Mount Teide hit by new wave of chaos and overcrowding
Mount Teide National Park is once again making headlines after another day of traffic jams, overcrowding, and poor behaviour from visitors. On Wednesday, videos shared on social media showed long lines of cars, quad bikes, motorbikes, and safari-style 4x4 tours causing congestion.
Vehicles were badly parked along the verges, people were seen urinating by the roadside, and groups crossed the busy carriageway to take photos, putting themselves and other drivers in danger.
The scenes were almost identical to those on 15th August, which was a national holiday, when similar problems caused outrage among residents, holidaymakers, and conservation groups. Despite repeated promises of new rules from the Tenerife Cabildo and the Canary Islands Government, the situation appears far from under control.
Environmental groups raise the alarm
The Tenerife Association of Friends of Nature (ATAN) published a video criticising the continued saturation of the park. The group warned that, without urgent action, “Teide will become nothing more than a theme park.”
They pointed to earlier comments made by Cabildo President Rosa Dávila, who said in May: “Teide is not a backdrop for political battles, nor a theme park, nor a protest ground, but a natural sanctuary that deserves respect and protection.”
ATAN argues that the current reality does not reflect those words, with more and more visitors putting the fragile environment under pressure.
Safari tours under scrutiny
Witnesses reported that off-road safari companies often arrive in convoys of up to a dozen vehicles, stopping to watch the sunset or the sea of clouds. At the same time, other visitors can be seen walking dangerously close to traffic or taking photos in the middle of the road.
Motorbike and quad bike groups have also been filmed racing through the area, disturbing the peace in what is meant to be a place of conservation and tranquillity.
Pressure reaching breaking point
With more than four million visitors a year, Teide is Spain’s most visited national park, and concerns over mass tourism are not new. However, conservationists say the problem is now becoming critical.
The Cabildo has announced a new management plan that will restrict private vehicle access at certain times, but critics insist that stronger enforcement is needed immediately. Proposals include limiting private cars, expanding shuttle bus services, and issuing higher fines for illegal parking.
For now, the debate continues between promoting tourism and protecting the environment. But after the latest images of overcrowding, many fear the balance is tipping dangerously towards damage and disrespect for Tenerife’s most famous natural wonder.
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