Teide National Park covers an area of 189.9 square kilometers in the highest part of the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands.
It is known as the largest of all national parks in Spain, and because of its unique, pristine and unspoiled nature, it is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The park is relatively old.
It was founded in 1954, and nowadays it attracts between 3.5 and 4 million visitors annually.
The area is very rich in different species of plants and animals, even more than you can imagine.
Many of them are found only here.
Suffice it to say that nearly 350 species of local insects cannot be found anywhere else on the planet.
Teide National Park covers the lands with an altitude of over 2000 meters and reaches to the very top of the giant Teide volcano, a colossus that soars more than 7,000 meters over the bottom of the Atlantic.
The sunny lunar semi-deserted landscape here is misleading.
If you are planning to climb to the top be sure to comply with its specific climatic conditions.
In summers the weather in the park is quite hot, the sun is very strong, and the danger of sun burns is even higher than in the low-lying coastal areas of the island.
In winter, however, the park will offer you a long-lasting snow cover and temperatures that often drop below zero.
If you want to visit the park during the winter months, warm clothing is required.
The park is easily accessible.
You could climb with a car to 2356 m. where you will find a convenient parking.
From here upward you can use the services of the lift.
It will help you reach near the top in a few minutes.
If you wish to visit the crater itself, however, you should be prepared in advance with a special permission, which you can fill out on the internet or in the small town of La Orotava at the foot of the mountain.
