Spain's highest mountain, in a caldera of lava and pumice: no entrance fee, but a cable car ticket, a summit permit and gear that is checked at the trailhead.
First momentOn 24 August 1492, on the way to America, Columbus's sailors saw great flames leaping from the highest mountain of the islands. That is how Fernando Colón tells it in his history of the Admiral.
A national park with no entrance fee whose summit is handed out on Mondays at seven in the morning, sourced from the park authority's own information.
At over 3,700 metres (12,139 ft), Teide is the highest mountain in Spain and the centrepiece of the country's most visited national park. Access to the last 160 metres (525 ft) of ascent has been capped for years; in 2025 the booking moved to the Tenerife ON portal, and since 2026 it costs €15 during the daytime hours.
The park is a basin: the Las Cañadas caldera, whose southern wall still stands with Guajara, and in the middle the twin volcano of Pico Viejo and Teide. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 2007 because it shows every stage in the evolution of an oceanic volcanic island in a small area, with a sea of clouds as the backdrop. By UNESCO's count, Tenerife is the third-highest volcanic structure on Earth.
What a visit costs depends on the operators, not the park. The park itself is free to enter. The cable car belongs to a private company and costs €42 return; it sells online only, and only as many tickets as the cabins can carry. The Cabildo de Tenerife issues the summit permit through Tenerife ON: every Monday at 7:00 Canary Islands time another week is released, so 56 days can always be booked; one reservation per person per 15 days, €15 in the slots between 9:00 and 17:00.
The park authority states explicitly that the two have nothing to do with each other: a cable car ticket does not entitle you to go to the summit, and the permit is valid for its time slot whether or not the cable car runs that day. If you plan to climb without the cable car, you also need the permit for trail PNT 07 over Montaña Blanca; if you sleep at the Altavista hut, you get both with the booking.
Since July 2026 compulsory gear has applied on the five volcano trails and is checked at the trailhead: mountain boots, long trousers, a fleece; in snow, crampons and an ice axe plus a declaration of mountain experience. Since June 2026 smoking outdoors has been banned. Both follow the summer of 2023, when a wildfire swept through 1,235 hectares of the park.
Since 2015 the park has been managed by the Cabildo, the island government, on behalf of the Canary Islands government; its board includes the ministry, the region, the island, six municipalities, universities, the astrophysics institute and the mountaineering federation. The Guanches called the mountain Echeyde, the home of evil; Humboldt stood here in 1799, and the park was established in 1954. It is the oldest and largest in the Canary Islands.
3,715 m (12,188 ft) according to the park authority, 3,718 m (12,198 ft) according to its booking page
Lowest zone
Pine forest from 1,600 m (5,249 ft)
Cable car
2,356 to 3,555 m (7,730 to 11,663 ft), 8 minutes
Summit trail
660 m (0.4 mi), 182 m (597 ft) of ascent, PNT 10
National park since
22 January 1954
World Heritage Site since
2 July 2007
Starlight
Reserve and Tourist Destination since 2013
Last eruption in the park
1798, Narices del Teide
How to plan the day
01
No entrance fee, but two trails cost money
The Cabildo approved the park's first visitor fee for 2026, and it applies to two trails only: PNT 10 to the summit and PNT 07 over Montaña Blanca. Tenerife residents pay nothing on them, and on the summit trail neither do children under 14. The Cabildo names no fee for the roads, the viewpoints or the other trails.
For the last 160 metres (525 ft) of ascent from the top of the cable car to the crater, every person needs a reservation for trail PNT 10 Telesforo Bravo. Every Monday at 7:00 Canary Islands time (8:00 in Germany and most of central Europe) another week is released, so you can always book 56 days ahead.
Since 2026, Montaña Blanca–La Rambleta (PNT 07), Teide–Pico Viejo–Narices del Teide (PNT 09), Los Regatones Negros (PNT 23) and Chafarí (PNT 28) also need a reservation, valid for the ascent and the descent and released on Mondays in the same way. A cable car ticket does not replace any of these permits.
The Spanish Ministry for the Environment lists Teide as the largest and oldest national park in the Canary Islands and the most visited in the whole network. It lies in the centre of Tenerife, from the pine forest at 1,600 metres (5,249 ft) up to the summit, around the Las Cañadas caldera, where Teide and Pico Viejo rise as a twin volcano.
Since 2015 the park has been managed by the Cabildo de Tenerife, the island government, on behalf of the Canary Islands government. The cable car is run by a private company, and permits are issued through the Cabildo's Tenerife ON portal. That is why the cable car ticket and the summit permit are two separate things.
The cabins hold 44 people and take eight minutes from the lower station at 2,356 metres (7,730 ft) to La Rambleta at 3,555 metres (11,663 ft). The operator sells tickets online only, and a cable car ticket does not replace a permit for the summit.
Eight minutes from 2,356 to 3,555 metres (7,730 to 11,663 ft), and at the top the altitude begins.
Eight minutes from 2,356 to 3,555 metres (7,730 to 11,663 ft). At the top there are three trails: No. 11 to the Mirador de la Fortaleza with views to the north; No. 12 to the Mirador de Pico Viejo above the 800-metre-wide crater, both almost level but tiring because of the altitude; and No. 10 to the crater, permit only.
A return ticket costs €42 for adults not resident in the Canary Islands and €21 for children aged 3 to 13; residents pay €10.50. A single ticket is €23.50, and you can book the ride down on its own at the top by QR code while the cable car is running. With audio guide €45.50, with a guided walk to the Pico Viejo viewpoint €54.50.
The operator sells tickets online only and points out that capacity is limited. Changes or refunds are free until 18:00 the day before. If the cable car closes because of wind, the cable car part of the price is refunded; the ticket includes the “Science and Legend” exhibition at the lower station.
Standard hours 9:00 to 17:00, with the last ride up at 16:00; extended until 18:40 from 28 March to 12 April and from 1 July to 30 September, until 18:00 from 1 to 13 October, and until 17:30 from 14 to 24 October. There are also sunset rides for up to 90 people.
Pregnant women, children under three and people with heart conditions may not ride, nor may people with reduced mobility: if the cable car breaks down, you have to walk down from the top station over very steep ground. Heels, platform soles, flip-flops and open shoes are not allowed.
Tenerife: Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer
The cable car operator's day tour: pick-up from 56 hotels and stops in the north and south, a guided drive through Las Cañadas, the cable car to 3,555 metres (11,663 ft) and free time on trails No. 11 and 12 at the top station, with the Teide Legend audio guide and the “Science and Legend” exhibition.
7 hours
Cable car ticket included
German-speaking guides
Pick-up north and south
Departure Pick-up at 56 points between Costa Adeje, Los Gigantes, Puerto de la Cruz and Santa Cruz.
According to the list of inclusions, transfer, guide and cable car ticket are included; food and drinks are not. Summit trail No. 10 is not part of the tour; for that you need your own permit from Tenerife ON. If the cable car is stopped by wind, the tour still goes ahead and only the cable car part is refunded. The operator excludes pregnant women, children under three, people with heart conditions and people with reduced mobility from the cable car.
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Teleferico del Pico de Teide SA · Tiqets · Tour with cable car · 7 hours
Mount Teide: Tour with Cable Car (Tiqets)
The cable car operator's coach tour through Tiqets: pick-up in the north from 7:55 or in the south from 8:15, a drive through the pine forest into Las Cañadas, cable car return, one hour at the top, guide in five languages, though not every language every day.
7 hours
Cable car return included
Pick-up north and south
German daily on the north and south tours
Departure Recommended pick-up points: Maritime Hotel Tenerife in the north, Sol Arona in Costa Adeje in the south; further points are listed on the voucher.
Transport, cable car and guide are included; the summit trail is not, for which you need your own permit. The list of inclusions also names “entry to Teide National Park”; the park itself charges no entrance fee. The description also calls the 7-hour tour a “half-day tour”. Guides speak German daily on the north and south tours, on the tour from Santa Cruz and Candelaria only on Fridays, and from Playa Paraíso and Los Gigantes on Wednesdays and Fridays; French and Italian only on certain days. Time at the top is limited to one hour. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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For the final climb from the top station to the crater, every person needs their own permit. Every Monday at 7:00 Canary Islands time Tenerife ON releases another week, so you can always book 56 days ahead.
Six hundred and sixty metres of path, a hundred and eighty-two metres of ascent, and a reservation released on Mondays at seven.
660 metres (0.4 mi), 182 metres (597 ft) of ascent, around 55 minutes, gradients of up to 60 percent from 3,550 metres (11,647 ft). Near the crater fumaroles steam, and a plant found nowhere else grows in the warm ground. Only in your booked slot, only on the path, never into the crater.
Trail PNT 10 has a fee in the time slots between 9:00 and 17:00: €15 for visitors from outside the Canary Islands, €6 for residents of the other Canary Islands, €0 for Tenerife residents and children under 14. The permit is valid only for the booked slot, whether or not the cable car runs that day.
Each person can hold only one reservation within 15 days: you cannot book a second date in the seven days before or after the booked date. If you do not turn up and do not cancel, you are barred for three months. Show your ID card or passport at the trailhead.
The summit trail starts at 3,550 metres (11,647 ft). The park authority advises walking slowly and stopping often; the sulphur fumes from the fumaroles make breathing harder still. If you have heart, breathing or mobility problems, avoid the volcano trails.
A Tenerife ON reservation covers one person or a group of up to 15 people, and only for the booked date. Carry the permit printed or on your phone, together with your ID card or passport. Anyone leading groups needs official accreditation from the national park.
Pets are banned on the summit trail, except guide dogs. The park authority gives no general rule for the other trails; if you bring a dog, ask at a visitor centre.
Teleferico del Pico de Teide SA · Tiqets · Summit hike with permit · 6 hours
Mount Teide: Guided Tour, Summit Hike + Cable Car (Tiqets)
The cable car operator takes care of the summit permit: transfer from 7:00, cable car, and a guided ascent on trail PNT 10 to the crater at 3,718 metres (12,198 ft), according to the provider.
6 hours
Summit permit included
Cable car and transfer
ID checked on the crater trail
Departure Pick-up between 7:00 and 8:20; place and time are given when you book. ID is checked at the trailhead.
Food and drinks are not included. The page contradicts itself on language: the header names English and Spanish, the description a tour leader who speaks Spanish, English and German; clarify before booking. The ticket is non-refundable and cannot be changed. The park authority's compulsory gear applies here too.
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To go up without the cable car, take trail PNT 07 from the road over Montaña Blanca to the Refugio de Altavista at 3,260 metres (10,696 ft) and on to La Rambleta. This trail also needs a reservation; if you sleep at the hut, both permits are included in the booking.
Trail PNT 07 leads from the road over Montaña Blanca to the Refugio de Altavista and La Rambleta; it also needs a reservation with time slots. You can book a single ride down on the cable car at the top while it is running.
If you sleep at the hut, the permits for PNT 07 and PNT 10 are included in the booking: check-in between 15:00 and 24:00, summit the next morning between 6:00 and 9:00, check-out by 12:00. That is how you see the mountain's shadow at sunrise.
On PNT 07, 09, 10, 23 and 28, mountain boots or closed trekking shoes with a good tread, long trousers and a fleece are required, even in summer. Staff at the trailhead may ask to see your gear; without it you cannot go up. With ice or snow, crampons and an ice axe as well.
Air pressure, temperature, wind and visibility change within minutes. The booking conditions require you to check the forecast, alert levels, road and trail conditions beforehand and never to leave the marked path.
When there is ice or snow, as stated on the trail sheet on Tenerife ON, crampons with 10 or 12 points and an ice axe are also compulsory on the volcano trails, and the reservation requires a declaration of mountain experience and accident insurance.
10X. TENerife eXperience. · Guided night ascent · 6 to 6.5 or 10 hours
Teide night hike to the summit for sunrise, permits included
Pick-up in Los Cristianos, hike starting at around 4:00, ten kilometres (6.2 mi) and 1,380 metres (4,528 ft) of ascent on foot by head torch over Montaña Blanca, a picnic with hot tea at sunrise at 3,200 metres (10,499 ft), then the summit and the ride down on the cable car. The provider obtains both permits and supplies poles, blankets and, from November to April, crampons.
Hike 6–6.5 hrs, key facts 10 hrs
Both permits included
Ages 15 and up, max. 9 people
English, Spanish
Departure Los Cristianos; transfer from the south coast between Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes for a €50 surcharge.
Guide, the two paid permits, head torches, poles, crampons in winter, blankets, tea and snacks are included. The page contradicts itself: the key facts give 10 hours, the description 6 to 6.5 hours; the key facts say “pick-up included”, while the list of inclusions shows the transfer from the south coast as not included, according to the provider €50 per pick-up location. Clarify both before booking. Also not included is the cable car ride down, which the provider gives as €24 per person and which is bought only after the summit. Footwear is checked at the trailhead by authorised staff; without suitable boots there is no access. Not after diving, and not for people with heart problems or high blood pressure.
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Opposite the Parador stand the remains of a wall that once divided the basin: Roque Cinchado, Torrotito, La Catedral. The PNT 03 loop leads around them and down to the Ucanca plain, with no reservation and open to everyone.
A loop trail with no reservation, around the rocks opposite the Parador and down to the Ucanca plain.
According to the trail sheet, one of the most popular trails in the park, thanks to its low difficulty and grand scenery; the park authority's home page rates it moderate. It circles the Roques, step-free at first, then drops to the Ucanca plain with a view of the lava cascade and returns past La Catedral. Teide is in view the whole way.
The park authority highlights three trails: PNT 01 La Fortaleza, 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) one way, one hour 45 minutes, easy; PNT 02 Arenas Negras, a 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) loop, three hours, easy; PNT 03 Roques de García, a 3.6-kilometre (2.2 mi) loop, two hours, moderate. For this trail the Tenerife ON trail sheet gives 3.47 kilometres (2.2 mi), one hour 55 minutes and easy.
Climbing is limited to the zones set out in the park's management plan and must be registered in advance, including the Roques de García, La Catedral, Los Cachorros and the south face of Guajara, each through Tenerife ON.
Atlantic Dolphin Travel S.L. · Tiqets · Island tour with Teide · 9 hours
Teide National Park, Icod de los Vinos, Garachico & Masca: day tour from the south (Tiqets)
An island tour with about 30 minutes in the park at the Roques de García, followed by the dragon tree of Icod, Garachico and the mountain village of Masca in the Teno mountains. English-speaking guide, departing 8:45 from Hotel Sol Arona.
9 hours
Transport and guide included
Only a short stop in the park
English
Departure Meeting point Hotel Sol Arona, Avenida Juan Carlos I, Los Cristianos.
No lunch, no cable car, no summit permit. If you want to see the park itself, one of the Teide tours serves you better; here it is just a photo stop. Changes possible up to 24 hours before.
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Provider's product photo · Tiqets
Map
24 places on the map
Access roads, visitor centres, trailheads and viewpoints, each with a sourced location.
The Circo de Las Cañadas is a huge caldera, in the middle of which the twin volcano of Pico Viejo and Teide has grown. In 1798 lava flowed for three months from the Narices del Teide on the flank of Pico Viejo, the last eruption inside the park.
UNESCO gives two reasons: the landscape of caldera wall, central volcano and sea of clouds, and its value as a mature, slow-moving, geologically complex volcanic system that documents how oceanic islands form. On this basis Tenerife is the third-highest volcanic structure in the world. Core zone 18,990 hectares, buffer zone 54,127 hectares.
The Circo de Las Cañadas is a huge caldera, in the middle of which the Teide–Pico Viejo stratovolcano has grown. According to the ministry, lava flows, cones and the colours of differently weathered rock make the park one of the most impressive geological monuments in the world.
In 1798 lava flowed for three months from a fissure on the flank of Pico Viejo, the Narices del Teide: twelve million cubic metres. Columbus's fleet reported seeing flames on the mountain in 1492. The volcano is considered dormant, not extinct; geologists consider a new eruption very unlikely.
In June 1799 Alexander von Humboldt was the first naturalist to study the flora of what is now the park; UNESCO names him, von Buch and Lyell as reasons why Teide is a key site in volcanology. The park was established in 1954, received the European Diploma in 1989 and World Heritage status in 2007.
The Guanches called the mountain Echeyde, home of the evil Guayota. He is said to have carried the sun god Magec off into the mountain; Achamán freed him and sealed the vent with the “sugarloaf”, the topmost cone. Las Cañadas were also summer pasture for shepherds from all over the island.
El Portillo and the northern rim: flora and trails
The park authority counts around 200 vascular plants, 60 of them endemic to the Canary Islands and 14 found only in the park; elsewhere it gives 212 species and 58 endemics. At the El Portillo visitor centre, the botanical garden shows the high-altitude flora along over 1,000 metres (3,281 ft) of path, including species you will hardly see on the trails.
The main entrance from the north, with a visitor centre, a botanical garden and the trails through the black lapilli fields.
The trails of the northern rim start at the El Portillo visitor centre, among them No. 1 La Fortaleza and No. 2 Arenas Negras through black lapilli fields. The park authority lists every trail with its number, map and profile on Tenerife ON.
The red bugloss Echium wildpretii flowers in Las Cañadas, together with Teide broom. On its natural values page the park authority counts around 200 vascular plants, 60 of them endemic to the Canary Islands and 14 found only in the park; its conservation page gives 212 species and 58 endemics. The Teide violet grows above 2,200 metres (7,218 ft) on cinder and pumice.
On its conservation page the park authority lists 212 plant species, 58 of them endemic to the Canary Islands; on its natural values page, around 200 and 60. Some, such as the Teide violet, the Guanche rose and the red tajinaste, grow in extreme conditions and suffer from introduced herbivores; the mouflon are to be removed entirely, and rabbits are traditionally hunted with ferrets.
The invertebrates are the real treasure: 44 percent of the species are Macaronesian endemics and 7 percent occur only in the park. There are also the Canary lizard, geckos and the Teide blue chaffinch, a subspecies found only on Tenerife.
Mouflon and wild rabbits eat the endemic plants. The mouflon are to be removed from the park entirely; during the annual culls the area concerned is closed to everyone not taking part. Rabbit numbers are only reduced to a tolerable level.
Beekeeping is the only farming allowed in the park; broom and tajinaste honey are considered special. For the Corpus Christi flower carpets in La Orotava, coloured earth is taken from the park at spots agreed jointly by the park and the town.
G.G.A.parapente · Tandem paragliding flight · 3 hours
Tandem paragliding flight from Izaña, on the edge of Teide National Park, to Puerto de la Cruz
Three hours including the transfers: from the meeting point in Puerto de la Cruz the provider takes you to the take-off site at Izaña at 2,200 metres (7,218 ft), on the national park boundary. From there you fly with a pilot away from the park, north over the Orotava Valley, and land on the coast in Puerto de la Cruz.
3 hours with transfer
Max. 4 people
20 to 100 kg (44 to 220 lb)
Instructor Spanish, English
Departure Meeting point at a roundabout with parking in the La Paz district of Puerto de la Cruz (map point 28.4158 / −16.5302); from there transport to the Izaña take-off site. Landing in Puerto de la Cruz.
The flight does not go over the park: the park authority asks visitors not to practise air sports such as hang-gliding and parachuting in the park, and overflights below 22,000 feet need a permit. Take-off is at Izaña on the park boundary, and the route leads away from the park over the Orotava Valley. According to the list of inclusions, transport from the meeting point to the take-off site and the equipment are included; the flight video costs extra. The page gives no flight time. Weight 20 to 100 kg (44 to 220 lb), surcharge over 85 kg, maximum age 70, height 100 to 200 cm. The page contradicts itself: under “please note” it says “no minimum age”, under “not suitable for” children under 13; clarify before booking. If take-off at Izaña is not possible because of the weather, the provider switches to another take-off site. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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Stargazing at Teide: the observatory and the night
Since 2013 the park has been certified as a Starlight Reserve and Starlight Tourist Destination, and the park authority counts stargazing among its natural values. Camping is prohibited; you can stay overnight at the Parador, at the Altavista hut or, with a permit, in one of the four bivouac zones above 2,500 metres (8,202 ft).
Since 2013 the park has been certified as a Starlight Reserve and a Starlight Tourist Destination. The park authority explicitly lists stargazing among its natural values, alongside the landscape, the volcanism and the high-mountain ecosystems.
You can visit the Observatorio del Teide on Izaña by day in guided groups and look through solar telescopes; the tours are sold by the cable car operator. They are also the alternative when the cable car is stopped by wind.
Wild camping is prohibited. Bivouacking is allowed in four designated zones above 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) with a permit from Tenerife ON, also released on Mondays, 56 days ahead.
Teide: Guided Sunset & Stargazing Tour by Night with Dinner
Nine hours from your hotel: up above the clouds, sunset in the national park, dinner at a restaurant inside the park and then stargazing with an astronomy guide, laser pointer and telescopes. One language per coach.
9 hours
Dinner in the park included
One language per coach
Pick-up south; north Wed/Fri/Sun
Departure Pick-up in the south between Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes; in the north, in Puerto de la Cruz, only on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Guide and pick-up appear in the list of inclusions, the dinner only in the notes (“stop at a restaurant inside the national park, dinner included”); we state both. Pick-up outside the areas named is excluded.
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Volcano Teide · Observatory tour · 1.5 hours
Tenerife: Mount Teide Observatory Guided Tour
An hour and a half at the observatory on Izaña, which the page describes as the largest solar observatory in the world: the history of the site, the work of the astrophysicists, a look through two solar telescopes and access to a professional night telescope. Tours in German, English, Spanish and French.
1.5 hours
Admission and guided tour included
Two solar telescopes
No transport
Departure At the observatory; the meeting point depends on the language booked and is given in the booking.
Admission, guided tour and telescopes are included; transport, food and tips are marked with a cross. You arrange your own way to the observatory at around 2,400 metres (7,874 ft). According to the page, not suitable for children under 8, people with reduced mobility or people with respiratory problems; because of the altitude of around 2,400 metres and the gravel paths, the provider also advises against it for people with heart conditions. Children must prove their age with ID.
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Teleferico del Pico de Teide SA · Tiqets · Observatory tour · 1.5 hours
Mount Teide Observatory: Guided Visit (Tiqets)
The same guided tour of the observatory on Izaña as the GetYourGuide offer, here through Tiqets: an introduction to astrophysics, a look through two solar telescopes, guide in German, English, French or Spanish.
1.5 hours
Admission and guide included
Tour in German available
No transport
Departure At the observatory gate; the guide collects the group and shows you where to park. According to the page, access is by car only via the TF-24.
Transport and cable car ticket are not included. Bring ID; do not ring the bell. Changes possible up to one hour before the visit.
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Dry, with strong contrasts between day and night and often strong wind; in winter it snows on some days. Since the wildfire of 2023, which swept through 1,235 hectares of the park, smoking has been banned in all outdoor areas; open fires already were.
„White and silent in winter, full of colour in spring, parched in summer: that is how the ministry describes the park.“
Teide National Park · Llano de Ucanca from the Roques de García
The seasons
The high-altitude climate
Dry, with strong contrasts between day and night, low humidity, often strong wind and little, irregular rainfall; in winter it snows on some days. Between 2,000 and 3,700 metres (6,562 and 12,139 ft) this holds all year round.
Even in summer a fleece or an equally warm layer is compulsory on the volcano trails, because the temperature at the top can drop within minutes. In July, August and September the cable car runs until 18:40, with the last ride up at 17:40.
On 15 August 2023 more than 14,700 hectares burned on Tenerife, 1,235 of them in the park: the worst fire in four decades. Since then smoking outdoors and open fires have been banned, and in summer further closures apply depending on the alert level, published by Tenerife ON.
Since June 2026 smoking has been banned in all outdoor areas of the park: trails, viewpoints, rest areas and car parks. The reason is the wildfire risk after the fire of 2023.
Collecting stones or writing on them, taking plants or animals, leaving the paths, parking outside the bays, drones, hang-gliders, parachutes, kites, balloons and fireworks, loudspeakers, selling without a permit. Archaeological remains: look, do not touch.
Four roads lead into the park, and bus lines 342 from Costa Adeje and 348 from Puerto de la Cruz both stop at the Parador. The only places to stay in the park are there and at the Altavista hut; the park authority recommends the bus because parking is scarce.
The TF-21 climbs 31 kilometres (19 mi) from La Orotava to El Portillo; the TF-24 runs along the island's ridge from La Laguna and La Esperanza, 30 kilometres (19 mi) to the same point. From Santa Cruz it is around 64 kilometres (40 mi) to the cable car, from Puerto de la Cruz 45 (28 mi).
The TF-21 from Granadilla via Vilaflor, the island's highest village, reaches Boca Tauce at kilometre 57.5; the TF-38 from Chío gets there after 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi). From Los Cristianos it is 47 kilometres (29 mi) to the cable car, from Los Gigantes 52 (32 mi). The cable car is at kilometre 43 of the TF-21.
TITSA runs line 348 from Puerto de la Cruz via La Orotava and El Portillo to the Parador, and line 342 from Costa Adeje via Los Cristianos and Vilaflor to the Parador and on to El Portillo; line 341 shuttles within the park. Check the timetables before you travel, as departures are few. Road information on 900 210 131.
The parking areas at the viewpoints along the park roads are small and fill up quickly. The Parador has a larger car park, but depending on the time of day it is often full; the cable car car park is open only during operating hours and closed at night. The park authority recommends taking the bus where possible.
Tenerife Stars · Small group from the south · 4 hours
From Los Cristianos: half-day tour to Teide National Park
Four hours in a minibus for up to eight people: from the south coast up to Vilaflor, the island's highest village, with a stop at the great pine Pino Gordo, then through the pine forest into Las Cañadas. You spend an hour at the Roques de García, then pass the Pico Viejo lava field to a short walk in the volcanic landscape.
4 hours
Max. 8 people
Pick-up in the south
Guide also in German
Departure Pick-up at your hotel in Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas or Los Cristianos; the exact time is sent by WhatsApp the day before. The route on the page starts and ends in Los Cristianos.
According to the list of inclusions, pick-up and return transfer in the small group are included; cable car, food, drinks and snacks are marked with a cross. The summit is not part of the tour, and there is no entrance fee for the park itself. Pick-up in the south only. Bring sun protection, water, snacks and some cash.
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Teleferico del Pico de Teide SA · Tiqets · Guided tour with transport · 7 hours
Mount Teide National Park: Guided Tour + Transport, cable car optional (Tiqets)
The coach tour without the cable car in the base price: pick-up in the north or south, a guided drive into the park and free time on the trails at the top; you can add the cable car ride during booking.
7 hours
Transport and guide included
Cable car optional
Pick-up north and south
Departure Recommended pick-up points: Maritime Hotel Tenerife in the north from 7:55, Sol Arona in Costa Adeje from 8:15.
Cable car and summit permit are not included; the cable car is an option when booking. The list of inclusions also names “entry to Teide National Park”; the park itself charges no entrance fee. The page contradicts itself on language: the header names English and Spanish, the list of inclusions a guide who speaks Italian, German, English, French or Spanish, depending on tour and weekday according to the additional information; clarify before booking. One hour at the top. Changes possible up to one hour before.
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Provider's product photo · Tiqets
Where to stay
Parador de Las Cañadas
The state-run hotel opposite the Roques de García is the only conventional accommodation in the park; the park authority counts it among the facilities that support visits. Both bus lines stop here, and the Cañada Blanca visitor centre is next door.
Three dormitories for 49 people, toilets but no showers, a kitchen with microwave, a common room, a terrace, a first-aid room, and vending machines that take cards or coins only. Bring a sleeping bag. Book through the cable car operator, which also issues the trail permits with the booking.
Camping is prohibited throughout the park, as is setting up chairs, tables or sunshades outside the rest areas. Bivouacking is allowed in four zones above 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) with a permit.
There are no picnic areas in the park. You can get food and drink at the restaurants at Portillo Alto and Portillo Bajo, at the Parador and at the cable car; for hikes the park authority advises you to bring both. Sleeping in a vehicle is prohibited, as are camping and fires.
La Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz in the north, Vilaflor and the south coast, Chío and Guía de Isora in the west: all lie 30 to 60 kilometres (19 to 37 mi) from the cable car. The day tours pick up from hotels in the north and south.
Reportaje sobre el Parque Nacional del Teide (La aventura del saber, TVE)
Just under fourteen minutes in Spanish from the channel of the Cabildo's environment department, which runs the park: a TV report on geology, endemic plants, visitor pressure and the reintroduction of threatened species. The park's own channel only has short clips.
Source: Medio Natural Cabildo de Tenerife · View channel ↗
Around the park
The mountain itself: summit permit and cable car today
The cable car's daily operating status, the 300 summit places per day in six time slots, booking on Tenerife ON step by step and the fine of up to €600 without a reservation: our sister project Volcano Guide keeps the 2026 rules up to date.
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01Best time to visit: white in winter, colourful in spring, parched in summer
This is how the park authority itself describes the seasons.
Climate through the year
Weather and climate in Teide National Park
Best months by the climate data (Izaña station, 2,369 m): June to September. Average daytime highs of 19 to 23 °C, lows of 10 to 14 °C, 0 to 13 mm of precipitation a month. The wettest month is February (67 mm), the driest June (0 mm).
0°5°10°15°20°25°
Jan81
Feb81
Mar103
Apr124
May146
Jun1910
Jul2314
Aug2314
Sep1910
Oct147
Nov114
Dec92
High °CLow °C
Daily highDaily lowPrecipitation
All monthly values as a table
Monthly averages 1981–2010, AEMET station Izaña (2,369 m)
Month
High °C
Low °C
Precipitation mm
January
7.5
1.1
47
February
8.0
1.3
67
March
10.2
2.7
58
April
11.8
3.5
18
May
14.5
5.8
7
June
18.9
9.9
0
July
23.0
14.0
0
August
22.6
13.8
5
September
18.6
10.4
13
October
14.3
6.9
37
November
11.1
4.5
54
December
8.8
2.4
60
Year
366
Measurements from the AEMET station Izaña at 2,369 m, averages 1981–2010, about 14 km in a straight line from the map point Teleférico del Teide, lower station. The NASA POWER model averages only about 140 m for this area, which does not match the high ground of the park, so it is not shown here. It is colder still near the summit.
02How to get there: four roads and two bus lines, both stopping at the Parador
The park authority explicitly asks visitors to leave the car behind.
On foot from the coast
The GR 131 crosses the island along the ridge and reaches the park from La Orotava or Vilaflor; the “Ruta 0-4-0” runs from the beach at Playa del Socorro all the way to the summit and needs the permits for PNT 07 and PNT 10.
The park authority refers to the mountain forecast of AEMET, Spain's national weather service; the summit forecast differs markedly from the forecasts for the towns. In winter the roads may be closed after snowfall.
Teleferico del Pico de Teide SA · Tiqets · Guided tour with transport · 7 hours
Mount Teide National Park: Guided Tour + Transport, cable car optional (Tiqets)
The coach tour without the cable car in the base price: pick-up in the north or south, a guided drive into the park and free time on the trails at the top; you can add the cable car ride during booking.
Departure Recommended pick-up points: Maritime Hotel Tenerife in the north from 7:55, Sol Arona in Costa Adeje from 8:15.
Cable car and summit permit are not included; the cable car is an option when booking. The list of inclusions also names “entry to Teide National Park”; the park itself charges no entrance fee. The page contradicts itself on language: the header names English and Spanish, the list of inclusions a guide who speaks Italian, German, English, French or Spanish, depending on tour and weekday according to the additional information; clarify before booking. One hour at the top. Changes possible up to one hour before.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 27 Sep 2026
Tenerife Stars · Small group from the south · 4 hours
From Los Cristianos: half-day tour to Teide National Park
Four hours in a minibus for up to eight people: from the south coast up to Vilaflor, the island's highest village, with a stop at the great pine Pino Gordo, then through the pine forest into Las Cañadas. You spend an hour at the Roques de García, then pass the Pico Viejo lava field to a short walk in the volcanic landscape.
Departure Pick-up at your hotel in Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas or Los Cristianos; the exact time is sent by WhatsApp the day before. The route on the page starts and ends in Los Cristianos.
According to the list of inclusions, pick-up and return transfer in the small group are included; cable car, food, drinks and snacks are marked with a cross. The summit is not part of the tour, and there is no entrance fee for the park itself. Pick-up in the south only. Bring sun protection, water, snacks and some cash.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 27 Sep 2026
Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 27 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.
03Tickets & entrance fees: cable car €42, summit €15, park €0
The Refugio de Altavista at 3,260 metres (10,696 ft) is sold by the cable car operator: a bed in a shared dormitory, a kitchen with microwave, vending machines for water and snacks, no showers, no bedding. The booking includes the permits for PNT 07 and PNT 10; the operator shows the price only in its booking system.
Drones are banned for all visitors. Professional photography and filming need a permit applied for at least one month in advance and a deposit of between €300 and €5,300. The Parador and the observatory tours have their own prices.
Tenerife: Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer
The cable car operator's day tour: pick-up from 56 hotels and stops in the north and south, a guided drive through Las Cañadas, the cable car to 3,555 metres (11,663 ft) and free time on trails No. 11 and 12 at the top station, with the Teide Legend audio guide and the “Science and Legend” exhibition.
Departure Pick-up at 56 points between Costa Adeje, Los Gigantes, Puerto de la Cruz and Santa Cruz.
According to the list of inclusions, transfer, guide and cable car ticket are included; food and drinks are not. Summit trail No. 10 is not part of the tour; for that you need your own permit from Tenerife ON. If the cable car is stopped by wind, the tour still goes ahead and only the cable car part is refunded. The operator excludes pregnant women, children under three, people with heart conditions and people with reduced mobility from the cable car.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 25 Sep 2026
Teleferico del Pico de Teide SA · Tiqets · Tour with cable car · 7 hours
Mount Teide: Tour with Cable Car (Tiqets)
The cable car operator's coach tour through Tiqets: pick-up in the north from 7:55 or in the south from 8:15, a drive through the pine forest into Las Cañadas, cable car return, one hour at the top, guide in five languages, though not every language every day.
Departure Recommended pick-up points: Maritime Hotel Tenerife in the north, Sol Arona in Costa Adeje in the south; further points are listed on the voucher.
Transport, cable car and guide are included; the summit trail is not, for which you need your own permit. The list of inclusions also names “entry to Teide National Park”; the park itself charges no entrance fee. The description also calls the 7-hour tour a “half-day tour”. Guides speak German daily on the north and south tours, on the tour from Santa Cruz and Candelaria only on Fridays, and from Playa Paraíso and Los Gigantes on Wednesdays and Fridays; French and Italian only on certain days. Time at the top is limited to one hour. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 27 Sep 2026
Teleferico del Pico de Teide SA · Tiqets · Summit hike with permit · 6 hours
Mount Teide: Guided Tour, Summit Hike + Cable Car (Tiqets)
The cable car operator takes care of the summit permit: transfer from 7:00, cable car, and a guided ascent on trail PNT 10 to the crater at 3,718 metres (12,198 ft), according to the provider.
Departure Pick-up between 7:00 and 8:20; place and time are given when you book. ID is checked at the trailhead.
Food and drinks are not included. The page contradicts itself on language: the header names English and Spanish, the description a tour leader who speaks Spanish, English and German; clarify before booking. The ticket is non-refundable and cannot be changed. The park authority's compulsory gear applies here too.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 27 Sep 2026
Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 27 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.
05Rules: altitude, footwear and checks at the trailhead
Without the required gear you are turned away, even with a valid reservation.
10X. TENerife eXperience. · Guided night ascent · 6 to 6.5 or 10 hours
Teide night hike to the summit for sunrise, permits included
Pick-up in Los Cristianos, hike starting at around 4:00, ten kilometres (6.2 mi) and 1,380 metres (4,528 ft) of ascent on foot by head torch over Montaña Blanca, a picnic with hot tea at sunrise at 3,200 metres (10,499 ft), then the summit and the ride down on the cable car. The provider obtains both permits and supplies poles, blankets and, from November to April, crampons.
Departure Los Cristianos; transfer from the south coast between Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes for a €50 surcharge.
Guide, the two paid permits, head torches, poles, crampons in winter, blankets, tea and snacks are included. The page contradicts itself: the key facts give 10 hours, the description 6 to 6.5 hours; the key facts say “pick-up included”, while the list of inclusions shows the transfer from the south coast as not included, according to the provider €50 per pick-up location. Clarify both before booking. Also not included is the cable car ride down, which the provider gives as €24 per person and which is bought only after the summit. Footwear is checked at the trailhead by authorised staff; without suitable boots there is no access. Not after diving, and not for people with heart problems or high blood pressure.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 27 Sep 2026
Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 27 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.
06Frequently asked questions: Teide National Park
Is Teide National Park free to visit?
Yes, there is no entrance fee. The park's first visitor fee, introduced in 2026, applies only to trail PNT 10 to the summit and trail PNT 07 over Montaña Blanca; Tenerife residents pay nothing on them. The cable car, the Parador, the hut and guided tours are services from other providers and cost extra.
How do I get a permit for the summit of Mount Teide?
Through the Cabildo's Tenerife ON portal, with an account, on the PNT 10 Telesforo Bravo trail page. Every Monday at 7:00 Canary Islands time (8:00 in Germany) another week is released, so you can always book 56 days ahead. Between 9:00 and 17:00 it costs €15; children under 14 go free. Only one reservation per person per 15 days.
Do I need a summit permit if I have a cable car ticket?
Yes. The park authority says so explicitly: the cable car ticket is a service of the private operator and does not replace a permit. Conversely, the permit is valid only for its time slot, even if the cable car does not run that day.
How much is the cable car to Mount Teide, and when does it run?
€42 return for adults not resident in the Canary Islands, €21 for children aged 3 to 13, €23.50 single. Standard hours 9:00 to 17:00, last ride up at 16:00; from late March to mid-April and from July to September until 18:40. Online only, free changes until 18:00 the day before; in strong wind the cable car stops.
Yes, on trail PNT 07 Montaña Blanca–La Rambleta, but since 2026 it also needs a timed reservation, and for the last 160 metres (525 ft) of ascent you need the PNT 10 permit. Both are booked through Tenerife ON and both are released on Mondays. If you stay overnight at the Altavista hut, both permits are included in the booking.
On the five volcano trails: mountain boots or closed trekking shoes with a good tread, long trousers, and a fleece or an equally warm layer, even in summer. With ice or snow, also crampons with 10 or 12 points and an ice axe, plus a declaration of mountain experience and accident insurance. Without the gear you are turned away, even with a valid reservation.
Yes, with TITSA lines 348 from Puerto de la Cruz and 342 from Costa Adeje, both running to the Parador and El Portillo; line 341 shuttles within the park. Departures are few, so check the timetables first. The park authority recommends the bus because parking is scarce.
On its home page the park authority rates PNT 01 La Fortaleza and PNT 02 Arenas Negras as easy. It rates the loop around the Roques de García, PNT 03, from the car park at the Parador as moderate there, while the Tenerife ON trail sheet rates it easy; its first section is step-free. In the botanical garden at the El Portillo visitor centre, half of the path is step-free.
Can you camp or sleep in a campervan in Teide National Park?
No. Camping is prohibited in the park, as is sleeping in a vehicle, campervans included; the cable car car park closes at night. What is allowed: bivouacking in four designated zones above 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) with a permit from Tenerife ON, and staying at the Parador or the Altavista hut.
Teide is considered dormant, not extinct. The last eruption in the park was in 1798 at the Narices del Teide; geologists consider a new one very unlikely. The practical dangers are different: altitude from 3,550 metres (11,647 ft), sudden weather changes, slippery rock and sulphur fumes at the crater.
Can I smoke or fly a drone in Teide National Park?
Neither. Since June 2026 smoking has been banned in all outdoor areas of the park, and drones are banned for all visitors; they are allowed only for the administration, research or emergencies, with a permit.
From the cable car top station, the final summit trail PNT 10 takes around 55 minutes: 660 metres (0.4 mi) with 182 metres (597 ft) of ascent and gradients of up to 60 percent. For the full climb on foot via PNT 07 over Montaña Blanca, the official sources give no walking time; you need permits for both trails.
The summit trail is short but hard. It starts at 3,550 metres (11,647 ft), the gradient reaches 60 percent, and near the crater the air smells of sulphur. The park authority advises walking slowly and stopping often; people with heart, breathing or mobility problems should avoid the volcano trails.
Cold enough that a fleece or an equally warm layer is compulsory on the volcano trails even in summer, because the temperature at the top can drop within minutes. In winter it snows on some days, and with ice or snow, crampons and an ice axe are also compulsory. The official sources give no temperature figures; the park authority refers to AEMET's mountain forecast.
That depends on the weather: the cable car stops in strong wind, and the cable car part of the ticket is then refunded. This page does not show the live status; our sister project Volcano Guide tracks the daily operating status. When the cable car is closed, the guided tours of the Teide Observatory are the alternative.
Not flowing lava: the last eruption in the park was in 1798, and the volcano is considered dormant. You can see solidified lava, though: from the viewpoint on the TF-38 the black flows from the Narices del Teide are still visible, and on the PNT 03 loop you look out over La Cascada, a frozen flow of very runny lava.
Researched 25 Sep 2026. Not a live status. Dates apply only to the year stated. A successful automatic fetch is not an editorial confirmation; outdated automatic values are hidden and replaced by the source link.
Visiting Teide National Park: free entry, summit by permit
What to know about this park before you set off.
Visitor centres
El Portillo at the northern entrance, daily 9:00 to 16:15; Cañada Blanca at the Parador, 9:00 to 16:00; the Juan Évora museum at Boca Tauce, 9:00 to 16:00. All are closed on 25 December, 1 January and 6 January. Telesforo Bravo in La Orotava, Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 14:00 and 15:30 to 18:00.
