GR 131 Tenerife

Stage one of the GR 131 Tenerife starts in La Esperanza, where you will begin in the town plaza and immediately enter the local park. After a few minutes, the park will give way to a road, which you will hike up for around one kilometer until you reach the forest. You will stay in the forest for the entirety of the stage and hike on a gradual incline. The stage passes through a burn area from the recent wildfires, so you will see a lot of blackened trees and timber that’s been cut and laid by the path. Because of the fires, there are points where the new growth is overgrown on the path, and you will need to do some minor bushwhacking. At kilometer 11, there is a covered picnic bench and a non-potable water spigot. If you have a water filter with you, this is a great chance to use it! Other than La Esperanza, this is the only water you will pass by during this stage.

You will continue bushwhacking on gentle trails until about kilometer 30, when you will reach Aguamansa and the La Caldera official campgrounds. There are a few restaurants here on the outskirts of town that are worth a stop. We recommend getting the canarian potatoes with mojo sauce, as these are the perfect hiker snack to boost your carbohydrates and calories (plus they’re delicious!). You can also buy or filter water at the restaurants, depending on how busy they are.

From the Aguamansa/La Caldera area, you will first hike downhill on a slight descent for a few kilometers, passing a lovely, grassy picnic area, before you begin the 900-meter climb. However, this ascent is gentle and gradual for the most part. You will hike through the forest on dirt paths that weave in and out of 4×4 tracks. Occasionally, you may see motorbikers practicing on the tracks, but otherwise, you will be completely alone here. The path continues on this incline for a while more until you reach the El Parillo visitor center and restaurant, where you will be delighted to see all sorts of treats. Aside from their homemade cakes, they also serve sandwiches you can take with you (bocadillos), lots of snacks, and even Spanish tortilla.

It is not possible to filter water here, but you can buy 1.5-liter water bottles to refill with. This is where the official stage ends, although there are no accommodations in the immediate vicinity. Your best option will be to book a hotel in Aguamansa and get a taxi to ferry you between the trail and hotel for this night.

The next day, you will cross the road from the visitors center and continue your hike. You may see a few day hikers here, as you’ve just entered the El Teide National Park, but otherwise you will, once again, be on your own. Now hiking through the park, you will be surrounded by high cliffs with views of El Teide and amazing rock structures. This will continue, mostly flat, for about 3-4 hours, depending on your pace. At this point, you are at roughly 2000 meters high, and it feels like it! The sun is just a bit hotter, the air is dryer, the wind feels stronger, and the nights are definitely colder. There are lots of boulders in the sandy basin that you will be hiking in, and thus lots of places to sit and have a break. If it is a hot day, this section can be a bit difficult, so be sure to bring enough water!

At about kilometer 55, you will reach the base of the Guajara mountain. The GR 131 goes up the first section of the ascent, and then flattens out to follow the side of the mountain in the direction of Vilaflor. It is possible to register online for a permit to bivouac here, and we highly recommend it. You will need the permit for the Montaña Guajara bivouac. On a clear night, you will see El Teide’s silhouette against the sky, among thousands of stars. Be careful, though, as it can be very windy and cold! It is also possible to summit the peak as an addition to the route.

The GR 131 will be an easy descent toward town on this stage, with easy paths that take you through the rocky high desert that makes up this region, and eventually also through loose black volcanic gravel. This is a very special section, as the trail is outlined by stones that keep you going on the loose, black, gravel, volcanic rock. With views of El Teide only hours before, it feels very clear just how active this volcano is. Within a few hours, you will arrive in Vilaflor. Here, there are plenty of accommodations, markets, and restaurants. And because of this, many more people than you will have seen in the previous days!

From Vilaflor, the final stage will take you down to Arona over 18 kilometers. The trail is gentle throughout, with a few climbs and mostly easy descents, as you make your way down. The trail goes through pine forests and over fantastic ridges, will bring you into town on a cliffside path where you look over beautiful canyons, and will deposit you right into the center of town. As you hike, you will pass a restaurant at the 79-kilometer marker, where you can buy water and have a snack if you’d like. However, be aware that it is closed on the weekends. Once you arrive in Arona, you can celebrate with a nice coffee and then take the bus to wherever you need to go.

The best time of year to hike the GR 131 Tenerife is between November and March. This is when the weather is cool enough to hike the trail without risk of heat stroke. Even in March, the weather can be too hot at times, so be careful in your planning and check the weather predictions for the year. Luckily, this is not a particularly busy trail, so you will have it to yourself whenever you go.

Tenerife is a safe island to trek on. The paths are manageable, there are towns usually close by, and on each stage there is an opportunity to refill your water. That being said, it takes a lot of preparation to make the GR 131 such a safe hike.

To prepare for hiking on Tenerife, the most important logistic to take care of is your water plan, followed by accommodations. You will need to carry about 2.5-3 liters of water per day, to be safe. Since the island can get very hot and there is limited shade on the second half of the trek, it is very important to stay hydrated. And while there is more shade on the first half, there are still no natural water sources to refill from. As for accommodations, you will need to prepare these far in advance with permits and reservations, along with bringing any gear you will need for camping. If you want a full packing list for a long-distance trek, you can find it here.

Other ways to prepare for hiking the GR 131 Tenerife are to download the GPX file to your phone and share your itinerary with someone you trust at home. You may see day hikers on some of the more popular sections, but otherwise, you will likely be alone for the majority of your hike. Enjoy having this incredible nature to yourself!

The GR 131 in Tenerife is a difficult trail for a few reasons. While the paths are actually of moderate difficulty and are well-signposted, the difficulty lies in the logistics. Because of the heat on the island, it is important to carry 2.5-3 liters of water for each day, and to organize accommodations throughout the trail. Additionally, there are not many places to stop for food, so you will need to carry a full day’s worth normally. As the trail is very remote, you need to arrange different places to sleep that vary. For example, one night you will need a bivouac permit, and the next you will need to arrange a taxi to take you between the trailhead and your hotel.