It all commenced in 2010 in Venezuela, when José María found himself in the Gran Sabana aboard a bus emblazoned with ‘Jurassic Park Tour’. He was initially unaware of its significance until the driver elaborated that “the Americans” were visiting the locations where the film had been shot, which piqued his curiosity.
A year later, in Tenerife, the founder and manager of the active tourism company Patea Tus Montes, located in La Orotava, faced a considerable traffic jam in the Teide National Park due to the filming of Furia de Titans. He also had to halt his activities several times as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was concurrently being filmed.
This prompted him to “explore” the concept of providing something unique on his hiking excursions and he successfully merged two of his passions, outdoor activities and cinema, leading to the inception of a new offering for his company: ‘movie kicks’, a series of hiking trails that he already provided throughout Tenerife, coinciding with the primary filming locations of major films and series on digital platforms, many of which are nestled within natural settings.
“Tenerife has a rich and captivating history as a filming locale. The first film shot on the island “appears to be” Isla Mujeres de Tenerife supplying the squadron with coal, filmed in 1896,” states this cinema enthusiast, who can easily identify the filming sites in natural landscapes.
Since then, a wealth of films have been produced, and there is an increasing expansion in the industry that has transformed Tenerife into a natural film location. This is not solely because it offers sites that whisk the audience away to different eras and galaxies, but also due to the advantages of the Economic and Fiscal Regime (REF) in the Canary Islands compared to other regions in Spain and even Europe.
It all began with Clash of the Titans, which garnered the Special Mention Award for the Best Active Tourism Product in Spain at FITUR 2011. “At that juncture, it was a sensation because no one had considered it and there wasn’t much filming occurring in the Canary Islands. Now, there is recording happening all the time,” remarks José María Pérez Baso.
‘Ruta de Titanes’ is its “little star”. Situated in the Teide National Park, both the first and second installments of the film feature sites within the Cañada del Capricho and the expanse of the Llano de Ucanca, integral to the Siete Cañadas trail.
Similarly, in the same vicinity yet traversing the San José and Montaña Blanca Mines, amidst remnants of significant volcanic eruptions resulting in extensive deposits of pumice stone that do not go unnoticed, the hiker steps into one of the scenes from The Lord of the Rings.
The Anaga Rural Park holds immense appeal for the film industry. It was selected, among various locations in Tenerife, for the fourth season of Jack Ryan, whose production significantly impacted Tenerife in 2022. The iconic San Juanito road, located along the coastline of Punta del Hidalgo, allows viewers to recognise the scenes from the series produced by Amazon whilst simultaneously exploring the area’s rich birdlife.
Within the park, scenes from Wonder Woman 1984 can also be identified. This route presents stunning views of the southern face of the Park, nestled among prominent peaks and the verdant landscape of Monte Aguirre, alongside the higher districts of Santa Cruz, such as La Alegria, and remnants of a former hydrological world, prominently represented by the Tahodio dam.
The film Gold, inspired by the expedition of 16th-century Spanish conquistadors Lope de Aguirre and Núñez de Balboa, predominantly features the Anaga laurel forest. Its appearance bears a striking resemblance to the Amazon rainforest, the backdrop for this historical adventure, following the journey of the expedition in pursuit of a mythical city purportedly built entirely of gold.
Each adventure lasts approximately four to five hours, making various stops along the way. The difficulty is low, specifically designed for families and groups of friends.
José María elaborates on the specifics of each trail while displaying images from all the films on his tablet to illustrate that the precise location they occupy was part of the shooting site. “I provide an interpretation of the landscape through the lens of cinema, and I recall a scene that was filmed in that environment. People genuinely appreciate it. Naturally, there are always those who haven’t seen any of the movies or series,” he clarifies.
As such, the seventh art has evolved into a significant industry that creates employment and wealth, simultaneously serving as a tourist attraction that Patea Tus Montes has adeptly capitalised on by fusing it with sports, a feat acknowledged by Oxígeno magazine in its latest issue, which specialises in adventure travel. “One must be at the opportune moment and present the idea accordingly, as ideas can also expire,” José María highlights.
‘Movie kicks’ has transitioned from being a standard offering of Patea Tus Montes to a request-driven product unless specifically sought by clients. “It is an ‘à la carte’ service and often, it is not even that. I simply aim to surprise my users,” asserts the entrepreneur.
