The west coast of Tenerife, especially the Tamaimo area, is known for some absolutely amazing hiking. With views of stunning mountains all around and Mount Teide in the background sticking out like the giant volcano it is, this is truly an outdoor paradise. Plus you add the cliffs and the beautiful ocean views and you have some of the most remarkable landscape imaginable. 

Tamaimo-Guama Loop Trail pin for Pinterest

We had no idea this place even existed until we actually got to Tenerife and looked at all the different hiking trails that could be done on this small island. Every area has its own beautiful hikes. If it’s coastal walks in Puerto de la Cruz, forest trails, Mirador de Las Breñas, or beautiful hikes overlooking Los Gigantes Cliffs, Tenerife has it all. You can even find the best sunset in Tenerife on the south side of the island.

Throughout this post you can find all the information about how to get to Tamaimo, the best time to go, along with all the information about the trail and the great views you’ll see along the way. The Tamaimo Guama Loop Trail is one of our favorite hikes in Tenerife and it’s a hike we definitely recommend if you want to see the natural beauty of the island.

One of the things we love about Tenerife is that all the hikes can be done as day trips since the island is so small and you can drive almost anywhere on the island within a few hours. The roads are steep, windy, and narrow at times especially to hikes in the national parks, but as long as you take your time and drive carefully you should be completely fine.

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Everything You Need to Know about the Tamaimo Guama Loop Trail

The Tamaimo Guama Loop Trail is the perfect moderate to hard day hike on the west coast of Tenerife overlooking the cliffs of Los Gigantes. The hike takes place between Santiago Del Teide and Los Gigantes in the small town of Tamaimo.

We recommend renting a car or taking a bus to Tamaimo where the hike begins. Renting a car is probably the more convenient option but if you don’t like driving on windy roads then you may not enjoy driving to the town of Tamaimo. Whichever direction you’re coming from you’ll end up driving along some serpentine roads.

Once you’re in Tamaimo, the trail to the hike and the hike itself is absolutely amazing. One remarkable thing about hiking in Spain is that so many of these trails have some sort of connection to the past. The Tamaimo Guama Loop Trail was an old Camino Real “Royal Road” between Puerto de Santiago and Santiago Del Teide.

When you hike along this trail you can imagine the people that used to hike between those two cities centuries ago which we thought was pretty cool!

Beautiful picture of the mountains in Tenerife.
Dom enjoying a hike in Tenerife
Jo hiking along the Tamaimo-Guama loop trail.

Practical information about the Tamaimo Guama Loop Trail

Distance: 5.7 km return / 3.54 miles return
Elevation: 536 m / 1758 ft. elevation gain
Type: Lollipop Trail (basically a loop trail)
Length: 2 – 3 hours (taking your time and taking pictures)
Difficulty: Moderate – Hard (because of the elevation)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Beginning of the Tamaimo-Guama Loop trail.
Click here to see a map of the beginning of the Tamaimo-Guama Loop Trail

Setting off in the traditional town of Tamaimo

The Tamaimo-Guama Loop trail partially gets its name from the small Spanish town the hike begins in. If you’re coming from Los Cristianos or Puerto De La Cruz you will have roughly an hour drive to Tamaimo where the hike begins. 

The main roads runs through the town and we recommend just parking somewhere on the main road in the middle of town close to the gas station. If you come by bus the bus will drop you off in the middle of town. 
Tamaimo is a cute little Spanish town surrounded by mountains on all sides and throughout the hike you will get some crazy aerial views of Tamaimo.

Tamaimo village on the island of Tenerife.

Route Directions

Step #1: Starting point: Iglesia de Santa Ana

To start the hike you will make your way to Iglesia de Santa Ana which is the white church downtown Tamaimo on the west side of the main road. The town is very small and the church is quite easy to find. Once you find the historic white church you will find some information about the hike, history of the royal road, and the hiking trail that you will follow.

The whole hike you will stay on two trails: TF 65.2 Cruz de los Misioneros and TF 65 which are both marked with yellow marks.

Photo of Iglesia de Santa Ana.

Once you’ve got your history lesson and leave the church square you will slowly start walking out of town. There will be signs on a few houses with the trail marked on them so just look out for those.

  1. Walk towards the back of the church 
  2. Walk onto Calle El Agua Street (neighbourhood street)
  3. Once you’re on Calle El Agua continue until you see a sign on a house, then turn left
  4. From there you will start walking towards the mountains
  5. You will essentially continue straight but you will be doing the hike counter-clockwise
  6. You can follow the exact directions here

Once you’re out of the city the real fun begins!

Cruz de los Misioneros sign.

We found that doing the hike counter clockwise was better for the views. You can do it either way but even most locals recommend doing it counter clockwise (the way the directions mentioned above).

The first part is the most challenging because there is a lot of elevation gain plus you’re hiking on volcanic rocks and not so much a well-maintained trail.

You will get to a point where there’s a T insertion. Both the left and right trail will have yellow markings. Take the right trail to get to “Cross of the Missionaries” where you will have an amazing viewpoint overlooking Tamaimo, the mountains, Mount Teide, and of course the beautiful coastline.

Summit of the Tamaimo-Guama Loop trail with a cross.

Step #2: Continuing from the Cross of the Missionaries

Once you’ve had a chance to take in all the great views and have had a little break you will continue back to the T intersection where you can from. From there, you’ll take the “left” and continue on the trail towards the ridge.

The ridge is wide and safe and offers amazing panoramic views. If you look into the distance over the ocean, you can see the island of La Gomera not too far away. If you look back at Tamaimo you can also see Mount Teide. It’s crazy thinking how Mount Teide can be seen from almost anywhere on the island.

Beautiful mountains in Tenerife.

We had a little break up on the ridge and just enjoyed the views. We do want to mention that you will be fully exposed to the sun throughout the whole hike so make sure to bring a bunch of water, sunscreen, and even a hat. For more information on what to bring on a hike, read this post with our Hiking Gear Checklist.

Especially while we were up on the ridge exposed to the sun we could really feel the heat despite the strong winds. Besides that, just enjoy the views and take in how amazing the panoramic view from the top is.

View of Mount Teide in Tenerife.

Step #3: Down from the ridge and back to Tamaimo

The last third of the hike is probably the most challenging because it’s pretty rocky and hard on the knees. Thankfully, you’ll have the coastline to look at the whole way down. You’ll even have some views of Puerto de Santiago, the cute little coastal town down by the ocean.

One thing we didn’t do which we wish we did was to check out El Aguyero. It’s a beautiful lookout point (between section 3 and 4 of the hike) that gives you even more amazing views of the coastline and La Gomera.

It will add an extra 30 minutes to the hike but well worth it. Whether you go check out El Aguyero or not you will just continue down the mountain until you reach the bottom where a path through a little field awaits the finish line of this absolutely stunning hike in Tamaimo.

Dom and Jo from Red White Adventures exploring Tenerife.

Step #4: Back to the Church

At this point you’re probably more than ready to just head back to the bus or your car. But there’s on last stretch back to the church. It’s all uphill back to Tamaimo and the church.

It feels like you’re hiking in the wrong place because you’ll pass a little ostrich farm and walk by some local farms but don’t worry. This is the path that brings you back into town and back to Iglesia de Santa Ana.

After a kilometre or so you’ll see the white church in the distance, and once you get back to the little church square you’ve completed the Tamaimo-Guama Loop Trail!

Views from the top of the Tamaimo-Guama loop trail hike.
Views from hiking in Tenerife.

Where to stay if hiking in Tamaimo

Thankfully Tenerife is quite a small island and it actually isn’t too far of a drive from anywhere to get to Tamaimo and start this hike.

We drove from Puerto de la Cruz and it took us around an hour and a half to get there. It’s not that far of a drive from Los Cristianos either. So depending on which side of the island you prefer to stay on we would recommend either of these cities in Tenerife.

Great views of hiking in Tenerife near Tamaimo.

Staying in Puerto de la Cruz

We absolutely love Puerto de la Cruz and if you love nature, coastal walks, amazing viewpoints, and exploring places we recommend Puerto.

We recommend using Airbnb or Booking to find a place. If you don’t want a lot of noise and something a little quieter we would recommend staying somewhere away from the main roads on one of the less busy streets. 

Here are a few good options: 

  1. Apartment with a view
  2. Cozy apartment
  3. Apartment with a swimming pool

Look for accommodation on Booking.com | Airbnb

Staying in Los Cristianos

If you’re looking for a place to relax, hang by the beach, and party then we recommend Los Cristianos. It’s also not too far from nationals parks and has the best sunset spot in Tenerife.

By car from Los Cristianos it’s only a 30 minute drive to Tanaimo. So it’s super close and has a bunch of cool places to explore as well.

We recommend using Airbnb or Booking for Los Cristianos as well as there are a bunch of great places to stay in town.

Here are a few good options:

  1. Simple apartment downtown
  2. Apartment with a pool
  3. The Heights apartment

Look for accommodation on Booking.com | Airbnb

Staying in Santa Cruz

If you’re looking to stay somewhere more local but still very busy then we’d recommend the capital city of Tenerife which is Santa Cruz. You’ll find less tourists here and a lot more locals.

So lots of delicious tapas and spanish culture can be found in Santa Cruz.

It’s located between Los Cristiano and Puerto de la Cruz. It’s also located between both international airports which is very convenient.

Again Airbnb and Booking are your best options for finding a great place to stay in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Here are a few good options:

  1. Dream Smart apartment
  2. Dream Central apartment
  3. Tenerife Urban Rooms apartment

Look for accommodation on Booking.com | Airbnb

Amazing views along the coast of Tenerife.
Great views from hiking in Tenerife.

How to get to Tamaimo

From anywhere in Puerto de la Cruz

It’s roughly an hour drive from Puerto de la Cruz to Tamaimo but if you’re not used to the roads we’d give yourself an extra half hour. The first part of the drive is on the highway but after that you start driving on some narrow and windy roads!

The directions can be found here.

From anywhere in Los Cristianos

It’s a quick drive if you’re coming from Los Cristiano. There’s actually a good highway on the southwest side of the island. The highway takes you all the way to Tamaimo and it’s only a 30 minute drive.

The directions can be found here.

From anywhere in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

If you’re coming from the capital then you’re basically on the other side of the island. Thankfully, Tenerife is so small and you can get almost anywhere in an hour. The drive will bring you down the south coast towards Los Cristianos and then to Tamaimo.

The directions can be found here.

Summit of a hike in Tenerife.
Hiking trail in Tenerife.

From anywhere in Tenerife by bus

Incase you don’t want to drive, can’t drive, or for any other reason then don’t worry. Busses can take you almost anywhere on the island from almost anywhere. Puerto de la Cruz, Santa Cruz, and Los Cristiano all go to Tamaimo. 

  1. Puerto de la Cruz to Tamaimo 
  2. Santa Cruz de la Tenerife to Tamaimo
  3. Los Cristianos to Tamaimo

The bus rides take longer but they do get you to the town where the hike starts. We 100% recommend getting the Tenerife Bus Pass. You can ride the bus for 10 Euro a day, or 50 Euro for the week. If you’re doing a day trip from one of the cities, definitely get the day pass because it will save you a whole lot of money!

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Jo smiling at the top of a hike in Tenerife.

Before you go hike the Tamaimo-Guama Loop trail

We first recommend checking the weather to make sure it’s not too windy or rainy. It won’t be fun hiking along the ridge in bad weather. You can see the weather for Tamaimo here.

Also, check the timetables for the bus in each direction to plan your day. We recommend 4 hours in Tamaimo including the hike, grabbing food, bathroom breaks, etc. Of course, if you’re driving then you have nothing to worry about. There’s tons of free parking in town.

Dom climbing some rocks on a hike in Tamaimo.

What to bring on the hike

You’re going to be exposed to the sun throughout the whole hike. Tenerife is quite warm all year around. Even with all the wind, you can get a sunburn. So please go prepared.

It doesn’t hurt to bring extra water and snacks even though it doesn’t seem like that long of a hike.

So bring:

  • Water! If you forget it then go to the gas station and you can buy some there.
  • Sunscreen is a must when you go anywhere hiking anywhere in Tenerife! Even if you go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
  • A camelbak (backpack full of water) is never a bad option.
  • Bring some food so you can enjoy it at the picnic spot “somewhere along the ridge overlooking the coastline and Mount Teide”.
  • Relax, and enjoy the views with a nice PB&J, trail mix, or whatever you like to snack on while hiking!

Also this is a great list of hiking gear that you may need on a hike!

Hiking the west coast of Tenerife.
Jo modelling for a photo while exploring Tenerife.

We hope you enjoy this moderate-hard hike on the west coast of Tenerife. There are so many amazing places to visit and hike in Tenerife. We hope to share some of the best places on the island and inspire you to get out and explore all these little pockets of awe around the island.

We hope you enjoy the Tamaimo-Guama Loop Trail as much as we did! It’s fun getting away from the touristy crowds in the city to quiet trails outdoors with amazing views. Enjoy and stay safe out there!

Have fun!

Dom & Jo
Red White Adventures
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