Volcano El Teide – how to climb?
How to climb volcano El Teide?
There are several ways to climb the volcano El Teide. Below you will find some detailed descriptions of conquering the volcano summit yourself.
At the beginning we have to get to the “feet” of the volcano. The starting altitude from which the Teleférico cable car starts and where the walking trail begins is 2200 m a.s.l. Depending on whether we chose the accommodation option or if we want to take a one-time entry, we must carefully plan our trip!
You can get to top of El Teide volcano in 3 different ways:
Easy – with advance reservation of permission to enter the summit and entry by cable car.
Intermediate – on foot with a stop for the night and with prior reservation of the Altavista hostel.
Advanced – on foot, at night (about 5 hours walk) without the need for a reservation for the permit required during the day, provided we reach the summit before 9:00 AM when the first guards appear. Although security checks entry permits upon arrival at the summit, getting there earlier is fully possible.
Trip to the summit of El Teide during a day with the reservation of a permit
The trip with the least difficulty, however, requires booking a permit well in advance. There are a lot of people waiting for a free permit. Hence the average booking time from 3 to 6 months in advance. All you have to do is visit the site of the “El Teide National Park” and book a specific date and time within a time interval every 2 hours. Enter the number of the document, passport or ID card. Then reserve the date of entry by the Teleférico cable car. For the same date and time that appears on the summit permission.
The ride by cable car takes just 7 minutes, and the cost of the ticket is 40 euros return. You have to get to the top of El Teide from the top station of the cable car. The route is about 700 m, however, as we are walking uphill, the entrance time is estimated at about 30 min. We should remember that getting off the cable car, we rise to a height of 3550m a.s.l.. Here the air becomes thinner and we feel the pressure change.
Trip to El Teide with accommodation in a refuge (This option is temporarily unavailable)
A trip with accommodation in a hostel is a bit more difficult, but also offers a great adventure. One important aspect is that we do not need permission to enter the summit. All you have to do is book your accommodation on the official website of the Altavista refuge. Depending on the season and volume of tourists, reservations must be made between two weeks and two months before the trip. The cost of such accommodation is 21 euros with the possibility of ordering only one day.
It is important that you reach the refuge by 21.00. The road to the hostel is very well marked (trail no. 7). At the foot of Montaña Blanca, where the trail begins, there is a small car park for around 10 cars. Route takes approximately 4 hours on foot. Let’s also consider rest stops, which are extremely important, especially during the day.
We can get to the volcano base in two ways. If we have a car, the matter is simple and we can decide for ourselves what time we go. In turn, traveling by bus will require more organization. The bus to El Teide volcano leaves the Costa Adeje station at 9.15, number 342. And this is the only city vehicle and the only time we have available. The journey takes about 1.5 hours. Get off at the Montaña Blanca stop, which is at the height of the trail 2200 m a.s.l. If we get to the refuge earlier, we will have time to commune with nature and enjoy the picturesque views.
The option with accommodation is good for people who do not adapt quickly to changes in altitude and pressure and also need a longer rest. This alternative gives the opportunity to gradually accept and “get used to” this conditions.
From the refuge to the top
If we have reached the refuge, we can easily relax and prepare for the second part of the route. From the altitude of 3266 m a.s.l. we intend to rise to 3718 m a.s.l. the peak of El Teide. During this adventure, first of all, we want to have a beautiful view of the sunrise from the top of the mountain. Sunrise in Tenerife is between 7.00 and 8.00 in the morning. We can check this by entering “sunrise el teide” in Google. The path from the hostel to the top is about 1.5 hours. However, it is worth not to overdo it with time, because waiting at the top can be tedious due to the cold, piercing wind.
We recommend setting off around 5:30, adjusting the time to the sunrise time you checked earlier. The degree of difficulty of the route increases due to the thinner air in the atmosphere. Which means that we absorb oxygen much more slowly, and thus, we get tired faster. Another aspect is the much greater slope and stony surface. After about an hour walk we will meet the upper station of the cable car. And the peak of the volcano will reveal to us, to which we have 700 m to go.
The last episode to our destination is by far the steepest so far. Although it is short and the time to overcome it is estimated at half an hour, we should ensure a small amount of time. Quite physically difficult, for most of us the episode requires frequent and short stops. Once we manage to overcome the challenge, we will be able to enjoy the amazing views at sunrise.
Trip to the El Teide volcano at night
Option definitely for active people with good condition. Remember that the route is constantly climbing up, changing the angles of inclination on individual sections. This means that you should be well prepared physically before taking up this challenge. It would be safe to start with simpler mountain trails increasing the level of difficulty. Or simply start playing sports that increase our condition.
The journey takes place at night, and we must arrive before sunrise. It is worth to rest before exercise – it is good to sleep 2-3 hours before the trip. The average route time from the beginning of the trail to the shelter is 3 hours. From the shelter to Teleférico 1 hour and the final section 30 minutes. Note that in the text “trip to El Teide with accommodation in a refuge”, we give 4 hours from the volcano base to the shelter. The reason is more frequent stops due to the sun shining during the day and higher temperature. In total, entering at night takes about 4.5 hours of walking, depending on the person’s abilities and physical fitness. We recommend that you depart from Montaña Blanca, where we start (trail no.7) around 2-3 am. It also depends on the season and the time of sunrise.
The first three-hour part would be relatively mild, hence it is better to walk at a steady, relatively dynamic pace. After reaching the shelter, we can take a break by stopping on the benches. Remember, however, that this break should not be longer than 30 minutes. So that the hot muscles do not become stuck. Of course, let’s keep in mind the time, as we already know, we plan to arrive before sunrise (google – sunrise el teide).
From the refuge to the top
We recommend leaving the hostel about an hour and a half earlier. Then the second episode begins, and with it the degree of difficulty increases. The slope is slightly higher there with a stony surface. After traveling the second section, we reach the upper entrance of the cable car. Here our pearl appears, i.e. the very peak of El Teide. Short, but steep section. Rated to be 30 minutes to overcome. But requiring many stops for most of us because of the low amount of oxygen in the diluted air. Once we face this challenge, we will be able to enjoy the beautiful views at sunrise.
