On the day trip it may be necessary to pack a light jacket but on the evening visit something a bit heavier would be advisable.

Are you aware that even if you go on the cable car it does not go all the way to the top of the mountain. You need special permission to go to the top and to gain access to the crater it is necessary to send, in good time, a written request to the office of the National Park, which will be valid for a specific day and you are escorted by a guide. This was deemed necessary because of the erosion caused by the numbers of visitors going to the peak.
The fare on the cable car is twentytwo (€22) euros for adult and eleven (€11) euros for children under fourteen but the views from the top, if you get a clear day, are spectacular.

The web site for the cable car can be found here

We went on a night trip up Teide a few years ago ( I thought I'd written about it somewhere, but I can't find it!)

We went with Thomson's in a jeep and it picked us up at about 4 pm. First it drove inland to a cafe for refreshments and loos, then we went into the Teide park area and marvelled at the scenery. We had the chance to get out and explore some old cave things and some photo stops. The driver did a commentary too. It got colder as the altitude increased.

We parked up at a vantage point with a load of other jeeps to watch the sunset over the Canaries, but unfortunately it was quite cloudy and we didn't have a spectacular view (it was February). They offered us champagne and chocolate there.

Then we drove back up the mountain a bit further, to be given a talk on astronomy......because of the altitude it seems "nearer" the stars, also there is no light pollution so you get a brilliant view. By this time it was literally 2 degrees C....so you can bet we were glad of our coats and gloves etc......which we had brought with us it being February back in UK although the driver did have some fleecy jackets to borrow in his jeep.

It was fascinating, my only problem being that, what with the cold and 4-5 hours since our last stop...I was desperate for the loo and there weren't any!!!

After the talk we were driven back down to a restaruarnt where we were to have a typical canarian meal (which our driver joked would be....bananas!), but after we had all visited the loo, I have to say the meal was very enjoyable I can't remember exactly what we had but there was wine as well. Then we were driven back to our resort.

It was quite an expensive trip but with the meal as well, and the star talk it was a great experience. I'm not sure whether your 7 year old would get bored though?

Hope this is helpful.

we went to Teide in December, we drove there ourselves in a hire car..which in itself was quite an adventure as the roads are so winding and twisting..but there are great views. It was very busy at Teide, and there was quite a queue for the cable cars which takes you about 300ft from the summit. It does warn you at the bottom that it will be very cold at the top.. minus 20 when we went, so would advise you to wrap up. When we went, the views were not so good as the clouds were low, but it was great once we were through them to actually look down on the clouds, laddo thought that was amazing. On a clear day, apparantly you can see across to the other islands..

when we got to the top, we just had a little bit of a walk around a few paths, but there is a gateway/fence to stop you going to the very summit unless you have a pass ( which you need to get in advance from Santa Cruz). The atmosphere is very thin up there and the lack of oxygen is very noticeable. We didn't stay too long up there as the boy would not come out the little hut for more than a few minutes at a time as he said it was freezing ( and plus he was disappointed there wasn't a McDonalds up there as we had told him!!!)

Later on in the day though, i felt very rough/ill/light headed etc and i was told that this was possibly caused by being at such altitude and then returning to normal altitude so quickly..on thw whole, i would thoroughly recommend a visit.. it was one of the highlights of our holiday..

We went to Teide in the first week in August last year, this was a morning trip. For that time of year the rep advised us we should take a light jacket just in case. When we got to the cable car point we realised we didn't need our jackets, it was like a pleasant summers day back in the UK. The cable car is worth it IMHO as the views are indeed magnificent.

Although we didn't need our jackets I would still take one at that time of year just in case.

Don't know about night time though- i would imagine it would be a good bit colder, even in July/August and I would wrap up well.

Thanks very much for all your replies, especially Acornup as that is exactly the night trip we are going on! Ethan and his dad have a telescope here, so I think it will be really good for them to see the stars so clearly. I am going to take cardigans and our thin rain jackets to go over the top, and I might shove some gloves in the pockets just in case.

Thanks again for all your help.

oh great, I hope you have a good time. The telescope will give your son something to do if he is getting bored.

I didn't explain very well about the sunset....the significance is that where you are, up the mountain, it is actually above cloud level, so on a clear evening you can see all the other islands and the sunset over(?) the sea. When we went and there was a cloud layer...the problem was that we were ABOVE the view of the sunset!! So we just had a partial view through the gaps in the clouds.

Let us know how you got on, when you come back

A warning to anyone who is disabled & wishes to go on the cable car to the top of the volcano - forget it. Unless you can walk it could be impossible.
My wife & I have just returned from 2 weeks in Teneriffe & whilst there decided to go up to Mt Teide. When we arrived at the cable car base it was closed as they were fitting new cabins to the cars so we asked if when it was running I could go up as I am in a wheelchair and can only walk a few steps. We were assured there would be no problems. 3 days later we went to the cable car base again and my wife went to book for both of us only to be told "Madam The Parque Nacionale do not want disabled people as they cause too much trouble" I find this attitude TOTALLY insulting, and very rude. As the cable car installation is very modern I would have thought it would be a simple matter to incorporate a small lift similar to those used in stores with split levels but I was told disabled people are not wanted and were never considered.
I found the whole experience very offensive and not in keeping with usual practices I have found in all other parts of the world. I have been on cable cars in many countries, most of them longer than MT Teide

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

We will be going to Tenerife in the first week of Dec., staying in a villa and renting a car. I would like to go up Mount Teide but it is Dec. and the mountain is 12 000 ft. high.

Will the cable car be running at that time of the year?
Is the base station below the Dec. snow line, i.e. will it be possible to drive up that far?
Any other advice?

I know it will be bloody cold and will dress accordingly.

What will the temperature be like at sea level?

Never been in September but went once in February and the whole of the caldera was covered in snow at that time. Although it was snow covered I would not say it was cold although the locals were all covered up and making small snowmen to put on the bonnet of their cars. Apparently they try to see how far down they can go before it all melts.

There are some pictures of Mnt Teide here in the photo gallery.

have been to las americas first week in december for last 3 years
the weather is always warm 65 to 75 degrees during the day
but it does cool off at night ie trousers needed i personally only wear a tee shirt or shirt not a jacket

usually over a week you will have 2or three days when it is overcast at this time of year

hope this helps

never tried teide at this time of year cable car generally closed due to high winds or bad weather and i dont go to tenerife to be cold up a volcano

We normally go to Tenerife in early January. Very hit and miss with the weather up at Mt. Teide at this time of year with ice on the cables.
My main concern would be the length of time you wait for the car to take you up and bring you back. Be prepared to wait a while.

The Toonman

we went in december 2005 and the weather was warm in tenerife itself, although we missed the major tropical storm by just one week. The weather at Teide was very hit and miss, on the day we went the clouds were low and you could not see all the way across to the other islands, but the views were still spectacular anyway. It was very cold at the top, minus 20 celcius and they do warn you to wrap up at the bottom. The cable cars still run but again, this is dependant on the weather. if it is too windy, they will shut it down..
generally, it is busy and you can wait up to 45 mins for a cable car...

I'm off to Las Americas in a couple of weeks and I just wondered if anyone could suggest which are the best agents for these trips. I remember when I went on one a couple of years ago that I had a welsh guy called Phil who was brilliant and so funny but I can't remember which agent I used.

Many thanks.

Moorland,

I believe Phil is with "Freebird" ? does that ring any bells??

good luck with your trip!

We used freebird a few years ago and it was one of the best trips ever. Really comfortable jeeps and your guide gives a running commentary all the time. You also drive through some lovely villages in the mountains - really nice. Not cheap but worth it.

Hi,
Do you have a website address for freebird?
Many thanks.
Theresa

Hi Theresa
http://www.freebirdjeeptours.com/

P.S.We normally hire a car to go up mt. Teide too,but the jeeps might be a bit more exciting for your son.

(Freebird also have catamarans in case you're interested?
http://www.freebirdsailing.com/
Although there are loads of other companies operating boat trips out from Puerto Colon)

Hi Fiona,
Thanks for that, i will have a look at the website.
Went to cyprus last year and went on a jeep trip up to the trodus mountains, had a great time and son enjoyed it so much asked if there were any trips like that in tenerife.
Theresa

Remember your woolies if you're going up Teide at night, even in the height of summer it's FREEZING!!

ATB,J.