Climbing Mount Teide, Spain’s highest summit, is a dream shared by many people. Visiting Teide’s crater during the ascent is a unique experience: being able to observe various islands at the same time, with the entire geography of Tenerife at your feet or smelling the sulphur emitted from volcanic fumaroles are some of the experiences that await hikers who ascend to Teide’s peak.
Since so many people want to visit this fragile environment, Teide National Park decided to limit the number of people who would be allowed to climb to the crater on a daily basis. Despite that, between 1st January and 31st December 2013, the park emitted 24,275 permits which allowed 62,893 people to visit Spain’s summit on their hike to Mount Teide.
To ascend to the peak of Mount Teide you need a free permit issued by Teide National Park's authorities, which you can only apply for on the National Park's booking website in order to obtain permission to hike up to the peak of Teide.
Once you have filled out the form on their website, you must print out the permit and show it to the park personnel at the beginning of the trail. It is very important that you also present your ID or passport to confirm that you are indeed the person named on the permit.
If you want to ascend to Teide, you should know that there is a set limit to the daily number of permits issued to visitors, both private visitors and official guides. Such a permit is necessary to ascend to the crater between 9am and 5pm, regardless of whether you reach the area of La Rambleta by cable car or on foot. The National Park is the only entity that issues these sort of permits for the ascent to Teide, therefore, the Teide Cable Car ride does not include the permit to ascend to the summit of Teide. However, those without a permit to ascend to Teide’s peak can still enjoy hiking Mount Teide on one of the trails that lead to La Fortaleza and Pico Viejo, which are freely accessible.
On the last stretch of the ascent to the volcano’s summit you can follow the trail marked with No. 10 in the Teide National Park’s trail network, which was named ‘Telesforo Bravo’ in honour of the illustrious geologist from Tenerife whose work has allowed us to comprehend and value the origins and secrets of this mythical place. During your hike to Teide’ peak you will cross a distance of 650 m, including a 163-metre slope, and ascend from an altitude of 3,555 m at the start of the trail to 3,717.98 m at its highest point.
Did you know that you can hire our organised ascent to Teide’s Peak?
Without a doubt, the most comfortable way to ascend to Teide, Spain’s highest summit, and enjoy the activity without having to worry about anything is using the cable car. Our hiking activities on Mount Teide include the services of an expert guide, transportation; we will also take care of processing your permit from the National Park’s authorities (depending on the route).
In short, you can go up Mount Teide by Cable Car, with a guide and a permit for the ascent to Teide's crater included, in a small or a private group just for you and for whomever you choose.
You can also spend a night in the Altavista Mountain Refuge. An overnight stay in the refuge includes a permit for the ascent to Teide's crater before 9am.