Tenerife island tour: four full-day coach tours compared (Teide, Masca, Icod, Garachico)
Updated October 7, 2026 · 7 min read
The short answer: for most visitors the Teide National Park, Masca, Icod & Garachico Tour is the one to book — nine hours, €58 per person, 4.6 stars from 2,893 reviews, and the most reviewed of the four. If you would rather see old towns than the national park, the Essence of Tenerife tour swaps Teide for Candelaria and La Orotava at the same €58. For a group of at most eight, the Masca and Teide sunset tour is shorter and costs €67.
Check availability and prices for the Teide, Masca, Icod and Garachico tour
All four tours here are guided day trips by road, and they cost almost the same. What separates them is the route, and one route can contain things another cannot. Pick by the places you want to see, not by the price.
Four island tours compared
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife: Teide National Park, Masca, Icod & Garachico Tour | 9 hours | €58 per person | 4.6 (2,893) | Most visitors: the national park and the north-west |
| Essence of Tenerife: Candelaria, Orotava, Garachico and Masca | 9 hours | €58 per person | 4.3 (332) | Old towns and Masca, without Teide |
| Tenerife: Full-Day Guided Island Tour | 8 hours | €57 per person | 4.5 (366) | A loop of the island’s perimeter |
| Tenerife: Masca, Teide National Park & Sunset - Small group | 6 hours | €67 per person | 4.9 (231) | A small group and a shorter day |
What each one covers
The nine-hour Teide tour drives up through Teide National Park, stops at the Roques de García, continues to Icod de los Vinos for the Drago Milenario dragon tree, then to Garachico and its lava pools (El Caletón), and finishes in the mountain village of Masca. The guide is certified by the Government of the Canary Islands, groups are capped at 35 guests, and languages include English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Russian.
Two things from its booking page matter before you pay. Lunch is optional and paid separately, and may fall in Icod, in the park or in Garachico depending on the day. And the page says outright that the itinerary does not allow time to use the Teide cable car. It also lists the Drago Milenario park entrance and the cable car next to lunch among the items you need to budget separately, so check the page. If riding up the mountain is the point of your day, book a different tour, such as the one with the cable car ticket below.
The Essence of Tenerife tour runs the north instead: the basilica in Candelaria, the historic centre of La Orotava with the Casa de los Balcones, Garachico with its pools and the Castillo San Miguel, then through the Teno Rural Park to Masca. It has the same 35-guest cap and optional lunch. Its rating is the lowest of the four at 4.3, and one reviewer would have liked longer in La Orotava and less time in Garachico, and noted some steep walking there. For a day built on towns rather than the national park, it is the better fit.
Check availability and prices for the Essence of Tenerife tour
The full-day island tour goes around the perimeter: up the west coast to the Los Gigantes cliffs, Icod and its dragon tree, free time in Puerto de la Cruz for lunch (not included, according to the description) and a final stop at the basilica in Candelaria. It does not go to Teide or Masca. Pickup is in the south only, and it is the shortest of the three large tours, at eight hours.
The small-group Masca and Teide tour starts in Masca village, continues to the Roques de García and ends with a sunset viewpoint above the clouds. Groups are limited to eight, the guide speaks Spanish and English, and water is included. It is the highest rated of the four, at 4.9 from 231 reviews.
If riding up the mountain is the point
None of these tours takes you up the cable car. The Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer costs €92 per person, has 4.3 stars from 5,952 reviews and takes seven hours; our guide to what the €92 covers goes through it.
Or go by hire car
You can do much of this yourself. The catch is the winding mountain road up to Masca and the climb to the national park; we cover the Teide side in the drive from the south coast to Teide. If you are weighing it up, our guide on whether you need a car is honest about the answer, and you can compare hire cars and pick-up points for Tenerife before you decide.
What the listings do not tell you
On the coach tours, a lot of the nine hours is travelling: the pages say so. Stop times can change for logistical reasons, and the itinerary may be altered because of weather, road closures or official alerts. Wear closed, comfortable shoes and take a light jacket. None of the four pages gives a minimum age.
Who should skip it
Wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments: according to their booking pages, both nine-hour tours list them as not suitable and do not allow mobility scooters or electric wheelchairs. Anyone who wants a relaxed day with time to linger, because nine hours with several stops leaves little time at each. And anyone with a short holiday who would rather do one thing well, such as a whale-watching trip.
Our recommendation
For most visitors: the Teide National Park, Masca, Icod & Garachico Tour at €58 per person.
For towns instead of Teide: the Essence of Tenerife tour at €58.
For a small group: the Masca and Teide sunset tour at €67, limited to eight guests.
