Garajonay National Park

Garajonay National Park is located on the island of La Gomera, which is part of the Canary Islands. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 and a national park in 1986.

 

The peak of the park is also named Garajinay and they are named after the lovers Gara and Jonay and their tragic story. Gara was a princess and as a tradition at a festival, girls would look at their reflection in the waters of Chorros del Epina – if the water was clear, it meant that they would find a husband. While her reflection was clear, she looked for too long snd the reflection of the sun blinded her. She was told that this meant that she needed to avoid fire or it would consume her. At the same festival, Jonay, the son of the kind of Adeje arrived and after meeting, they fell in love. When they got enganged, volcano Teide erupted and both party’s broke the engagement as they took this occurence as a bad omen. Upon Gonay’s forced return to Tenerife, he swam to La Gomera to be back with Gara and they both hid on a mountain, where they became trapped and took their own lives.

 

The park features a humid subtropical forest known as Canarian laurisilva. Another favourite among visitors are the gigantic rocks that were former volcanos, some of which are sacred to natives.