Contrasts of Tenerife Walk

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8 Days from

CAD 2,495

incl. Taxes

Walking & Trekking

Ways to Travel :

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity :

Walking & Trekking

Activity Levels :

3 out of 7 - Moderate

Ages :

13+

Trip Code :

W07TN

On Tenerife it is forever springtime and the sunny climate, glorious flowers, balmy temperatures and majestic scenery make it a perfect antidote to a cold winter. A rugged and spectacular island, it has an incredible variety of landscapes to explore.

This self guided walking holiday takes you to the very heart of Tenerife to discover its traditional towns, wild hidden valleys, spectacular coastline and impressive volcanic landscapes. The walking is both spectacular and rewarding and with a car it is easy to discover what the island has to offer.

You begin in 'Isla Baja', where terraced fields and abundant wildflowers form a colourful blanket over deep valleys and plunging ravines, and traditional farms still produce goat's cheese for which the area is renowned. The region's authenticity is fiercely protected and the town of Garachico has won awards for its preservation. From here, head to the UNESCO recognised Teide National Park, with its lava fields, beautiful volcanic chaos and iconic Mount Teide scratching the sky at over 3700m above sea level.

We provide fully detailed route notes with a choice of easier or more challenging circular walks daily, so you can tailor your day's walk to your current energy levels - but with all the walks highlighting the stunning landscapes of this remarkably diverse island.

Highlights

Mount Teide and its UNESCO National Park
Lunar landscapes, lava fields, dramatic volcanic mountains, rugged barrancos, far reaching ocean vistas
Superb for ornithologists, botanists and geologists
Choice of easier or more difficult circular walks daily - all within easy driving distance from the hotel

Key Information

7 nights twin centre accommodation in 4* hotels
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
Route directions and maps
Car Hire essential (included when booking a flight-inclusive package)
Transfers instead of car hire available, quote trip code W07TT - contact us for prices

Countries visited: Spain

What's Included

7 nights accommodation
All buffet breakfasts and 3 evening meals
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
Car Hire essential (included when booking a flight-inclusive package)

What's Not Included

Travel insurance
Car Hire (on land only packages - available at a supplement)
Transfers instead of car hire available, quote trip code W07TT - contact us for prices
Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)
Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)
Visas & vaccinations

6 Days of Walking & Trekking

Terrain:

This self-guided walking holiday follows mainly well marked paths and trails. You should be a sure footed walker. Some sections of the ridge walks require a head for heights.

Day 2

11 km / 6.8 miles

Day 3

15 km / 9.3 miles

Day 4

11 km / 6.8 miles

Day 5

9 km / 5.6 miles

Day 6

13 km / 8.1 miles

Day 7

11 km / 6.8 miles

Responsible Travel

At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.

Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

Arrive in the perfectly preserved coastal town of Garachico and your elegant hotel set in a beautiful 17th century mansion.
You stay at the Hotel Quinta Roja on a B&B basis

Start the day with a short drive through the banana plantations of La Isla Baja to Parque Rural de Teno. Then set off on foot from the village of El Palmar to the mountain ridge and the Mirador de Baracan. There are superb views of deep barrancos snaking down the cliffs to the coast and you can even see as far as La Gomera on a clear day. Continue past abandoned terraces, stone circles and traditional farmhouses.
Overnight at the Hotel Quinta Roja on a B&B basis

Meals Included: Breakfast

Visit the Ecomuseo del Tanque to see how the islanders lived in times gone by, then follow the Canal de Vergara to La Corona Forestal, the green lungs of Tenerife and home to masses of birdlife, including the endemic pinzon azul (Canary blue chaffinch). The landscape changes to black sand and rocks as the Arenas Negras volcano looms into view through the trees. Return across the Chinyero lava field, with its contrasting rich green lichen.
Overnight at the Hotel Quinta Roja on a B&B basis

Meals Included: Breakfast

From the tranquil village of Erjos, head to Monte del Agua, a treasure trove of richly diverse flora and birdlife. At Casas de La Cumbre, views over deep ravines spread out before you before you’re rewarded with the sight of snow capped Teide. The last descent takes you to the Charcas de Erjos ponds where local and migrant birds can be spotted.
Overnight at the Hotel Quinta Roja on a B&B basis

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today you set out on your discovery of the Teide National Park – comprising of several volcanoes including mighty Mount Teide. Climb to the summit of Samara for an outstanding panorama over the volcanic chaos of Montana Reventada, the archaeological Guanche remains of Cuevas Negras and Pico Viejo, Tenerife’s second highest volcano. It’s a short onward drive to your hotel in the village of Vilaflor - the highest village on Tenerife and famous for its almendrados or almond biscuits!
Overnight at the Hotel Spa VillAlba on a half board basis

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

An exhilarating walk today follows the Camino Real de Chasna – an ancient shepherds’ path connecting the north with the south of the island. Pass through protected pine forest to Los Escurriales, or the Moon Landscape, a fragile geological formation carved over centuries by wind and water erosion.
Overnight at the Hotel Spa VillAlba on a half board basis

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Savour the best vistas of Mount Teide’s caldera and its ochre coloured palette of lava flows along the Siete Canadas trail to the summit of Mount Guajara. With views as far as Gran Canaria and La Palma on a clear day, it’s a fantastic ending to a week’s walking. The easier option today takes you to Teide's caldera and the Roques de Garcia (3.5KM/2MI/2HR)
Overnight at the Hotel Spa VillAlba on a half board basis

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Make your way back to the airport in time for your flight home.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Visa

Spain

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Spain. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/spain
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/spain
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Spain.html

Vaccination

Spain

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus and rabies. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

Canarian dishes tend to be simple and elegant, owing much to sun-ripened tropical fruits such as paw-paw, prickly pear and bananas, local vegetables such as sweetcorn and potatoes and fresh fish such as moray and snapper.

Specialities include conejo al salmorejo (slow cooked rabbit with garlic, paprika and chili); rancho canario (a chickpea meaty soup), ropa vieja (chicken, pork and or beef stew); chocos (cuttlefish); and crema de puerros y bubangos (cream of leek and prawn stew). The most popular fish are members of the sea bass family - cherne, cabrilla or merluza are common, and you may find grilled swordfish (espada a la plancha), as well as calamares (squid), gambas (prawns) and pulpo (octopus).

Weather

In Tenerife the weather is superb year-round. The sun shines here for more days of the year than most other places in the world. The weather does depend on the time of year and also the parts of the island that you visit. The south is always the warmest and sunniest with the least cloud, the west also enjoys its fair share of great weather too. The north is also very warm, although there can be more rain and cloud her compared with the rest of the island. Also, the closer you climb towards the Mount Teide National Park, Tenerife’s volcanic region and location of Spain’s highest peak El Teide, the more changeable the weather becomes. The weather cools as the altitude rises and at certain times of the year there is some snowfall here while the coast remains sunny.

Weather Charts

Is this trip for you?

Walking Conditions
Classification: Self-Guided
Average daily distance: 12km (7.5miles).
No. of days walking: 6
Terrain and route: This self-guided walking holiday follows mainly well marked paths and trails. You should be a sure footed walker. Some sections of the ridge walks require a head for heights.

This holiday is self-drive so all walking transfers are also self-guided with directions provided to the beginning of each walk and return to the hotels at the end of the walks. Some of the roads on Tenerife are windy with lots of hairpin bends. Car Hire is essential (included when booking a flight-inclusive package).