Tenerife is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world with its year around warm temperatures (22 degree C / 71.6 degree F) and volcanic history. There are many resorts and tourist activities on the island with Spanish flair but the outdoors provide breathtaking vistas that you will remember for a lifetime. So pack a bottle of water and your camera and take to the mountains, trails, gorges and volcanos of Tenerife.
Teide National Park
Created in 1954 the Teide National Parkis a breathtaking landscape of prodigious ecological value which lies at the foot of the volcanic formation located on an ancient and gigantic cauldron-shaped depression. This area is home to many flora, fauna, and animal species that are unique to the Teide volcano ecosystem. The area is made up of 18.990 Hectares (46.925 acres) of land with 2 public bus routes, and many magnificent vistas. Take a moment away from the beaches, shopping, and carnival, and explore the explosive volcanic past of Tenerife.
Teide
Pico Del Teide, it the highest point in all of Spain, and indeed the Atlantic. It is the tenth highest in the world at 3718m (12198 feet) at the summit. This volcano is the third highest in the world and very active. Having last erupted in 1909 studies has shown that Teide has another violent eruption in the future still before it goes dormant. Don’t let this scare you off however as the Teide grants an amazing bounty of plant and animal life to the surrounded national park. Since it is an active volcano it is a bit more restricted than most peaks but you can climb most of the summit and get free permit to climb higher if you are the thrill seeking type. Overall it is one of the singular peaks of the world and a unique experience, and how many can say they have climbed an active volcano?
Chinyero & Volcan de Garachico
Leave the beaches and head to the north-west of the island you will find Chinyero with a circular trail that will take you by farms, forestry tracks, and recent volcanic activity. This trek will afford you remarkable views of Mount Teide and the neighborhood of Pico Viejo with a snow cap in early spring. Pine forest and lava flows will draw you in towards the Chinyero vent which last erupted in 1909. Maybe it will stave off another eruption while you are visiting. You will cover about 16 km (9.9 miles) during your hike and it is gentle walk with an ascent and descent 400 m (437 yards). After your hike, stop in San Jose de Lose Llanos and have a drink in a local bar.
The Guimar Pyramids
These are strange terraced structures supposed to date back to the 19th century. It is unsure what the pyramids where actually used for. Made from humus like earth and volcanic rocks, they could have been a form of advance agricultural planning. It has been discovered though that the spots the pyramids are built on have a special relationship to the solstices. If you stand on the largest of the pyramids during a Summer Solstice you will see a double sunset. The sun will set behind some mountains then emerge and set a second time! Due to this and the mysterious nature of their use it’s believed that the pyramids may have ties to the Freemasons. Either ancient but advanced plots of crop land, or an odd celestial clock built by a secret society, the pyramids of Guimar are a rare and mysterious site that one should not miss given the chance.
Masca Gorge
Masca is a quaint bucolic village that hosts the isolated and picturesque gorge. The village is made of old stone houses that look out over palm-trees, ravine walls, and a view of the Atlantic Ocean. The hike from the coast, through the gorge is straightforward and winds through the ravine sections filled with swirling rock formations, prevalent flora and fauna. The easiest way to explore these amazing sites is by car but you can also take a public bus. There are guided hiking tours through the gorge that finish with a swim on the rocky beach. This is an outdoor adventure that you do not want to miss while visiting Tenerife.
You will not regret these adventures as you explore the exotic island of Tenerife. A good option is to find out about car rental and drive to all these fantastic mountains so you get to see a great deal of what the country has to offer. There are many options to take in the site of Mount Teide that dominates the island’s beauty as it rises steeply from all directions. After you have soaked up all the sun the beaches offer, explore the inland with the mountains and gorges and find all the beauty offered to you by this historic, mystical island of wonderment.
