National Park El Teide – excursion destinations - Caldera of Teide

Overnight at El Teide National Park:

One night in a hotel in El Teide National Park is possible, although the area with many excursions on volcanic ground is a nature reserve. Spend the night in the Alta Vista mountain hut at 3,250 m. It is worth it! After viewing the spectacular night sky at this altitude, it is impressing to get up early with the unique experience of a sunrise. The ice cave located near the shelter, "Cueva del Hielo" fascinates year-round with a frozen lake and glistening icicles.

Viewpoints at the volcano:

Mirador de Chio at an altitude of 2,100 m is one of the most frequented destinations in the National Park El Teide. Here, you'll see black, towering lava, which is called Negro! This rock is often exceptionally light due to the air bubbles inside. A trip to the plateau of Ucanca offers unusual rock formations in column form. Coloured rock formations are nearby. Minerals coloured these stones in a distinctive turquoise and jade green. Therefore, one uses this material e.g. for the sand carpets at Corpus Christi in La Orotava. The landscape, reminding of the lunar surface, is characterized by strong solar radiation and low rainfall at this altitude due to the lack of trade winds. You can admire the caldera of Teide particularly well on a trip to the highlands of the Cañadas. The Caldera del Teide, formed about 170,000 years ago, is a horseshoe-shaped basin.

See formations along the volcano's flanks in the National Park:

One of the most popular attractions in El Teide National Park is the iron red-coloured rock formation "Los Roques". This extends over a kilometer, consists of needle-like shaped rocks, which are up to 30m meters high. Because of their spectacular forms, some rocks received individual names, etc. "Finger of God", "Cathedral" and "Shoe of the Queen". Kestrels feel safe in this environment. Based on their appearance, even more fanciful rock formations in Teide National Park got their own names. There are well-known destinations such as the "Teide eggs". They were formed by solidified lava, which was covered with liquid rock. This created huge balls. The biggest "piece of cake in Tenerife" can also be seen at a trip to National Park. However, it is not edible because it is a fusion of several rock layers, each of which is coloured differently. Let your imagination run free and experience the unique rock formations on a trip to the Caldera of Teide. You will discover magicians, butterflies and many other fabulous sculptures, which were created by Mother Earth.