Guide · Guide to north Tenerife
Punta de Teno and Masca: how access works now
Private cars are banned at Punta de Teno every day, and the Masca ravine needs a booking and a boat back. The current rules, from official sources.
- 2 minread
- 22 September 2026checked
- 2sources
The Teno massif, at the far north-west, is the most spectacular thing within a long hour of the house. It is also the area with the strictest access rules on the island, and most older guides get them wrong.
Punta de Teno
It is worth it even if it sounds like paperwork: a lighthouse, the Los Gigantes cliffs beyond, and arguably Tenerife's finest sunset. The road can also close for works or weather warnings, so check the council's site on the day.
Masca: the hamlet and the ravine are two different plans
Going to see Masca — the hamlet clinging to the massif, the hairpin road, the viewpoint — is a half-morning plan, with the caveat that parking is very limited and vehicle access is regulated. Walking down the ravine is an entirely different proposition.
Five kilometres of descent, about four hours, hard grade, and a compulsory boat back with a separate ticket. There is advance booking with time slots, access control and required kit, helmet included. If you want to do it, plan it before you travel: this is not a trail you simply turn up to.
Finca Julia is a few minutes from all of this.
Check availability on Airbnb — Opens the official Airbnb listing in a new tabSources
- Ayuntamiento de Buenavista del Norte — acceso a Punta de Teno ↗
- Camino del Barranco de Masca — reservas ↗
Updated on: · Reviewed on:
This guide is written from a house in Icod.
Finca Julia is a Canarian house for four in the hills above the town. Availability and price are on the official listing.
Plans
Plans that pass through here
Experiences and itineraries that share places with this page.
- DayThree days based in IcodIcod, Garachico and Teide in three days, with real drive times from the old town and without driving the same road twice.
- PlanFrom the volcano to the AtlanticUp to Teide in the morning, the whole island from La Rambleta at 3,555 metres, and down to swim at San Marcos in the afternoon. Only possible from the north.
- PlanBlack, blue and lavaThe black sand of San Marcos, the rock pools of El Caletón and the badlands of Chinyero: the coast and the volcano that made it, on a dry day without a swell.
- DayUp to Teide and back in a dayOne hour seven minutes up the TF-21, what needs booking, what it costs and the order that keeps you from driving down in the dark.
Keep reading
The whole guide
© rene boulay · CC BY-SA 3.0 6 min read
What to see in Buenavista del Norte, the last town before Teno
© rene boulay · CC BY-SA 3.0 5 min read
Teno Alto: getting there, parking and which trails to walk
© H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0 6 min read
Los Gigantes cliffs: where to see them and how to get there from the north
Finca Julia · Icod de los Vinos
And at the end of the day,
the terrace.
An old Canarian house on the hillside, with the Atlantic in front. Availability and price are on the official Airbnb listing.