Cableway Routes and Trails


Trail to the "Teide" Crater

"Teide" Crater 

    On top of “La Rambleta” (3555 m) we find the oldest crater, with a diameter of 850 m, emerging from the majestic “El Pilón”, the uppermost cone of the “Teide”, which with its 3718 m of height enjoys the privilege of being Spain’s highest point. Parting in a northerly direction from the upper cableway terminal, along the “Mirador de La Fortaleza” walkway, on the left another walkway soon appears that leads upwards along the steep slope of the “Pico del Teide”. A special authorisation is necessary to climb this slope, which can be obtained from the National Park’s Management. The height and strong smell of sulphur that the numerous fumaroles that exist along the way give off, make advancing somewhat difficult and, therefore, the ascent must be slow, taking frequent rests and allowing the Island’s rumble to be felt in our feet, and  perceiving the cold air of the heights. 

    The path, narrow and coiling, rises along the southeast slope, taking us closer and closer to the yearned edge from where we can finally contemplate the mysterious interior of the crater. Once at the top, the yellow-green depths of the Teide crater allow our imagination to take off, with illusions of past violent eruptions, while in the distance distinguishing all the islands of the Canary Islands archipelago. “La Palma, Hierro” and “La Gomera” to the west and “Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura” and “Lanzarote” to the east. If we are lucky enough to reach this privileged point at sunrise, we can enjoy the giant shadows of the sharp “Pico del Teide” projecting over the sea with the first rays of sun.

Trail to "La Fortaleza"

"La Fortaleza" Viewpoint

    The trail that takes us to “La Fortaleza” Viewpoint leads us in a northerly direction, to the most perfect slope of the volcanic cone of the “Teide”, which is a steep slope that after just a few kilometres immerses deep into the sea. The path is almost completely flat, although due to the height that we stand at, we may indeed feel quite tired. We then leave the sheer faces of the “Pico del Teide” to our left, and suddenly the clean and brilliant slopes of the “Montaña Blanca” appear to our right, covered in  black lava, testimony of ancient eruptions, through which trail num. 7 crosses, which after passing by the “Altavista Refuge” reaches the trail that is found just slightly before the “Viewpoint”. From this astounding viewpoint we can contemplate the entire northern slope of the Island of Tenerife. The “Orotava Valley” standing right in the very middle, the “Teno Massif” gorges to the left and the long ridges of the “Monte de la Esperanza” that is lost far away in the wild and rugged “Anaga Massif”. Our attention will be drawn to small white points, which are the domes of the “Teide Astrophysics Observatory” in Izaña. The reddish crest of “La Fortaleza” Crags mark the limits of the extensive pine forest of “La Orotava”, with colours ranging from the green of its crowns to the intense blue of the Atlantic Ocean.

Trail to "Pico Viejo"

"Pico Viejo" Viewpoint

    Practically flat and perfectly seated, the “Mirador del Pico Viejo” trail leads toward the southern slope of the “Pilón”, where the 800 m wide crater of the “Montaña Chahorra” can be contemplated, standing at a height of 3104 it is also known as the “Pico Viejo”, where Teide’s last historical eruption took place in 1798, for months expulsing rivers of lava through the tremendous cavities called “Las Narices del Teide”. The trail in itself provides a wondrous viewpoint of the entire southern slope of the Island, with it being perfectly possible to appreciate the tremendous cauldron and its natural enclosure made of rocky vertical faces, amongst which the huge mass of the “Montaña Guajara” stands out. Here we can see how the tongues of lava slid down the slopes of the volcano, reaching the proximities of the circus walls, distinguishing the numerous streams that border the cauldron and appreciating the vertical formations of the “Roques de García”, alongside of which the blurred outline of the installations of the “Parador de Turismo” (state-owned Tourist hotel) can be seen. At the end of the trail, once at the “Mirador” (viewpoint), we can entertain ourselves by following the contour of the southern coast of the Island of Tenerife, pinpointing the villages, the tremendous tourist developments, the airport and even closer the extraordinary “Pinar de Vilaflor”. The impression is that by simply reaching out we can touch the island of “La Gomera”, with the islands of “Hierro” and “La Palma” being somewhat more remote.