The Cabildo of Tenerife has officially presented its long-awaited eco-tax system for climbing Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The measure, included in the new Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG), will come into effect on January 1, 2026, with the goal of balancing tourism with conservation.
At a press conference, Tenerife’s president Rosa Dávila and vice president Lope Afonso stressed that the initiative is designed to regulate visitor pressure, similar to the eco-tax already applied in Masca, and to ensure the long-term protection of the National Park.
Who Pays What?
The new fee structure is based on residence and age:
- Free access:
- Tenerife residents
- Children under 14
- Reduced rate:
- Canary Islands residents: €3 to €6, depending on whether they climb on a weekday or weekend
- General rate:
- Non-residents: €10 to €25, depending on the chosen day and route
- Exemptions:
- Authorized mountain guides will not pay the fee
The tax applies specifically to two trails that allow access to the summit:
- Trail No. 7 Montaña Blanca – La Rambleta
- Trail No. 10 Telesforo Bravo (leading from La Rambleta to the crater)
Visitor Limits
To prevent overcrowding, a maximum of 300 climbers per day has been set. Visitors will be distributed into three time slots, with a quota of 100 people per section and time slot.
Reservations must be made in advance through the Tenerife ON platform, which will be available before the measure takes effect.
The Cabildo estimates the eco-tax will generate around €650,000 annually, earmarked exclusively for the maintenance and conservation of Teide National Park.
Regulations and Sanctions
- Animals: Pets will not be allowed, except for certified guide dogs.
- Sanctions: Unauthorized ascents without prior reservation can result in fines of up to €600, in line with Canary Islands’ natural spaces law.
Why the Change?
According to Dávila, visitor numbers to Teide have reached an “unsustainable” level:
- In 2020, around 3.5 million people visited the park.
- By 2024, this number had exceeded 5 million, with 88% being tourists and only 11% local residents.
This surge has heightened environmental pressure on the fragile volcanic ecosystem, prompting the Cabildo to adopt new measures.
Strengthening Park Staff
To reinforce conservation efforts, the Cabildo’s new List of Job Positions (RPT) includes 16 new staff members for the park:
- 8 forest rangers with sanctioning authority and the ability to report violations to the public prosecutor’s office
- 8 technical specialists, such as forestry and agricultural engineers
A Balance Between Tourism and Conservation
“Teide is not only a symbol of our identity but also a natural heritage that we must protect responsibly,” Dávila emphasized.
She concluded that these measures aim to strike a delicate balance: ensuring visitors can continue to enjoy the majesty of Mount Teide while preserving one of the Canary Islands’ most unique and vulnerable ecosystems for future generations.
