In the south of the island of Tenerife, near the town of Güimar, there are dark and narrow tunnels almost 16 km long, steep cliffs about 1 km high, and abysses – everything to interest adventurers and experienced travelers. This place is not for the faint hearted! It is forbidden to walk on it, as it is extremely dangerous. However, curiosity kept me on my toes, I visited it and decided to share this unique find with you. The trail is called Mil Ventanas de Güimar, which means “1000 windows of Güimar” in Spanish.
How it was born Las Ventanas de Güimar
The Las Ventanas de Güimar (Güimar Windows) tunnels are a marvel of engineering from the last century. They were created by horizontally cutting into the mountain during the construction of an aqueduct to bring water from the mountain streams down to the valley. A few centuries ago, drinking water was a luxury on the island, and unfortunately there were very few springs. Engineers were faced with the task of designing and building an ambitious aqueduct project.
The construction of the aqueduct was like working in a mine: all the tunnels were dug by hand with picks and shovels. The cut-out windows were used not only to light the long tunnels, but also to throw out the stones left over from drilling the galleries. Hence the name Mil Ventanas de Güimar, which means “1000 windows of Güimar” in Spanish.
However, as is often the case, dreams and reality diverged. Despite the tremendous work, risk and sacrifice of the workers, the aqueduct remained unused! According to some sources, this was because the water that was supposed to be diverted through the channel was never found.
Route Mil Ventanas de Güimar
The Mil Ventanas de Güimar route takes about 3 hours and goes through tunnels high up in the mountains with many openings and narrow paths. Today, the aqueduct is in bad condition. Many of the slabs are destroyed, and in some places the path is blocked by debris. The path is overgrown, which makes it very difficult to move, and in some places it goes to the edge of the cliff.
If you decide to venture into Las Ventanas de Güimar, be extremely careful. The route is unofficial, so there is no one to monitor the condition and safety of the trail. You go at your own risk. However, if you follow basic safety precautions, you should have no problems.
There are many tunnels without lights along the way, so a flashlight will come in handy. Bring a hat, or better yet a helmet, as the tunnel ceilings are low, and you can hit your head on the rocks. At the beginning of the trail, there is a steel cable for safety, but it breaks before the first tunnel.
Just before the first tunnel, you’ll see an upside-down excavator that fell here in 2005 (on the map).
Mil Ventanas de Güimar
After the seventh tunnel, the most beautiful part begins. The mountain forms a semicircle, and you will have an amazing view of the mountain valley, surrounded by steep cliffs with numerous openings – a thousand Güimar Windows.
How to get there
To get to Las Ventanas de Güimar, you can take the old TF-28 road from Güimar. From there, head south to the Don Martin lookout, which offers great views. Just past the lookout, turn right onto the paved road that leads to the Anochese Trail. Here the road becomes dirt. This is the start of the trail. Parking on Google Maps.
Don’t forget to bring a spare car for the return trip. The distance between the entrance and the exit of the route is 8 km and you don’t really want to walk it.
What’s around?
History and engineering buffs will be interested in the abandoned hydroelectric plant that once supplied electricity to half of Guimar.
Paragliding enthusiasts will appreciate the slopes of Guimar, one of the first places in Tenerife where paragliding was practiced.
Ready for adventure, Las Ventanas de Güimar awaits you!
