Las Vacas ravine: how to get and tips

The Las Vacas ravine or Barafonso ravine has become a well-known tourist attraction for residents and visitors of Gran Canaria. Why? For its peculiar rock formations called Tobas de Colores. These striking formations bear a certain resemblance to the famous Antelope Canyon of the United States. However, we are talking about a small area in the middle of the ravine. Also, as it is a very small trendy place, its enjoyment is getting complicated. Both for its overcrowding, as for the scarce parking in the area. We tell you everything below!

How to get to Las Vacas ravine           

The Barranco de Las Vacas is located in the municipality of Agüimes, but people confuse it with Las Tobas de Colores, which we show you in these photos. If you really want to visit this spectacular geological canyon, it is located in the Barafonso ravine. To get to the Tobas by car, you will have to enter in Google maps “Tobas de Colores del Barranco de Las Vacas” or “camino para bajar a Las Tobas de Colores”. If it is easier for you, you can also follow this exact address with your smartphone and try to park.

You will see that in the immediate vicinity you only have 2 options to park. One with space for only two cars next to the shortest path access (5 minutes on foot) and another with a few more parking places about 100 meters before arriving (10 minutes on foot). That is, you do not need to make a great route or hike if you only want to visit the formations on the mountain. In addition, you can go perfectly with children as it is an easy and short way, but they have to wear proper sneakers for the first part.

If you would like to take a walk to travel the entire ravine and take the opportunity to visit the Cuevas de la Audiencia, you will probably reach the place at its most saturated point unless you start the route from the Tobas de Colores. The only access on foot to appreciate these formations is through the tunnel that we show you below. It can be seen from the road, with what will guide you to try to park in the area. IMPORTANT: leave nothing in sight in the car.

Characteristics Tobas de Colores, Las Vacas ravine

The Tobas de Colores walk a path of approximately 50 meters. We were very disappointed, since we expected something greater. In addition, there were at least 20 people at the same time in a fairly small space waiting to take the perfect Instagram picture.

Even so it is a very nice and peculiar natural resource that you can visit if you plan to make a route through Agüimes municipality and ideal to combine with the Guayadeque ravine. As you can see below, the environment is super nice, but we suggest you try to be before 10:00 a.m. to avoid meeting many people.

Las Vacas ravine video

In this video we suggest a one-day plan that includes an excursion to the Tobas de Colores in the Barranco de Las Vacas, a walk through the town of Agüimes, lunch and a tour in Guayadeque ravine and visit to the town of Ingenio. You can subscribe now and here to our YouTube channel so as not to miss our videos of Gran Canaria.

Guides to Gran Canaria

If you are organising your trip to Gran Canaria and want to save time in planning where to visit and where to eat, our guides to the island will come in handy. As well as saving you valuable time, they will help you get to know the most authentic side of the island. Have a look to all of them below!