Description

It seems only just to honour the highest mountain in Spain with a sunrise summit.

That, and the fact that by ascending during the cool hours before dawn, you can take full advantage of the sulphur vents on top of the volcano to keep warm.

Topping out at 3715m, the still active Mt.

Teide is a must-do if you find yourself in Tenerife.

Sure, everyone else is doing it too, but we’re going to do it in style, with an extra ascent of the second highest mountain on the Island – Pico Viejo (3134m).

For the altitude-acclimatised beasts, sub 3 hours to the top should do it.

For the rest of us, 5 hours is a good goal to time your arrival at the summit with a sunrise of epic proportions.

Views of mountains and sea, neighbouring Canary Islands and hot steam escaping the fumaroles are pleasures from the top.

Due to the popularity of the mountain, you’ll need to obtain a permit weeks to months in advance at https://www.reservasparquesnacionales.es/ if going up between the hours of 9am and 5pm.

Hot tips: Pack warm clothes & sunblock.

Tenerife has a wonderful climate, yet at almost 4000 metres, be prepared for cold temps and relentless sun exposure.

This is a long run and the terrain is quite technical, so even the descents can take a while.

Bring enough food and water to last the day in the hot sun.

Familiarise yourself with the signs of acute mountain sickness, if not already.

Fumaroles (openings in our Earth’s crust, emitting steam and gases) are unpredictable and can be dangerous, releasing deadly gases and water vapour temperatures well above boiling point – so take care up there.