Roque Nublo is a basalt monolith about 80 metres tall standing on a summit plateau at around 1,800 metres in the centre of Gran Canaria, and the island’s best-loved emblem. A short, steady path of about 1.6 km each way climbs to its foot from the Degollada de La Goleta. Access is free, but in the daytime controlled hours you must book a free slot online, and the trailhead car park is closed: you park in Tejeda or at Cruz de Los Llanos and take Global bus line 18 (as of October 2026).
Right now in Roque Nublo
- Wed12–16°C54–61°F5 mm rain
- Thu11–17°C52–62°F2 mm rain
- Fri11–16°C51–60°F5 mm rain
- Mon 12 Oct National Day of Spain (Fiesta Nacional de España)
Tickets and tours for Roque Nublo
See all tours for Roque Nublo →
From local operators, with prices and reviews; you check availability and book on Viator, our partner. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we earn money
What it is and why it matters
Roque Nublo (“rock in the clouds”) is what remains of the island’s volcanic past: a tower of hard rock left standing after millions of years of erosion wore away the softer layers around it. Its top reaches about 1,813 metres. For Gran Canaria’s pre-Hispanic people the summits were sacred, and today the rock gives its name to the island’s best-known song. It is protected as the Roque Nublo Natural Monument, inside the Nublo Rural Park, and the surrounding Tejeda basin is a UNESCO-listed landscape of cave villages and ancient sanctuaries.
The view is the real reward: from the plateau you look across the Tejeda basin to Roque Bentayga and the white houses of Artenara, and on clear days to the ocean, the Maspalomas dunes and Tenerife’s Teide. For the rest of the island, see our Gran Canaria travel guide.
The walk
The marked path starts at the La Goleta viewpoint on the GC-600 (km 11.3), between Llanos de la Pez and Ayacata, looking down the Culata ravine. It climbs steadily through Canary pine forest, then up steps cut into the rock. On your left you pass the Roque del Fraile, shaped like a hooded monk. Then the trees give way to the Tablón del Nublo, a flat stone plateau with Roque Nublo and its smaller companion, the Roque de la Rana (the frog), at the far end.
The tourist board gives the route as 3.2 km there and back. Allow up to two hours with stops and time on top; it is short, but you are close to 1,800 metres, often in strong wind.
Booking, parking and the bus (as of October 2026)
Since February 2025 the Cabildo de Gran Canaria (the island government) has controlled access to the path from the Degollada de La Goleta to reduce traffic and crowding.
- Book a free slot online. The official tourist board’s September 2026 update links the booking site reservasroquenublo.com; earlier official pages used grancanariasenderos.com. You get a QR code to show at the control point. There is no fee.
- Hours: booking is needed only in the controlled daytime hours, which recent guides give as 09:00 to 17:00. Outside them you can walk up freely, which suits sunrise and sunset.
- Limits: individual visitors were capped at 60 per hour at launch, with up to five places per booking; tour companies and schools have separate quotas. Cancel if you can’t go: repeated no-shows can limit future bookings.
- Exempt: residents of Tejeda and Artenara, with proof of residence.
- No parking at the trailhead: the Degollada de La Goleta car park is closed. Park in Tejeda village or at Cruz de Los Llanos.
- The bus: Global line 18 runs a circular service linking Tejeda with the Roque Nublo stop via Cruz de Tejeda and Ayacata, at normal Global fares; launch reports gave a bus about every 30 minutes in daytime. Line 18 also comes up from Faro de Maspalomas through San Bartolomé de Tirajana. From Las Palmas, take line 303 to San Mateo, then 305 to Tejeda.
When to go
Any time of year, but pick a clear day: the summits are often wrapped in cloud while the coast is sunny, and winter can bring frost, strong wind and even snow. Late January and February add almond blossom around Tejeda. Early-morning slots and late afternoons are quietest, and the light on the rock is best at sunrise and sunset.
Safety and good practice
- Dress for the mountains: it is much cooler and windier than the coast, so bring a warm layer and windproof jacket, sun protection and water.
- Wear proper shoes: the final stretch is over uneven rock and steps; take care near the plateau’s edges in wind.
- For sunrise or sunset walks carry a head torch.
- Respect the protected area: keep to the path, don’t pick plants or move rocks, take your rubbish home and never light fires or drop cigarette ends.
- Carry ID, and call 112 in an emergency.
Combine it with
Drive or ride line 18 on to Pico de las Nieves, the island’s highest viewpoint at around 1,950 metres, which also looks over Roque Nublo. Have lunch in Tejeda, a member of the “Most Beautiful Villages of Spain” association, and try its almond sweets. In the afternoon, head down to the south coast and walk the Maspalomas Dunes at sunset. More walks are in our hiking guide, and Tenerife’s Teide National Park is the peak you see on the horizon.
Roque Nublo FAQ
Do I need to book to visit Roque Nublo?
Yes, during the controlled daytime hours, recently 09:00 to 17:00: book a free slot online and show the QR code. Outside those hours you can walk up without a booking (as of October 2026).
Is Roque Nublo free?
Yes. There is no access fee; you pay only the Global bus fare from your car park or village.
Can I drive to Roque Nublo?
Not to the trailhead: the Degollada de La Goleta car park is closed. Park in Tejeda or at Cruz de Los Llanos and take Global line 18 to the Roque Nublo stop.
How long is the Roque Nublo walk?
About 3.2 km there and back from the Degollada de La Goleta, with a steady climb and rock steps. Allow up to two hours there and back, with time on top.
Is the Roque Nublo hike suitable for children?
Yes, for children used to walking, with care near the plateau’s edges in wind. The path is short but uneven, so sturdy shoes are a must.
Can you see Teide from Roque Nublo?
On clear days, yes: Tenerife’s Teide appears across the sea to the west. Clouds often hide it, especially in winter and around midday.
Sources
Researched and last reviewed by TravelerCenter on 4 October 2026. Booking, parking and the walk come from the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and the official Gran Canaria tourist board; bus line 18 from Global; booking hours and limits are also confirmed by regional public broadcaster RTVC and by 2025–2026 hiking guides. The booking system changes, so check the official links before you go.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Air quality: OpenAQ · Rates: ECB · Holidays: Nager.Date · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODBL) · Wikidata (CC0)