“Where’s Matt Damon?” I wondered when I first saw Mount Teide. The barren landscape reminded me of The Martian movie. Crowning it all is El Teide volcano, a stratovolcano that formed this mountain by accumulation of lava flows. Here, the pouring has been going on for 100,000 years.
The first eruptions of this still active volcano started between the 7th and the 10th century. The layers piled up and now reach an altitude of 3,718 metres (12,404 ft.), making it the highest point in Spain.
In this guide I’ll tell you about the things to do in Mount Teide -a UNESCO World Heritage Site- and the variety of activities: from extreme adventure to relaxed contemplation.
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Table of Contents
The Mount Teide Cable Car to La Rambleta (Upper Station)
One of the most popular things to do in Mount Teide National Park is taking the cable car to the upper station (named La Rambleta) to enjoy magnificent aerial views of this otherworldly landscape.
From the base station, located at 2,356 metres (1.46 miles) above sea level, you’re lifted along the slope of El Teide volcano to an altitude of 3,556 metres (2.2 miles).
On the way, you enjoy a panoramic view of the Ucanca valley surrounded by Las Cañadas Caldera wall.
Many moons ago, a giant volcano that existed before El Teide filled this same giant valley. You can later get a closer look of this area from The Cathedral lookout, which I mention later on this post.
Around eight minutes later and 1,200 metres (0.75 miles) higher, you’ll be as close as you can be to El Teide’s peak without completing the trail to the summit, towering less than 200 metres (656 feet) above.
From La Rambleta you can access three viewpoints with detailed information signs, and three trails that I’ll describe shortly.
Mount Teide Cable Car Tickets
Cable car tickets to Mount Teide are only available online, on this website.
Unless you’re planning to add on a guided tour to one of the viewpoints, transportation, or an audio guide, the Cable Car Return Ticket option will be good to go up and down. If you want to complete the task of descending on foot via the Montaña Blanca trail, you can go for the Ticket for the Ascent option.
Purchase them a few days before your visit to secure a ride at the time of your preference. If you don’t show up on time you’ll lose your reservation.
However, if the weather forecast doesn’t look promising or something unexpected comes up you can change your reservation with no penalties up to 6PM the day before your visit, or request a full refund (you can do up to three changes within one year).
Remember to show up 20 minutes before your trip to redeem your pass and arrive even earlier if you’re driving as finding parking is difficult.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
-You can’t take the cable car if you’re pregnant.
-Children under 3 aren’t allowed.
-Pets aren’t allowed.
-During peak season (summer months) the cabins are filled near capacity (44 people) so you may have a limited view during the ascent/descent if you end up in the middle (try to book the 9AM trip for a better chance).
-There’s a visitor centre at the base station with an exhibit, a gift shop, a cafeteria, and bathrooms.
-There’s bathrooms at the upper station (but only vending machines).
-Parking is limited, arrive early.
-It’s cold and windy up there, shorts and sandals aren’t going to cut it.
-Your time around the upper station is limited to one hour.
-You can either return via cable car or you can go down via Montaña Blanca trail, which is a 4.25-hour descent with some steep sections.
La Rambleta Crater Viewpoint
From this viewpoint you’ll see what’s left of the original crater of El Teide volcano: a 10-metre (32-feet) escarpment that you can see in the picture (the darker thin section on the left, towards the middle).
Over the centuries, successive lava flows filled the crater and created today’s peak.
Pico Viejo Viewpoint
From La Rambleta, we hit trail #12 to the Mirador de Pico Viejo. The short, 731-metre (0.4 miles) rocky trail leads to a lookout from where you’ll see Pico Viejo (Old Peak) in the distance and the dried spillovers left by its former lava lake. Far away, from left to right, are the islands of El Hierro, La Gomera, and La Palma.
This was one of my two favourite spots in Mount Teide.
La Fortaleza Viewpoint
Opposite Pico Viejo, at the end of trail #11, you’ll find La Fortaleza viewpoint, from where you can see the north side of Tenerife. I wasn’t able to get here because the altitude affected me. I was fine when I got out of the cable car, but while doing trail #12 I got dizzy and I had to stop several times.
Just in case altitude messes up with you too, I recommend visiting Pico Viejo first because how often can you see the crater of a volcano? It’s a more unique view.
The Telesforo Bravo Trail from La Rambleta to The Mount Teide Peak
Trail #10, named after a famous Canarian geologist, is a 1.3-Km round trip (0.8-mile), rocky steep path from the upper cable car station towards the volcano summit, with a change in elevation of 162 metres (531 feet). The round trip normally takes two hours.
You can do the trail on your own, but you need a free permit which you can only get online here.
On the website, select Teide from the parks list and on the next screen, under List of Activities, select Pico del Teide Access Permit and go to the Bookings tab.
Click General Public to go to the next screen where you’ll select the date and time slot of your visit. The 2-hour slots run from 9AM, with the last one starting at 3PM. You must start your ascent within your time slot, 30 minutes before the end at the latest.
After entering the number of people in your group you’ll fill your info and the info of your companions.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:
-If you’re planning to use the cable car on the way up or down, you must time your cable car reservation with the start and end of your hike.
–Book early, this is one of Europe’s most visited national parks and there’s only 200 permits available every day. I tried to book a permit two weeks before and my jaw dropped when I saw that everything was booked for the next three (!!!) months.
-Tickets are non-transferable. Everybody must bring the official ID provided for the reservation.
-Whoever made the reservation must be present, otherwise no one in the group will have access.
-If you book the 3PM-5PM slot and you’re planning to take the cable car on the way down, only do so if you’re a fast, experienced hiker in great shape that is used to high altitude hikes in rocky terrain as the last cable car descends around 4:30PM (or earlier during winter).
-If you can’t find permits or you want all the paperwork and coordination done for you, your best chance to reach the summit is to book a guided hike, at least two weeks in advance as spots fill up fast.
You can join these small-group (up to 10 people) guided hikes to the peak:
Check out this hiking day trip that includes transportation from South Tenerife, the cable car ticket to the upper station, the permit to do the guided hike to the summit, and the return trip.
Book this tour, with a 4.8/5 rating based on more than 440 reviews.
If you’re up for a tougher challenge and even more unforgettable views, check out this tour where you take the 4PM cable car, reach the summit by sunset, and descend by foot at night via the Montaña Blanca trail, ending the hike around 11PM.
Book this tour, with more than 20 (100%) 5-star reviews.
If you book the tour above, consider spending the night at the hotel inside Mount Teide National Park.
-If the cable car service is canceled for whatever reason (mechanical issues, sudden inclement weather, or any other problem), you must be prepared to go down on foot taking trail # 7 (Montaña Blanca) via trail #11 (Mirador La Fortaleza).
-You’ll need proper hiking shoes (preferably boots), sunblock, sunglasses, a hat, and adequate clothing for cold and windy conditions.
-Check out any advisories before heading to the park as the trail may close due to weather conditions.
The Montaña Blanca Trail to The Mount Teide Peak: Skipping the Cable Car Up
You can reach the Mount Teide Peak without using the cable car by taking trail #7 (Montaña Blanca). It’s a 9.5 Kms (5.9 miles) rocky, challenging path that takes between 6 and 7 hours and has an elevation gain of 1,188 mts (0.73 miles).
People normally do this in two days.
First day they climb up to the Altavista refuge where they spend the night, leaving early in the morning to arrive at the Telesforo Bravo trailhead before 9AM. If you’re there before 9AM you don’t need a permit to reach the peak (although you still need to make a reservation in the refuge months in advance).
Most people leave at dawn to see the sunrise from the summit.
At the time of this writing, the Altavista refuge is temporarily closed. This means that you would have to do it all in one shot, time your arrival to the summit trailhead with the timeslot of your permit, and complete the trip before the last cable leaves the upper station (remember that you also have to book this in advance and time all the reservations).
That’s a lot of hiking in one day!
Roques de Garcia
Studies revealed that these mini-mountains (or mega rocks) were born 200,000 years ago from the lava-spewing dykes of the Cañadas volcano, which was here before El Teide.
The informational signs on site explain that they’re still standing thanks to the strength of the solidified magma that fills their core. It’s stronger than the surrounding soil, so when erosion eats it away they end up with these funny shapes.
From the Tagorores Lookout you’ll catch a good view of the rocks and the Teide volcano.
Hit trail # 3 (Roques de Garcia trail), an easy and accessible 3.6 Km-loop (2.23 miles) to see the formations from different angles and check out some of the vegetation that miraculously grows in this arid environment.
Roques de García is located within walking distance of the Cañada Blanca Visitor Center.
The Cathedral
From Roques de Garcia walk down to The Cathedral lookout (La Catedral).
According to geologists, a huge volcano sat here 170,000 years ago until a tsunami caused a landslide that left a depression in the shape of a horseshoe, known as Las Cañadas depression.
Surrounding the Ucanca Valley like a wall is Las Cañadas Caldera, with formations like Roques de García and The Cathedral, named after the shape of the volcano conduit that remained after erosion ate away the surrounding rocks.
This viewpoint was my other favourite spot in Mount Teide and the one that gave me stronger Martian movie vibes. I had the impression that Matt Damon was going to show up anytime, carrying his ration of potatoes.
To see Las Cañadas Caldera from below, hit trail #26 (Ucanca Trail), where you’ll walk on a flat path in what looks like an open desert. This easy trail is 3.55 Kms. (2.2 miles) round trip.
Alternatively, you can also complete the longer and more challenging trail #40 (Llano de Ucanca-Boca de Cauce Trail), a 9.6-Km. (5.9 miles) path that runs parallel to road TF-21.
Minas de San Jose
At the Minas de San Jose lookout you’ll stand in front of a two-toned landscape, with light-coloured layers of pumice stone and dark-coloured layers of agglutinates.
The highest elevation you see in the centre is one of the lava flows, named El Topo de la Grieta.
If you want to explore more of this section of the Mount Teide National Park take trail #27 (Montaña Rajada Trail) via trail #7 (Montaña Blanca-Rambleta), which you’ll access from road TF-21. The Montaña Rajada trail is a 4.3-Km (2.6 miles) round trip easy path.
Across the road you’ll find trail #30 (Los Valles Trail), with more striking scenery along a 9.7-Km (6 miles) moderate trail.
There are only a few parking spots, so arrive early.
Stay Inside the Mount Teide National Park
Parador de Las Cañadas isn’t a luxury accommodation (it’s a 3-star hotel), but a clean and comfortable place with spacious rooms to enjoy views of the volcano. Being inside the park makes it easy to visit the points of interest before and after the crowds take over and do some fabulous stargazing.
The hotel has a heated pool with spectacular views. You’ll also find a store, a bar and a restaurant serving breakfast (buffet-style), lunch, and dinner.
Check price and availability at the Parador de Las Cañadas, with a 8.5/10 average rating (9.8 rating for location).
Beyond Hiking and the Cable Car: Go on Tour of Mount Teide
If you’re not into hiking but you want to do something more adventurous than driving through the park, join a quad or a buggy tour and see El Teide (and other parts of Tenerife) from another perspective.
Hop on a quad and go from Playa Las Americas to Las Cañadas del Teide driving through beautiful towns and forests.
Book this tour, with a 4.7 average rating based on more than 720 reviews.
If you prefer, go off-route to explore the forests of Mount Teide on a quad and wow at scenic vistas.
Book this tour, with a 4.9/5 average rating based on more than 100 reviews.
Or combine the excitement of driving a buggy through Vilaflor and Mount Teide on an off-road adventure, driving through an off-road course, with the relaxation of a wine tasting with local tapas.
Book this tour, with a 4.8/5 average rating based on more than 70 reviews.
Stargazing at Mount Teide
Did you know that the Canary Islands is one of the top three spots in the world for stargazing? And what better place than the darkness of Mount Teide to see a starry night.
Check out this Guided Sunset and stargazing top-rated tour with dinner, where an astronomer will provide access to telescopes.
Book this tour, with a 4.7/5 average rating based on more than 700 reviews.
Drive El Teide Scenic Road Beyond the Park
We loved the beautiful views along TF-21, the only road that crosses the park, but the scenery doesn’t end when you leave.
We followed this road to exit Mount Teide towards La Orotava and we were in awe of the beautiful vistas of the ocean and the pine-covered hills. You can stop at several lookouts to check out the views of the north side of the island.
Getting Around Mount Teide
By Bus
There are only two buses (called guaguas and pronounced GHOUA-ghouas) that go to Mount Teide.
#342, departing from Costa Adeje, and #348 departing from Puerto de la Cruz (you can see the route on the Titsa website: https://www.titsa.com).
However, this option is limited.
Each bus makes only one trip in the morning (normally departing around 9:30AM -kind of late-), stopping at main points in the park such as the cable car station, the hotel, Montaña Blanca and the visitor centre.
And only one return trip in the afternoon (usually around 4PM). If you miss it, or if the bus is at capacity and doesn’t stop for you, you’ll have to walk to the taxi stand and pay for a trip that may cost you more than renting a car.
Add to this the fact that the service is irregular, that the fare can be around €12 per person (round trip), and that you’ll need to walk long distances to explore the park.
I strongly recommend the next option.
By Car
Renting a car is the best way to get around Mount Teide National Park. Despite the limited parking, you’ll be able to reach the lookouts and trailheads faster and hit the trails rather than walking under the sun on the side of the highway.
Check out car rental rates and availability with Discover Cars
Beyond the spectacular scenery, at Mount Teide you can find many activities that cater to different interests. If you like to climb active volcanoes, this destination on the other side of the pond may be to your liking.
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