Mount Teide is Spain’s highest peak and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Miranda Pell, Search and Discover Writer and Kristy Dawson Multi-Media Journalist
21:18, 05 Oct 2025
A cable car climbing to the summit of Mount Teide(Image: Shared Content Unit)
A new charge is set to be brought in for UK tourists visiting a popular attraction in Tenerife. Mount Teide is a volcano located in the middle of the Spanish island. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is Spain’s highest peak and the highest point in the Canary Islands.
Spanish news site Canarian Weekly has reported how Tenerife’s council has been planning to impose a tax for climbing the mountain as part of a wider plan to protect the island’s most visited natural treasure.
Manchester Evening News reports how the long-anticipated eco-tax will come into effect on January 1, 2026. Tenerife’s president, Rosa Dávila, and vice president, Lope Afonso, said it aims to balance tourism with environmental conservation, similar to the eco-fee already in place in Masca.
It applies specifically to Trail No. 7 (Montaña Blanca – La Rambleta) and Trail No. 10 (Telesforo Bravo), which leads from La Rambleta to the summit crater.
Tenerife residents and children under 14 will be able to access the attraction for free, and Canary Island residents will have to pay €3 to €6, depending on whether they climb on a weekday or weekend. Non-residents, which includes UK tourists, will have to pay €10 to €25, depending on the chosen route and day.
The new tax is set to generate around €650,000 per year. It will be used to maintain and conserve Teide National Park.
The daily access will also be limited to 300 people split into three time slots of 100 climbers each in order to prevent overcrowding. All visitors must book in advance via the Tenerife ON platform, which will go live before the new system begins.
President of Tenerife’s council (or Cabildo), Rosa Dávila, said visitor numbers have become “unsustainable”. She said: “Teide is not only a symbol of our identity but a natural heritage we must protect responsibly. These measures aim to ensure visitors can continue enjoying its majesty while preserving it for generations to come.”
In 2020, around 3.5 million people visited Teide National Park. By 2024, the figure had surged to over 5 million, with 89% tourists and only 11% local residents.
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