Mount Teide (El Medano) Bike Climb

Spain Mount Teide (El Medano)

43.2

PDI

23.3 mi

DISTANCE

7,415 ft

GAINED

ELEVATION GAINED

5.9 %

AVG. GRADE

AVG. GRADIENT

FULL CLIMB STATS

INTRO

Mount Teide (El Medano) is Tenerife's southeastern approach to the summit area of Spain's highest peak - a 23.3-mile, 7,415-foot climb averaging 5.86% that starts at sea level in the surf town of El Medano and finishes above 7,200 feet at the edge of the Teide caldera. It's currently ranked the #77 toughest bike climb in the world.

The route runs north out of El Medano on TF-64 through San Isidro and Granadilla de Abona, then joins TF-21 for the long climb through Vilaflor - Spain's highest village at roughly 1,500 meters - and up through pine forest to the park boundary near El Retamar. The lower half crosses dry, volcanic farmland and small agricultural towns; the upper half is the same quiet pine-forest ascent shared with Teide's other southern approaches.

El Medano itself is better known as one of Europe's top windsurfing and kitesurfing spots than as a cycling base, which makes this one of the less-traveled ways up Teide compared with the busier Los Cristianos route nearby - a good option if you want the same climb with noticeably less early traffic. Use PJAMM's free Sherpa Map tool to combine this ascent with one of Teide's other approaches into a longer loop.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route.

This climb starts hard: the steepest quarter mile averages 11.62%, and the first full mile averages 8.66% climbing away from El Medano. The grade eases through San Isidro and Granadilla de Abona, settling to a 7.27% five-mile running average, then holds in a steady 5-6% band up through Vilaflor and the pine forest above it, with occasional steeper switchback pitches near the top.

Roadway: TF-64 and TF-21 are fully paved, well-maintained two-lane roads for the entire route - smooth through the lower agricultural section, with the same mix of good pavement and occasional patched stretches through the pine forest above Vilaflor shared with Teide's other approaches. As with every road into Teide National Park, the top kilometers can close temporarily after winter snow or ice - TF-21 was shut above the park boundary for several days after a February 2026 snowfall - so check the Cabildo de Tenerife's road-status page before a winter ride.

Traffic: Traffic is light to moderate near El Medano, San Isidro and Granadilla de Abona, where the road serves local and agricultural traffic rather than resort tourism. It's noticeably quieter than the Los Cristianos or Costa Adeje approaches lower down, and thins out further above Vilaflor into the light pine-forest traffic shared by all the southern Teide routes.

Parking: Most riders start from El Medano itself, a small beach town with plenty of on-street parking and a growing surf and kitesurf tourism scene. Vilaflor, about two-thirds of the way up, has a bar and a small square that make a good water-refill stop if you want to split the climb.

Budget 2.5-3.5 hours for the full ascent - it's a similarly long day to Teide's other approaches, with over 2,200 meters of gain. A low gear around 34x28 or easier is worth having given the sustained mid-grade climbing.

Temperatures drop sharply with altitude - pack layers for the descent, since the pine forest and summit area run 15-20 degrees C cooler than the coast at El Medano. There's little in the way of services between Granadilla and Vilaflor, so carry enough water for that stretch and refill in Vilaflor before the final push.

Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.

El Medano is one of Tenerife's best-known windsurfing and kitesurfing towns, with a laid-back, less built-up feel than the bigger resorts along the south coast - a good base if you want beach time alongside the climbing. Because it's a quieter starting point than Los Cristianos, this route sees noticeably less early traffic on its lower slopes.

It's rideable year-round, with the same caveat as Teide's other approaches: the very top can see brief snow-related closures between December and February.