Alto de la Fortaleza (S-36) from the Centro de visitantes El Portillo — round trip via the sendero de la Fortaleza (S-1)

I don't know how many times I've been here, but today's run will stay with me forever. The weather—the nature at this time of year—everything was perfect. That's why we took our time. This 12-km run was worth it. 👍👋

Today, June 10, 2023, climbed to La Fortaleza at the feet of Mount Teide, the rock with a fabulous view at 2200m. The weather in the national park was really great with 21°. After all these years we still continue to enjoy the mighty nature here in Tenerife.

The hike to the Fortaleza is one of the most famous in the Teide National Park. You can start directly at the visitor center of the national park in El Portillo on hiking trail no. 1. There is a car park and bus stop right there. It is worth visiting the center beforehand and making a detour to the fauna exhibition at the end. Today the weather was very mixed, but it also has something special about it. When the weather is nice, anyone can do it 😅...or can they? See for yourself in the photos. The Fortaleza is actually much older than the Teide peak, which only developed in the last 200,000 years. The tour definitely shows a completely different picture of the Canades...😍how diverse the national park is.

This time, our New Year's 🥂 hike 🥾 is to Fortaleza. A beautiful tour that many hikers pay little attention to. That's why there is a heavenly peace on this path and you can wonderfully enjoy nature 🌋🏔️ and the landscape. First we take the TITSA bus 🚌 348 at 9:30 from Puerto de la Cruz to El Portillo. There we have the obligatory breakfast ☕🥐. January 1st ... we have breakfast outside in the sun ☀️... is there anything nicer? The hiking trail starts right at the restaurant in El Portillo. Soon we reach the botanical garden that stretches behind the visitor center. We're skipping the Centro Visitantes today... we already know it 😉... but it's worth seeing for people who don't know it. On the sendero 1 we then go up and down comfortably ☺️, always flanked by the still slightly snow-covered TEIDE, towards Fortaleza. We are almost alone here... our gaze keeps wandering to the left to the TEIDE 🌋... there is something magical about it somehow😉 The climb up the Fortaleza is not difficult. From 2164 m you have a gigantic 360° view of the Cabezon, the Teide and normally the Orotava Valley... unfortunately not today... the clouds 🌫️ hang low below us and block the view. After a long break on the summit we hike back comfortably...but now to El Portillo Alto. The hope of having another coffee ☕ before the bus comes is suddenly destroyed when we see the masses of cars and people 😁. What a stark contrast to our quiet picnic spot on the Fortaleza Alto 😙. The bus arrives on time and after a wonderful day we arrive back in Puerto de la Cruz happy and satisfied 😃.

Another hike today before heading home. By car from Orotava up the mountain to Teide National Park to the El Portillo car park. From there, a beautiful path leads uphill and downhill through partly burnt land. The forest fires in 2023 left a lot of damage in this region. However, the Canary Island pines are already sprouting again with delicate green leaves. After about 4 km, it goes steeply uphill to Alto de la Fortaleza, from where you have a wonderful view all the way to La Palma. There is a strong, cool wind blowing up here and I am glad I have a warm sweater. Back on the same route, I soon reach the starting point of my tour. Unusually few people on the road; after Easter, things will be quieter on Tenerife.

A very nice hike at the foot of the Teide, at an altitude of about 2100 m. Our group was extremely large today, 12 people. We had visitors from Dresden, we lived there for over 6 years, and the friends from Dresden didn't want to go on a strenuous but nice hike, so we came up with the idea of El Portillo. Everyone really enjoyed it...

Follow path no. 1 from the parking lot. An easy hike, the view from the summit plateau is impressive.

Today we finally fulfilled a huge bucket list moment: hiking in Teide National Park. I took the S1 to La Fortaleza and it was just overwhelmingly beautiful. 👌 The paths are actually easy except for the last stretch up to Fortaleza and at the end it's very nice. O due to the thin air and sun. You can also go down on the other side at the top of Fortalrza, but I took the same route back because I wasn't sure about the route alone. There was nothing written on it. It was just so wonderful to face the Teide. 🌋🇮🇨🤍