Hiking in the Teide National Park

There is an extensive network of trails in the Teide National Park that allow you to access places of interest. The Park administration, considering the criteria of safety, comfort, knowledge and enjoyment for visitors, recommends using the guided and self-guided routes listed below. However, others are not recommended for everyone.

Guided routes for the general public: the National Park's interpretation service, which is free of charge, offers the following guided routes. To sign up, please contact the National Park offices in advance (Tel: 922 922 371): Roque del Peral (2 hours), La Fortaleza (3 and a half hours), Arenas Negras (2 hours), Risco Verde (3 hours), the Visitors’ Centre Garden (30 to 45 minutes), Roques de García (2 and a half hours).

Self-guided routes: Certain routes in the National Park are equipped so that visitors can use them on their own, including the following: Montaña Majúa, National Parador (2 hours - 6 km), National Parador Visitors’ Centre (Siete Cañadas, 4 to 5 hours - 16 km), Visitors’ Centre Garden (30 to 45 mins - 1 km), El Teide Summit Trail: The most commonly used starting point is the base of Montaña Blanca, at an altitude of 2,100 metres. Around 4 km before reaching the summit of Montaña Blanca, the path to the Altavista Refuge begins.

The Altavista Refuge, located at an altitude of 3,270 metres, consists of two buildings and is equipped with an infirmary, storeroom, toilets, kitchen and three dormitories with capacity for 60 mountaineers. The Island Council took over this facility in 1950, and it was completely refurbished in 1997.
The maximum stay is limited to ONE night; users will receive their bedding on arrival and can heat liquid food in the kitchen.

Reservations for the Altavista Refuge
Cable car company office
C/San Francisco, 5-4º
38001 - Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Tel. 922 010 440
Fax. 922 287 837
E-mail: teleferico@telefericoteide.com

Fee for adults: 20 euros.
Fee for federated mountaineers and students: 10 euros.

From this refuge, you continue up to La Rambleta, where the cable car terminal station is located.

Important: People who spend the night at the Altavista Refuge, as they access the terminal cone at an early hour to see the sunrise, DO NOT need to apply for a permit to access the Teide Summit, as a copy of the stamped application form stating that they have spent the night at the Refuge on the same day is proof of this. These people must have left the "Telesforo Bravo" path before 9 a.m. on the same day.

To access from La Rambleta or the cable car terminal (3,550 m) to the Teide Summit (3,718 m) on the "Telesforo Bravo" trail, a permit must be obtained from the National Park office or via www.reservasparquesnacionales.es, which is valid for a specific date.

National Park Office
C/Doctor Sixto Perera González, nº 25 - El Mayorazgo. La Orotava
Tel. 922 922 371; Fax: 922 244 788
e-mail: teide.maot@gobiernodecanarias.org
Opening hours: from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday to Friday (bring a photocopy of your ID).

(You are advised to apply for a permit to access the Telesforo Bravo trail as soon as possible, because, due to the high demand in the summer season, the daily places are taken up well in advance).

Under no circumstances is access to the crater allowed, nor the complete route around the crater. The other two trails that start from La Rambleta in the direction of the viewpoints of Pico Viejo and La Fortaleza (1 km and 1/2 km respectively), which offer excellent views of Las Cañadas, the island and other islands, can be freely used.