Mount Teide - By Day
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Start Location: 28.259569, -16.603573
This walk starts at a small car park within the Teide national park. Difficulty: Medium/Intermediate level walk.
The route itself would be classed as a medium/intermediate level. Although this route does not involve any scrambling or actual climbing, the altitude can be a potential issue where hikers can succumb to altitude sickness. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to climb the volcano, an early start is recommended to beat the midday sun. Snacks high in fast burning carbohydrates and sugars are advised in order to insure you maintain your energy levels. WATER is highly recommended as this will evidently keep your body hydrated whilst tackling the trek. During the warmer months, the heat can prove difficult so a minimum of 4 litres of water should be brought as well as layers as it gets particularly chilly at the summit. Sun glasses are also advised as snow blindness can occur and with this, sun cream should also be taken. Good walking shoes are also necessary as although there is a main path, this quickly turns into loose substrate as well as progression in incline nearer to the top. Notes:
Mt Teide is the 3rd largest volcano in the world and with that comes an impressive hike to the top. Situated in the centre of Tenerife, this climb scales an impressive 3717.91 metres. In order to reach the summit, you must apply for a permit in order to fully scale the volcano. |
Route:
Teide itself has various routes with the most common starting point being Montaña Blanca Sendero. The route is easy to follow and is mainly a set path all the way to the summit with sign posts for when the paths are covered by snow. It is common to see clouds roll below your position in almost fluid-like motions. This even makes it exciting to have breaks and watch the constantly changing clouds. The main path zig zags its way up the stunning landscape and through huge lava fields and onwards towards the summit. Eventually, you’ll find yourself at the foot of the volcanic cone where (with permission) you can reach the true summit. From here hikers can either walk back down the volcano or use the cable carts (13.50 euros) for a much faster option! The cable car ride is an exciting experience in itself with a panoramic view of Mt Teide and the surrounding national park. 
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Mount Teide - By Night
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Start Location: 28.259569, -16.603573
Opposite the car park of the Teide mountain hike starting area, we discovered an impressive small hill in which to lie back and watch the milky-way. Activity:
By chance, we found an incredible location to watch the rise and peak of the milky-way. Due to the touristic nature of Tenerife, it is not widely known that the national park is exceptional for out-of-this-world viewing. After a week of walking, this activity is the perfect wind down. The drive to this location takes you through the national park, revealing a beautiful pine forest that towers into in the moonlight while the island below is carpeted in flowing clouds. Following the TF21 road towards Teide you are rewarded with a stunning unveiling of clear skies, constellations, shooting stars and if you’re lucky – the milky way in its full! If you continue the road to Guimar you pass the Teide observatory. The Canary islands are in one of the best geographical locations to observe the sky, ranking third only to Hawaii and Chile. Although they provide guided day tours to the observatory, this facility is off limits during evening hours. However, the road passing the site has a series of layby’s in which you can simply pull up and admire the stunning night skies |
Overall Summary:
This beautiful island is now unfortunately seen as a common beach-going location and sadly, most tourists will remain on the coasts. In reality, coastline towns have adapted towards tourist preferences which has slowly begun to outweigh the Spanish and Canary culture. While people spend 1-2 weeks on the beaches or next to pools, a whole range of stunning landscapes and other activities remain infrequently visited, undiscovered, or forgotten. There is much more to Tenerife than sunbathing in westernised resorts. if you look further you will realise how beautiful the landscape, culture and smaller villages are. We both hope we illustrate some of this by showing these absolutely incredible walks. Get lost, talk to new people, and never stop exploring. 
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