Guide to outdoor activities in Tenerife

This wealth of nature and landscapes gives rise to a wide range of outdoor activities, including hundreds of marked trails and dozens of leisure facilities and others aimed towards the enhancement and protection of Tenerife’s natural surroundings.

Discover the 7 faces of Tenerife

Are you struggling to decide which routes or areas of the island to include in your next excursion?  Do you want to experience all (or almost all) of Tenerife’s environments?

To help you decide, Tenerife ON has divided the island into 7 geographical areas, each with very distinct landscape features.

All you need to do is choose one of these, and select your next experience in the interactive map.

1. Anaga Massif

The Anaga Massif, a Biosphere Reserve since 2015, acts as one of the island’s lungs in the north coast.

Its landscape is made up of an exceptional combination of features that will leave you speechless; dense laurel forests containing species not found anywhere else in the world, and cultural values that define our land.

These characteristics make it one of the most important elements of Tenerife’s natural heritage and a must-see for residents and visitors alike.

It is with good reason that it is one of the most popular spots on the island, although it is still possible to find yourself alone along its trails, to enjoy forest bathing and panoramic views of the coastline.

Here you will find deep ravines, beaches that cannot be reached by road, and traditional shops where you can buy fresh produce.

Visitors to the Anaga Massif always return. Will you be able to resist?

Available activities

These are the activities on offer in the Anaga Massif:

• Hiking.
• Recreational areas.

2. Teide Nacional Park

The Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007, boasts the highest point in Spain, at 3,715 metres above sea level.

Due to the large number of tourists it receives all year round, access to some of its trails, such as the route leading to Pico del Teide from La Rambleta, is restricted, protected and subject to prior booking, with waiting lists of up to 3 or 4 months. Depending on the time of year, you may not be able to get a permit unless you apply for one at least 3 months in advance.

Here you can walk among craters and volcanic lava flows, visit the Botanical Garden of El Portillo and marvel at the curious forms of life that thrive in these extreme climatic conditions, capable of withstanding high temperatures during the day and frost when the sun goes down.

Owing to its altitude, this national nature park offers panoramic views in all directions from its numerous viewpoints, only obscured by the sea of clouds that often blanket the lower slopes of Mount Teide.

Available activities

These are the activities you can enjoy in the Teide National Park: 

• Hiking: 41 trails totalling more than 190 kilometres.
• Cañada Blanca, El Portillo and Telesforo Bravo Visitor Centres (the latter in the town centre of La Orotava).
• Juan Évora Ethnographic Museum.
• El Portillo Botanical Garden.
• Juan Acosta Rodríguez Native Flora Garden, located in La Orotava.
• Extensive network of viewpoints.

3. Pedro Gil / Acentejo ridge

From the Monte de La Esperanza to the valleys of the north, exploring these natural surroundings will be a real treat for the senses:

• The fresh scent as you step into the pine forests. 
• The damp feel on your skin from the sea of clouds. 
• The birdsong keeping you company on your walk through the forest. 
• The contrast in colours between ravines, pine trees and hillsides in bloom.
• The tasty flavour of mushrooms sprouting in season.

This landscape will transport you into a fairytale, with dense pine forests protecting the trails below, birds flitting between tree trunks, and forest openings from where you can admire the area’s rich culture.

In this magical setting, water plays the starring role, as this is one of the most important reserves and sources of aquifers on the island.

Now that you know about its magic, all that’s left is to choose how to enjoy the Pedro Gil and Acentejo ridge.

Available activities

These are the activities on offer at the Pedro Gil and Acentejo ridge.

• Hiking.
• Cycling and horse riding routes.
• Motor vehicle routes.
• Recreational areas.
• Camping areas.

4. Valleys of the south-west / Abona

This area combines pine forests, typical of the southern side of the island, with semi-arid landscapes, all under the watchful eye of Teide.

As this is one of the driest parts of the island, we can find here scrubland of tabaiba (Euphorbia atropurpurea) and Canary Island spurge (Euphorbia canariensis), plant species that have adapted well to these conditions, as well as coastal shrubs at lower altitudes and open pine forests higher up.

The soil changes in colour according to its volcanic composition: yellow in pumice sediments, grey and reddish in the chimneys of the “lunar landscape”, ochre in farmland covered in volcanic gravel to trap the humidity in the ground.

Locals in towns such as Vilaflor, Güímar and Abona have found clever ways to collect and distribute water, transforming the landscape of valleys, laying out water channels and farming terraces.

This part of the island is an ideal destination for fans of agrotourism, the slow pace of rural life, and Km 0 gastronomic experiences.

Do you avoid mass tourism?  This is the ideal place to lose yourself and find yourself again, in Tenerife.

Available activities

These are the activities on offer in the valleys of the south-east and Abona:

• Hiking.
• Cycling and horse riding routes.
• Motor vehicle routes.
• Recreational areas.
• Camping areas.

5. Teno Massif

At Teno you can walk along trails surrounded by lush vegetation and discover some of the oldest volcanic landscapes on the island.

This area contains impressive ravines which will take you from the summit, to the coast, via landscapes that appear to have been frozen in time.

You will be surprised by the peacefulness here, the intense green of its vegetation and the dizzying views from its cliffs, such as the famous Los Gigantes.  You will see why many refer to the Teno Massif as the “Ireland of the Canary Islands”.

Here you will have the chance to visit the most isolated communities on the island, try the famous Teno goats’ cheese, and reach its picturesque lighthouse, almost at the end of the world.

If you’re looking for the wild side of Tenerife, you’ll find it at Teno.

Available activities

These are the activities on offer in the Teno valley:

• Hiking.
• Recreational areas.
• Camping areas.

6. Valleys of the north

Given their proximity to and easy access from many urban centres, the valleys of the north of Tenerife are one of the most visited and most popular natural areas on the island.

They cover an area from the Orotava Valley to the Montes de Garachico, and lie in between the rugged north coast and Teide.

Here you will be able to enjoy fantastic recreational areas offering everything you need to spend a day with family and friends, surrounded by nature.

This landscape is dominated by vineyards, sprawling ancient pine forests, chestnut trees and laurel forests; all species that do well here due to the mild and humid climate, watered by the sea of clouds brought in by the trade winds.  

If you’d like to organise a getaway into nature, explore one of the most biologically diverse forests in Tenerife or taste some of the best wines on the island, come to the valleys of the north.

Available activities

These are the activities on offer in the valleys of the north:

• Hiking.
• Cycling and horse riding routes.
• Motor vehicle routes.
• Recreational areas.
• Camping areas.

7. West / Isora

This part of the island will take you from the arid landscape of Teide Nacional Park, to the west coast, passing by pine forests and colourful volcanic terrain.

Here, the oldest geological elements of the island, at Teno, meet the most recent lava flows, at Chinyero; a combination of biodiversity and wild beauty in this, the least visited part of the island.

Do you want to feel the strength of the volcanoes that created the island of Tenerife?

In Isora and its surroundings you can see untouched lava fields, steep ravines and traditional rural settlements that seem frozen in time.

Available activities

These are the activities on offer in the west / Isora:

• Hiking.
• Cycling and horse riding routes.
• Motor vehicle routes.
• Recreational areas.
• Camping areas.

3 things you should keep to hand

Here are some practical links to help you plan your next getaway into nature in Tenerife:

5 ways to enjoy nature in Tenerife

Hiking

The Tenerife ON network contains more than 142 trails including 3 types of routes:

• Circular: itineraries that start and finish in the same place.  
• Linear: routes that start and finish in different places, and can be done in both directions.
• Out-and-back: linear routes where you must go back to the starting point along the same path, because the furthest point on the route is only reachable by foot.

Make sure you check the rules on signage for these walking routes and our advice for hikers, before setting off.

Cycling and horse riding

Tenerife offers 18 routes for cyclists and horse riders, 5 main routes and 13 extensions. 

Before setting off, we recommend you check the signage and rules for use, and these recommendations to ensure a smooth experience.

Routes for motor vehicles

There are 24 trails that are suitable for 4x4 vehicles within the island’s natural areas.

You can check the signage and rules for use for these routes on our website, as well as the list of permitted vehicles, and when to request a permit in advance.

Remember to check the advice for best practice for motor vehicles in Tenerife’s natural areas.

Enjoyment of recreational areas

The Tenerife Island Council manages 20 recreational areas on the island, with all that is needed to enjoy a meal or a get-together with family and friends in the mountains.

Before organising your day out in nature, check this advice for best practice for sharing recreational areas.

Camping

The are almost 15 open-air camping areas on the island, managed by the Tenerife Island Council.

Although they do not have their own services, most are situated adjacent to a recreational area, and so they share the necessary facilities for this activity.

Remember that if you wish to spend the night in any of these, you must request prior authorisation from the reservations centre.

Check the practical advice for enjoying camping in Tenerife.

Have you decided which area of Tenerife you’re going to explore next?

Use our interactive map to filter options by activity, effort or distance, and let the adventure begin!

Remember to download our app to take your itinerary with you and to stay up-to-date with trail conditions and other alerts.