One of the most exhilarating, albeit taxing hikes you can undertake on the island of Mallorca is in the Torrent de Pareis. Since 2003, this gorge has been protected as a Monument Natural for its unspoilt landscape of magnificent limestone scenery, its microclimate as well as its fauna and flora.

The hike may be easier uphill, from the sea at Sa Calobra to the confluence of the Torrent de Pareis (twin streams) and then steeply up the hillside to the road, ending up at the Restaurante d’Escorca. A one way trip may take four to five hours.

The Torrent de Pareis gorge is bare and rocky for much of its length, with much climbing over boulders and some walking on a dry, gravelly stream bed. There are several places where a certain amount of scrambling is required, but this is not really a rock climbing expedition.

The best time for this hiking excursion would be between May and September, but quite obviously, do not go during the heat of the day. Whenever you go, do not take children under the age of ten.

If you still want to go, heed this advice: Take your sturdiest pair of shoes, certainly no sandals or flip-flops. Take plenty of water. And then some more. Take some food as well, apart from a couple of sandwiches, like nuts, or muesli bars. Take your mobile phone, and make sure the battery is charged up to the full. Take a rope. Take an extra piece of clothing in case you might get stuck for the night, and a towel. Best of all, don’t go on your own. Even if you go in a group of two or four, go with someone who has been there and has done it at least once before, just to be on the safe side. Always make sure, before you set off, that plenty of people know where you are going, when you leave and when you are aiming to come back.

Do not undertake this excursion lightly.

The photos were taken near Sa Calobra, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: July 5th, 2008. The time was 16:11:32 and 16:10:09, respectively.