Teide Loop Tenerife: 200 km from Santa Cruz, 3 Days

Tenerife’s Teide loop packs an astonishing range into roughly 200 km: black-sand coast, an ancient laurel forest, sea cliffs and a volcanic moonscape crowned by Mount Teide (3,715 m), the highest peak in Spain and in the whole Atlantic. The island sits off the coast of Africa, so this is a genuine year-round drive — a winter-sun option when northern Europe is grey.

The Canary Islands are part of Spain, so you drive on the right, and there are no tolls on Tenerife. Most visitors fly in and rent a car. The climate splits in two: a lush green north and an arid, sunny south. Teide’s summit, though, can be cold or snowy even when the coast is warm — pack a layer. To stand on the very summit cone you need a permit for trail no. 10 (Telesforo Bravo), booked through the Tenerife ON platform: since 2026 it costs €15 for visitors from outside the Canary Islands (free for Tenerife residents and children under 14), and daily numbers are limited. The cable car climbs to about 3,555 m, just below the summit, and does not replace the permit.

Day 1 — Santa Cruz to Teide National Park (70 km)

From Santa Cruz de Tenerife, climb through the historic town of La Orotava with its colonial balconies, then up into Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk the trails around the Roques de García rock formations inside the vast Cañadas caldera, and ride the teleférico (book ahead). Sleep near the park or in the Orotava valley.

Day 2 — Teide to Los Gigantes and Masca (75 km)

Descend west to the towering Los Gigantes sea cliffs, then take the winding road to Masca, a tiny village perched above its dramatic gorge. Continue north to Garachico, a whitewashed old harbour town rebuilt after a 1706 eruption, with volcanic rock pools. Overnight on the northwest coast.

Day 3 — Anaga and back to Santa Cruz (55 km)

Finish in the Anaga rural park in the northeast: ancient laurisilva (laurel) forest, misty ridges and tight hairpin roads. Drive the crest, stop at a mirador, then drop back down to Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Costs

Use the cost calculator to price fuel and nights for your dates. Budget for accommodation, fuel for about 200 km of mountain driving, car rental (most visitors fly in), and a cable-car ticket if you ride to the top — book it early, as slots sell out. The summit permit costs €15 for visitors since 2026 and daily numbers are limited, so reserve ahead on Tenerife ON. Booking rooms and the car early saves the most.

This trip is also in the free Roadcut trip planner: change the number of days and where you sleep each night, pick your vehicle to see the fuel cost, check the weather on the road, and open each day in Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze.