About the Island

Tenerife is the largest of the 7 Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain located off the southwest coast of Morocco. The island is known as one of the best winter destination for Europeans, as it has warm weather year round, particularly on the south side of the island.

Tenerife is incredibly diverse in terms of landscape from the north to the south. In the north, the lush greenery of the laurel forests is incredibly enticing to hikers with fairytale wanderlust. The south side is much more rocky and volcanic, and hosts the islands more popular sandy beaches. We highly encourage our volunteers to get out and explore the island during their weekend free time, and we also have set days during the week for adventure trips as well. We are very lucky to have strong relationships with many of the activity businesses on the island, and they give our volunteers discounts on different fun things for our volunteers to experience!

Activities

Adventure

Mt. Teide

Standing at 3,718 meters, Mount Teide is the third highest volcano in the world, and it attracts a variety of adventurous vacationers to climb to its summit. The trek takes about 7 hours to reach the top, and for the way down, climbers can use the cable car for an easy descent.

Because the base of the volcano is an hour drive from our facility, we ask that volunteers fundraise for the foundation if they choose to climb it through us. Check out our page on the Teide Challenge for more information about fundraising for the climb.

Masca Bay Walk

On the west side of the island, the small town of Masca is a hidden gem in one of the most picturesque parts of all of Tenerife. Many tourists come to the village to do the hike down to the bay. The beautiful walk from the village proceeds downward through twisting ravines, lasting about 3 hours until you arrive at the bay. The bay is a beautiful place to swim and relax after the hike, and for people who do not want to make the trek back up, there are water taxis to take them to Los Gigantes where a pickup can be arranged.

Parasailing

Ever wanted to fly above the ocean with your best friends? Great! We can do that. Through AJ Fly  our volunteers can experience the thrill of parasailing with experts who guarantee a good time.

Kayaking

Through TENO ACTIVO TENERIFE we receive discounts on kayak rentals for our sporty volunteers to kayak from Los Gigantes to Masca Bay, a beautiful stretch of ocean to paddle through.

Surfing

There are many great beaches to surf at in Tenerife. El Medano is famous for always being windy with big waves, and Playa de Las Americas is also a great choice. Our volunteers can have a lesson for €20 for two hours, or rent a board and do it themselves for €5/hour

Scuba Diving

Through Zero Gravity Dive Centre located right in Puerto Colon, our volunteers have access to all they need to experience the marine life of Tenerife. Try-Dives for volunteers start at 35 euro, and if volunteers decide they enjoy diving and would like to pursue earning their open water certification, they will receive 35 euros off the cost of the course for doing a try-dive!

Laurel Forest

In the north of the Island, the laurel forest of Tenerife is the perfect place for people drawn by enchanting natural scenery. Perfect for a day spent hiking and exploring.

Leisure 

Los Cristianos Beach

With a direct connection from the Dolphin House to Los Cristianos by bus, our volunteers have easy access to the beach on their weekends off. The bus ride takes about 20 minutes and costs only €1.45 each way. There are a variety of bars and restaurants in the area to suit anyones taste.

Las Americas

Playa de Las Americas is a beach that is better for surfing than sunbathing, but the commercial area of the beach draws in plenty of tourists looking to enjoy the shopping and nightlife of Tenerife.

Culture & History

Santa Cruz

The capital city of Tenerife and the most populous city in the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz is a 45 minute drive from Arona, and can be reached by bus for volunteers who want to spend some time in the city.