Los Gigantes Cliffs

The Acantilados de los Gigantes form the western edge of the Teno massif, where lava flows built up over millions of years and the sea has cut them back into a wall running several kilometres and rising in places to about six hundred metres directly from deep water. The Guanches called the area the wall of hell and did not pass it. Because the cliffs drop straight into water hundreds of metres deep, boats can come close under them, and trips from the marina at Los Gigantes run beneath the wall and out to look for cetaceans: the strait between Tenerife and La Gomera holds resident short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins year-round, one of the most reliable whale-watching areas in Europe.

What you actually see

• The cliff wall - six hundred metres of rock rising straight from deep water.
• The boat passage - trips running close under the face.
• The resident cetaceans - pilot whales and dolphins in the strait year-round.
• The Masca beach - the black cove at the gorge mouth, seen from the water.

When to go

Year-round; the strait's cetaceans are resident rather than migratory, so sightings are reliable in any month. Boats are cancelled in swell. Afternoon light suits the cliffs from the water.

Honest expectations

The cliffs are best seen from the sea, and the road viewpoints give only partial views. Boat operators vary in how closely they approach wildlife, and accredited operators carry a blue flag marking compliance with the code. Trips are cancelled in wind.

Nearby

Masca gorge lies north in the Teno massif; Costa Adeje and Siam Park are south.