Tenerife in-depth
Best excursions in Tenerife
Best day trips and excursions in Tenerife
In this guide, we will cover the best options to join organized day excursions in Tenerife. If you have your own transportation you may also want to consider these, though we would also recommend that you visit our best things to do in Tenerife section where you will be able to find lots of ideas too.
Table of Contents
Tenerife to la Gomera day trip
This is probably the most exciting day trip to be enjoyed in Tenerife since it implies changing island!. But it is not just about that, La Gomera is a paradise for anybody who enjoys nature. The Garajonay National park is simply unmissable. It boasts spectacular laurel forests, ravines.
La Gomera has been preserved from mass tourism and that implies it can be enjoyed almost intact today, with interesting quaint villages. If you decide to take a day excursion to La Gomera make sure it contains both a visit to Garajonay and also, if possible, a Silbo demonstration. Silbo is a way to communicate that was used in La Gomera and which implies whistling. Why would anyone whistle instead of shouting? The sound of whistling can travel up to 4 kilometers and that can be very helpful if the landscape is rugged!
The ferry transfer takes less than one hour and during this transfer, you may be lucky and be able to spot dolphins or whales since groups of both mammals live all year round in the waters between La Gomera and Tenerife.
We include below an interesting option for a day excursion to La Gomera which offers also pick up on the northern part of Tenerife. A day excursion to La Gomera from Tenerife is in our view one of the best trips to enjoy not just in Tenerife, but one of the best day tours in Spain!
Teide day tour from the North or the South of Tenerife
The Teide mountain was formed around 180,000 years ago. It sits on a much older volcano which remains can still be found in the Cañadas del Teide area (an amphitheater of 17 kilometers). No eruptions since 1798 but Teide is not extinct. The Teide is Tenerife´s top tourist attraction and one of Spain´s favourite national parks. With over 4 million visitors every year, this is a must do! You will enjoy Spain´s highest peak, and spectacular views. Daily excursions are available to ease the day. Roads are good so in case you have your own car or are ok with driving, this is a good option. But in case you prefer to get driven and get explanations from a guide a bus tour to El Teide is a good option.
There are tours available from both the South and the North of Tenerife. Before you make your decision on the tour to book check if tickets to use the cable car are included in the excursion.
Teide at night with stargazing
The Canary Islands are a fantastic destination for stargazing. Whilst La Palma is probably best (the famous Roque de los Muchachos observatory was installed there for good reason) Tenerife is also an excellent place to enjoy stars, and especially in the Teide due to the lack of towns and its height. A fantastic overall experience.
Our recommendation is to join a professional guide for this type of activity unless you are yourself an expert. You can drive to the meeting point or book a guided tour which includes transportation. Bear in mind that temperatures in El Teide at night can be rather cold. You should also check well pick up points for a guided tour with transportation to ensure your hotel area is not far from one of the bus stops. We would not recommend this type of experience during full moon if your objective is to enjoy the stars.
Teide plus North of Tenerife highlights in a day tour
If you want to enjoy both the Teide and the north of the island but do not want to dedicate too much time to this, a mixed day tour could be a good option for you. These tours concentrate both Teide and locations of interest in one single itinerary. If you want to enjoy the famous dragon tree in Icod, the Garachico natural pools and a typical Canarian village like Masca, plus the Teide in one day, these tours offer great day experiences.
We can recommend the tours we show below. It covers the “essentials” and has excellent value for money. Make sure you select the tour that departures from North or South of Tenerife based on your accommodation. You should also check the departure or meeting points to ensure the tour suits your need.
Canarian wines and gastronomy day tours
Driving and drinking is never a good match. In case you want to enjoy the exquisite wines from Tenerife it makes all sense to join a wine tour in the island. Some of Spain´s most special wines are produced in the Canary islands. Lanzarote is the most famous island thanks to its wines, but Tenerife is after and wines from Northern Tenerife have become increasingly popular in recent years. The volcanic soils and special terroir of the islands, provide very special grapes and wines which are worth trying. If the wines are excellent, the explanations about harvesting and history of wine commerce are equally interesting.
If wine is interesting, you should not miss the next item in our list; Guajinches. It is very probable you have never heard this exotic word before. Guajinches are not restaurants as such, but houses where wine was produced. Local Guajinche owners served wine and food as a way to please customers ready to purchase their wines… These places are really special and visiting and enjoying lunch at a Gujinche is a life time experience! The world is becoming too standardised and Guajinches are all but that.
Adventure day tours in Tenerife
If you are looking for a bit of adventure during your holidays in Tenerife the island offers great opportunities to enjoy excursions that will make your adrenaline jump!
Let´s start with the sea and dolphins or whales. Tenerife is one of the few places in the world where these fantastic creatures can be spotted all year round. You can learn more about whale watching in Tenerife in our complete guide.
Other options include jeep safaris, buggy or quad tours. Some of the tours use sand roads that provide with the ultimate adventure experience in Tenerife. Perfect for groups of friends or to enjoy along with teenagers!
