4x4 VIP tour

Stop at: Masca

This has always been a narrow corner, lost to civilisation, where electricity arrived not so long ago and where the roads were little more than dusty tracks. In fact, for years there was only one way of communication with the outside world, the Camino de los Guanches, which connected Masca with Santiago del Teide. But thanks to this secular oblivion, it is preserved as it was in the past.

Being a small place does not prevent it from collecting valuable treasures such as the house of the Avinculados, in the Caserío de Piedra, or a tiny 18th century church. It even has a museum and a craft centre, which have been set up inside one of the houses in the village.

The farmhouse is one of the greatest charms of the Teno Rural Park, as it condenses the elements that make traditional Canary Island architecture unmistakable: the use of masonry and wood, conceptual simplicity and full adaptation to the environment.

In a rock used as an aboriginal sanctuary, not far from the hamlet, an archaeological site with cave engravings has been found. Legends say that due to its secluded and solitary character, it was one of the favourite hideouts of the pirates who prowled the island.

The Caserío de Masca is an Asset of Cultural Interest with the category of Historic Site. 

Stop at: La Isla Baja

The northwest of Tenerife, known as Isla Baja, is made up of the municipalities of Buenavista del Norte, Garachico, Los Silos and El Tanque. Sport, tranquillity and contact with nature are constant in this part of the island, especially in the Teno Rural Park. The traditional flavour of its villages and the adventure of hiking in this unique landscape at any time of the year attract visitors looking for a different kind of holiday, both with family and friends, who choose to stay in rural houses and hotels.

Garachico, once the commercial centre of Tenerife, is a jewel located by the sea. Its historic quarter, considered an Asset of Cultural Interest, holds the Gold Medal of Fine Arts for the high value and conservation of its heritage, which dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Its unique natural pools and puddles, known as El Caletón, were formed after a volcanic eruption in the 18th century, and have been converted in recent decades into a bathing area with all the amenities and services.

The municipality of Buenavista del Norte hides among its ravines the hamlet of Masca, one of the best examples of natural Canarian architecture. The starting point for numerous footpaths that lead down to hidden coves, it is also one of the places where the traditions of craftsmanship are best preserved. The hamlets of El Palmar and Teno Alto stand out for their typical Tenerife rural houses. The historic quarter of Buenavista del Norte preserves monuments, buildings and squares from which you can get a glimpse of the way of life of Tenerife's former inhabitants along various pedestrian routes.

Stop at: El Valle de la Orotava

Stop at: The Teide National Park

It is undoubtedly the place that most identifies Tenerife. The Teide National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007 with the category of Natural Asset. It is also a European Diploma by the Council of Europe and forms part of the Natura 2000 Network Sites. And there is no shortage of reasons for such recognition. On the one hand, it is the most complete example of supramediterranean floor vegetation that exists. On the other hand, it is one of the most spectacular manifestations of volcanism in the world, and of course, the most outstanding in the Canary Islands.

The P.N. del Teide is located in the centre of the island, at an average altitude of 2,000 metres, and its summit represents the highest peak in Spain, at 3,718 metres. Its record figures also include the fact that it is the most visited national park in Spain and Europe, receiving some three million tourists a year.

From a geomorphological point of view, it is a marvel of nature. The structure of the caldera and the Teide-Pico-Viejo stratovolcano are unique on the planet. But their value does not stop there. The hundreds of cones, lava flows and caves enrich its scientific and scenic interest. Added to this is its wealth of fauna and flora, with a large number of endemic Canarian species and species exclusive to the park.

The park was created in 1954 in recognition of its volcanic and biological uniqueness. It covers an area of almost 19,000 hectares, making it the largest and oldest of all the national parks in the Canary Islands. It has a Peripheral Protection Zone, and is surrounded by the Corona Forestal Natural Park, which, with an area of 46,612.9 hectares, is the largest protected natural area in the whole of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands.