• Distance 142 km
  • Elevation gain 3360m
  • Difficulty
  • Epic rating

This is a hard but magical loop of Mount Teide; cycling doesn’t get much better than this. Not only does the circuit take in the famous ascent from Granadilla and Vilaflor, it takes you through Teide’s lava fields and then through the little ridden Eastern coast of Tenerife. You’re on excellent roads and the views are staggering.

If we could only do one ride on Tenerife, this would be it.

All metrics in this article are approximate.

Due to the terrible forest fires in 2023, we understand that some of the roads in Tenerife are closed. In particular, we’ve heard that some of the routes up/down Teide to/from the north are subject to restrictions on cyclists. Check with the local tourism office, your accommodation or tour operator for the latest news.

Highlights

The steady climb of the lower section of the TF-21 from Granadilla (650m) to Vilaflor, the highest village of Tenerife at 1,400m. It’s less steep and there’s more oxygen than the more famous, busier section of the road above Vilaflor. As you wind up the hillside, the hairpins give mesmerising views of the southern tip of Tenerife.

Descent of the TF-523 into Arafo. An incredible, quiet, perfect road of endless hairpins over 20km. Starting in pine forests, it opens up into sweeping views of the coast.

Climb up from Granadilla through forestClimb up through forest from Vilaflor
Views down to the coat from Mount TeideViews of the southern coast of Tenerife
Luna landscape on Mount TeideClimbing ever upwards to Mt Teide’s summit

Route notes

1. Granadilla to Teide cable car station: 0-39.5 km

You head out of Granadilla on the TF-21. After Cruz de Tea the road enters the forest on a winding climb to Vilaflor and this is where you get those sweeping views we mentioned in the Highlights, of the southern tip of the Island.

After Vilaflor, the air gets thinner and the road gets steeper, with average gradients of 6-7%. A favourite of Bradley Wiggins, the road rises steeply and relentlessly around the west of the mountain. The crest of the climb is anonymous, but the forest landscape transforms to lava fields as you coast down to Boca Tauce and the junction of the TF-38.

The section of the TF-21 between Boca Tauce and El Portillo is an epic blast through the lunar lava fields, within the crater of the volcano, with Mount Teide towering beside you. If you’re unlucky, the fierce winds will stall you to a fast walking pace. Beware the crosswinds – a blustery day on Mt Teide is not the place for your 80mm carbon rims!

You pass the Parador Cañadas del Teide Hotel, widely used by a range of professional riders and teams, including Sky. The road peaks about 4 km further on at around 2,300m at the Mount Teide cable car station.

 

2. Teide Cable Car Station to Güímar: 39.5-92 km

At the visitor centre at El Portillo, take a right on the TF-24. If you thought the climbing was over, think again! The road rises between straight in front of you, and onwards up to Teide Observatory.

After this, the long and welcome descent commences.

On your left, sweeping vistas appear of the north coast around Puerto de la Cruz and Orotava.

You descend on a magical, peaceful forest road, before reaching the nondescript turning to Arafo/Güímar.

The TF-523 is unforgettable. Over 20km of grin-inducing, sinuous, endless descent. As you tuck in, shift your weight through the turns and delicately feather the brakes, the south east coast comes into full view and you pass Arafo and into Güímar. If you want to stretch your back and rest, Güímar has plenty of options.

 

3. Guimar to Granadilla: 92-142 km

Now the home straight – but it’s a long one!

The navigation is easy – you follow the TF-28 all the way back to Granadilla. While it’s hard to beat the majestic, rugged, high altitude landscape of Mount Teide, this road is a cyclist’s dream. Never rising too long or too steeply, this 40 km stretch provides endless vertigo-inducing turns into rocky valleys and through hillside villages. The thigh-high tombstones lining the ravine add to the thrill, perfectly configured to punish any reckless riding or poor handling with a catapult into the ravine…

You can take your time and enjoy the views along the south east coastline knowing that there is no serious climbing to come, before cruising into Granadilla to complete your loop.

Lunar lava fields on Mount TeideBetween Boca Tauce and El Portillo, near the summit
Parador with Mount Teide backdrop in afternoon sunParador Cañadas del Teide Hotel
Cycling heaven: winding road through forest on Mount TeideDescending from the summit towards Arafo

Café stops

Granadilla and Vilaflor both have restaurants and are attractive little villages.

There are also several places you can get food and drink along the road between Boca Tauce and El Portillo – and you are likely to need something after that climb! The options include the famous haunt of pro cycling teams, the Parador Cañadas del Teide, and the cable car station.

Once you’re cruising back on the TF-28, you skirt in and out of lots of small towns and villages with places you could stop. ​​​​Güímar has some good options (and there’s also the famous Pyramids of Güímar if you’ve got any energy for a tourist stop). Arico Viejo is another attractive option.

 

Accommodation

We stayed at Be Live Playa La Arena, which is a 45 minute drive to Granadilla.

This ride is particularly well suited to those staying in Costa Adeje or El Médano and you can find our suggestions for where to stay in those towns, in our guide to Tenerife.

Alternatively, our best towns for cyclists article should help you narrow down the area of Tenerife that’s best for you.

 

Tips

The temperature at the top of Mount Teide is often significantly colder than at sea level. At the very least, take arm warmers, thin gloves and a windproof jacket. Take more layers if the weather is uncertain.

The crater can also be windy: leave the deep sections at home.

Be prepared for the fact there’s less oxygen: you may find that the thinner air disrupts your usual breathing pattern.

Read our tips for cycling in Tenerife and our complete guide to planning a cycling holiday in Tenerife, before you set out.

 

Found this guide useful?

We’d love to hear from you – comment below or drop us a line.

Want more information on the different routes up Mount Teide? Check out our comparison in this guide.

Don’t miss our ultimate guide to Tenerife, our articles (below) and other ride guides to Tenerife: Masca, Anga and Teide via La Oratava.

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Clare Dewey

Clare Dewey is a cyclist with a passion for travel. She set up epicroadrides.com in 2018 to help make it easy for cyclists to explore the world by bike. Today her mission is still inspiring cyclists to discover new places on two wheels – and doing what she can to make sure they have the best possible time while they’re there. Clare has visited 50+ destinations around the world, many of them by bike.

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One Response to “Mount Teide loop via Granadilla and Vilaflor,
Tenerife”

  1. Great route description and invaluable advice about the deep section rims. I would add that the crater is one place you want to keep both hands on the handlebars. A couple of cocky pro riders can testify to that!

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