Many travelers see Mount Teide peeking above the clouds as they land at the island’s airport. As one of the highest volcanoes in the world, Mount Teide is a top thing to do in Tenerife and is protected as Teide National Park. From hiking to stargazing to riding its gondola to the top, Mount Teide offers a day’s worth of activities.
Teide National Park
Mount Teide is a 12,188-foot stratovolcano. In addition to Mount Teide, Pico Viejo, the second-highest volcano at 10,285 feet, is inside the park.
Protected in 1954, the Teide National Park is over 46,000 acres in size. This park is one of the top most visited national parks in the world, with over 4 million visitors per year. In 2007, UNESCO declared Teide National Park a World Heritage Site.
The original people of the island, the Guanches, used this area for worshipping. They believed the peaks were the gate to Hell.
After visiting, the Teide National Park reminded me of several U.S. National Parks. The barren landscape reminded me of Death Valley National Park in California. The lava fields looked like Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho. The striated rock formations reminded me of the Badlands National Park in South Dakota.
Like many national parks across the world, Teide National Park features several things to see and do during your visit. Since it’s about an hour away from the popular towns in South Tenerife, like Costa Adeje, I recommend spending half the day at least.
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Teide National Park At a Glance
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Year Established: 1954 |
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Located: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain |
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Size: over 46,000 acres |
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Top Features: volcanoes Mount Teide and Pico Viejo |
Top Things to Do in Teide National Park
Travel on the Teide Canyons Highway
Visit the Ethnographic Museum Juan Évora and Viewpoint
Stop by La Ruleta Viewpoint and See Roques de Garcia
Take a Photo at Mirador El Tabonal Negro
Hike on Sendero Montana Blanca 39
Take the Teide Cable Car
Stop by El Portillo Visitors Centre on the East Side
See the Arenas Negras Viewpoint
Visit the Teide Observatory
See the Night Sky at Teide
Travel Along the Carretera de las Cañadas del Teide or Teide Canyons Highway
One of the best ways to see Teide National Park is to drive through it. The main route is TF-21 or the Teide Canyons Highway. TF-21 travels through Vilaflor from the south and continues to the eastern part of the park, near El Portillo.
As you climb up the volcano from sea level, you will drive different ecosystems, like a Canary Pine Forest between 3,200 feet and 6,800. Above the pine forest, the plants become sparse, with intense conditions including volcano high altitude, extreme temperature variations, intense sunlight and lack of rain.
With a lack of plant life, there is also a lack of wildlife. The only mammals in Teide National Park are bats.
Off Teide Canyons Highway, you will pass several different viewpoints, like La Ruleta Viewpoint and El Tabonal Negro.
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Visit the Ethnographic Museum Juan Évora and Viewpoint
Visitors staying in Southern Tenerife usually enter Teide National Park on TF-21. The Museo Etnografio Juan Évora is the first stop.
This building was the home of the last person that lived inside Teide National Park. Visitors will find exhibits of items that were used to live in this harsh climate, including tools and furniture.
This area also offers a viewpoint. During my visit, I saw a lava field. Visitors will find a small parking lot off the main scenic route, TF-21.
Located at TF-21, 38688 Guía de Isora, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. It is free to enter and features restrooms.
Stop by La Ruleta Viewpoint and See Roques de Garcia
Continuing on TF-21, this is one of the most popular viewpoints in Teide National Park. Here you will find the rock formation Roques de Garcia.
Rising up from the Llano de Ucanca plain, the Roques de Garcia reminds me of a hoodoo from other national parks. The reddish rock stands like a guardian to the area.
During my visit, I found several areas with stairs with unique views. There are also longer hiking trails originating from this area.
This area is best viewed at sunset. La Ruleta Viewpoint is popular with stargazing tours.
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Take a Photo at Mirador El Tabonal Negro
The landscape at the El Tabonal Negro viewpoint looks like a moonscape, as there is very little vegetation. The rock formations stand out against the sandy foreground with the mountain in the background.
Because of the epic scenery, this area is popular with photographers. During my visit, I saw a couple doing wedding portraits near sunset.
This area is close to the cable car lower station. Parking is on the side of TF-21.
Take the Teide Cable Car
Originally opened in 1971, a pair of cable cars head up to the top of Mount Teide. Renovated in the early 2000s, the 44-passenger cars depart from its base station at 7,729 feet (2,356 m) above sea level.
In an 8-minute ride, visitors will get panoramic views from 11,663 feet (3,555 m) at the upper station. Several hiking trails depart from the upper station. This station offers a restroom.
For those who want to head to the peak of Mt. Teide, a special permit is required. This permit needs to be obtained online in advance at the Spanish National Park site.
If you didn’t get the required permit, then the La Fortaleza Lookout Point hike is a .8-mile in-and-out hike. It has an elevation gain of less than 100 feet; however, due to elevation, it is considered a challenging route. It starts at the upper cable car station and
At the lower cable car station area, an exhibition for kids explains the volcanic history from a scientific point of view along with the Guanches.
Open 9 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Adult admission is €3 and kids 13 and younger enter for free. The Lower Cable Car Station offers restrooms, a gift shop and a cafe.
Located at Parque Nacional del Teide, Cañadas del, 38300 La Orotava, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult cable car ride starts at €44.50 and kids (3 to 13) are €20.50. Those under 3 are not allowed on the cable cars. Reservations are recommended. Free parking at the base.
Hike on Sendero Montana Blanca 39
If you are prepared to hike, a 7.9-mile out-and-back difficult hiking trail that parallels the scenic route, TF-21. This trail starts at the Base lodge for the cable car with an elevation gain of 1,660 ft.
It returns to TF-21 near Montana Blanca. Then, it continues to the Mirador de las Minas de San Jose. You can pick up the trail at any point and hike for as long as you’d like. Remember to pack water and snacks. Proper footwear, a hat and layers are important when hiking at higher elevations.
Located at 38300 La Orotava, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
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Stop by El Portillo Visitors Centre on the East Side
Learn more about Teide and the area’s flora and fauna. It offers a Botanical Garden in front with 75% of the Teide’s plants.
Located at TF-21, 38414 Los Realejos, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. Open 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
See the Arenas Negras Viewpoint
See the black sand lava at this pullout. It is close to the El Portillo Visitor Center on the eastern side of the park.
Visit the Teide Observatory
The Teide Observatory is the largest solar observatory in the world, located at 7,779 ft (2,371 m). Like Hawaii and Chile, Teide is one of the best places for sky observations.
Located on the east side of Teide National Park, the most popular tour is the daytime tour, which includes a tour of the inside of the observatory. Guests also get to see the sun using a solar telescope.
Located at 38570 Izaña, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for tours. Adult admission is €21 and kids 8 to 16 are free. Kids under 8 are not permitted on the tour. English-guided tours are offered daily from Monday to Saturday. Reservations are recommended.
See the Night Sky at Teide
Teide National Park offers some amazing night sky viewing for stars and the moon on full moon nights. At Teide, 83 of the 88 officially recognized constellations can be seen.
For a DIY night sky tour, the cable car base station is popular. Another popular stop is La Ruleta Vista Point, where the rock formation Roques de Garcia is located.
For a guided tour of the night sky, reserve a tour (in multiple languages). The tours use telescopes and last about an hour. This can be done after exploring the park during the day. Prices start at €40 for adults and €35 for kids (8 to 13). Those under 8 are not permitted.
For a guided tour, the Teide Observatory Tour offers a daytime tour of the observatory followed by a guided night sky tour. Prices start at €103 for adults and €68 for kids (8 to 13).
Weather at Teide
The temperatures range widely in Teide National Park. From February’s low temperatures of -18F to high 80s F in August. When I visited in September, I wore a jacket for my sunset visit. A trip on the cable car will require a layer, too.
When traveling to the Teide National Park, it can be obscured by clouds from sea level. During my visit, we drove through the cloud layer to find clear skies above it.
It is the desert, so pack water. During my visit, I didn’t see any water fountains. This high elevation also required sun protection. So use sunscreen and sunglasses.
Where to Eat near Teide National Park
Inside the park, the Parador of Las Cañadas del Teide offers a hotel, fine dining restaurant and a cafe. It is conveniently located near the La Ruleta Viewpoint.
On the eastern side, Restaurantes el Portillo and La Bamby are near the El Portillo Visitor Center.
While visiting Teide National Park, I stopped in Vilaflor, the closest town to Teide National Park. I recommend the Dulceria Hermano Pedro for pastries and coffee. During my visit, I sampled the Rollitos Encarados, light cookie-like confections. The almond-flavored Tortas De Almendra are also a favorite treat.
Located at C. Castaños, 10, 38613 Vilaflor, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Hotel Spa Villalba
For those wanting to stay near Teide National Park, the Hotel Villalba is a 27-room luxury retreat focused on wellness. While visiting Teide National Park, this is where I had dinner at La Vendimia Restaurant, overlooking the surrounding forest.
With a menu specializing in Canarian favorites, La Vendimia Restaurant is a fine dining option with a relaxed feel. I started my meal with a Smoked Salmon Timbale with avocado, accented with a tomato and mango vinaigrette. Then I sampled Canary Island classic Pork Tenderloin with a Pedro Ximenez reduction sauce, served with a potato galette basket and assorted vegetables. To cap off my meal at the Hotel Spa Villalba, I enjoy a traditional Canarian Grandma’s Cake with a Cherry Coulis.
Hotel Spa Villalba offers an extensive list of local wines. It also grows some of its vegetables in-house.
Located at Camino San Roque, s/n, Cam. de San Roque, s/n, 38613 Vilaflor, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
Where to Stay in Tenerife
Tivoli La Caleta Tenerife Resort
This five-star resort is perched between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean in the exclusive Costa Adeje area in southern Tenerife. The Tivoli La Calenta Tenerife Resort offers a tropical garden oasis with sweeping ocean views and three sparkling pools with plenty of gathering and lounging space. Founded in Portugal in 1933, Tivoli Hotels are unique in their design.
The Tivoli La Calenta Tenerife Resort feautures 284 rooms and suites, many with ocean views. The resort features three restaurants, a beach club and several bars, many convenient to the outdoor lounging areas. To top off the culinary offerings, guests can enjoy afternoon tea with both English and Arabian tea selections and accompaniments. There is a sports bar for those yearning to keep up with their teams.
The rooms offer a garden, partial ocean view and ocean views. Each room is outfitted with a furnished spacious balcony that boasts a floor-to-ceiling sliding door for maximum views.
The Tivoli rooms and suites are spacious with modern wood furnishings in a palette of charcoal and sand. Each room offers an understated, luxurious feel. The marble bathrooms offer twin sinks with both a soaking tub and a glass-doored shower.
For the wellness-minded, the Anantara Spa awaits with a plethora of services. The indoor-outdoor space offers a hydrotherapy pool, calming treatment rooms and common areas outfitted with loungers. Guests will find a Padel court next to the 24-hour gym.
The Tivoli La Caleta Tenerife Resort is located on the 12-km coastal promenade. It is located within walking distance of the shopping and dining. A golf course is located nearby, and Siem Park is just 10 minutes away by car. The South Tenerife Airport is located 24 kilometers away.
It is located at C. la Enramada, 9, 38670 Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
