Tenerife North: Teide, Icod, Garachico And Masca - Guide Included

We really enjoyed the trip thank you. A very full day but with some great stops and mount Teide was a brilliant highlight. Driver Gustav and Tour Guide Rosa were both fab

My wife had been to Tenerife before and we wanted to go to Teide volcano cable cars. We made this clear when booking, and double checked this would be possible with the lady we booked this in their office. However there must have been a misunderstanding on either side, as we only got to visit the park. A little disappointed, but not the end of the world, as we loved the tour we did get. Pick up was running late, and we were told by our guide Iskra, that it was because of traffic, but I suspect that it was more to do with the large group of tourists that were also on our tour, and were to cause issues later on. Iskra laid out the ‘rules’ for our trip, the main one being that people speak quietly when she was giving out information in one of three languages on the bus. However, people in this large group often disregarded this, and several times she had to remind them to be quiet. At each of the stops she had to hurry people up to make sure the trip kept to its planned timings. Our tour differed very slightly to the itinerary outlined on Trip Advisor. We stopped for lunch in Icod, in a restaurant called Restaurante Carmen. There was an option on the tour when booking to have lunch prepaid. I decided we should have this as €20 isn’t that much, plus that the tour operator would know where the good / speedy restaurants were and would save us wasting time looking for a place to eat. Turned out we were the only people on our tour that pre booked, yet most of the tour ended up eating in the same place. It was a good choice and very close to the ancient Dragon tree, which we got time to see. The scenery of Tenerife was stunning. The stop intervals were perfect, the locations good. The cafe in Masca makes delicious Catcus ice cream, and also Cactus lemonade. There was another stop we made to look at local produce, where free samples of various jams and liqueur were available. The road between Icod - Masca and Santiago del Teide was unbelievably twisty, and had many sheer drops of hundreds of feet just the other side of the barrier. It would have been a challenge to do in a car, but Alexander our driver managed expertly. Overall, despite not getting to go up Teide, we still saw some amazing sights, had an excellent guide, along with basic and tasty food. We still felt we got good value. It was very disappointing to learn one of the tour had complained to the office about Iskra being rude, but this was far from the case. She was always professional, despite people ignoring her requests for people to be considerate when she was giving information in three languages. The same people were causing issues at lunchtime, despite being told what the menu was and to try and not be too demanding lest it hold service up, and when trying to get people on the bus, she was always courteous. She would make an expert herder of cats, such was her professionalism. I thoroughly recommend this tour, but I’d also recommend that Island Experiences perhaps ask large groups perhaps take a private tour with them, so others can get on with enjoying the tour more.

Local pickup was arranged, and we did spend the first hour picking up people from other areas. First stop was Villaflor, be aware that the cafe charges €1 to use the toilet bit cheeky when there were 4 buses stopped there and the queue fir the cafe was out the door. Next stop was Tiede where you had free time for a look round and photos. The guide gave lots of interesting information on the island as we were driving. Next stop was Icod, where we walked to see the dragon tree and historical centre. Here was time for lunch, there was a small restaurant we chose to eat here and the meal was very good. Next stop was Garachico, very historic, guide took us to see the natural pools created by the lava flow and the few buildings that were not destroyed in the eruption. Last stop was Masca here again the cafe will charge for use of the toilet. The best bit of Masca was the drive in and out on a single track road which was full of hairpin bends. The whole day was very interesting learned loads about the island the guide was really knowledgeable. Great day, excellent value, would recommend this tour and the company will definitely use them again.

The trip was spectacular for scenery, volcanic scenery and the contrast of the green floral north area. The guide Laura and the bus driver were exceptionally caring and supportive of those with mobility issues. My wife gets travel sick and our agent at Hotel Tovoli contacted the company and Laura made sure I got a front seat. This enabled both of us to really enjoy the trip which would have been impossible for my wife on many winding roads. Well worth a day to enjoy real Tenerife life. Full praise to Laura and I think the superb driver was I think Hossei

I booked this tour specifically because it offered a convenient pick-up point near my location. After my booking, the operator informed me that pick-up from my area was not available because all slots were already fully booked, and offered only a location on the other side of the island or to reschedule the tour for another day. I agreed to reschedule and was told over the phone that I could use the same ticket. However, the next day, they demanded that I pay again, despite our agreement. The tour description and service I received were not as advertised. The operator changed the pickup availability and failed to honor the agreed-upon arrangements. I cannot recommend this service.

It's terrible, they deceived me. I said I needed transportation from Puerto de Cruz, and they said there were no seats available for that day, but I could go on Monday. But then they demanded payment again for Monday. They just collected the money and didn't provide the tour.

Jose was an excellent giude and Gustavo is a super driver. We all felt safe under the difficult drive through the valley of Masca. Wonderful People

Our tour guide Hector and driver Gustavo were great and did their best to make up for the bad weather. It was very windy and rainy so all the roads to Mt Teide were closed, (which was meant to be one of the highlights of the trip). We still managed to go visit the other places, I'm sure it would've been lovely if it was sunny. Bring a jacket and wear trainers as it's a bit steep.

Very disappointing experience. The coach arrived 30 minutes late in the morning, and there was no response to messages sent through Viator. Even when calling, the communication was difficult and unclear. The guide’s behaviour was also concerning — unprofessional, rude, and at times raising their voice at customers. The tour included too many forced shopping stops, which meant long waiting times and very limited time at the actual attractions. Additionally, the admission to the Dragon Tree was not included, even though the website indicated it would be. Overall, this was one of the worst tours I’ve taken in the past 10 years, and I would not recommend it.

Just as many other reviews mention for a similar tour- you DO spend quite a lot of time in the bus. We were the first people to get picked up at the hotel at 7:50 am and we only got to mt. Teide at 10am. The large coach bus was entirely full and that’s why it took so long to pick everyone up. We had 45 min there and I think that 30 would have sufficed because the shortest hike takes 45 min and if you want to use the restroom etc., that’s just not enough time. But every minute is on the line and I will tell you why. The second stop was in a village named Icod. We were recommended by the tour guide a restaurant that was 19 EUR which is a great price, but you get what you get for that price: a soup, main course and a dessert. It was a 4/10, don’t expect anything crazy, not flavorful but I enjoyed the soup because I was feeling sick. Then the tour guide says to meet everyone at 1:45 (total 90 min) which is already a bit long in the opinion because there’s not much to see/do in the town. But we end up staying for an extra 30 min because everyone was trying/buying the liquor the tour guide was selling at the souvenir shop. I didn’t really appreciate that because I was most looking forward to visit Garachico and I knew that this meant we would have less time there. The tour guide reassured me that we will have time to eat a snack/use the restroom in Garachico so we hopped on the bus again. Once we get to Garachico (imo, the best stop out of the entire tour) we walk very fast through some parts of the city (mind you I need the restroom AND I am still hungry from the uneventful lunch earlier and they have really cute cafes in Garachico). And as soon as we get to the square the tour guide says: alright, everyone back to the bus. I was so disappointed, he told me we could stay and explore on our own but it was more like a tease. When people asked to use the restroom he started giving attitude and saying that we need to rush back. So we get back on the bus and head toward our last stop - Masca. The drive there is beautiful and you have to go all the way up hill (a bit scary on a large couch bus due to the narrow roads but kudos to Jorge the driver because he was phenomenal). We stayed for about 30 min there but also, not enough time for even a coffee so just to admire the view - could have been 10 min IMO. To sum up: the tour guide did a great job talking about the Canary Island facts while we were driving (kept switching between Dutch and English so a bit hard to keep up) but overall, you only spend 4 hours total in the actual locations. What I would recommend for the tour operator is have less people so that the pick up doesn’t take more than an hour, reduce the time spent in Icod (even though the tour DID promise lunch and more time in Garachico - that was a lie) and maybe make a pit stop in Masca so we can enjoy more time in Teide and Garachico. And as much knowledgeable as the tour guide was, I think he should be a bit more patient and kinder with the tourists and not give attitude if someone asks him for a bathroom break, tea (I was really sick and needed it for my throat) etc.

Long time on a bus but frequent stops. The last stop at Masca is short but the access roads are not remotely suitable for a bus, To get around some of the bends a 3 or 5 point turn was required, thankfully we had an outstanding driver.

This tour is an excellent introduction to the North West part of Tenerife for first-timers who would like to orient themselves without the hassle of studying guidebooks, maps and driving. It takes you to all the jaw-dropping instagrammable sites listed (well worth the price of the tour). Another PLUS is that the food is NOT included, which seemed to improve the quality of what was being served and gave passengers the option to opt out or picnic. We booked in Puerto de la Cruz directly with an agency simply labeled "Excursions" along the waterfront two days in advance. We were given a receipt that listed Atlantico, (Atlantic Dolphin Travel). The best part of the tour for me was our driver, Jose. I would consider him to be a sort of legend among other drivers since he takes the route to Masca through hairpin turns (on what is by all intents and purposes, a one lane road) that services two-way traffic. The white knuckling highlight and bulk of the trip was spent being entertained as Jose sang us songs, directed traffic, acted as unofficial policeman and got us safely from Masca to Mount Teide. Our guide, Gary informed us of all one would want to know about the island, told jokes and made our trip comfortable and smooth.

That was very good tour, guide and driver both friendly and professional. Enjoyed alot there. They are very punctual and knowledgeable.

Fun, informative, and full of personality, Maria made for a great guide. The tour itself is highly recommended and a great way to see and experience North-West Tenerife - the highlight of the tour being the scenic winding road to/from Masca. NOTE: You may be taken to Restaurante Papillon for lunch if the last stop is Teide National Park. If so, I strongly advise you not to dine here, due to extremely poor service, but instead cross the road to Restaurante Bambi - service here was friendly and accommodating. My experience at Restaurante Papillon - I was made to feel as though I wasn't welcomed to dine there - spoilt what was up to that point an enjoyable tour. Disappointingly, despite reporting the matter to the organiser of the tour, I received no correspondence from them regarding the incident.

Our tour took us through many scenic small towns as well as the national park, which was quite interesting for those of us who are interesting in geology. Some of the roads were rather sketchy.

Fantastic day, covering three of the top areas in Tenerife - central, north and west. Brilliant tour guide Maria and excellent driver Juan-Carlos, who navigated all the hairpin bends flawlessly. We would have loved to leave a tip but didn’t have any cash on us. Maybe worth having a device to allow customers to leave a tip contactlessly.

Great experience with lots to see. Mount Teide and its volcanic landscape, beautiful towns with local farms, volcanic remains. Highly recommend!

The bus was full and you might not be able to sit as a family group especially if your family group totals an odd number

The tour was amazing—we had a great time! Our local guide, Enrico, was both knowledgeable and funny, sharing fascinating stories and information throughout the trip. Jonathan was a wonderful gentleman and an experienced driver, making our journey smooth and enjoyable. Enrico guided us through Garachico village, recommending the best photo spots in Masca Valley , and even gave us great advice on the finest Tenerife wine. Overall, a fantastic experience!

A lovely coach trip into the national park viewing Teide volcano, then onto villages on the north west of the island. Very bendy and narrow roads, take a travel sickness tablet if you suffer! Driver was excellent and the guide very knowledgeable. The guide spoke English and German fluently and kept his commentary going throughout the 9hr trip!!

Laura and Rodrigo were amazing! Props to Rodrigo and his amazing driving skills through the mountains. Laura was so lovely and accommodating and both went above beyond on the trip. Such a great tour of the island, we especially loved Garachico and Masca. Thank you again to them!

Great to have pickup service and bus was comfortable. Enrique the tour guide was exceptional in his knowledge and humor. Stops were great and restaurant ok. Glad to have been able to see so much of Tenerife in one day. The owner picked me up in her own car due to a malfunction in their transfer service. So sweet. Thank you.

All of the day was amazing. Absolute must to enjoy Tenerife. Wonderful driver and amazing knowledge from the guide. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

Alex was an amazing multilingual guide with Julio his experienced driver partner in bus N 321 today. My husband has left his mobile in the bus, we got back to the hotel, realised what happened and called the Island Excursions office. Fortunately, Alex has found it on the bus, Azael was still in the office and went an extra mile to return the mobile to us the same evening! Muchas Gracias, y bien hecho a la gente de Island Excursions!

The places are beautiful but we had to less time at the places to enjoy them. At the Drago Millenario only 10 minutes from a place far away where we could barely see it. Most of the time we were in the bus. The bus is definately to big for the sometimes very small roads. The bus driver did a really good job though.

Garachico and Masca. Lava is lava once you have seen it before. Would have liked more time at towns to site see. Felt very rushed.

Fantastic views and a brilliant bus driver and your guide. A pity re lunch but I get the idea of why but something a bit better would have been great. It was a bit poor tbf. But we loved the trip, informative and amazing views.

We had a lovely day and completely enjoyed the tour ! The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable!

Tour guide was just amazing but the driver was also fantastic. Steeps and slopes were scary but he handled it very well.

Really great way to see the island in a day, Hector was a great guide and really knowledgable, obviously you dont have loads of time at each place as you are seeing a lot in a day. But if you want to get a nice flavour of the island with a really good guide and a driver that I have to say I was super impressed with then def book this tour. It’s also a nice sized group, also the restaurant was really nice, I had the fish which was very good.

The tour was great. The guide Alex is knowledgeable and fluent. I wish the tour was limited to 1-2 languages. It was indeed hard to listen all the info in 3 languages, along with jet lag that made us zZz.. a lot 😁. The driver was awesome and drovr us safe back from the mountain serpentine. The cafe Alex guided us to for a lunch had a pleasant view and was a true cherry on top. Highly recommend it! -Thanks

This was a great day trip and good value for money. The tour guide was amazing and shared lots of knowledge and facts and the driver had amazing driving skills to get to the little villages.

We absolutely loved this tour, so much to see, learn and do! The history of the island, the pine trees that supply the water to the island, Teide and villages. Sebastian our tour guide was incredibly informative and looked after us from beginning to end, making sure we could enjoy some of the local wine and liquors. Our most favourite stop and certainly the most memorable was Masca Valley, a quaint little village, once home to pirates, with bars, shops and locals selling fruit and jam. If you do fancy seeing this village, I suggest you go on this tour, the single road to it and leaving it, is pretty tricky, but Jose certainly had the skills and whatnot to master the turns up this steep road. Certainly a tour we very much enjoyed and meet folk on the tour to have a laugh with and get to know.

We absolutely loved this tour, so much to see, learn and do! The history of the island, the pine trees that supply the water to the island, Teide and villages. Sebastian our tour guide was incredibly informative and looked after us from beginning to end, making sure we could enjoy some of the local wine and liquors. Our most favourite stop and certainly the most memorable was Masca Valley, a quaint little village, once home to pirates, with bars, shops and locals selling fruit and jam. If you do fancy seeing this village, I suggest you go on this tour, the single road to it and leaving it, is pretty tricky, but Jose certainly had the skills and whatnot to master the turns up this steep road. Certainly a tour we very much enjoyed and meet folk on the tour to have a laugh with and get to know.

Very well organised and informative tour! Highly recommend for an overview of Tenerife and what it has to offer!

A really good and enjoyable day. Best go with an open mind as trip is flexible to suit group, roads, busyness. Though little time at each stop it was enough to have a look around and ensured we saw lots of places. The commentary of where we were travelling made the journey go quickly and educational. Alesandro was very friendly and knowledgeable and shared own personal stories along with facts and figures and information about agriculture, economy, tourism, culture, biodiversity. A very different Tenerife to the tourist areas. Didn’t expect to be taken to a restaurant for lunch where a Set 3 course meal and drink for 16e’s was had. Catered for vegans and very good value. Chance to mix with others in Group. On a 35 seater coach and so glad not any bigger. Very comfortable. The roads into and out of Masa were an experience and our new driver was excellent. No additional charges as none of places visited had entrance fees so don’t be drawn into other tours that charge double this. This was excellent value for money and very enjoyable. Good communications a easy pick up/ drop off.

I really enjoyed the excursion and such great value and the guide and drivers were excellent and so friendly and efficient and well informed :)

The Park National, wonderful. Coffee at Vilaflor, Garachico (impressive) and the heart stopping drive to Mosca - the tour leader was well informed and the driver was amazing. Thanks for a great day

Superb tour with excellent guideSights and views on the tour were amazing and the commentary given by the guide were extremely good

Amazing day out. Tour guide was brilliant and the coach driver was so experienced driving around the mountain roads. This trip is a must if you want to see the mountain roads.

the tour guide was interesting and friendly. we enjoyed the day and felt it was good value for money although i felt that if the coach was cooler i’d have experienced less motion sickness. great way to see the less accessible parts of the island if you don’t have a hire car. id make sure to book on a day with better weather if you want to see the volcanoes better etc (it was very rainy when we went today).

This has to be the worst tour we have ever been on. We were promised a quality air conditioned coach, but what we ended up with was a clapped out coach with no AC, if you were frail at the back of the bus god help you. We were forced to sit apart due to lack of seats. It was a 9 hour tour with minimal time at each stop . We set off at 8.30am, got back at 6pm, and the longest stop was 1 hour for lunch, all other stops were 20 mins. Forgot to mention the speakers don't work at the back of the bus, and the engine noise drowned out any chance of hearing the host. Finally, the emergency exit was held closed by rope. Avoid this tour and company like the plague, shocking.

Really must seen! It was a great trip seeing Teide landscapes and following to Masca by really narrow and scarry mountain roads. It was a great experience! You can see island as it best! Unforgetable day! We were lucky to take first left places just after the driver. Recomend them really as you have very brave driver Oval at the front and great and super positive Sandra from the right who will fulfill you with energy thru all the trip. The only thing could be better if we will stop at each stop for an hour not for 25 minutes. Especially at Masca, you can't feel the place for so quick. Sandra thank you sooooo much for the day and great experience! And Johny Oval too! Hope too come back some time! Lots of love! ❤

I went to see my son and he took it upon himself to show me places outside of the strictly touristy ones.

Very informative day. Very interesting. Small villages, winding roads to the foot of the volcano, through lava fields... A very good lunch, we had a very beautiful day. A big thank you to Julio who drove us well through the mountains. Breathtaking scenery. Thanks to our guide whose name I am sorry to have forgotten but who is absolutely not Maria-Luisa 😉😂. Bravo for his patience and for speaking so many languages. 4 stars instead of 5 (that's just personal) It's a long day on the bus, for those who might not like that.

It was one of the most beautiful experiences we have ever had; finally, everything we have seen in documentaries or in painters' paintings has become a memory to cherish. Our tour operator was Anita, very kind and very helpful, who explained clearly to us what we would be visiting and provided us with all the directions on time. The next day the driver and the guide arrived on time and were precise in picking us up and gave us some great thrills: the driver was excellent, he drove calmly and carefully throughout the trip and was always concerned about the condition of us passengers since it was a very long trip, the guide was very well-prepared, kind, cheerful, and friendly. A tasting of typical products was also included in the experience; an experience not to be missed! Infinite thanks

Hello, I want to express my great gratitude to guide Maria, for the very interesting information provided, professionally with humor and answers to all the related questions, as well as for the advice on which places to visit, what to try, where to buy, etc. I was on vacation with my son and a friend in May-June 2026. First we went to La Gomera Island and then we wanted to visit with Maria another excursion which included a trip to the Teide volcano, a visit to Karachico and an incredible road to the village of Masca. It was just a magical, extraordinary journey with a changing climate, incredible nature, endless ocean, delicious cuisine, entertainment for all tastes and endless souvenirs. Good luck to you ,we will definitely come ;)

An incredible experience between two very distinct worlds both on the climate and the history and environment between the south and the north of the island ..a hyper interesting guide who knows well the places and history of the island..a very rich excursion ..

We are two cousins of alicante, the experience with Jonathan and Arancha perfect, the fatal excursion spoiled the bus having to wait for another bus and we could not see things in conditions.