Guides · Tenerife
5 Best Hikes in Tenerife
CEO and co-founder
The best hikes in Tenerife pack an astonishing range into one island: a volcanic summit at 3,715 metres, lunar lava fields, a plunging gorge to the sea and cloud forest older than the Ice Age. This guide picks the 5 best hikes in Tenerife for 2026, from the Teide hike and Masca Gorge to the laurel forests of Anaga, each with the trailhead address, how to get there, distance, difficulty, permit rules and a Pro Tip.
Hiking in Tenerife works year-round, but permits now shape the planning. Masca Gorge and Barranco del Infierno both require advance booking, and the final climb to Teide's summit needs a separate free permit from Spain's national parks service. Book those first, then fill the other days with the Roques de García and Anaga, which need no reservation.
Weather varies sharply by altitude and side of the island. The north and the Anaga massif catch the trade-wind clouds and can be misty, the south is dry and sunny, and Teide National Park sits above the clouds, sunny but cold and windy. A hire car makes early starts far easier, though TITSA buses reach every trailhead on this list with some planning.
1Teide Hike via Montaña Blanca - Climbing Spain's Highest Peak
Mount Teide is Spain's highest mountain, a volcano rising to 3,715 metres at the heart of Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. The classic Teide hike starts at the Montaña Blanca car park on the TF-21 at about 2,350 metres, follows a broad track across pumice slopes, then climbs steeply past the Altavista refuge to La Rambleta near the upper cable car station, a climb of about 1,200 metres over five to six hours.
The final 200 metres to the crater rim, on the Telesforo Bravo trail, need a free permit from the national parks service, booked online and often weeks ahead, unless you stay at the Altavista refuge and summit before permit hours at sunrise. Many hikers climb up and ride the cable car down, which must be booked separately and closes in high winds. Altitude makes the upper section breathless, and temperatures near the summit can be close to freezing.
Sulphur fumaroles near the summit vent warm steam, a reminder that Teide last erupted in 1909 on its flank.
Pro Tip: Book the summit permit and a one-way cable car ticket down as soon as you know your dates, start from Montaña Blanca by 08:00, and carry at least three litres of water and a warm jacket.
2Masca Gorge - A Permit-Only Descent to the Sea
Masca Gorge drops about 650 metres from the hamlet of Masca, perched on a ridge in the Teno Mountains, to a small black-sand beach at the sea, through a narrow ravine of towering basalt walls, palms and wild vegetation. The descent is about 4.5 km and takes three to four hours, with boulders to scramble over and a stream bed to cross.
After years of closure following accidents and rockfalls, the trail reopened with safety improvements and strict rules: hikers must book in advance through the official Cabildo de Tenerife reservation system, pay a fee, walk in a set time slot and wear a helmet. Whether you can leave by boat from Masca beach to Los Gigantes or must climb back up depends on current arrangements, so confirm when booking, since the return climb is tough.
The road to Masca itself is famously narrow and winding, with spectacular viewpoints on the way.
Pro Tip: Book the earliest time slot, check the trail status the day before, and arrive in Masca early, since parking is very limited. Avoid it after heavy rain, when rockfall risk rises and the trail may close.
3Roques de García Loop - The Easiest Walk Among Teide's Rock Towers
The Roques de García are a line of jagged volcanic towers on the edge of Las Cañadas crater, with Teide rising directly behind them in one of the most photographed views in the Canary Islands. A 3.5 km loop, trail number 3 in the national park, circles the rocks in about 90 minutes to two hours, with a short steep section on the return.
The path crosses lava flows and ochre ash fields to the base of the Catedral, a massive rock pillar popular with climbers, and reaches the Llano de Ucanca plain below. It is the best short hike in Teide National Park and needs no permit. The Parador and visitor facilities across the road offer cafés and toilets.
At about 2,100 metres the air is thin and the sun strong, so pace yourself and use sunscreen even on cool days.
Pro Tip: Arrive before 09:30 or after 16:00 to avoid the tour coaches, and stay in the park after dark if you can: it is a Starlight Reserve with some of the clearest skies in Europe.
4Anaga Rural Park - Chinamada to Punta del Hidalgo Through Cloud Forest
The Anaga Rural Park covers the rugged north-eastern tip of Tenerife and was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2015. Its ridges are covered in laurisilva, a humid laurel cloud forest that once covered much of southern Europe millions of years ago, and its trails link tiny hamlets clinging to steep valleys. The route from Chinamada, where some families still live in cave houses, down to Punta del Hidalgo is one of the finest.
The trail runs about 6 to 7 km along cliff edges with views over the Roques de Anaga and the Atlantic, descending around 600 metres in three hours. Anaga is often misty and damp, which makes the moss-draped forest atmospheric but paths slippery. For a short introduction, the Sendero de los Sentidos boardwalk at Cruz del Carmen is an easy 30-minute forest loop.
The coastal village of Taganana, on the other side of the massif, is famous for its fish restaurants.
Pro Tip: Take the bus to Chinamada and walk downhill to Punta del Hidalgo, where buses return to La Laguna, so you finish at the sea rather than climbing. Pack a rain layer even on a sunny day.
5Barranco del Infierno - A Booked Walk to a Southern Waterfall
Barranco del Infierno, the Ravine of Hell, is a protected nature reserve above the old town of Adeje in the south of the island. The trail runs about 6.5 km return, along the side of a deep ravine of volcanic cliffs, past cactus, Canary pines and willows, to a waterfall that drops about 80 metres into a green pool, one of the few year-round waterfalls in the south.
Access is controlled: visitor numbers are capped, and you must book a time slot online and wear a helmet, which is provided. The walk takes about three hours and is moderate, with some narrow sections and steps. It closes in bad weather because of rockfall risk, and it is a good choice for families and anyone staying in the southern resorts.
Adeje's historic centre around Calle Grande has traditional restaurants for lunch after the hike.
Pro Tip: Book the first morning slot to walk in the shade of the ravine walls before the southern sun gets strong, and bring snacks, since there are no facilities along the trail.
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CEO and co-founder
Tomas is the co-founder and director of trip1, an European company specializing in reservation services. He launched the company in 2025 with a focus on building scalable, efficient operations.
5 Best Hikes in Tenerife - FAQ
Yes. Since the trail reopened after safety work, hiking Masca Gorge requires an advance booking through the official reservation system run by the Cabildo de Tenerife, with a fee and a set time slot, and walkers must carry a helmet. Check the current status and book online before you go, since the trail can close for maintenance or bad weather.
Only for the final section. Hiking up Teide from Montaña Blanca to La Rambleta, near the upper cable car station, needs no permit, but the last 200 metres to the 3,715-metre summit on the Telesforo Bravo trail require a free permit from Spain's national parks service, booked online and often weeks ahead. Staying overnight at the Altavista refuge lets you reach the summit before permit hours.
Tenerife can be hiked year-round, but spring and autumn are best. Summer is hot in the south and on exposed routes, while winter can bring snow and closures on Teide and more rain in Anaga. October and November offer mild temperatures across most of the island, though the high trails on Teide are much colder than the coast.
The Roques de García loop in Teide National Park is the easiest, a 3.5 km walk around dramatic rock towers with little elevation change, taking about 90 minutes. Barranco del Infierno is also moderate and family friendly, though it requires a booking. Both suit beginners with sensible shoes and water.
Some are, with planning. TITSA buses reach Masca village, Anaga from Santa Cruz and La Laguna, and Adeje for Barranco del Infierno, and one daily bus runs up to Teide National Park from Puerto de la Cruz and from the south. Services are limited, so a hire car gives much more flexibility, especially for early starts on Teide.
Bring more water than you expect, sun protection, a warm layer and good hiking shoes. Weather changes fast with altitude: Anaga can be misty and damp while the south coast is sunny, and Teide's summit area is cold and windy even when the beach is hot. Altitude also affects breathing above 3,000 metres, so ascend slowly.
