Walking the Highlights of Tenerife

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Day 1: Arrival Tenerife

A private transfer of 30min from Tenerife South Airport to our comfortable hotel in Vilaflor (a transfer from North Airport or elsewhere in Tenerife can be arranged at extra cost). Vilaflor is the highest village of Tenerife, located at 1,000m above sea level, on the Southern edge of the Teide National Park.

• Overnight in Hotel Spa Villalba or similar

Day 2: Lunar Landscapes | 14km

In the morning, a taxi will drive you a few kilometres further north to start a nice and easy walk through a volcanic lunar landscape with bizarre rock formations. Walking along part of the Camino de Chasna, a five century-old trade trail, discover the dreamlike rock formations called “fairy chimneys”. This walk ends in the centre of the village of Vilaflor.

• Overnight in Hotel Spa Villalba or similar
• Walking for the day: 5-6h, 14km, ↑475m ↓675m

Day 3: Las Cañadas del Teide / Mount Teide | 10-14km

In the morning – at 9:30 h, a taxi will take you to the Cañadas del Teide. This is an 18km wide old crater left after the first volcanic eruptions on Tenerife. After a short walk, you will take the cable car up to 3,200m and walk to the Vista Point Pico Viejo (3km, 75m up and down, 1h).

Should you have been able to secure a permit, you can extend your walk and climb to the top*. The walk is short and not demanding, but it will be best to take it easy given the height. The ascent from the upper cable car station to the crater is 1.5km return, 150m ascent/descent, 2h. After returning to the cable car’s lower station, you will walk 5km to the iconic Parador Hotel. Evenings spent here are quite an experience. The clear and clean night skies provide wonderful star-gazing opportunities, and the restaurant serves Canarian specialities such as Canarian Puchero, a tasty stew. In the afternoon, you can also do an optional short walk in Parador’s surroundings to Roques Garcia stones (3,5km, 175m up and down; approx. 2h).

*Our package DOES NOT include a climbing permit for the peak (to avoid erosion of the soft volcanic rock, local authorities limit the number of hikers) as well as a cable car ticket to the top. Should you want to climb Mount Teide, you should reserve a free climbing permit here well in advance.

• Overnight in Parador Las Cañadas del Teide
• Walking for the day – Optional circular walks: up to 2-3h, 4km ↑­­­­175m ↓175m per walk
• Walking for the day – Mount Teide: 6h, 10km, ↑­­­­150m ↓1,350m if you use the cable car only on the way up to the peak and walk back down to the Refuge station (shorter option using the cable car in both directions: 2h, 1.5km, ↑­­­­150m ↓150m)

Day 4: Linear Walk to Pico Guajara | 14km

Today you have plenty of time to do a demanding but rewarding ascent to Guajara (2,730m), the second-highest peak on Tenerife. Reaching the plateau on the top, enjoy views over Mount Teide, the caldera and, cloud-cover permitting, the neighbouring islands of Gran Canaria and La Gomera.

• Overnight in Parador Las Cañadas del Teide
• Walking for the day: 5-6h, 14km, ↑­­­­500m ↓500m
  

Day 5: Aguamansa | 12km

In the morning, a taxi will pick you up at 9:30 h and drive you to the start of the walk in the Aguamansa woods. You will take a mountainous route through old Canarian pine woods and barrancos with lush vegetation. At the end of the walk, the taxi will drive you to your charming hotel in the old town of Garachico, also the capital of Tenerife, before a lava stream damaged its harbour in 1706. The hotel itself is an old manor house once owned by the village’s founders in the 15th century. Although the hotel has no swimming pool, you can have a swim in the natural swimming pool in the harbour.

• Overnight in Hotel La Quinta Roja or similar
• Walking for the day: 5.5-6h, 12km, ↑­­­­725m ↓725m

Day 6: Teno Nature Park | 8-15km

Early in the morning, a taxi will drive you (30min) to the village El Palmar to the start of a walk in the barren western part of the island. Your ascent begins at approx. 300m and takes you through open woodlands and farmed areas to a vista point higher up. From there, an optional section along steep barrancos to the tiny village of Teno Alto. Then you traverse a high plateau with bizarre vegetation (giant euphorbia plants). On clear days, you can enjoy views all the way to La Gomera. If it’s very windy or too warm, you can do the alternative route from Las Portelas, which is better protected and has more shade but offers equally good views. Private transfer at the end of the day (back to the hotel in Garachico).

• Overnight in Hotel La Quinta Roja or similar
• Walking for the day: 3.5/4.5h, 8/15km, ↑­­­­400/500m ↓400/500m (alternative route: 4/4.5h, 9/10.5km, ↑­­­­525/650m)
  

Day 7: Anaga Nature Park | 10-12km

During your last day, you will explore the Laurisilva woods in Nature Park Anaga, above the cliffs of the North-Eastern corner of the island, a completely different landscape of lush green vegetation and steep cliffs. A taxi will take you there in the morning and drop you off at either el Cruz de Carmen or Chamorga, where the walks start. Whichever walk you choose, the taxi will pick you up at the end of the day and drive you to the hotel in San Cristobal de la Laguna, another historical town with a vibrant centre with shops and restaurants.

• Overnight in Nivaria Hotel & Spa or similar
• Walking for the day: 4/4.5h, 10/12km, ↑­­­­650/400m ↓650/400m

Day 8: Departure

Transfer to Tenerife South Airport included.

Click to view default hotels

• Hotel Spa Villalba (Vilaflor)
• Parador Las Cañadas del Teide (Orotava)
• Hotel La Quinta Roja (Garachico)
• Nivaria Hotel & Spa (La Laguna)

Note that hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.