Did you know that Tenerife is home to some terrific outdoor rock climbing? Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced climber, there are plenty of canyons, boulders, and overhangs to choose from. Besides, rock climbing is a fantastic full-body workout, so it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors and stay active on your holidays.
Here are 10 reasons why you should choose Tenerife for your next rock climbing holiday:
1. Rock climbing in Tenerife is suitable for everyone
There are plenty of well-equipped routes on the island with difficulty levels ranging from beginners to highly experienced climbers. One of the favourite spots for climbers is Roque la Catedral: a 120 m high volcanic rock, which offers a variety of routes. There is a route that allows even beginners to can climb all the way to the top as long as they aren’t afraid of heights.
2. Easy access to lots of different climbing routes
Arico in the Southeastern part of the island has the highest concentration of climbing routes, and the good thing is that the different level routes are usually very close to each other. This means that beginners and experienced climbers can go climbing together and still choose a spot that’s appropriate for their level.
3. The landscape is just amazing
You can climb over volcanic rock in Teide National Park with incredible views of Mount Teide in the background, along the coastline overlooking the blue ocean or in many of the island’s beautiful canyons.
4. Sunshine or shade – you choose
In many places you can choose the side of the wall you want to climb depending on the weather conditions. For example, on a hot, sunny day you might want to choose the side of the “barranco” (canyon) for more shade. On the other hand, in winter when the weather is cooler you can choose the sunny side.
5. Outdoor rock climbing is possible all year round
Tenerife is a real fair-weather paradise, boasting over 300 days of sunshine per year, which makes it ideal for rock climbing any time of the year. There are only a very few rainy days when the weather makes climbing impossible, so the chances of all your climbing days being rained out are very slim.
6. It’s the perfect place to learn rock climbing
Rock climbing courses of various lengths are offered by the professional and well-run local climbing schools. If you’re a beginner, you can choose a short basic course to get up and running in the minimum amount of time. Experienced climbers will find that it’s the perfect location to work on their technique and get ready to tackle even the toughest challenges.
7. There’s something for everyone
Although the majority of climbing on Tenerife is sport climbing, there are many sections of crags that are also trad climbing routes. Bouldering routes can be found mainly in Arico and Las Cañadas.
8. You can get all the equipment you need
There are several outlets across the island where you can buy or rent climbing equipment or get a guidebook. Tenerife Outdoor, as its name suggests, is an outdoor equipment store with several branches on the island and a well-stocked climbing section.
9. You can really challenge yourself
The El Rio ravine with its steep volcanic walls is one of the best spots for experienced climbers. Other challenging routes can be found in the Arico gorge and Teide National Park.
10. Lots of alternative activities
Tenerife is a real outdoor-lovers paradise full of excellent hiking routes, mountain biking trails and a wide variety of other adventure sports. Water sports and activities such as surfing, scuba diving, snorkelling and SUP are also possible all year round, even in winter.