Walking on Tenerife is rapidly becoming the holiday choice of more and more people as the word gets out about its diverse landscapes, stunning vistas and ancient paths where you can walk all day and barely meet another soul.
There are a few things you need to think about before you even book your flights to ensure that you get to experience walking on Tenerife exactly the way you like it.
Where to stay
Having a base that best meets your requirements is probably the trickiest of all your decisions. Decide what it is that you want from your holiday and narrow your choices until you reach the right base location.
Here are a few pointers to help you:
- In our opinion, the very best walking on Tenerife is in the Anaga Mountains, the pine forest of La Orotava Valley and Teide National Park so if you want to enjoy the best of those you should consider basing yourself in the north of the island.
- The best weather on the island is generally to be found on the southwest coast so if you’re planning to major on beach time with walking as a side order, consider basing yourself there. You can access some fine walking in the hills but you will probably want to hire a car as the bus service on that side of the island is poor.
- The vast majority of visitors to Tenerife hear straight to the south coast and the resorts of Los Cristianos, Playa de Las Américas and Costa Adeje, all of which can offer super hotels, golden sand beaches, nightlife and a default setting of sunshine. But you’ll have to travel to find the best walking, particularly as the Barranco Del Infierno is still closed to public access.
Accommodation
The best hotels, in my opinion, are certainly in the south and southwest of Tenerife. Puerto de la Cruz suffers from having a deficit of good hotels so you will need to choose carefully.
Consider staying in rural hotels which are generally located in places where you’ll find lots of character, traditional restaurants and beautiful scenery. They’ll also give you access to some of the best walking on Tenerife.
When to go
Tenerife is a year-round resort so you can pretty much go whenever you have a window of opportunity.
Generally speaking, the spring months of April, May and June will give you stunning displays of wild flowers in the mountains. June brings the extraordinary Tajinaste blooming in Teide National Park, September and October are idyllic weather and crystal clear visibility and the winter brings a snow clad Mount Teide, clear blue skies and sunshine filled beaches.
Avoid walking when there are weather alerts in place and during calima. Check our weekly weather forecasts before you set out on your walk.
What to bring
- A good, sturdy pair of lightweight walking boots will get you through every terrain on Tenerife. If you’re planning on walking only in coastal areas, good walking sandals will suffice.
- For mountain walking, consider packing your walking stick (hiking cane).
- Fleece for high altitude walking and a waterproof jacket – particularly in winter.
- Hat, high factor suncream and a rucksack.
Essentially, ensure you have some reliable walking guides. Terrain on Tenerife can be very tricky with steep barrancos (ravines) into which slipping is all too easy, and homogeneous pine forests which make getting hopelessly lost difficult to avoid.
Check out our Island Walks guides which cover what we consider to be the best walking on Tenerife and give clear, staged directions as well as interesting detours, refreshment stops, toilets, local information, flora, advice about walking in specific areas, photographs and public transport routes.
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