in the Rural Park, such as:

• Excursions from tourism companies
• Recreational fishing
• Outdoor educational or sporting recreational activities

But some tips are very important during your visit.

Permitted use

• Scientific and natural environment conservation activities
• Excursions in small groups, following the routes, roads and dedicated paths
• The transit of motor vehicles on asphalt roads

Prohibited use

• The introduction of the park’s flora and fauna into the natural environment, as well as the abandonment of domestic animals
• The campsite
• The capture of animals present in the park
• The burning or release of waste
• Any action that leads to the degradation of the architectural, historical, ethnographic and archaeological heritage 
• The opening of new passageways 

 

How to reach Betancuria Rural Park

To reach the Betancuria Rural Park from Puerto del Rosario it takes only half an hour (25 km) and you follow the FV-3 and then the FV-20, towards Casillas del Angel, and then 

We continue on the FV-30 towards Almacigo, continuing until we reach the Mirador de Guise y Ayose, where on the right is the Rural Park.

Throughout its territory there are several marked trails, which allow you to visit most of its points of scenic and geological interest.