how to climb the highest mountain of spain – el teide

the highest mountain of spain is not on the mainland but on an island. its name is el teide and it is standing sentry over tenerife, one of the 7 islands of canary islands. the mountain is 3718m high and in every sense of the word, the highlight of traveling to tenerife.

the national park of teide covers 189.9sq km and is unesco world heritage site. the landscape is harsh and bleak and stands out with it´s wide views looking like being on the moon. you can spend easily a week hiking around the numerous tracks and not get bored. i was making my way to the top of the mountain in two days and it was an amazing experience. for those of you who are fit and healthy enough to do the same here is my introduction. it is nesseccary to have a permission to go to the highest peak of teide, but if you climb the summit between 6 pm – 9 pm you don´t need one. be prepared with water, sunscreen, warm clothes and enough supplies for 2 days.

beginning of the trail

the highway tf21 sneaks through the centre of the park from north to south. you can take a bus from any of the cities or get a rental car to reach to the starting point of the track. me and my friend simply hitch hiked our way up from vilaflor, the highest town of tenerife on the sunny southern flanks of teide. the track starts at the small roadside parking area signposted “montana blanca” and “refugio de altavista” 8km south of el portillo visitor centre and 4 km north of the cable car parking area. start walking the gravel road through a stunning landscape and keep an eye on signposts with number 7. about 1,5h later and 5km closer to your destination you will come to a sign which directs you up the mountain. from here the hard part starts. the last 2,5km until the refugio is very steep and the ground is loose. rocks and gravel makes it hard to move fast. concentrating on your step is important and take a break in between. the view gets better every time you look up and after the trail seems to never end, finally there is the roof of the refugio de altavista.  i did the first day in 4,5h and its actually only 8km. happy and exhausted i reached the residence for one night.

the refugio

the refugio de altavista is on 3270m high. a good place to overnight and then continue your ascent to the summit of the mountain in the early morning. it is open all year round, only closing in very bad weather.  the maximum stay is one night only. the house has a kitchen, a common room, 4 bedrooms with 4 to 6 bunks in one room, and communal bathroom without shower. the bedrooms open at 7pm. for a very high price they offer water and snacks, but it is possible to cook in the kitchen and you can drink the tab water after cooking or purifying.

it is necessary to book your bed in advance. you can do it with every tourist information or here (link). i booked two days before staying but on high season it is better to plan your trip at least one week ahead.

after a short night sleep we got up at 4.30 to continue our hike. the temperature up there gets very low, sometimes under 0. so be prepared with warm cloth, head and gloves. also a torch is important for the summit night even if the moon is shining along your way.

what a stunning sunrise at the peak

the last part of the hike is 2,6km long and you have to climb up 500m. it took me 2hours. very tiring 2hours! i made my way up very slow. every step i meditated on and even it was freezing cold my sweat ran down my back. my backpack got heavier with every move and i thought i would never make it. then on the left the almost full moon was glowing in orange and on the other side a bright yellow horizon announced the sun rising.

only a view meters more. through the sulphuric mist of the vulcan i could see the people who already reached their goal. and few steps later their destination was mine. exhausted but very happy i stood there overviewing the whole island and la gomera further west. and then there she was, our mother of all life. the sun. rising up in the most beautiful colours i have ever seen. behind me the 40km long shadow of teide in the ocean. what an stunning moment of beauty and happiness!

how to get down

what comes up must get down. after a few breathtaking minutes its time to make the way back down, because it is so freezing up there. the sun just starts to heat up so make sure to move your body and not get cold. the way down leads to the top station of the cable car. the service of transport begin at 9am. and costs 13€ one way. if you are still keen to walk there is also a way down to hike. it takes about 4hours and continues towards pico viejo, leading back to the highway.

honestly, it is worth every step if you love hiking like i do. the moment you made it to the top is very powerful and magnific. here is the song i love to listen while remembering that moment. so if tenerife is on your traveling list don´t miss out this adventure!