Paisaje Lunar and Vilaflor: trail, giant pine and village sights

Tenerife's Paisaje Lunar (Lunar Landscape) is a group of cones, towers and pinnacles of white volcanic tuff that erosion has sculpted in the pine forest of Vilaflor de Chasna, the highest village in the Canary Islands. You can only reach it on foot: the official PR-TF 72 trail starts in the centre of Vilaflor and makes a 12.9 km loop, about four hours and 778 m of cumulative ascent, according to the Tenerife tourist board's route sheet. You need no permit or ticket, but the Cabildo (the island government) closes it from 7:00 to 16:00 on mouflon control days, so check the calendar before you go.

Vilaflor de Chasna: the highest village in the Canary Islands

Vilaflor sits in the upper midlands of the south, at about 1,400 metres above sea level (the centre is around 1,415 m), surrounded by Canary pine forest.

You notice the altitude. In winter dawn brings temperatures close to zero and some years it snows; in summer the evenings are cool while the coast tops 30 degrees. The sky is usually clear because the village sits above the sea of clouds (mar de nubes, the layer of low cloud formed by the trade winds, the moist north-easterly winds), and the dry air explains the tradition of spring water and vineyards at high altitude.

To place Vilaflor among the island's other historic villages, the guide to the prettiest villages in Tenerife compares it with Garachico, Masca or La Orotava. Here we go into detail.

What to see in Vilaflor: a walking route

The centre is small and you can walk round it in an unhurried hour. A logical order, starting from the square:

Church of San Pedro Apóstol

In 1533 a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter was built here, which became a parish church in 1568; the current building dates from the 17th century and is listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural (a protected heritage site). It is one of the oldest churches in southern Tenerife. In front stand three cypresses that, according to local tradition, were planted by Hermano Pedro. The square is also the starting point of the trail to the Paisaje Lunar.

Hermano Pedro and his sanctuary

Pedro de San José de Betancur was born in Vilaflor in 1626, emigrated to Guatemala, where he founded the Bethlemite order to serve the sick and the poor, and died there in 1667. In 2002 he was canonised as the first Canarian saint, and 2026 marks 400 years since his birth. On the site of the house where he was born stands the sanctuary of Santo Hermano Pedro, begun in 1776 and not completed until 2002. The cave where he sheltered with his livestock, another place of pilgrimage, is not in Vilaflor but in Granadilla de Abona, near Tenerife South airport.

Pino Gordo and Pino de las Dos Pernadas

On the way out of the village towards Teide, at the spot called Los Paredones, stands the Pino Gordo (Fat Pine): a Canary pine about 45 metres tall with a girth of just over 9 metres, which the Guía Repsol puts at 700 to 800 years old and credits with the thickest trunk of its species in Spain. About 200 metres away grows the Pino de las Dos Pernadas, a twin-trunked pine that is even taller.

The Paisaje Lunar trail (PR-TF 72)

The Paisaje Lunar, which appears on maps as Los Escurriales, lies within the Corona Forestal Natural Park. The formations are layers of compacted ash and pumice (tuff) that water has carved into white and ochre cones and columns, surrounded by pines. They have been fenced off for years: you view them from the trail's viewpoint, and it is forbidden to go down into the ravine or walk on them.

Practical details

Start and finish: centre of Vilaflor, next to the church of San Pedro. Loop.
Distance: 12.9 km. Cumulative elevation: 778 m up and the same down.
Altitude: between 1,381 and 1,967 m. Duration: about 4 hours according to the official sheet; allow five with stops.
Difficulty: moderate. Permit: no. Price: free.
Water and shade: pine-forest shade for much of the route, no reliable springs. Carry at least a litre and a half per person.
Waymarking: white and yellow short-distance trail marks; it links with the GR 131 and with the PR-TF 83 from Altos de Granadilla.

The route

The climb follows part of the old Camino Real de Chasna, which linked the south with La Orotava over the mountains. You gain height among pines on a surface of picón (volcanic gravel) and loose stone, pass Casa Galindo, an old forestry house, and reach the Los Escurriales viewpoint, facing the white pinnacles. The return to Vilaflor retraces much of the way up.

The short access from the TF-21

There is a much shorter variant that starts from the TF-21 above the village, in the Lomo Blanco area and the Madre del Agua track (around kilometre 64), and reaches the viewpoint in less time. The Madre del Agua track is listed in the Cabildo's catalogue of forest tracks and its use by vehicle is subject to the track regulations; it is not suitable for hire cars. It is not signposted as an official access route: carry the route downloaded.

Closures: mouflon, wildfires and wind

Mouflon control: every year the Cabildo organises control days for this introduced species, which damages the flora of Teide and the high mountains. On those days it closes several trails in the area from 7:00 to 16:00, including the PR-TF 72 and the routes through the Vilaflor pine forest. As of October 2026 there were days announced for late October and November: check the exact dates in the Tenerife ON notices.
Wildfire alerts: in summer the Cabildo activates wildfire-risk measures that ban fire and can close tracks, picnic areas and trails. The major fire of August 2023 was concentrated on the central ridge and the slopes of the north and the Güímar valley; the PR-TF 72 is listed as open on the official sheet, although the Paisaje Lunar pine forest did partly burn in a 2018 fire and now looks recovered.
Wind and cold: with a wind alert the high-mountain trails close. In winter there can be frost on the upper section.

These rules apply to all the island's protected areas; the guide to rules, quotas and drones in Tenerife's protected areas explains them together.

Water, honey and high-altitude wine

Vilaflor is a land of springs: Fuentealta mineral water, found on almost every table in the Canary Islands, is bottled in the municipality.

The vineyards are the other hallmark. Vilaflor belongs to the Abona Designation of Origin, and the highest vineyards in Spain are grown here, at around 1,500 metres and above, on picón soils that retain moisture. They produce fresh, high-acidity white wines, with later harvests than on the coast. The local wineries and how to visit them are in the guide to wine tourism in Tenerife; for the context of the five designations, see Tenerife wine.

On the square and along the road there are bars and restaurants serving mountain cooking: potajes (hearty stews), goat meat, cheese with honey and mojo. Traditional sweets include almond cakes and rosquetes (ring biscuits).

Vilaflor, the southern gateway to Teide

The TF-21 runs through the village and climbs through the pine forest to Boca Tauce, the southern entrance to Las Cañadas, in just over half an hour. Along the way you pass the Las Lajas picnic area (turn-off at kilometre 58.2), with tables and short trails, and several viewpoints over the south coast.

If you plan to climb the peak, combine the morning at the Paisaje Lunar with the ascent the next day: you will not have time for both in one day. Access to the summit requires a booking; details are in the permit to climb Teide peak, and the rest of the park in the Teide National Park guide.

Getting there and parking

By car from the south: TF-51 from La Camella (Arona) or TF-21 from Granadilla de Abona; around 30 minutes from Tenerife South airport and 40 from Costa Adeje. A winding mountain road but with a good surface.
Parking: in the streets of the centre and around the square, free. At weekends by mid-morning it is hard to find a space: arrive before 9:30 if you are doing the trail.
By bus: TITSA line 342 (Costa Adeje–Los Cristianos–Vilaflor–Teide) passes through Vilaflor with one daily departure up in the morning and return in the mid-afternoon. The 482 links Los Cristianos and Arona with Vilaflor in about 40 minutes, with few services at weekends. Check timetables on the TITSA website.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the best time: mild temperatures, clear skies and less risk of a wildfire alert. In summer, start the trail before 9:00. In winter take warm clothing and check whether there is ice higher up.

Main festivals: Santo Hermano Pedro, around 24 April, with special events in 2026, the 400th anniversary of his birth; Corpus Christi in June; and San Roque and San Agustín in the second half of August.

Staying in Vilaflor: who it suits

The municipality has rural accommodation and a little hotel provision. It makes sense for hikers who want the Paisaje Lunar and Teide without driving up from the coast, for anyone looking for cool nights in summer, and for astronomy enthusiasts, because the sky is very dark. It is not a good base if your plan is the beach: it is 40 minutes from any sandy beach. The island's accommodation areas are compared in where to stay in Tenerife.

Common mistakes

Going without checking the mouflon calendar and finding the trail closed until 16:00.
Driving up to the Paisaje Lunar in a hire car on the dirt track: as well as the track rules, hire contracts usually exclude unpaved roads.
Entering the fenced area to take photos: it is forbidden and erodes the formations.
Allowing two hours for the full route: it takes at least four.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a permit to visit the Paisaje Lunar?

No. The PR-TF 72 is an official, free trail with no booking. What you should check on Tenerife ON is that your visit does not coincide with a mouflon control day or a wildfire or wind alert, which close the trail.

How long does it take to reach the Paisaje Lunar from Vilaflor?

The full 12.9 km loop takes about four hours according to the official sheet, of which just over half is uphill. With stops, allow five. The short variant from the TF-21 cuts the time considerably, but it is not signposted as an official access route.

Can you visit the Paisaje Lunar with children?

With children used to walking, yes, from about ten years old: the elevation gain is almost 800 metres and there is no water along the route.

Is Vilaflor the highest village in Spain?

It is the highest in the Canary Islands, at about 1,400 metres. On the mainland there are settlements at higher altitude, such as Valdelinares, in Teruel, at almost 1,700 metres, so the title is limited to the archipelago. What Vilaflor does have is the highest-altitude vineyards in Spain.

Can you get to Vilaflor by bus?

Yes. The 482 comes up from Los Cristianos and Arona, and the 342, which goes to Teide, passes through the village with one daily departure. To do the full route and return by bus the same day, check the return times first.

Paisaje Lunar and Vilaflor: trail, giant pine and village sights

Vilaflor de Chasna: the highest village in the Canary Islands