*Prices shown above are representative. Dates, times and prices are subject to change and may not be available for your sailing. To purchase a Shore & Land Excursion, you must already have a reservation number for a cruise or Alaska Cruisetour and have made a payment towards that reservation. Shore & Land Excursions must be purchased in the same currency as your cruise or Alaska Cruisetour reservation. Exchange rates are determined by a competitive pricing program and may be subject to change without notice. All monetary exchanges onboard are processed in U.S. Dollars directly to your SeaPass onboard charge account unless otherwise specified.
Pyramids of Guimar - TF69
The Ethnographic Park "Pirámides de Güímar" is a step pyramid complex, oriented astronomically to the summer and winter solstices, and hence of a great cultural, historical and archaeoastronomical value. Within its premises you will discover six stepped pyramids, showing great resemblance to those found in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Sardinia, Sicily, South America and other parts of the world. The park also includes an outstanding museum, housing statues, ceramics, photographs, models and other items that suggest cultural parallelisms between the old and new worlds.
Your tour begins at the pier where you will board a coach and travel the Los Loros route towards Guimar. On the way you will pass through the beautiful Esperanza Forest with its stately pines. You will have an opportunity to make a short photo-stop at the panoramic setting of Mirador de la Cumbre.
Arriving at the Pyramids the first thing that will get your attention will be the setting and the scenery. In front of you is the deep Atlantic and surrounding you are majestic mountains. The first question asked might be; what are pyramids that resemble those in found in Mexico, and ancient Mesopotamia doing on a Spanish island off the north-west coast of Africa? And secondly, are they real?
The famous Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl believed they were real as soon as he saw pictures. He had seen the exact same pyramids before in Peru! Heyerdahl, in an effort to prove his theory of an ancient seafaring people reaching all over the world, spent years studying these pyramids and comparing them to similar construction around the world. After all, long before the coming of the Spanish, despite being just off the coast of Africa, the Guanches, the original people of Tenerife, were blue-eyed and blonde.
You will certainly enjoy exploring the pyramids and the park's Casa Charcona Museum and you can form your own opinion as to their origin and authenticity. You will have the opportunity for refreshments and browsing the museum gift shop before returning to the ship.
Note: Approximately 1 mile of walking over gravel paths, uneven terrain and concrete sidewalks. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
