Pico del Teide stands at 3,718 metres. It is Spain’s highest mountain, an active volcano and a symbol of Tenerife. The surrounding national park consists of lava fields, craters and rock formations that resemble another planet. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007.

You can reach Teide by car, bus, on an organised tour, by cable car or on foot.

You do not need a booking or a ticket for a standard visit to the national park. Bookings are only required for the cable car and selected high-altitude trails.

The most important thing is to distinguish between the four options:

• Viewpoints and short trails in the national park: no booking required and free of charge.
• The cable car up to an altitude of 3,555 metres: you need a paid ticket, but no permit to reach the summit.
• The summit of Teide via the PNT 10 trail: you need a separate permit from Tenerife ON. The cable car ticket does not include this.
• The full ascent on foot from Montaña Blanca: you need a booking for the PNT 07 trail. To continue to the summit, you also need a permit for the PNT 10 trail.

Compare organised trips to Teide

Do you need a permit for Teide?

You can enter most of the national park without a permit. Without a booking, you can drive through the park, stop at the viewpoints and walk along the standard tourist trails, such as the circular route around Roques de García.

You do need a permit for these two main sections of the ascent:

• PNT 10 Telesforo Bravo between the top station of the cable car and the summit.
• PNT 07 Montaña Blanca – La Rambleta for the hike to the top station of the cable car.

Both bookings are made via the official Tenerife ON portal. They are made in your name. You must show your booking and your original ID when checked.

New slots usually become available every Monday at 7.00 Canary Islands time. Popular dates sell out quickly; they are usually fully booked 2–3 months in advance! 

You should therefore make your booking immediately after purchasing your flight tickets.

The cable car to Pico del Teide

The lower station of the cable car is situated on the TF-21 road at an altitude of 2,356 metres. The upper station, La Rambleta, is situated at an altitude of 3,555 metres. The journey takes just under 8 minutes.

The current prices are as follows:

• 42 eur for an adult return ticket
• 21 eur for a return ticket for a child aged 3 to 13
• 23,50 eur for a single ticket for an adult
• 11,75 eur for a single ticket for a child aged 3 to 13

Please buy your tickets in advance on the cable car’s official website. The earliest available times may be sold out at the ticket office.

Normal operating hours are from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. The last ascent is usually at 4.00 pm and the last descent at 4.50 pm.

With a standard ticket, your stay at the top station is limited to 1 hour. With a PNT 10 pass, you can stay at the top for 2 hours.

The car park at the lower station is free of charge, but is closed by a barrier. It opens approximately one hour before the start of operations and closes after the last lift. It is not intended for overnight parking.

Summit pass: PNT 10 Telesforo Bravo

The cable car does not terminate at the summit. It takes you to La Rambleta at an altitude of 3,555 metres. From there, the only authorised route to the summit of Pico del Teide is the PNT 10 Telesforo Bravo trail.

The trail is 0.69 km one way and covers the final 163 metres of elevation gain. The official ascent time is approximately 45 minutes. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the round trip. Due to the altitude, this short section is more challenging than the distance suggests.

For a standard day visit between 9.00 and 17.00, a visitor’s permit costs 15 eur.

The permit is valid only for the selected day and time. It cannot be used on any other date. At the start of the trail, your name, time and ID will be checked.

If you are taking the cable car, book your PNT 10 first and only then purchase your cable car ticket. Choose a time that ensures you arrive at the top station with plenty of time to spare. The permit to the summit and the cable car ticket are two separate bookings.

What you’ll see without a summit permit

Even without the PNT 10, the cable car journey is worthwhile. There are two short scenic trails leading from the top station for which you do not need a summit permit:

• PNT 11 Mirador de La Fortaleza: 600 metres, approximately 25 minutes one way
• PNT 12 Mirador de Pico Viejo: 750 metres, approximately 30 minutes one way

From PNT 11, you can see the north of Tenerife and the La Orotava Valley. PNT 12 offers views of the colourful Pico Viejo crater and, on a clear day, the islands of La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma.

Hiking up Pico del Teide – route options, fees and bookings

There is only one main hiking route to the summit of Pico del Teide. However, you can also take other, less frequented routes.

Montaña Blanca – La Rambleta PNT07

For a day pass on the PNT 07 route, you need to book via theTenerife ON website. Visitors pay between 9.00 and 15.00:

• 6 eur on weekdays
• 10 eur at weekends and on public holidays

A PNT 07 booking entitles you to walk as far as La Rambleta. It does not automatically entitle you to continue to the summit. For the final section via PNT 10, you will need a further booking and a separate time slot; see the information above.

The starting point is at the car park at a place called Montaña Blanca. The car park is very small and people often park in the spaces available along the road.

The ascent is fairlychallenging, but a reasonably fit hiker can manage it without special equipment. However, good-quality, sturdy walking boots are essential. The first half of the route (approx. 4 km) is easy going and only slightly uphill along a gravel track. The second half is steeper and very rocky, with a fairly narrow, well-trodden path. However, there are no particularly dangerous sections to worry about.

After about 8.5 km, you’ll reach the top station of the cable car, from where it’s just a 700-metre stretch to the summit. At the start of this section, national park rangers always check permits.

• Distance: 9.5 km one way
• Time: approx. 5 hours there + 2.5 hours back
• Elevation gain: approx. 1,350 metres
• Difficulty: difficult (no special equipment required)
• Route map

The route via Pico Viejo is not a common alternative

Older guidebooks sometimes list the ascent from the La Catedral crags as the second standard route. In reality, it is a long combination of high-altitude trails in the vicinity of Pico Viejo.

PNT 09 Teide – Pico Viejo – Mirador de Las Narices del Teide is just under 10 km long and is officially classified as extremely difficult. PNT 23 Los Regatones Negros is 5.5 km long and is rated as very difficult. Both routes require a booking.

Do not treat this alternative as a substitute if PNT 07 is fully booked. It is only suitable for experienced mountain walkers with detailed knowledge of the route, plenty of time and transport arrangements sorted at both ends.

• Distance: 10 km one way
• Time: approx. 5.5 hours there + 3 hours back
• Elevation gain: approx. 1,570 metres
• Difficulty: difficult (no special equipment required)
• Route map

Sunrise and the Altavista hut

The Refugio Altavista mountain hut is situated at an altitude of 3,260 metres, right next to PNT 07. It has shared dormitories and can accommodate 49 people. Visitors aged 14 and over may stay here; minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Prices for visitors start at 71 eur per person. Booking accommodation includes the necessary entry permits for PNT 07 and the morning PNT 10 at the times specified in the confirmation. It does not include the cable car.

Altavista is a basic mountain hut, not a hotel. There are no showers or a restaurant. Please bring your own sleeping bag, food and everything you need for a high-altitude climb. You may only stay for one night.

This option makes the most sense if you want to reach the summit at sunrise and do not wish to complete the entire ascent and descent in a single day.

Teide National Park without a booking

If you can’t get a permit or a cable car ticket, don’t cancel your trip. Most of the national park is freely accessible, and the walk across the caldera itself is one of the best experiences Tenerife has to offer.

Be sure to stop at these places in particular:

• Roques de García: the most famous rock formations at the foot of Mount Teide. You can complete the short circular walk in about 2 hours
• Llano de Ucanca: a sweeping view across the caldera towards Mount Teide and the Roques de García
• Minas de San José: a light-coloured pumice landscape by the TF-21 road
• Mirador de La Tarta: colourful layers of volcanic rock along the TF-24 road

Allow at least 3 to 5 hours to drive through the park, including stops. You can find more places to visit in our guide to what to see in Tenerife.

How to get to Teide

By car

A car is the most practical option. There are four good-quality mountain roads leading into the national park:

• the TF-21 from the south via Vilaflor
• TF-21 from the north via La Orotava
• TF-24 from the east via La Esperanza
• TF-38 from the west via Chío

The journey to the cable car’s lower station from Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Santa Cruz or Puerto de la Cruz takes approximately 1½ hours.

Parking at the cable car is free, but it fills up on busy days. Allow plenty of time for your journey. Only use the small spaces along the main road where parking is expressly permitted.

Compare car hire prices in Tenerife

You can find detailed rules in the section on car hire in Tenerife.

By bus

Two main TITSA bus routes run to the park every day:

• Route 342 from Costa Adeje via Los Cristianos and Vilaflor. It usually departs at 9.25 am from Costa Adeje and at 9.40 am from Los Cristianos. The return service passes the cable car at approximately 3.40 pm.
• Route 348 from Puerto de la Cruz via La Orotava. It usually departs at 9.30 am from Puerto de la Cruz and at 9.45 am from La Orotava. The return service passes the cable car at approximately 4.05 pm.
• Bus route 341 connects the main locations within the national park, including the cable car and the start of the Montaña Blanca trail. However, it does not provide transport from the holiday resorts.

Please check the timetable the day before your trip. Both routes have only one journey into the park and one back. Missing the return bus is therefore a major problem.

Please note! If you wish to take the bus, make sure you are at the bus stopat least 35 minutes in advance. Long queues form, particularly during the high season and at weekends, and if the only daily service fills up, you’re out of luck – there is no other way to get there by public transport.

As a general rule, if you arrive at the bus stop less than 15 minutes before departure, you won’t stand a chance of getting on the bus.

The bus is suitable for visiting the viewpoints or the cable car. It is not suitable for the entire hike up PNT 07.

You can find more information in the section on transport in Tenerife.

Organised tour

An organised tour is the easiest option if you don’t want to hire a car. Standard tours include collection from holiday resorts and stops in the national park. More expensive options include a cable car ride, a hike to the summit, stargazing or watching the sunset.

Always check exactly what’s included in the price before booking. Not every trip that includes a cable car also includes a PNT 10 permit.

If the tour specifies a hike to the summit, the permit is usually arranged by the tour operator.

Compare organised trips to Teide

Accommodation near Pico del Teide

There is very little accommodation within the national park itself. The Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide enjoys the best location. It lies opposite the Roques de García and is ideal for an early start on the cable car or a hike.

On the southern side of the park, you can choose Casa Tajinastes del Teide or accommodation in Vilaflor. For a standard holiday, it is more practical to stay in Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos or Puerto de la Cruz and head up to Teide for a day trip.

Find accommodation in Tenerife

The section on accommodation in Tenerife will help you choose an area.

Weather, clothing and altitude

The weather by the sea is no indication of the conditions on Mount Teide. At the summit, there can be strong winds, temperatures around freezing point and, in winter, snow or ice. Sunlight is very intense at high altitudes.

Even for a short cable car journey, be sure to take:

• sturdy, closed-toe shoes
• long trousers
• a warm, windproof layer
• water
• sunglasses and sun cream

For the entire hike, you’ll need walking boots with good soles, plenty of water and food, a fully charged mobile phone, an offline map and, depending on the time of day, a head torch.

In winter conditions, additional equipment may be required. Tenerife ON provides a detailed list of compulsory equipment with every booking. You may not be allowed onto the trail without the required equipment.

The rapid ascent by cable car from 2,356 to 3,555 metres may cause headaches, nausea, dizziness or shortness of breath. Proceed slowly and do not overestimate your abilities. If your symptoms worsen, return to a lower altitude.

Before setting off, check Tenerife ON for any notices and closures, as well as the current status of the cable car.

We also describe seasonal variations in the chapter on the weather in Tenerife.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Mount Teide without a permit?

Yes, but not all the way to the summit of the highest mountain.

Without a permit, you can drive through the national park, visit the viewpoints and walk most of the tourist trails. You can also take the cable car up to La Rambleta. You only need a permit for PNT 10 to the summit and for selected high-altitude trails, including PNT 07.

Does the cable car go all the way to the summit of Teide?

No. The top station is at an altitude of 3,555 metres. The summit is at an altitude of 3,718 metres. The final 0.69 km follows the PNT 10 trail and requires a separate permit.

How much does the cable car ride to the summit cost?

An adult visitor who is not a Canarian resident will pay from 42 eur for a return cable car ticket and 15 eur for a PNT 10 day pass. The total cost is therefore at least 57 eur. An organised guided ascent costs more.

What should you do if permits to the summit are sold out?

Take the cable car and walk along PNT 11 or PNT 12. Another option is a road trip with views of Roques de García, Llano de Ucanca and Minas de San José. You do not need a PNT 10 permit for these alternatives.

How long does a visit to Teide take?

Allow 3 to 5 hours to drive through the park and visit the viewpoints. A visit by cable car usually takes 2 to 3 hours, excluding travel time. The entire hike up and back is a full-day trek lasting 9 to 11 hours.

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