Teide summit by Montaña Blanca

From the Montaña Blanca car park on the TF-21, at 2,348 m, follow the pumice track past the Huevos del Teide to the junction where rangers check bookings and kit. The path then climbs the Lomo Tieso in steep, tight bends, past the Estancia de los Ingleses, to the Refugio de Altavista at 3,260 m, and on across the lava to La Rambleta, at 3,555 m, where the cable car arrives. The last 650 m, the Telesforo Bravo path, climbs to the crater rim at 3,715 m. Return the same way.

It is 17.1 km there and back with 1,333 m of climbing; allow about 9 hours. The grade is Strenuous: a good path, but long, steep and higher than anywhere else in Spain.

The path from the junction to La Rambleta must be booked on the Tenerife ON website, which offers 300 places a day; visitors pay €6 on weekdays and €10 at weekends for a daytime start. The summit path needs its own permit, also from Tenerife ON, €15 for visitors, and it sells out weeks ahead: without it you must stop at La Rambleta. Rangers turn back anyone without mountain boots, warm clothing and water.

There is no water on the mountain, and the height tells above 3,000 m: go slowly. The paths close in wind, ice and snow; in winter this is no place for walkers.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.