Vol.9
Quick Facts
Fun meter: Baby Animals!!!
Location: Teror, Gran Canaria
Adventure: Hike & Activity
Type: National Park
Time: 30 minutes – 4 hours
Level of difficulty: easy
Good for what ages: All ages.
Cost: Fee but requires a reservation.
Access: Drive right up with dedicated parking
Hint: On weekends the bathrooms are closed
An Overview
The Finca de Osorio is a National Park. It used to be a plantation and still has lots of farm animals to hug. We petted cows, horses, sheep, and even got close to sweet little baby ducks. The finca was closed so we couldn’t go inside it. We only hiked a tiny part of the park as we came in the afternoon after visiting the farmers market. The forest was full of huge trees, fun places to climb and explore. It would be cool to go back with more time and picnic.
How To Make A Reservation
I asked dad if he would write this section along with how to get there because I remember he wasn’t able to make a reservation to Finca de Osorio on his own. He had to ask his friend Alberto to help us.
The national park gets pretty booked when the weather is nice, so plan ahead. We had to book two weeks out to get a spot on a Sunday. They will turn people away who don’t have a reservation, so rolling up unannounced isn’t a great plan.
The Cabildo, which is the government of Gran Canaria, really hasn’t made this simple for the first timer. As a resident, you need a digital certificate to make reservations. To get one, you literally have to show up in person at city hall to show your ID. It is the only way to get access to the system to reserve any spot online for a national park. It’s a bother in normal times, but COVID has made it problematic. Two and a half years later, I still haven’t managed to get this done. My fault. So I ask friends who have to make appointments. Pretty silly.
If you are a non-resident foreigner, they let you do it online by sharing proof of identity documents according to the website. But there is a review window. So you will need to plan ahead. I’d suggest you just call their phone number: +34928219229. The booking instructions are available in the first row of the FAQ or on the Cabildo Site in English.
How to Get There
We went to the Finca de Osorio after visiting the Mercadillo de Terror on Sunday. The famers market is a pretty awesome place to buy snacks for a picnic and its only 5 minutes away. There are a handful options and while they are all viable, I slightly prefer G2 to G20. A bit less curves. The main entrance to the Finca that google led us to was closed. Instead I recommend you point your map here to the parking lot. A small sign stated that on weekend, please use the cemetery entrance. If you find yourself in the same situation, exit the parking lot and take a left on the main road for another 2 minutes, the you will see a sign for the cemetery which requires a left (nearly u) turn. The road splits a couple times and just keep following the signs to the finca. You’ll see a huge church on your right and then drive on a dirt / gravel path to the parking lot. From there its a short uphill walk to the barn.
Animal Farm
The barn is at the entrance to the park. All of the animals were in their own little pen. Sojourn was super excited to see pigs, and a bit sad when they were not around. My favorite were the sheep. I fed them sticks and cactus. Being sheep, that apparently counts as food. I doubt you could make me do anything by offering me a stick to chew on. Unless it’s fennel. Then we might negotiate. The moms liked the horse that had two different colored eyes and gorgeous braids. It was like a prom queen pony. The cows are huge and I was kind of afraid to get close, but the little baby calf was so cuddly. The baby ducks were hiding in between the legs of the baby cow they liked to play together.
Baby Chicks
Baby Calf
Doodle Dooooooooooo
We Called Her Rapunzel
Can he come home with us?
Mooooooove over, its lunch time.
It is hard to tell if they still farm here . I wanted ask someone but it was really quiet on Sunday. The old farm buildings have tools in them, and the fields look organized.
The Tree Tunnels
We could not enter the old finca as it was closed on Sunday so we moved on. The trees towered overhead creating a beautiful tunnel. We even found a hollow tree in a clearing so big I could climb up inside it. But it was muddy from the rain that morning and my shoes were too slippery. I might have pulled it off, but mom looked worried and I got nervous. On a dry day, I bet I could make it to the top. There are all kinds of places to explore. Bring a picnic and some toilet paper, because there isn’t anything once you start exploring.
Plants and Flowers Galore
Tiny pink flowers that smell divine to giant pokeball (chestnuts) you roast at Christmas. Weird orange mushrooms. Big ol’ cactuses. All kinds of palm trees. Careful if you walk into the fields, they are real muddy.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?
After the Rain …
It rained in the morning and I was kind of sad and really didn’t want to go adventure. It doesn’t rain much here. You can always tell the difference between someone who lives here and a tourist. When it rains, all my friends dive for the nearest door to wait it out. Because the rain usually lasts minutes, not hours or days. It’s like they are the wicked witch of the west…. I’m meeeeelting. The foreigners just look at the Canarians confused and keep going about their business, just a bit wetter. I’m glad we went out anyways. This was a longer storm, but it lead to the most beautiful sunset.
Traveling With Serenity 