Tenerife el teide · El Teide in Tenerife
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
El Teide in Tenerife
El Teide in Tenerife
From the car park, tourists can take the 10 minute cable lift to 3550 m (25€ per person/return). Return ticket is valid for 1 hour, if you miss it you will have to pay additional 12.50€ to go back down (however this limitation does not seem to be enforced very strictly). To climb to the summit (the uppermost 168 m) special permission is essential by request to the National Park Office in Santa Cruz. From the top there is an amazing view all over the island.
The ascent by foot starts at the base of the “Montaña Blanca”, at an altitude of 2200 m (very limited parking). Don't underestimate the short walk as the gradient and low oxygen levels make it challenging even for experienced walkers. After a relatively gentle start up a 4x4 track for around 4 km, you begin the steep and spectacular climb, ascending 530 m in just over 1.5 km, when you will reach the recently rebuilt Altavista Refuge (3270 m). This offers climbers a bed for a maximum of a night and kitchen facilities. After a further kilometre and 250 m ascent, the path joins another leading to La Fortaleza viewpoint, which follows the contour around El Teidi to the cable lift. If required for descent, always check if the cable lift is operational before you set off, as it does not run in poor weather conditions and closes without warning. You should allow 6-8 hours for an ascent and descent on foot.
WARNING: At 3718 m (12,198 ft) El Teide is the highest mountain in Spain. The rapid ascent by cable car can lead to altitude sickness, in even the strongest climbers. If symptoms start to manifest you should descend immediately, note that at peak times the wait for the cable car descent can be over an hour. At the summit, strong winds are not uncommon which significantly reduces temperatures. Irrespective of temperatures on the beaches, a trip to Teide (or even just the National Park) can be very cold, with snow at the peak common until typically March/April on average. In winter expect a few feet of snow and ice, and strong winds so prepare accordingly. Details on what to expect can be found at Altitude sickness#How high is high.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Tenerife
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Tenerife - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Tenerife hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Tenerife Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
