Climbing Teide: What You Need to Know

It is no secret that many people come to Tenerife not only for the ocean and sunbathing but also for new experiences — hiking tours, climbing Teide, and visiting Masca gorge.

Let’s discuss Teide in more detail. Most tourists choose to take the cable car to the top and descend back down; the cable car operates from 9 AM to 4/5 PM — this is a good option for families with children.

1. Cable Car

You can purchase tickets for the cable car on the website https://www.volcanoteide.com.

To buy tickets for the cable car and ride it to the upper station, you do not need to pay for anything else apart from the tickets or a guide’s service — this can be done independently.

However, it is important to understand that the cable car does not take you to the very top (3718 meters) but only to the upper station of the cable car (La Rambleta, 3555 meters).

There are usually enough tickets for the cable car, but it is better to purchase them a little in advance of your planned date.

2. Permit to the Crater

If you decide to climb to the volcano’s crater, a special permit from the National Parks Administration is required.

Without this permit, the ascent to the crater is considered illegal. Offenders may face fines.

A permit is required for the last part of the path leading to the crater (this section is called Telesforo Bravo).

There are three types of permits:
1. Outside cable car operating hours at dawn (from 6 to 9 AM)
2. During cable car operating hours (from 9 AM to 5 PM)
3. Outside cable car operating hours at sunset (from 6 PM to 10 PM)

You can obtain a permit here: https://www.reservasparquesnacionales.es/real/ParquesNac/usu/html/listado-actividades-oapn.aspx?cen=2

Enter the link in your browser and select the type of permit you need (acceso al pico del Teide)

Choose the date and time.

It is most difficult to catch permits during the cable car operating hours — often, they need to be “caught” 2-3 months before the desired date.

It is easiest to obtain permits during the morning hours from 6 to 9 (you can catch them about a week before your planned date).

3. Independent Ascent to the Top

If you are an active tourist and in good physical shape, you might be interested in climbing Teide without the cable car.

This can be done both during the day and at night, for example, timing your ascent to reach the summit at sunset or sunrise.

It’s important to understand that the ascent will take about 6-9 hours depending on your preparation, and you should be aware of the risks associated with such a journey.

In addition to a return ticket for the cable car and a permit to the crater, I recommend getting accident insurance. Your standard health insurance usually does not cover risks related to evacuation, treatment, and rehabilitation from injuries incurred while engaging in adventure tourism.

Getting insurance is easy: just Google “seguro de aventura al día.” But make sure the insurance covers incidents in the mountains up to 4000 meters above sea level. Also, ensure that the insurance is arranged in advance (some companies have policies regarding hours or days until the policy takes effect).

Wishing everyone safe hikes!