We set out with nothing but our 7L daypacks, six days, and a craving for discovery. Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, is an island of contrasts – where Spain’s highest peak, Mount Teide, rises above seas of clouds, and the ancient laurel forests of Anaga Rural Park whisper stories from millions of years ago. Between volcanic landscapes, historic towns, and rugged coastlines, Tenerife revealed itself as far more than a sun-soaked escape. What follows are notes from our experience on Tenerife, including our Mount Teide hike.
LOG DATE: 29 July 2025
LOCATION: Seville – La Laguna
CONDITIONS: Mid-30° heat, high humidity, thick evening clouds
NOTES: Our Seville morning routine kicked off with breakfast (yoghurt and muesli for me, eggs for the others), followed by a wake-up stretch. Gummy and I visited the local Decathlon, grabbing my head torch plus some gels and electrolytes. The city’s quieter streets offered a soothing contrast to recent towns, but soon we hustled back to pack our 7L daypacks. Dropping our larger backpacks at a storage locker, we grabbed an Uber as other transport options were more expensive and headed to the airport.
Check in through Vueling went surprisingly smooth, although I did have to convince border officials that my carabiner was not a weapon. A 2-hour flight soon revealed Tenerife’s dramatic landscape; lush mountains rising from clouds, meeting parched terrain – a reminder we floated just 100km from the Western Sahara. Bus 20 and a short walk led us to San Cristobal de La Laguna’s historic district. Founded in 1496, this was Tenerife’s first city and now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We checked into a book-lined B&B (our rooms themed in Spanish & German literature), strolled cobbled lanes rich with architectural stories and dined heartily on Italian for dinner. From our terrace, we watched evening clouds drape the town’s northern and western edges as a hush settled over La Laguna.
LOG DATE: 30 July 2025
LOCATION: La Laguna – Teide National Park
CONDITIONS: Sun-baked dry air, clear skies above the clouds
NOTES: Plans for a morning market stroll changed once we realised the bus schedule was far more sparse than ChatGPT indicated. We needed to get to the centre of the island and our only two bus options had already departed for their daily service. Luckily, our host’s husband was a chef at our upcoming accommodation, and offered us a ride for €5 each. After enjoying a Spanish breakfast at our B&B and grabbing hiking staples (muesli bars, nuts, bananas), we winded across the island for 90 minutes in the back of his van, generously stopping at a viewing point above the clouds.
The lush forests gave way to surreal martian-like mountains. After checking in to Parador de Las Canades del Teide (the only accommodation in Teide National Park) we quickly realised that this would be a stark contrast to our usual stays. We were trading noisy hostels for comfort and luxury; something that seemed fitting ahead of tomorrow’s challenge.
We raced to the Teide National Park visitor centre before it closed, learnt about Mount Teide’s volcanic history, and then wandered around Roque Cinchado, a volcanic rock formation, across from our accommodation. A quiet evening followed, in preparation for a 2am start.
LOG DATE: 31 July 2025
LOCATION: Mount Teide – Puerto de La Cruz
CONDITIONS: Pre-dawn chill, summit winds gusting up to 80kph, sunrise painted in amber
NOTES: My sleep was restless before rising at 1:15am. We ate a light breakfast and finalised our packs before switching on the head torches and beginning a 6km road walk to Montana Blanca’s trailhead under star-lit skies. In fact, Tenerife’s light pollution is so that low that we could clearly see the Milky Way. Fortunately, cars passed us by with caution as we marched through the dark.
Loose gravel gave way to steeper volcanic scree. Lights in the distance revealed the island’s cities as we ascended. Suddenly, we passed a group of hikers descending the mountain, a subtle indication that rangers were doing permit checks ahead. As suspected, the rangers weren’t happy with our “trail shoes” but some persuasion ensured we continued on our way. Their adamance that we wouldn’t make the summit before sunrise also provided some much needed fuel for the morning.
Gummy and I made a few minor directional errors during the ascent but fortunately the path was clear enough, even in the darkness. We took short breaks to hydrate, eat, and adjust to the altitude. After some time, we passed by the closed Altavista Refuge, offering an easier gradient to the La Rambleta cable car station. With first light fast approaching, we ascended the final exposed section under fierce gusts, while tackling the 16% gradient. At the same time, Gummy and Jake both fought the onset of quad cramps.
The Mount Teide summit came just before the sun; rewarded with 360° views of Tenerife’s forests, coastlines, craters, and the volcano’s shadow cast over the horizon. In the distance, under golden clouds, we could see the faint outcrops of surrounding islands. The smell in the air was pungent as sulphur gases rose through small volcanic vents. This wasn’t only memorable for its foul smell but it left stains on both Gummy’s and Belle’s pants.
The view was incredible but we were feeling the cooler temperature. While we were equipped in thin windbreakers, our Nordic counterparts were decked out in quality thermal gear. Not only an important lesson but a reflection of our lack of experience. Whether Jake’s summit breath work was helping or just a placebo, it didn’t really matter.
After taking in the sights for an hour, a quick descent brought us back to the cable car station. Uncertain whether the service would run due to the high wind gusts, we waited optimistically with several hikers. Once it hit 9am and the cable car was nowhere to be seen, most hikers began wearily descending. Fortunately, we waited with a sense of delusional optimism and a cable car emerged shortly after. After the ride down, we were fortunate to hitch a lift back to the hotel from a friendly passer-by.
A quick shower, nap, and lunch, and then we took the bus toward Puerto de La Cruz. Our evening consisted of a burger at Buddy’s Bar, a supermarket stop for breakfast and checking into our capsule hotel.
LOG DATE: 01 August 2025
LOCATION: Puerto de La Cruz – Playa El Bollullo
CONDITIONS: Hot under foot, blazing sun, fun surf
NOTES: Opting for a beach “recovery” day, we walked an hour through coastal cliffs and banana plantations to Playa El Bollullo, a locals-favoured, black-sand beach. This wasn’t the closest beach, but the extra walk was certainly worth it.
Despite our sore state from the day prior, Gummy, Jake and I tackled the shore break, body surfing the waves on and off for hours; just hopping out for snacks and water. The lack of water safety meant that we had free rein to tackle the waves as we saw fit. This offered quite the contrast to the overly protective lifeguards we’d spoken with at Nazare in Portugal.
The return to our accommodation was a brutal barefoot march across scorching sand and pavement. Upon returning, we completed a much needed washing load whereby we sat at the laundromat in our only clean clothes, our swimmers. Later, we settled for dinner on our terrace.
LOG DATE: 02 August 2025
LOCATION: Puerto de La Cruz – Anaga Rural Park
CONDITIONS: Cooler, cloaked in mist, light showers, damp underfoot
NOTES: No bus missteps this time. However, unsuspecting rain overnight caught us off guard. With wet washing, I had to opt for board shorts for today’s hike. Rising early, we stopped by the supermarket for hiking snacks, before riding the 102 to La Laguna and the 743 into Anaga.
Anaga Rural Park is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reverse and one of Europe’s richest endemic-species strongholds. Its laurel forests are relics of ancient North Africa and Mediterranean ecosystems, over 40 million years old.
We tackled a 12km loop from Cruz del Carmen through Chimanada, Mirador Aguaide and Las Carboneras. Clouds shrouded the path in a thick haze and made the forest feel otherworldly. Villages along the route offered appetising scents of local dishes and an insight into the local Canarian way of life. At the half way mark, we enjoyed lunch at a viewpoint. Although fog cloaked the ocean views, the faint sound of waves crashing below the cliff was satisfying enough. The walk back saw us ascend back up to Cruz del Carmen, a welcome uphill challenge. Returning to Puerto de La Cruz by the evening, we felt tired but satisfied with today’s explorations.
LOG DATE: 03 August 2025
LOCATION: Puerto de La Cruz – Seville
CONDITIONS: Clear skies, sunshine
NOTES: A slow, reflective morning beside the coast signalled our last day on Tenerife. We took in the sights for one final time before boarding our Vueling return flight to Seville. Farewell to an island of volcanic summits, black-sand beaches, and cloud-filled forests.
Six days on the island was enough to appreciate its varied landscape but not enough to see it all. Looking back, hiking gave us the clearest view of the island’s personality – vast, untamed, and full of natural beauty – but it was the kindness of the locals that I’ll remember most fondly.
