Fancy spending the night on Mount Teide and watching the sun come up from the highest point in Spain?
Well, if you’re between 16 and 35 and reasonably fit, this could be worth a look.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife Council, working with the Cabildo, is organising an overnight hike to the summit of Teide on 4 and 5 September.
And this isn’t a gentle stroll followed by a coffee and a croissant.
Starting at Montaña Blanca
The group will set off from Montaña Blanca and hike up to the Altavista Refuge, where they’ll spend the night.
Then, before sunrise, it’s back on the boots for the final climb to the summit.
The reward, assuming your legs are still speaking to you, is watching the sun rise from the top of Spain’s highest mountain.
Not a bad way to start the day.
It’s not for the faint-hearted
The organisers have made it clear that this is a high-difficulty route.
Altitude, steep terrain, cold temperatures and walking in the dark all come with the territory, so you’ll need to be in good physical condition and have the right equipment.
Still, if you’ve ever wanted to experience Teide in a completely different way, this is probably one of those things you’ll remember for a long time.
Charlín González, Santa Cruz’s youth councillor, described watching the sunrise from the summit after spending the night at Altavista as an experience that leaves a lasting impression.
I can believe it. Although I suspect your calves might remember it for a few days too.
How to apply
If you fancy joining the hike, you need to send a private message to the Santa Cruz Youth Council via their social media account:
@educacionjuventudsc
Applications are open until Thursday, 27 August at 2pm.
Places are likely to be limited, so if climbing Teide in the dark to watch the sunrise sounds like your idea of a good time, probably don’t leave it until the last minute.