Key details
What will you see on the Teide excursion?
Teide is 3,715 metres, the highest peak in Spain and in the Atlantic, and its National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But the number that actually matters for your trip is different: you go from the low twenties to zero in two hours of driving. People turn up in shorts and spend the day cold. Bring a jacket even if you are sweating at sea level, and sunglasses: at that altitude the glare off the lava fields is punishing.
The tour stops at La Ruleta, El Portillo, Roques de García and Llano de Ucanca, the stops that appear in every photo and are well chosen: Llano de Ucanca at midday, under flat light, is the closest thing to Mars you will ever walk on. Being in a group, you get twenty or thirty minutes at each, enough to see it and take photos but not to walk. If what you want is to hike in the park, do not take this tour: rent a car and pick a trail.
You can add the cable car to reach 3,555 m, and there are two things worth knowing first: the cabins have limited capacity and sell out, and in strong wind they close with no warning. If the cable car is your main reason for going up, book the date with room to spare and have a plan B. If you are mostly going for the park scenery, the tour without the cable car already shows you nearly all of it.
Included
- Air-conditioned bus transport from South Tenerife
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (group tour)
- Official guide in Spanish, English and French
- Stops at panoramic viewpoints
- Travel insurance
Not included
- Teide cable car (optional, separate booking)
- Food and drinks
- Tips
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to bring warm clothes?
Yes, and it is the most repeated mistake on the island. It can be 25 degrees at sea level and 5 up there, less if the wind blows. Bring a jacket even if you leave the hotel in short sleeves, and sunglasses: at that altitude the glare off the lava tires your eyes in twenty minutes.
Can I climb to the crater of Teide?
They are two different things and it is worth not confusing them. The cable car reaches 3,555 m and that already gives you the views. Standing on the crater at 3,715 m requires a free National Park permit requested weeks ahead, and they run out. If you want the summit, tell us early and we will handle it; if not, the cable car leaves you 160 metres below it and hardly anyone notices the difference.
When is the best time to visit Teide?
All year, but it changes a lot. In winter there can be snow and the cable car closes in wind. In summer it pays to start early: clouds form below at midday, which looks great, but the heat on the way up is tiring. Spring is the best season if you can choose, with the park in bloom.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, on the group tour hotel pick-up in the south is included. If you are staying outside the usual area we find the nearest pick-up point and confirm it beforehand. If you are in the north, tell us: it may suit you better to go up via Orotava than to cross to the south to catch the bus.