Welcome to Fuerteventura

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Considered one of the most valuable ecosystems in the world, 43.7% of Fuerteventura's territory is protected for its biodiversity and very high natural value. Since 2009, it has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and since 2015 a Starlight Reserve for the excellent quality of its skies. In addition, the island has the privilege of being listed as one of the 150 places of world geological interest.

On the one hand, Fuerteventura has 11 terrestrial Special Areas of Conservation (ZEC), 9 Special Protection Areas for Birds (ZEPA) and also has 2 ZECs and 1 ZEPA in the marine area within the Natura 2000 Network. In fact, Fuerteventura has 13 areas of the Canary Islands Network of Protected Natural Spaces that cover 47,726.9 hectares:

• Corralejo Dunes Natural Park.
• Jandía Natural Park.
• Lobos Islet Natural Park.
• Ajuy Natural Monument.
• Malpaís de La Arena Natural Monument.
• Tindaya Mountain Natural Monument.
• Caldera de Gairía Natural Monument.
• Cuchillos de Vigán Natural Monument.
• Cardón Mountain Natural Monument.
• Protected Landscape of Malpaís Grande.
• Vallebron Protected Landscape.
• Playa del Matorral Site of Scientific Interest.

It is the oldest island of the Canary archipelago with around 23 million years old and thanks to its geographical isolation, its volcanic origin and climatic conditions (trade winds or “alisios”, mild temperatures, a relative humidity of 70% and more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year), the island is home to great biodiversity, with 3,527 wild species, 645 endemic species, of which 173 are island endemisms unique in the world. In fact, Fuerteventura is home to the largest number of bird species in the Canaries, being a place of great scientific and conservation interest, with nearly 300 species cited so far.

As for marine fauna, 22 species of cetaceans and 4 species of sea turtles are common in its waters, as well as an important variety of fish and marine organisms. It also has native breeds such as the Majoreros goat, donkey and camel (dromedary), as well as the Bardino dog.

On the other hand, Fuerteventura has a unique cultural and ethnographic heritage, mostly associated with the expressions of a rural world, traditional ways of life and their material and immaterial manifestations. The arid landscape of the island has been shaped, to a large extent, by the hand of farmers and ranchers, over the centuries, adapting to a harsh environment, characterized by low soil fertility and the rough climate. Many of the agricultural landscapes witness water and land use systems such as "gavias" or "nateros", ideal for practicing sustainable agriculture. Along with these manifestations, there is a rich archaeological heritage, with numerous sites of the Maho aborigines, rock engravings and material remains such as ceramics. Also notable are the mills, the livestock farms, the lime kilns and the coastal salt flats.

We can visit 80 Assets of Cultural Interest (BIC), such as lighthouses,  churches, viewpoints) and 16 museums dedicated to a variety of topics (salt, volcanology, agriculture, fishing, archeology and ethnography).

However, Fuerteventura faces different and serious problems caused by high aridity, whose soils have a low water retention capacity, continuous erosion processes and a lack of vegetation. Nor can we forget climate change and the global emergency we are experiencing, the loss of biological diversity as a consequence of the destruction of natural habitats, the pollution caused by the human species and the mass tourism model that causes so many impacts on the territory.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of everyone (both local people and tourists) to care for and protect the natural and cultural heritage of our wonderful island of Fuerteventura.

At Vulcano Trekking we are aware that we live in a fragile territory, that our activities are not exempt from generating impacts and, therefore, we are committed to reversing them. Thus, we practice another way of offering active tourism activities that encourage connection with nature and in harmony with the local community.

Ecotourism or Sustainable Tourism, according to the UNWTO definition, is the tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. Meanwhile, Regenerative Tourism goes one step further, since its objective is to leave the place where the activity takes place better than it was before.

That is why our experiences are designed so that the visitor also gets involved in improving the destination and the local community. Here we leave you the following recommendations and good sustainable practices:

1. Enjoy the natural and cultural resources you visit in a respectful and sustainable way.
2. Hire services that integrate educational, informative and interpretation elements of local heritage into the visit.
3. Hire small local companies that work with small groups.
4. Try to reduce your ecological footprint on the natural and cultural resources of the place.
5. Contributes to the conservation of the natural, cultural and ethnographic resources of the local community.
6. Avoid unnecessary trips and, if you can, offset your emissions.
7. Consume local or 0km, ecological and natural products.
8. Stay in rural houses or hotels managed by local companies or communities, legalized and with quality certifications, that respect the environment.
9. Spend some of your time talking to the local people and discovering other ways of life.
10. Respect the rules of conservation and public use of protected natural spaces.