Short about Teide
The Teide volcano is located in the center of the largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife. It is to it that we owe the opportunity to dirty our swimsuits with black sand on the island’s beaches and take unique pictures among the ridges of lava frozen on the shore.
Teide rises 3,718 meters above sea level, with an additional 3,718 meters hidden by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. In comparison, the world-famous Vesuvius is only 1,218 meters above sea level.
The legend of the volcano
Since ancient times, there have been legends surrounding Teide. According to one of them, an evil demon named Guayota is trapped in the depths of the volcano. Once he stole the sun and created mayhem under the cover of night, throwing hot debris, ash and rivers of lava on the settlements of the Guanches who lived at that time. This continued until the god Achaman, at the request of the unfortunate people, rescued the luminary from captivity and closed the volcano’s crater with a spigot. Deprived of his freedom, Guayota is still only puffing gray to remind us of ourselves. But don’t underestimate him. The last eruption of the Teide volcano was recorded recently — in 1909.
Teide Volcano is a kind of natural matryoshka doll. The mountain, which we can see today from anywhere on the island of Tenerife, grew more than a hundred thousand years ago from the depths of the ancient stratovolcano Las Cañadas (Las Cañadas), the top of which once collapsed inside under the weight of erupting lava. The result was a depression with walls, aka caldera, with a diameter of about 16 kilometers. Today the Caldera de las Cañadas, with all its unusual landscapes, unique flora and fauna, rocks, craters of later volcanoes, the summit of Teide, an astronomical observatory and much more, is called Parque Nacional del Teide (Parque Nacional del Teide), occupies almost 19 hectares and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Main routes on Teide
If the main purpose of an independent excursion to the National Park you have chosen directly Teide volcano, then there are two options for climbing to its top.
Option 1: Take the Teleférico del Teide funicular (Teleférico del Teide)
This is the easiest way you can allocate a day to do it.
The base station of the cable car on the volcano is at an altitude of 2,356 meters. Two large cabins take you to the top station of La Rambleta at 3,555 meters in just eight minutes. From here, just like in Russian folk tales, stone-paved paths diverge in different directions. They lead to three main viewing platforms.
La Fortaleza (Mirador de La Fortaleza), altitude 3,559 m
The 427-meter-long trail is relatively flat and easy to ascend and descend, with volcanic rocks towering over it here and there. It ends at the observation deck, where you can see the peak of Teide, the ant-like people climbing up to its crater, the northern slope of Tenerife, the fertile valley of La Orotava, the Atlantic Ocean and the red-colored rocks of La Fortaleza.
It took me about 40 minutes to complete the round trip at a very fast pace.
Pico Biejo (Mirador de Pico Viejo), altitude 3,135 m
From the cable car station to the viewing platform, the trail leads downhill quite rapidly. It is quite risky and dangerous to walk fast. The scenery on this route changes like a kaleidoscope, from black lava rivers to whitewashed deserts. From the observation deck, there are great views of the caldera walls and the Los Roques de García cliffs that once divided it in two. In the distance, the islands of La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma can be seen on the horizon. And the most important thing to go this way for is the view of the colorful 800 m diameter crater of the Pico Biejo volcano. Particularly mesmerizing and alarming are the puffs of smoke above it, which on closer inspection turn out to be just clouds.
The length of this trail is 751m.
Sendero Telesforo Bravo (Sendero Telesforo Bravo), altitude 3,718 m
This is the main and most difficult route that leads to the crater of the volcano, Pico del Teide. From La Rumbleta station, you only have to climb 163 meters to reach a height of 3,718 meters, where you can enjoy panoramic views of Tenerife, the neighboring Canary Islands and other craters. In terms of time, it takes about an hour and a half. The path from the cable car station is laid inside the lava channel, along the way you can even look at the volcanic rocks in section. It is better to see this picture once than to read someone else’s impressions on the Internet a hundred times. The ascent to the crater of Teide is quite steep and is not recommended for people with cardiovascular diseases. In addition, at altitude the air is thinner than below, which can be felt already at La Rambleta station. Therefore, experts recommend making frequent stops and resting. In my 30s, it was on a volcano that I first realized what shortness of breath was.
But good physical shape and desire are not enough to climb Mt. Teide. Every day the National Park issues only 200 permits, and you should take care of obtaining them in advance: 2 — 3 months in advance if you plan to climb independently. And at least 10 days, or better 14 days, if you will take a guided tour on the official website of the park. If you are late, the last chance to get permission to climb is through an organized excursion.
Option #2. Walk from the Montaña Blanca stop through the Altavista campground (el Refugio de Altavista).
This route is usually used to get to the Teide crater without a special permit. The option is not free, booking an overnight stay at a campground costs 25 €. But you will be able to see the unique starry sky of Tenerife — the best, according to «celestial» experts around the world. And in addition you will meet the sunrise on the volcano — otherwise there is no other way, because the trail Telesforo Bravo should be left before 9:00. Therefore, plan your hike for two days.
On average, the trail from the Montaña Blanca signpost to theAltavista Mountain Shelter, which is located at an altitude of 3,260 m, takes about four hours. In some parts of the trail, the ascent is very steep uphill and requires a lot of effort to overcome.
The trail from the Altavista base comes out to the La Fortaleza lookout, and from there signs will lead you to the path to Teide Peak. The total is about another two hours of hiking. This route can also be used if you don’t plan to climb to the crater and want to save money on the cable car, or to test your endurance, or just take a longer walk around the volcano. In this case, it is not necessary to stay at the campground.
How to get to Teide by car
If you’re traveling by car, you can choose almost any starting point to climb to the top of the volcano, drive down, or explore the nature of the National Park.
For example, at the Pico Biejo lookout, the route does not end, you can walk down to the crater of the volcano of the same name, but it will take 4—5 hours, and the exit to the highway will be very far from the bus station, in the area of Chio (Mirador de Chio). There is free unguarded parking here, though.
You can choose a suitable park route here. And don’t worry about the quality of the roads: they are perfect in the National Park! Plus there are information panels everywhere, so it’s a pleasure to travel on your own. Trail 7 is the way from the Montaña Blanca stop to the La Fortaleza lookout via the Altavista campground.
Important information about the Altavista campground
- You need to book a bed in advance, 2—3 months in advance.
- You can only stay for one night.
- The three bedrooms with bunk beds can accommodate 54 travelers.
- There is a kitchen and a dining room where you can warm and eat your food. Apart from hot and cold drinks and water sold at the base, there is nothing else to eat.
- Disposable bedding and warm comforters are provided, but heating is also available.
- There are restrooms, but no showers.
- After an overnight stay, the base should be vacated by 7:30, closing at 8:00.
- Access to the lobby opens at 11:00 a.m., bedrooms at 7:00 p.m., and access to the kitchen and restrooms is open from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
A volcanic civilization
The main locations of the National Park are arranged in such a way that climbing the volcano is as comfortable as possible.
At the base station of the cable car there is a café, restroom, souvenir store, an exchange point for electronic cable car tickets for paper ones and an audio guide dispenser.
There are no cafes at the top station of La Rumblelette, but there are toilets, Wi-Fi and a public phone.
How to prepare for climbing Teide volcano
Be sure to bring it with you:
- Water
- Sunscreen
- Headgear
- Warm clothing (temperature differences can be up to 20C depending on the time of day)
- Comfortable clothes and shoes
- Flashlight for night climbing
Don’t stray off the official trails or you risk falling into the bowels of the volcano.
There is no Russian-speaking guide on the staff of the National Park. When buying an excursion to the Teide crater on the volcano’s website, you can choose an English- or Spanish-speaking guide. If you want a tour in Russian, book it in advance with a Russian-speaking guide.
Be prepared for the weather:
- Wet, cold clouds come suddenly and rapidly and cover everything with a thick milky shroud, replacing the scorching sun. The earlier you arrive in the park, the better your chances of seeing the volcanic landscape in all its glory.
- The cable car, the campground and some trails may be closed due to weather conditions, so it is best to check the current information on the official website of the volcano before going out . The return of cable car tickets in such a case is free of charge.
Funicular
It is better to buy tickets for the funicular in advance on the official website of the volcano. This way you will be able to choose the most convenient time of ascent to the volcano and a suitable fare. To exchange an electronic ticket for a paper one, you need to come to the boarding area about 20—30 minutes in advance. And be prepared to stand in line.
Cable car prices:
- Adult ticket for ascent and descent — 27 €
- Children’s ticket for the ascent and descent — 13,50 € (from 3 to 13 years old)
Here you can add additional services to your base ticket: audio guide, guided day or evening tours, hotel transfers.
Unlike the human guide, the audio guide speaks Russian, so I paid an extra 6 € for him, left a 50 € deposit and stomped around the volcano at my own pace.
When the ticket office is closed (for example, during a pandemic), it’s easier to buy a ticket through a guide — it’s more expensive, but the price also includes a transfer from your hotel and an escort.
During the year, with few exceptions, the cable car is open from 9:00 to 17:00. The time of the last ascent of the cable car is 16:00 and the last descent is 16:50. These times correspond to the tickets of independent travelers.
How to get to Teide volcano without a car
A comfortable green TITSA bus takes you to the lower station of the Teleferico del Teide cable car. From here it also departs in the opposite direction. On the way there will be a stop at Montaña Blanca for those who have chosen a more difficult route.
From the south of Tenerife:
- Bus 342 from Costa Adeje Estación bus station.
- Departure time: to the volcano — 9:15, return — 15:40.
- Travel time: 2 h 15 min.
- A one way ticket costs €8.05.
From the north of Tenerife:
- Bus 348 (photo) from the Puerto de la Cruz Estación bus station.
- Departure time: to the volcano — 9:30, back — 16:05.
- One way ticket is 6,20 €. Payment in cash to the driver, cards and discounts are not valid.
- Travel time: 1 hr 40 min.
The bus schedule can be viewed on the official TITSA website.
Hop on, Hop off from Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The Hop on, Hop off bus from the capital of the island to the national park costs €40 round trip. The bus leaves from the Bahia Princess Hotel on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8:30.
Useful information:
1- The buses in Tenerife are equipped with usb sockets, so you can safely charge your gadgets on the way.
2. The road to the volcano is serpentine and quite long, so motion sickness remedies may come in handy.
Teide Volcano is not just a big mountain visible from anywhere in Tenerife, nor is it just another tourist destination to be visited for the sake of ticking boxes. It is a place where you will feel on top of the world, and under your feet will be cities, oceans, mountains and even clouds. The main thing is to conquer Teide while it sleeps.
