Are you planning to go hiking in Tenerife and debating whether to make room for your hiking boots in your suitcase? Absolutely! It’s a must! Hiking in Tenerife is an unforgettable experience. With countless trails catering to all levels, there’s something for everyone. Having spent two glorious weeks hiking around Tenerife, soaking in the mesmerizing views of the Atlantic, we’re excited to share our favorite trails in today’s blog post. For each hike, we’ll provide route descriptions, handy maps, and insider tips for getting there and refueling along the way because, as every hiker knows, all that fresh air works up an appetite.
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1. Hiking in Tenerife's Anaga Mountains: El Draguillo
Let’s kick off with our absolute favorite hike in the Anaga Mountains, nestled in the northeast of the island. Alongside Teide National Park, Anaga National Park stands out as one of the most picturesque hiking spots in Tenerife, boasting rugged and dramatic cliffs. If you’ve read our other blog posts about Tenerife, you might already guess we’re talking about the hike from Playa de Benijo to El Draguillo. For us, this trail offers the most spectacular views hands down.
The trail is well-marked but quite challenging, as it constantly ascends steeply. You’ll need good footing for the descent, as much of it is on a gravel path.
- Starting & Ending Point: Parking at Mirador de Playa de Benijo
- Parking Fees: Free
- Public transport: Unfortunately, Playa de Benijo beach and thus the starting point are very difficult to reach without a car. It's already a 1.5-hour drive from Santa Cruz de Tenerife. So, we highly recommend renting a car for this hike, or you might opt for the next one instead.
- Length: 6 km
- Duration: 2 - 3 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Elevation Gain: 440 m
For this hike, it’s best to set off early, as there are basically only 1-2 parking spots at the viewpoint. After that, your best bet for parking is at El Froton restaurant, but we’ve heard from our Instagram community that the owner doesn’t always allow it depending on the season.
Also, don’t forget to bring your swimsuit. After the hike, a refreshing dip at Playa de Benijo is just what you need.
Food Options:
We recommend stopping by El Mirador de Benijo or El Froton. Both restaurants are simple seafood spots offering breathtaking views of the beach. We refueled at El Froton and found the food to be reasonably priced. We didn’t make a reservation, but we visited during the week and in the off-season.
2. Hike to Playa de Tamadite Beach
This trek takes you back into the Anaga Mountains. We’d rate it as moderate, lasting around 4-5 hours. It’s definitely not a walk in the park, so sturdy hiking boots, plenty of snacks and water, and sun protection are essential. But the effort is absolutely worth it for the views. It’s important to note that Playa de Tamadite Beach isn’t ideal for swimming. It’s more of a small rocky cove, but it offers a picturesque setting for a midday break.
- Starting & Ending Point: Parking is available directly at a small bus stop
- Parking Fees: free
- Public Transport: From Santa Cruz de Tenerife, you can reach the starting point in about 40 minutes by bus 946
- Length: 11 km
- Duration: 4-5 hours
- Difficulty: moderate
- Elevation Gain: 550 m
There are various ways to customize or extend this hike. You can continue from the beach to Afur and then back to Taganana. However, be prepared for an additional two hours added to the route.
Food Options:
There are no dining options directly along the hike. However, at the starting point, right by the bus stop, you can fuel up at the Xiomara Restaurante, offering a stunning view. Another option further up the road is Casa Picar.
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3. Hiking in Tenerife's Teide National Park
This hike takes you into the heart of the island, to the Teide National Park. This natural park is an absolute must-visit when traveling to Tenerife. Here, you’ll not only find Mount Teide, the highest mountain in Spain, which is actually a volcano, but also countless hiking trails through landscapes that seem almost surreal.
Of course, you can hike up Mount Teide. That’s undoubtedly the most famous and popular route, but it’s also very challenging, and you’ll need a permit for it. We recommend opting for a guided tour for this hike.
In addition to the ascent of Mount Teide, there are numerous other hikes in the park that take less time and lead you through impressive landscapes. We can recommend a circular trail that we put together ourselves in our hiking app Komoot. This tour requires a good basic level of fitness, but the trail itself is relatively easy, well-marked, and you’ll often spot climbers in the distance.
- Starting & Ending Point: Parking is available directly at the cable car base station. The trail starts on the opposite side of the road.
- Parking Fees: free
- Public Transport: Unfortunately, we couldn't find a way to reach the cable car base station using public transportation. However, there are many guided bus tours through the park.*
- Length: 15 km
- Duration: Approximately 4 hours
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate (due to the length)
- Elevation Gain: 250 m
Food Options:
On the hike, you’ll find the Parador de Cañadas del Teide restaurant. Here, there’s a small (but pricey) café and bar. It’s nice for a coffee in the sun, but it’s usually quite crowded. Alternatively, there’s Restaurante El Portillo in the northeast of the park. We recommend bringing plenty of provisions for the hike and generally for exploring Teide National Park.
In addition to hiking, there are plenty of other fantastic activities to enjoy in Teide National Park, such as a stargazing safari. In our next blog post, you’ll find our recommendations:
4. Hike through palm trees along Rambla de Castro
This coastal hike can be started from various points and is particularly convenient if you’re staying in Puerto de la Cruz. If you plan to walk the entire route, you can start at Precise Resort Tenerife Hotel. Finding the trailhead here may be a bit tricky initially, and parking is limited.
Alternatively, you can drive to Mirador San Pedro and start from there. The signage is much clearer at this starting point, which is why we opted for this option. The viewpoint itself is also beautiful, although it was quite crowded during our visit.
- Starting & Ending Point: For the longer route, start at the Hotel Precise Resort Tenerife, but parking is limited. Free Parking is available nearby. For the shorter option, start at Mirador San Pedro
- Parking Fees: Free at Mirador San Pedro
- Public Transport: Various bus lines can take you to your starting point. Admittedly, this hike is best suited if you're staying in Puerto de la Cruz or nearby. From Santa Cruz, for example, it's over an hour's journey by bus.
- Length: 9 km for the longer variant, 5 km for the shorter variant
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: 500 m
The final section of the hike takes you through palm-lined paths to a somewhat unremarkable fortress. However, the views over the coast and the small black beach of Playa de Castro, awaiting you at the end of the hike, are more beautiful. It took us a bit to find the path down to the beach. Once there, you’ll encounter a waterfall in the rocks, but it can only be approached during low tide.
Food Options:
We recommend stopping by the Mirador San Pedro restaurant. The restaurant is quite popular, so depending on the day you plan to hike, it’s worth making a reservation.
5. Hiking in Tenerife in the Masca Gorge
This hike is one of the most famous ones in Tenerife. We did a lot of research beforehand, but unfortunately, we couldn’t get the necessary permit, so we had to skip the hike itself and just explored the valley. However, we’ll give you an overview of the hike for your planning because it looks absolutely stunning.
The trail reopened in March 2021 after some extensive renovations, but currently, it’s only open on weekends and holidays. They’re pretty strict about hikers having the right gear and helmets, emphasizing that only experienced hikers should attempt it.
We highly recommend joining a guided tour for this hike* – they usually include all the necessary gear. Plus, it guarantees you a spot since access is limited for safety and environmental reasons. Booking through the official website is tough due to high demand.
- Starting & Ending Point: You start from the main square in Masca.
- Parking: Parking is a bit tricky, parking spots are limited, so you need to arrive early. Technically, you're only allowed to park for 2 hours, which isn't enough. But you could still try or take public transportation.
- Public Transport: Line 355 from Santiago del Teide gets you there in 15 minutes. From Buenavista del Norte, it's about 40 minutes, also with line 355. Just be aware that the bus runs only about six times a day and might skip a few.
- Length: 10 km
- Duration: 6.5 hours
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Elevation Gain: 700 m
Food options:
As for dining, there are no options along the trail, so pack plenty of water and snacks. In Masca, though, you have a few choices like Café Kiosco de Masca or Restaurant La Fuente, both offering fantastic views over the gorge.
Important Tips for Hiking in Tenerife
Tenerife offers diverse but often challenging hiking terrain. Therefore, it’s crucial to wear sturdy hiking boots and have a good level of fitness. While most trails are well-maintained, there are also many gravel paths that require sure footing and good grip. Hiking poles can also be helpful.
Unlike in the Alps, most hiking trails in Tenerife don’t have dining options along the way. It’s essential to always bring enough water, snacks, and sun protection, including a rain jacket or lightweight windbreaker as part of your gear.
We found the trail signage to be very good. Additionally, we always use our Komoot app and download the planned route in our accommodation so we can use it offline. Whenever we forget this step, we regret it during a hike because there’s no internet connection when we need it, and the signage isn’t always clear.
Unlike the Alps, there are no mountain huts in Tenerife where you can stay overnight. However, there are plenty of accommodations around the popular hiking areas – booking in advance is highly recommended!
How to Get to Tenerife for Hiking?
- Tenerife has two airports, one in the south (TFS) and one in the north (TFN). It's definitely worth checking both airports when researching flights. Depending on how long you'll be on the island, a flight with a layover on the Spanish mainland may also be interesting to save some money. If you haven't booked a flight yet, find a suitable one on SkyScanner:*
- Traveling by ship is likely only worthwhile if you plan to spend a longer time or even winter on Tenerife. There are ferry connections between Huelva and Cádiz and Tenerife, with the Huelva to Tenerife route being faster and therefore more popular. Further information on the exact arrival via the maritime route can be found here.
Where to Stay for Hiking in Tenerife?
When traveling to Tenerife for hiking, places near the Anaga Mountains and Teide National Park are especially suitable, or even near the Masca Gorge, depending on where you want to focus. However, you may still need to drive 30-60 minutes to reach your starting point.
Since Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and many places are connected only by winding roads, it may be beneficial to change your location once or twice for your hiking vacation. Our blog post below can help you with route planning – it includes various activities for Tenerife.
We wish you a fantastic time hiking in Tenerife. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us on Instagram. And be sure to check out our other posts on Tenerife, like the 11 best things to do or the ultimate 7-day itinerary.
And if you’d like to read more interesting blog posts about other destinations as well, you’ll find them on the homepage of our blog.
