You will walk between 2,100 and 3,715 meters. Even on crystal clear sunny days, it can be really cold and windy in the park. Pack your thermal jacket, hat and gloves. Going for a hike is one of the best things you can do in Teide National Park. There are a few places you can eat in the park, but not many. Dining options include the Parador Nacional cafeteria, the hotel restaurant Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide, the cafeteria at the bottom station of the cable car, Restaurante La Bamby and Restaurante El Portillo.
Parador Nacional at the Montaña Guajara Circuit Trail
If you only have time for one tour of Teide National Park, choose this one. This loop of the trail begins at the Parador Nacional and takes you to Guajara Peak, 2,718m, a broad-shouldered mountain along the rim of the caldera. From the top of Guajara you will enjoy breathtaking views of Teide, Cañadas, the coast and neighboring Canary Islands such as La Gomera.
From the Parador Nacional roundabout, take the S-4 towards Guajara. Look for the white-red-yellow trail marker. After about 15 minutes you will reach the road where you turn left onto the S-4. Soon after, you will pass a stone shelter. A wide road climbs gently through a cluster of copper-colored rock formations. At the pass, turn right onto the S-15 towards Alto de Guajara. The final climb to the Guajara plateau is very gentle. For the best views, explore the plateau behind a makeshift stone wall that offers shelter from strong winds.
Roques de García ring trail
This short but impressive walk around the Roques de García rock formation is a must. The trail starts at the Mirador de la Ruleta viewpoint, which is on the opposite side of the road from the Parador Nacional. We followed the flat trail on the right side of the rock formation and followed the circular path counterclockwise. Although most of the route is flat, there is a steep 200m climb in the final stretch.
Fortaleza
La Fortaleza is a plateau of a rusty brown massif in the Teide National Park. The hike to the top of Fortaleza is a walk through Cañadas del Teide. This flat route with uninterrupted views of Teide takes you through a vast volcanic landscape dotted with golden rose bushes and Teide broom. If you hike here in the spring, you’ll see red bugloss in bloom.
Circuit trail of Montaña de la Botija and Montaña Samara
This fascinating ride around the Montaña de la Botija is a great option for those traveling from Los Gigantes to Teide National Park. The color contrasts between young pines and black lava slopes make it one of the most photogenic places in the park. From the small parking lot of the TF-38 (exact location on the map), follow the path that runs parallel to the road. Turn left onto path 13 and follow it around Montaña de la Botija.
Huevos del Teide and Montaña Blanca
This route partially overlaps the Fortaleza route, so we recommend that you choose only one of these routes when visiting Teide National Park. We did both and it was a bit redundant. While not very strenuous, the hike from El Portillo to Montaña Blanca is long. A quicker approach to Montaña Blanca is from the TF-21 road. The problem is, there is very limited parking near this trail.
