LET’S GO TO THE THIRD HIGHEST VOLCANO IN THE WORLD!
WHY SHOULD YOU VISIT TEIDE?
The place is one of the must-see spots in Tenerife. The view from the top is magnificent. You can see the small towns, the ocean, and even other islands from the top of the Teide. You can walk around the crater of a sleeping, but still active volcano and see the hot steam coming from the ground, smelling like sulphur.
BEFORE YOUR TRIP
Plan it. Book it.
The most important thing to start with. You need permission to walk to the very top of the volcano. This permission is easy to book and it is for free. BUT! You have to book it months ahead. I am writing this article in the last week of July. I checked the website where you need to book the permission. The next available is the 10th of October. The last 10 spots were available.
Mount Teide is part of the Teide National Park and only 200 people are allowed to ascend it every day. You won’t meet the crowds there, so you can climb at your own speed.
You have two options on how to get to the starting point of the climb, the spot called La Rambleta.
- Book the cable car. More comfortable and faster option. This one doesn’t have to be booked months ahead, it is possible to book it even a week before your trip. Check the various options here.
- Hike to La Rambleta. There are various trails starting in different points around the island. It is a full-day hike and you should be accustomed to these types of hike to handle it and enjoy the views in the best national park in Spain.
THE DAY BEFORE THE TRIP
You can’t be 100% sure that the trip will actually happen. Why? Because of the weather. Because of the altitude, the wind can be so strong that the cable car won’t be operational on your day.
The weather forecast is handy also for another reason. The temperature is going to be lower near the peak than on the beach where you have been sunbathing yesterday. Pack more layers, at least the lightweight jacket. During winter, the temperatures can be very low and snow can appear on the top of the volcano.
What else to pack?
- sun cream, sunglasses and a hat to be protected from the strong sun,
- hiking shoes, the trail is full of small rocks which can be slippery if wearing flip-flops,
- food and water.
ON THE DAY
Plan your day ahead and arrive at the cable car station or finish the hike earlier than your permission starts. The permission allows you to stay on the trail and at the top for 2 hours only.
How to get to the cable car station?
The highest peak in Spain is perfectly located in the western central part of the island. It doesn’t matter if you are spending your holiday in the north or south, you can reach it from many places. The driving up to the national park is a great trip itself, with a lot of sightseeing points on the way.
Alternatively, you can take a taxi or book a tour including the cable car.
After a few minutes spent in the cable car, it is a short walk to the small gate where your permission to go to the top is going to be checked. The climb to the top starts at an altitude of 3555 metres (La Rambleta) and the highest point (Pico de Teide) is 3717.98 metres.
The total route is 650 metres long and the climb is about 163 metres.
Make sure you are fit enough for a hike. There is less oxygen at a higher altitude, therefore the climb can feel more difficult. If feeling dizzy or not well, take a break, sit on the nearest rock and enjoy the view.
NO PERMISSION AVAILABLE? NEVER MIND!
You can book the cable car or hike to La Rambleta. From this point, the view is amazing as well. There are more trails open in the area, so you can spend your day there.
Many people are coming with tours, with rental cars or by bus to see the part of the national park below Teide. If in Tenerife, you have to see at least this part. The place looks like another planet, full of colourful rocks which are actually old lava. There have been numerous eruptions of the volcanos on the island in the past, each one left one layer of lava on the ground. Darker rocks are the youngest ones, lighter the oldest. There is an easy trail around the biggest rocks, which looks like from Grand Canyon in the USA. It takes up to an hour and it is very pretty.
There is a restaurant, hotel and souvenir shop near the bus stop.
MORE INFORMATION
- Teide National Park as part of UNESCO
- Volcano Teide – tours, excursions, trails and more
- Tenerife Tourism
I hope, this simple article helped you to plan your trip to one of the most amazing places in Europe!
