With a height of 3,718m above sea level, Mount Teide is the highest point in Spain and an iconic feature of Tenerife. On a clear day, the massive volcano can be seen from neighboring islands like Gran Canaria and La Gomera.
While you don’t need to visit Teide itself to see it, as a matter of fact, if you want to admire the immensity of Teide volcano, you’re better off staying at a distance, Teide’s landscapes are definitely worth exploring from up close. From long hikes, to easy walks and from stargazing to a leisurely cable car ride, this guide will show you how to visit Mount Teide in a way that suits your travel style.
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Table of Contents - How to Visit Mount Teide: Tips for Hikers and Non-Hikers
- Why you should visit Mount Teide
- How to get to Tenerife and Mount Teide
- When to visit Teide
- Where to stay when visiting Teide
- What to pack when visiting Teide
- How to visit Teide – 5 different ways
- FAQ about how to visit Mount Teide
Why you should visit Mount Teide
Mount Teide isn’t just the highest mountain in Spain — it’s also the tallest volcano on European territory. And when measured from its base on the ocean floor, it measures a Whopping 7,500 meters, making it the third highest volcanic structure in the world.
But Teide is more than a record-breaking peak. It’s a place of dramatic contrasts, where pine forests, vast lava fields, and rock formations that seem to be from another planet all coexist. A place unlike anywhere else in Europe and a must-visit when you’re in Tenerife.
Whether you’re looking for a leisurely visit to Teide with a cable car ride, a challenging summit hike, or simply want to admire the views from one of the many scenic trails or viewpoints, Teide offers something for every kind of traveler.
How to get to Tenerife and Mount Teide
In order to get to Teide, you first need to get to the Canarian island of Tenerife. Tenerife is well-connected by air↗ with neighboring Morocco, mainland Spain and many other airports in Europe as well as with the other Canary Islands. There are direct flights with Canary Fly and Binter from the other Canary islands.
If you’re island hopping in the Canary Islands, you can reach Tenerife by ferry from the surrounding islands El Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma and Gran Canaria.
El Teide is the very center of Tenerife, and you’ll already see it from far away when arriving on the island. Normally with its peak towering out over the clouds. It’s easy to get to Teide from virtually anywhere on the island by car.
If you prefer to travel by bus, you can get to Teide with bus 342 from Costa Adeje or bus 348 from Puerto de la Cruz. These buses stop at the most important places: El Portillo, Montaña Blanca, the cable car and the visitor center (Parador National). For more information about these lines and current schedules, check the Titsa website↗.
When to visit Teide
Tenerife, and Mount Teide, are a year-round destination. Having said that, overall, the best time of year for hiking Teide is spring or autumn, when the temperatures are moderate and visitor numbers are lower.
Summer can get very hot in the mountains though, so it’s not the ideal time for hiking. While rare, it can snow on the Mount Teide summit, which is something to take into consideration if you want to visit Mount Teide in winter. The authorities will close trails and the cable car when deemed necessary.
Where to stay when visiting Teide
Teide is the most central point in Tenerife and can easily be accessed from various points on the Island. There is no one perfect place to stay if you want to visit Teide.
Personally I love the north of Tenerife, since it’s just so lush green. It’s a welcome contrast to the barren south of Gran Canaria where I live. Puerto de la Cruz is a very popular place to stay on the coast from where you can easily access Mount Teide. La Orotava is slightly further up the mountain, and therefore closer to the mountain, and has a beautiful historic center.
Those who are visiting Tenerife for the sunshine will prefer staying in the south. Costa Adeje is the most popular area for sun lovers in Tenerife, but is very commercial. Medano is a cute little town close to nice beaches as well, and a popular place for watersports, yet a little less well connected by bus.
What to pack when visiting Teide
Your packing list depends on how you would like to visit Mount Teide, but layers are always the best way to go, because the weather in the mountains is very unpredictable.
If you want to visit the top, clothes for cold and windy weather are a must. If you’re hiking, sturdy hiking shoes, protective clothing, sunscreen, plenty of water and food are a must. Drinking enough is especially important when hiking at high altitude. It helps prevent altitude sickness. I love my Source water bladder for this. I drink more with this easy access and don’t need to hassle with getting bottles out of my backpack and Source doesn’t have the plastic taste that many other water bladders do have.
If you’re planning any night activities, like stargazing and/or bivouacking, you need to be well prepared for the cold as temperatures can drop below freezing level at these altitudes.Â
How to visit Teide - 5 different ways
There are several different ways to visit Teide. If you’ve seen more of my articles, you know that I love being in nature and it’ll come as no surprise that I find hiking Teide is the best way to visit and connect with this place. But even non-hikers will love a visit to this iconic volcano. Hop on the cable car to get as close to the top as possible without hiking, and/or head to the visitor center to learn more about the history and geography of Teide and Tenerife.
| Way to Visit | What It Offers |
|---|---|
| Hike to La Rambleta (SNT‑07) | Tough but rewarding trail with epic volcanic views |
| Cable car to La Rambleta | Quick, scenic ride to 3,550 m — no hiking required |
| Summit via Telesforo Bravo (SNT‑10) | Short but steep trail to the summit — permit required |
| Roques de GarcĂa (SNT‑03) | Easy loop around surreal rock formations |
| Stargazing | Crystal-clear night skies, best with a guided tour |
| Bivouac overnight | Wild overnight stay above 2,700 m — for experienced hikers only |
💰 Mostly free to visit (cable car is paid) | 🏞️ Unique volcanic landscapes | ⛰️ Spain’s highest peak
Hiking - Top Teide hiking trails
There are many different Teide hiking trails, ranging from short and easy to long and difficult and everything in between. Below I will describe the most important hiking trails, but for a detailed overview of all Teide hiking trails, click here↗. Note that some trails require a (free) permit which you need to obtain before starting your hike. You can get your permit on the Tenerife ON website↗.
Montaña Blanca - La Rambleta (Upper cable car station) - SNT‑07
This is the most popular but also the hardest Teide hiking trail. Its initial section goes through the path of Montaña Blanca, which isn’t too demanding. When you get to the slopes of the Teide, where the old access road to the peak begins, it starts to get steep. The incline, together with the high altitude, makes it a very demanding hike so it’s important to calculate enough time to hike up and take it slow. After you’ve reached Refugio de Altavista, the incline decreases until you reach the upper cable car station.
Route Overview
| Starting Point | Montaña Blanca parking (TF‑21 km 40.2), bus stop Montaña Blanca (lines 342 & 348) |
| Endpoint | La Rambleta (upper cable car station) |
| Distance | Approx. 8.3 km (one way) |
| Elevation Gain | Approx. 1,200 m |
| Permit Required | Yes (free) |
The route can be accessed both by bus and car, but the time schedule for the buses doesn’t allow you to hike up and back down. If you’re traveling by bus, you will have time to hike to Montaña Blanca and back, but I’d recommend the hike to Roques de Garcia instead if you don’t have time to hike up to La Rambleta.
This hike is quite tough and exhausting, in both directions. The steep trail and loose stones make the descent rather challenging as well. If you’re not sure if you’re up for hiking down, it’s also possible to buy a one-way ticket with the cable car and only do the hike up. It’s what I did when I did this hike in 2018.
Telesforo Bravo (Upper cable car station to the summit) - SNT‑10
This is the hike that goes from the upper cable car station to the very summit of Mount Teide. To summit Teide, a special, separate permit is required, which you need to get from the Spanish National Parks website↗. Note that permits are given up until 2 pm the day before and are subject to availability. Only 200 hikers are allowed per day.
Route Overview
| Starting Point | La Rambleta (Upper cable car station) |
| Endpoint | Summit |
| Distance | Approx. 650 m (one way) |
| Elevation Gain | Approx. 160 m |
| Permit Required | Yes (free) |
You can reach the start of the trail either by cable car (more on that below), or via the PNT-07 trail described above. Note that they are distinct trails and require each their own permit.Â
Roques de GarcĂa - SNT-03
Roques de GarcĂa is a relatively easy circular trail around some interesting rock formations and lava flows, with views over Teide. It’s perfect for those who want to explore Teide hiking, but are not ready for the tough hike to the upper cable car station.Â
Route Overview
| Starting Point | Mirador de La Ruleta (near Parador Nacional/Cañada Blanca Visitor Center) |
| Endpoint | Mirador de La Ruleta (near Parador Nacional/Cañada Blanca Visitor Center) |
| Distance | Approx. Approx. 3.5 km |
| Elevation Gain | Approx. 175 m |
| Permit Required | No |
The official direction and recommendation is to do this hike counterclockwise, but you can go clockwise as well. If you go counterclockwise, the first half of the trail is nearly flat. On the second part of the trail there is a mostly gradual descent and a steep ascent at the end of the trail.
For those who want an even easier hiking experience, you can opt for only doing the flat part of the hike and turn around when the trail starts to loop around and to go downhill.
Staying overnight at Mount Teide
Is simply hiking Teide not enough of an adventure for you? How about an overnight stay? Spending the night on Mount Teide allows you to enjoy the sunset, sunrise, and an incredible night sky when the weather cooperates. Sounds amazing right?
Currently the only way to stay overnight on Teide is by bivouacking. Unfortunately Refugio Altavista remains closed for renovations. The good news is that it is due to reopen in the beginning of next year. Although things in the Canary Islands rarely happen on schedule, so we’ll see if that timeline holds.
If you have the right equipment and experience, you are allowed to bivouac in 4 areas of Mount Teide with the corresponding permit (separate from any hiking permits). But it’s important to understand the difference between bivouacking and camping:
Bivouac: “An activity that consists of sleeping or resting overnight in the open air or outdoors, whether or not using protective equipment such as a sleeping bag or bivouac sack, or using natural elements for shelter — without altering the environment.”
This distinction is taken very seriously on Mount Teide and tents are strictly prohibited. All four bivouacing areas are above 2700 m where night temperatures can drop below freezing and the wind chill is no joke. Only attempt this if you’re properly acclimatized and equipped. This is not an undertaking for the average traveler, but for the true adventurers.
Taking the Cable car to La Rambleta
The most popular way to visit Teide is by taking the cable car↗ to La Rambleta and back. While this is the easiest way to get to the top, it is also the busiest part of Mount Teide and the cable car is not cheap. A return ticket is € 42 (at the time of writing).Â
While the views from the top are amazing on a clear day, taking the cable car is not the same as hiking, and doesn’t allow for the same connection with the place where you are.Â
Learn more about Mount Teide at the visitor center
Close to the start of the Roques de GarcĂa trail, and next to the Parador Nacional, you will find the Cañada Blanca Visitor Center. Entrance is free and you can learn more about the history and geography of Mount Teide and Tenerife in general. And use the bathrooms!
Stargazing
On a clear night, Teide is an amazing place for stargazing. The combination of the altitude and minimal light pollution make it a great location to admire the night sky. While you can just drive up to one of the parking lots yourself, for the full experience I recommend joining a tour. They will have telescopes which you can look through and explain more about what you’re actually seeing.Â
Now, full disclosure, I haven’t actually done a stargazing tour in Tenerife, but I did in the Australian outback and in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, and a telescope and the information did completely change my perspective on what I was seeing.
This was: How to Visit Mount Teide: Tips for Hikers and Non-Hikers
Whether you’re hiking to the summit, stargazing under the clearest skies, or just enjoying the views from the cable car, visiting Mount Teide is one of the best things you can do in Tenerife. If visiting Teide is part of a longer trip to various Canary Islands, check out my other guides like Lanzarote’s best free things to do or these Gran Canaria Itinerary Ideas from 2 days to 2 Weeks for more offbeat travel inspiration.
Prefer to hike more “highest peaks”? Check out my article about hiking Mount Pico in the Azores, Portugal’s highest peak.
Have you visited Teide? Tell us about your experience in the comments
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FAQs about how to visit Mount Teide
Only certain areas require a permit. If you want to hike from the upper cable car station to the summit (Telesforo Bravo trail), you’ll need a free permit from the Spanish National Parks website. Some other trails, like Montaña Blanca to La Rambleta, also require permits, from the Tenerife On website.
Yes you can, while I do think that hiking is the best way to experience Mount Teide, it’s not necessary. You can take the cable car to La Rambleta (3,555 m) and enjoy panoramic views without hiking. There’s also a visitor center and several scenic viewpoints accessible by car.
The hike from Montaña Blanca to La Rambleta and then up the summit trail, takes around 5–6 hours one way. This is an average and depends on your fitness and acclimatization. You can also take the cable car and just hike the short summit section (with a permit), or hike up and take the cable car down, or the other way around.
Yes, Teide is technically still active, but there’s no current threat. The last eruption was in 1909, and you won’t notice any volcanic activity during your visit — just spectacular views.
Visiting Mount Teide National Park is completely free. There’s no entrance fee to explore the park, drive through it, or access most of the trails. The visitor center is free to visit as well. If you would like to take the cable car, this costs around € 42 return.Â