Tenerife volcano hike: Pico Viejo, lava and the summit of Teide

Of the fourteen guided hikes on this site, four put you on the volcano itself, all inside Teide National Park, which the night-climb listing describes as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Each Tenerife volcano hike there has a different target: the crater of Pico Viejo, a 2,000-metre peak beside the ground of the latest eruptions, or the summit of Teide, which the listings call the highest point of Spain.

The four differ most in effort. The evening hike covers 5.5 km with about 200 m of climb. Pico Viejo gives seven hours on foot, and its listing calls the route moderate. The two summit days each cover 10 km and climb 1,380 m or 1,500 m, and the night climb is described as strenuous.

Two forest hikes above Masca add volcanic views without a volcanic trail. One crosses pine forest with views of the Teide volcano and the site of the last eruption in 1909; the other looks across Teide National Park and its dozens of volcanoes. Julia from Germany, after the summit day: «We also received lots of interesting information about Teide and the volcanoes along the way.»

The $105 sunset hike visits a 2,000-metre peak in Teide National Park, not the summit of Teide. Its listing puts the route through the area of the last volcanic eruptions, between two zones of the volcano’s latest eruptions, and adds a visit to a natural lava tube. The walk itself is a moderate 2.5 hours, 5.5 km in all with about 200 m of climb, and the listing asks for moderate physical fitness.

It also has the smallest group on this page: up to four hikers, with pickup and return in Adeje and a guide in English, Spanish or Russian. The listing says the sunset route runs only with the group tour option, and that you meet almost no other hikers on it. It is rated 5.0 on 18 reviews. Lene from Norway: «The lava, that creates a special silence, makes you very relaxed.»

The night climb, our top pick at $245, is the Tenerife volcano hike with the most packed into it. Pickup is in Los Cristianos, and the hike starts at about 4 a.m. by headlamp, depending on sunrise time. You watch the sunrise from a viewpoint at 3,200 m with a picnic, a warm drink and snacks, and reach the summit at 3,718 m between 10:00 and 11:00. The listing gives 10 km and 1,380 m of climb, and the itinerary comes down by cable car in 20 minutes; it does not say whether that ticket is in the price. Jacques from Belgium: «The early morning ascent to the crater was amazing, without a doubt one of the best ways to experience Teide.»

The $212 summit day meets at the Teide cable car car park, with no pickup. Its listing gives 10 km with 1,500 m of climb, normally 5 to 6 hours to the top. The cable car ticket, twenty-two euros a person, is not included, and the cable car runs only when the wind is under 35 km/h; otherwise you walk down. Bring 2 to 3 litres of water and enough food. It is rated 4.8 on 89 reviews.

Book the night climb at $245 if you want the summit of Teide: our top pick, rated 5.0 on 114 reviews, with pickup and a sunrise picnic. For a shorter Tenerife volcano hike, the $105 evening walk with a lava tube. Without pickup, the $212 summit day, rated 4.8. For the crater, one listing goes to Pico Viejo; it is new, with no reviews to weigh yet.

With one day for the volcano, your Tenerife volcano hike comes down to effort and pickup: the night climb from Los Cristianos, the evening hike from Adeje, or the summit day from the cable car car park. Lorena from Germany, after that day: «The hike takes you through different parts of the volcanic landscape and rewards you with a breathtaking view at the top!»