On the top of Teide

I couldn’t shake the lingering feeling of "half success" after not reaching the summit of Teide. I had been so close the first time, yet I didn’t make it to the top. It felt like I had left something unfinished, and in the back of my mind, I was already planning my return over the summer. I knew from experience that the altitude would challenge me on the way up and that it would be a tedious and arduous trek, whether done by day or night. But I also remembered how effortlessly I had descended last time, practically gliding down with agility. With that in mind, I began to devise a new hiking plan and waited patiently for the right time.

The summer heat was relentless—hiking for hours under the blazing sun wasn’t a realistic option. In mid-August, a massive wildfire broke out in the forested areas at the base of Mount Teide. It raged for 10 days, forcing authorities to close the roads and block access to Teide National Park until the area was deemed safe again.

Finally, as September arrived, the temperatures began to drop slightly. The roads reopened, and the park became accessible once more. When one of my new co-livers and another friend expressed their interest in hiking the volcano, I seized the opportunity. I began organizing my long-anticipated second attempt to meet the highest point in Spain.

My hiking buddies were Richi and Kathi. Richi has been on Teide a few times, he's been living on the island for 7 years, but Kathi, on the other hand, was visiting Tenerife as a tourist. She needed extra layers of clothing and some hiking gear to join us, but fortunately, we were able to lend her everything she required—except for proper hiking shoes. She ended up hiking in her sneakers, and I remember congratulating her at the end of the trip for completing such a challenging trek in those shoes.

Richi was a great guide! He was attentive to our needs and kept us informed about the weather conditions leading up to our hike. His positive energy was infectious as he enthusiastically shared the good news: the weekend forecast promised perfect conditions—clear skies and no wind at the summit. He even took care of booking the necessary permit for the final stretch of our hike. (A quick note: the permit is free, but it must be reserved online in advance.)

Some spiritual elements and what felt like divine timing contributed to the ease of our journey. Before the trip, we had heard daunting stories about the cable car: “Tickets are impossible to get—they’re fully booked months in advance!” or “It’s usually closed due to bad weather.” Apparently, the cable car only operates about 100 days a year because of unsafe conditions. Yet, everything worked out perfectly for us. The cable car was open with plenty of availability for the weekend, our permit was approved on the first try, and even the notoriously scarce parking spaces near the end of the hiking route were almost empty when we arrived.

The entire experience felt effortlessly aligned. When we reached the summit, there were only two other hikers there, and they left shortly after we arrived. For a magical stretch of time, we had the top of Teide entirely to ourselves. The view was breathtaking, and to top it off—literally—it was warm enough to be in just a T-shirt! Standing on Spain's highest peak without a jacket is incredibly rare, as temperatures at the summit are usually close to freezing. So feeling warm enough (or more like sweaty and hot from the steep uphill hike) to drop my jacket was just INSANE!

We planned to take one of the last cable cars up and spend some time acclimating to the altitude at the drop-off point before hiking the final stretch that required the permit. Our itinerary was flexible—we wanted to catch the sunset, either from the summit or somewhere on the way down—and then descend on foot. I estimated we’d be back at the car around midnight. Everything went according to plan, we were so good!

If you’re considering a trip to Teide, I highly recommend trying the cable car, whether on the way up or down. It’s a super fun 8-minute ride with stunning views all around. When you arrive at the upper base camp, located at an altitude of 3,555 meters, you’re just 160 meters in elevation from the summit (3,715 meters). However, this last stretch—although it seems short—requires a permit and is far more challenging than it looks.

The hike to the summit is roughly 30 minutes uphill, even though it’s only 160 meters in vertical gain. On a flat surface, it would take about two minutes to cover this distance, but here, the high altitude and steep incline make it a slow climb. Kathi and I took about 40 minutes to reach the top, but Richi was like a race car! He probably made it in just 20 minutes.

What's special about the Teide shadow?

The projection of the gigantic shadow of Teide hanging over sunrise and sunset, which, thanks to its height and the fact that all its horizons are free, is the largest shadow in the world projected onto the sea.

This surreal shadow can stretch up to 150 km long and even cover other nearby islands. In addition, this spectacle has an impressive optical effect, which is that Teide even though it does not have a pyramidal cone, with the sun at its lowest point, the shadow creates a perfect triangle shape. ineventing.com

On the way day down, after the sunset, we saw trillions of stars sparkling in the sky, looking after us from above. The path was even visible without the headlamp switched on thanks to the moon. We took a break at the refugee camp to rest for a bit, and that’s when I revealed my little surprise for my hiking buddies—Christmas sparklers! My birthday had been a week earlier, and I wanted to share some of the joy. Richi had a brilliant idea to use the sparklers to create light art with the camera. We spent time laughing, playing with light patterns, and marveling at the results, even while slightly shivering in the chilly darkness.

Overall, this hike was an unforgettable experience for all the right reasons. Looking back now, I’d even say it felt like my first date with Richi—a shared adventure that brought us closer. Our first big journey together, straight to the heart of Tenerife.

Watch my 1-minute video of the trip

Useful links:

Book your teide cable car ticket HERE

Book your Pico del Teide access permit HERE

Teide weather and cable car opening HERE

Hasta pronto! See you soon in my next blog post. ♡