Rated 4.9466 reviews
5 hTenerife: Hike Above Masca in Enchanted Forest with Pick-up
★ 4.9 · 466 reviews
- Five hours, About 8 km, 300 m gain
- Hotel pickup available
- Light picnic included
- Free cancellation
$100$20.00 / hour
Check availability→ Above Masca, not in the gorge
Masca Valley hike: two forest trails above the gorge
Two guided hikes on this site walk the pine and laurel forest high above Masca instead of the gorge floor. This Masca Valley hike guide puts them side by side: where each one picks you up, how long the day runs, what the price covers and how the trail differs from the gorge descent to the sea. They cost almost the same: $99 and $100 per person.
Quick answer
The short answer. Staying on the south coast? Book the $100 Masca Valley hike through the enchanted forest: hotel pickup and drop-off between Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes, about 8 km on foot, a light picnic, and 4.9 across 466 reviews, the most of any hike on this site. Staying in the north? Book the $99 relict-woods hike: pickup in ten towns, a group of up to six, and 5.0 across 51 reviews. Neither one goes down into the gorge itself.
The Masca Valley hike at a glance
- Hikes above Masca
- Twoboth with a live guide
- Price
- $99 and $100per person
- Length of the day
- 5 hours / 5 to 7 hourssouth trail / north trail
- Distance
- About 8 km / 7.5 kmas each listing gives it
- Climbing
- About 300 melevation gain on both
- Height reached
- 1,300 mnorth trail, after 70 minutes
- Pickup
- In the price on bothsouth coast / ten towns
- Food
- Light picnicsouth trail only
- Group size
- Up to 8 / up to 6south trail / north trail
- Reviews
- 466 / 51rated 4.9 / 5.0
- The gorge itself
- A separate hike$73, no pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellationon both forest hikes
Two trails
Two forest trails, one view of Masca
Same valley, two approaches: one collects you on the south coast, one in the north.
Masca Gorge is a 5 km trail that drops between basalt walls to the coast. Above it, you can walk the forest and the ridges instead, and look down on the village, the gorge and the sea. That is what a Masca Valley hike on this site means. Anyone looking for a Masca Valley tour should know these are proper walks: 7.5 to 8 km on foot, about 300 m of climbing, and a guide the whole way.
The two trails cover similar ground in different ways. The south trail at $100 starts in fragrant pine forest, passes four climate zones and reaches ancient laurel forest, with a picnic between the two halves. The north trail at $99 climbs through pine forest to 1,300 m for a wide view over the gorge and crosses a relict laurel forest. Its listing says the route avoids crowded tourist trails.
Which Masca Valley hike Tenerife visitors pick depends mostly on where they sleep: the two pickup zones barely overlap.
The south trail
The enchanted forest walk, stage by stage
From the $100 listing: two hours of walking, a 15-minute picnic, then two more hours.
- Hotel pickup
You are collected from your hotel or apartment on the south coast, between Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes, including Alcalá, Playa San Juan, Costa Adeje and Las Américas.
- Pine forest
The walk begins in a fragrant pine forest, with views of Teide National Park and its volcanoes, including Chinyero, the last one to erupt.
- The gorge from above
On the other side, the ancient cliffs of Masca Gorge fall away below the path. The listing counts four climate zones on the route.
- Picnic stop
A light picnic is in the price, taken out in nature after about two hours of walking.
- Laurel forest
The trail enters ancient laurel forest, thick with mosses and ferns, on a stretch of the Teno trail.
- Views to finish
Teide, Masca village and the Los Gigantes cliffs, all seen from above. Then the drive back to your hotel.
The north trail
The relict woods walk, stage by stage
From the $99 listing. The day runs five to seven hours with the transfer.
- Pickup, mostly in the north
Ten pickup points: Tacoronte, Bajamar, Garachico, La Orotava, El Sauzal, Puerto de la Cruz, La Victoria de Acentejo, Los Realejos, Icod de los Vinos and, in the south, Adeje.
- Pine forest and the 1909 eruption
The trail starts in pine forest with views of Teide and of the site of the last eruption, in 1909.
- Up to 1,300 m
After about 70 minutes of walking you reach an altitude of 1,300 m. The listing promises a 360-degree view from a spacious main lookout with minimal exposure.
- Masca from the top
From up there: the mountains, the ocean, Masca Gorge and the famous road that winds through the Teno mountains in tight bends.
- Relict laurel forest
The route also passes through a relict laurel forest. 7.5 km in all, with 300 m of climbing.
- Small group
Up to six people, with a guide in English, Spanish or Russian.
On the trail
Ridges, a village and the volcano
The kind of ground both forest walks cover, in four frames.
Masca village
Red roofs and tall palms along a winding road, with a rock pinnacle and pale cliffs behind.
Teide on the skyline
The cone of Teide on the horizon above a green valley with a village and terraces.
Ridges over the ocean
Green scrub in front, jagged ridges behind, a road on the slope and the ocean beyond.
Under the laurels
Crooked trunks and branches bend low over a narrow dirt path.
Pickup
Where each hike picks you up
South coast: the enchanted forest. North coast: the relict woods.
On a Masca Valley hike, pickup is the question that decides most bookings. The $100 enchanted forest hike collects you from your hotel or apartment along the south coast, between Los Gigantes and Los Cristianos, main resorts included. If you are staying in the north or outside that zone, you meet the group in Santiago del Teide, by the church, or in a listed town.
The $99 relict-woods hike works the other way round. Its ten pickup points are almost all in the north: Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, Los Realejos, Icod de los Vinos, Garachico and five more. Adeje is its only southern stop. Jana from Germany: «The organization was smooth, the transfer was on time, and the small group made the experience very pleasant.»
Every trip, current fare
Masca Valley hike prices, side by side
The two forest hikes, the gorge descent, the Teno walk and our top pick for the island. All prices are per person.
| Hike | Price | Price is for | Length | What the price covers | Where it starts | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relict woods, north pickup | $99 | per person | 5 to 7 hours | Live guide, transfer from ten pickup points. Group of up to 6 | Your pickup point in the north, or Adeje | 5.0 · 51 |
| Enchanted forest, south pickup | $100 | per person | 5 hours | Live guide, hotel pickup and drop-off on the south coast, light picnic, digital photos. Group of up to 8 | Your hotel between Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes | 4.9 · 466 |
| Masca Gorge descent | $73 | per person | 6 hours | Live guide. Entrance and transport tickets bought separately. Group of up to 10 | Santiago del Teide, church square | 4.2 · 115 |
| Teno mountains to Masca village | $54 | per person | 3.5 hours | Live guide. Getting to the start and the bus back are your own. Needs at least 6 adults | Las Portelas bus stop, 10:00 | 4.9 · 12 |
| Teide by night, our top pick | $245 | per person | 10 hours | Live guide, pickup in Los Cristianos, sunrise picnic with a warm drink and snacks | Los Cristianos | 5.0 · 114 |
Above or below
Above Masca or down the gorge
The gorge is a descent with tickets bought separately; the forest walks include the ride.
The forest hikes look down on Masca Gorge; the gorge listing walks through it. The $73 gorge day meets on the church square in Santiago del Teide, takes a 15-minute bus ride to the start, then follows a 5 km descending trail between basalt walls over 700 m high, about four hours in the gorge. At the coast a boat takes the group to the harbour of Los Gigantes.
Three things differ. First, the gorge listing has no pickup. Second, its entrance and transport tickets are not part of the booking: you buy them in advance, through a link sent after you book. Third, it runs subject to weather conditions and permit availability, and hiking boots or trail shoes are a must, with no trainers or sandals allowed.
For the walls of the gorge around you, book the descent. For the view over it, with the ride in the price, a Masca Valley hike is the easier day to arrange.
Teno and Masca village
The shorter walk into Masca village
A third way to see Masca, and the shortest: the $54 Teno walk. Unlike a Masca Valley hike above the village, it has no pickup.
- The route
Trails of the Teno Massif to the village of Masca: 3.65 km between 650 and 900 m, in about 3.5 hours, ending in the hamlet with time for its traditional streets.
- Getting to the start
You meet at the Las Portelas bus stop at 10:00, arriving by car or public transport.
- Getting back
You return by public bus, and the fare is not in the price.
- Group
It runs with at least six adults; with fewer, the listing offers another date, another activity or a refund. After a 15-minute wait at the start, no refund.
Before you book
Fitness, shoes and what each price covers
What the two forest listings ask of you, in their own words.
- Fitness
The south trail asks for a moderate fitness level. The north trail warns that some descents may need your hands for support.
- Heights
The north listing does not recommend its trail for anyone with vertigo or a fear of heights, though its main lookout is spacious, with minimal exposure.
- Shoes
The north listing asks for comfortable hiking shoes or sneakers. Jana from Germany: «good shoes and a bit of fitness are definitely useful.»
- Food
Only the south trail includes food: a light picnic. On the north trail, bring your own.
- Language
South trail: six languages, English only on Saturdays. North trail: English, Spanish and Russian.
From reviewers
What hikers say about the two trails
Hundreds of reviews on one trail, a smaller set on the other.
The south trail has the most reviews of any hike on this site: 4.9 across 466 reviews. Andrej from the United Kingdom: «The trail is incredibly picturesque — walking through forest paths, rocky stretches, and coastal views, all with the mighty Teide in the background.» Becca, also from the United Kingdom: «The walk was beautiful, with lots of stops to enjoy the scenery and take photos.»
The north trail has fewer reviews, 5.0 across 51 reviews. Evgenia from Germany: «What I liked most was that we had the trail almost completely to ourselves.»
Our verdict
Our verdict: book by where you sleep
Staying in the south? Book the enchanted forest at $100. It collects you from your hotel, includes a picnic, and 466 reviewers rate it 4.9. Staying in the north? Book the relict woods at $99. Pickup in ten towns, a group of six at most, and the 1,300 m view over Masca. Either way, this Masca Valley hike gives you Masca from above without the gorge logistics.
Book direct
Book your Masca Valley hike
The two forest trails, both with pickup in the price. Last, the shorter Teno walk to Masca village, with no transfer. All three are priced per person.
Rated 5.051 reviews
5 - 7 hHike above Masca through relict woods. Transfer included.
★ 5.0 · 51 reviews
- 5 to 7 hours, Climb to about 1,300 m
- Small group
- Relict laurel forest section
- Free cancellation
Starts at Las Portelas, 10:003.5 h
3.5 hTenerife: Teno Mountains Hike and Masca Village
★ 4.9 · 12 reviews
- 3.5 hours, 3.65 km trail to Masca
- Starts at Las Portelas, 10:00
- Guide in Spanish or English
- Free cancellation
$54$15.43 / hour
Check availability→ Common questions
Masca Valley hike: questions, answered
Can you see Masca without hiking the gorge?
Yes. Both forest hikes on this page look down on the village, the gorge and the coast, and the $54 Teno walk ends in Masca village itself. None of them enters the gorge.
Which hikes above Masca include hotel pickup from the south?
The $100 enchanted forest hike, with hotel pickup and drop-off along the south coast between Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes. On the south coast, the relict-woods hike picks up only in Adeje.
I am staying in Puerto de la Cruz. Which hike picks up there?
The $99 relict-woods hike. Puerto de la Cruz is one of its ten pickup points, along with La Orotava, Los Realejos, Garachico and Icod de los Vinos.
Is food included on the hikes above Masca?
On one. The south trail includes a light picnic, taken after about two hours of walking. The north trail lists no food, so bring your own.
Are the hikes above Masca small group?
Yes: up to 8 people on the south trail and up to 6 on the north trail. The gorge descent takes up to 10.
Do you need a ticket for Masca Gorge?
For the gorge descent, yes: the $73 listing says entrance and transport tickets are not included and must be bought in advance through a link sent after booking. The forest hikes above Masca stay out of the gorge.
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