The original inhabitants of the Tenerife Island – Guanches – gave this mountain top a name of “Echeyde” or Hell. According to them, the inside of the volcano was an empire of the demon Guayot. Tenerife is a magical Canary island that features the highest mountain of Spain – Pico del Teide. Due to its height of 3718 m, and also the shape of a nearly perfect cone, it is considered one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world. It started to form about 150.000 years ago by the Earth’s vast forces, when the volcanic explosion created a large caldera of about a 2000 m height and a 20 km diameter.
Although the Teide volcano’s activity is not so intense, it is better not to underestimate the power of this mountain. The most serious volcano eruption produced an extensive damage in 1709 when Garachico, the most important island’s seaport, was completely destroyed. The most recent volcano activity was registered in 1909, producing a 5 km long lava stream. Since that time Teide has remained hibernating, so if you are planning your Tenerife holidays, don’t loose this opportunity to explore its amazing original landscapes.
One of the best ways to explore this volcanic peak is to go with a local guide from Canaventura. If you want to experience a real adventure, we can highly recommend this travel agency. The Canaventura team has its own philosophy focused on the ecotourism, rural activities and local traditions. The team is made up of several professional guides who know well the terrain and culture, and are fluent in a wide range of foreign languages. So no wonder the tourists choosing their services come from all over the world. These professionals demonstrate their expertise in every aspect of the trip, passionately sharing with their audience the extensive knowledge of flora, fauna, agriculture and local traditions.
Walk on “the Moon”
After the Canaventura guides finish to pick up all the members of the crew from their hotels, we are ready to continue our fantastic trip to the UNESCO World Heritage – National Park Teide. Your guide will show you the most impressive volcanic forms, lava streams, and unique flora and fauna species. After the initial acclimatization to the reached altitude you will be able to go by the cable cab to “La Rambleta” peak situated at an altitude of 3,550 m. There you can enjoy a cup of coffee and a wonderful view of the panoramic Tenerife landscape. Your exploration of the “moon planet” will take about two hours, although it does not cover visiting the very top of the volcano. To do that you should prebook the cable cab in advance together with a special permission for a walking tour to the highest point of the mountain.
Teide’s peculiar and desolate volcanic landscape appealed to the famous American filmmaker S. Kubrick, which chose it for shooting some of the scenes for his famous movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” released in 1968. No wonder the idea of the moon walk suits Tenerife island perfectly. Be it in the evening or in the morning, the magic experience is guaranteed to its visitors as the shadow of the volcano Teide, projected by the light rays to the sea of clouds, reaches a length of 200 km creating so the longest shadow in the world.