Masca
The village of Masca, drowned between mountain peaks and ravines, is a popular tourist destination in Tenerife.
The tiny village with a few white houses lies under a rock outcrop in the middle of a steep valley and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside on all sides. Masca itself is 600 metres above sea level and can be reached by a winding mountain road.
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Masca resort
Apart from the spectacular views, the main tourist attraction is the trek through the Masca Gorge. A beautiful journey of about 4 hours awaits you as you descend the Masca Gorge, which is the second most popular activity you can do in Tenerife after climbing Pico del Teide.
The hiking route through the gorge starts in the picturesque mountain village of Masca and ends at the beach of the same name, a short distance from the huge Los Gigantes rock massifs, which are among the largest in Spain.
The hike takes you through a beautiful landscape of cliffs, steep slopes and flowering prickly pear trees, but it is quite challenging. It climbs over 600 metres in roughly 4 km and passes through a rugged rocky landscape. Although the trail is marked and well trodden, good sturdy shoes and plenty of water and food are a must. You have to return the same way uphill.
However, you will be rewarded with views of 100-metre cliffs dropping into the Atlantic Ocean.
Booking and entry fee
Entry to the Masca Gorge is regulated and you must make a reservation on the official website: caminobarrancodemasca.com.
The prices including the reservation fee are as follows:
- 40,66 eur - Adults over 18 years old
- 20,33 eur - children 8 to 18 years old
The price includes entry to the gorge and a return ticket on the shuttle bus from Santiago del Teide.
The shuttle bus runs approximately every 20-25 minutes from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. Return buses run from approximately 10:00 to 17:00.
The Masca Trek is only accessible on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and it is not possible to visit the trek on the other days of the week!
Tickets can be purchased for 30 minute intervals from 8:30am to 1:00pm, with a maximum of 25 places available on any single date. In high season, seats can sell out more than a week in advance.
Accommodation
Directly in Masca and the surrounding mountain villages you will find mainly smaller apartments with mostly excellent reviews. Prices here are higher than in the rest of the island and are around 73 eur per day for 2.
If you are travelling by car, parking is banned everywhere in Masca and you have to take a shuttle bus from Santiago del Teide to the gorge.
How to get there
Masca is in the west of Tenerife and can only be reached by bus. There is no parking anywhere in the village unless you are staying here and your hotel offers self-parking.
Masca is served by TITSA buses, 7-9 times a day, including weekends. Both the 355 and 365 lines connect Masca with the towns of Santiago del Teide and Buenavista del Norte, where you can change to other services around the island.
If you are travelling around Tenerife by rental car, you must park in the free car park at the cemetery (see map) in the village of Santiago del Teide.
From the centre of Santiago del Teide (about 650 metres walk from the car park) there is a shuttle bus every 20-25 minutes on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to the Masca Gorge, which is already included in the price of admission.
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https://www.canarianweekly.com/p...t-the-area
Another example of how to get money out of tourists. Good thing we made it three years ago for free
There used to be a lot of discussion in Prague that there is no discrimination within the EU and the price (entry) must be the same for all citizens. Is that no longer the case?
38€ is really excessive, but still the instafluencers will do it, even if there are better places that are free. Paying for nature is the height of desperation.