For armies of tourists, the island of Tenerife means sun, beach and good food. For some of them, the possibility of walking through absolutely fascinating volcanic terrain. As it dominates the silhouette of the island – and is also visible from the others – Teide is the great object of covetousness. The queues that form at the foot of the cable car in almost every month of the year speak of its popularity. Nobody wants to miss the possibility of ascending to 3,555 meters of altitude without taking a step.
The cabins climb to that prominent point, where tourists tingle, usually leaning on the rocks breathless. And this is because, in general, they have arrived at the lower station (located at 2,356 meters above sea level) by vehicle and immediately go up another thousand meters. In short, there is no adaptation to the thinning of the air, and the lack of oxygen causes frequent dizziness and the feeling that it is better to get down from there as soon as the souvenir photographs have been taken.
A small portion of those who take the cable car usually attack the final stretch to the summit (a permit is required that must be processed well in advance online. And there are still fewer who dare the demanding journey from the base of the volcano .
Even so, Teide is very popular in all seasons, too much for those who want to enjoy the enigmatic landscapes left by past volcanic eruptions. An almost ignored alternative is to ascend the other volcano of more than three thousand meters that the island of Tenerife has, which responds to the name of Pico Viejo. It reaches 3,135 meters and you can climb to the summit and return to the road again in an excursion that will take just over six hours of walking. That is, you have to be in good shape and be properly equipped, especially protected from the sun, with enough water to hydrate and some food to keep your body going.
Unlike Teide, there are no beach bars or restaurants on this route, the landscape is absolutely wild. You go from the initial pine forest to the mineral desert in a matter of minutes and there is hardly any shade along the entire route. In addition to the wind that usually blows in such bare landscapes.
The rewards in the form of landscapes are spectacular: terrain that changes from black to gold, from maroon to greenish, from ocher to brown, while zigzagging along a path that is always well marked and marked.
The most prepared mountaineers are even able to reach the summit of Teide, which is in sight. But it is not as close as it seems, and it is worth carefully calibrating the forces. Because then you have to go down, which also requires a lot of effort on loose stone terrain.
In spring, a botanical phenomenon occurs that adds beauty to the landscape: the flowering of the red tajinaste. It is a lance-shaped shrub that can reach three meters in height and appears profusely on the slopes of Tenerife. Poetically, it has been called “the blood of Teide.” The life of the flower is a few weeks, and it disappears in the middle of summer, although the plant remains alive.
The classic ascent to Pico Viejo is done along trail No. 9 of the Teide National Park. There are enough signs to avoid losing your way. Even so, it doesn't hurt to carry a map or GPS to help in case of confusion. It is not technically difficult, you just have to walk. But remembering that the change in altitude is sudden and can cause headaches and dizziness. If these symptoms appear, we must lose altitude and leave the excursion for a day when our body is more predisposed.
