The island of Tenerife is a stunning Spanish Island that offers much to do beyond the beaches. Think adventure – climbing spectacular mountain peaks, exploring verdant forests, and climbing rocks. With an average temperature of 22 degrees C (71.6 degrees F), Tenerife is a picture-perfect vacation spots for many activities, including Carnival, outdoor activities, beaches, shopping, and more. You can hire SUV cars that will handle the rough terrain for great rates online find out more here just try the link and see what good deals on car hire in Tenerife you can get. Here are some fantastic places to go exploring.
The Guimar Pyramids
There are strange terraced structures supposed to date back to the 19th century it is unsure what the pyramids where actually used for. Made from humus like earth and volcanic rocks, they could have been a form of advance agricultural planning. It has been discovered though that the spots the pyramids are built on have a special relationship to the solstices. If you stand on the largest of the pyramids during a Summer Solstice you will see a double sunset. The sun will set behind some mountains then emerge and set a second time! Do to this and the mysterious nature of their use it’s believed that the pyramids may have ties to the Freemasons. Either ancient but advanced plots of crop land, or an odd celestial clock built by a secret society the pyramids of Guimar are a rare and mysterious site that one should not miss given the chance.
Mercedes Mountains
For an adventurous day of exploration, tackle the Mercedes Mountains in the northeast tip of the Tenerife. There’s a quaint fishing village called Taganna, where you can live their life and try your hand with a rod and reel. You’ll start off at Santa Cruz, a calm yet contemporary city boasting stunning tree-lined streets to make strolling in the sun romantic and enjoyable. The city also features a big port that serves the many cruise liners that need refueling before heading on out to places such as South America and the Caribbean. Make a day of it and take your time as you climb to the Pico Ingles, where on one side you witness the magnificent green and verdant valleys with their sleepy villages, whilst the other side, you’ll see Santa Cruz, and if it’s a clear day, you’ll also see Gran Canaria.
Carnival
In Santa Cruz de Tenerife during February, there is a carnival that is only rivaled by Rio de Janeiro that you cannot miss. This is the party to end all parties that are a nonstop 24-hour party-orgy that begins in early February and lasts for about three weeks. Festivities for the 2013 Carnaval have begun with contests, costumes, and pageants. The colorful celebration has often been thought of as an opposition to Christian Lent or perhaps the crazy party before settling into Lent. The festivity has its origins in Rome at the celebrations of Lupercalia in honor of the god Pan in honor of Saturn (the god of sowing and reaping) and the god of the rave, Bacchus (god of wine). While in Tenerife during February make sure you take the time out, let your hair down and have some debauchery.
Submarine Safaris
There is an underwater experience of a lifetime awaiting the adventure in you on the island of Tenerife at Submarine Safaris. Dive down for about an hour 30m (100ft) below the unexplored waters of the Atlantic Ocean. You will sit in front of a personal viewing portal that ensures your viewing pleasure to the underworld of the ocean. Also each port has its own TV monitor to offer you more alternative views and angels also with continuous information about the submarine and the sea life you are seeing. This is the voyage you want to have if you love fish and exploring the sea.
Dolphin & Whale Spotting
Dolphin & whale spotting in Tenerife is on one of the must see events available to everyone. Tenerife lies along one of the main migration routes for whales making it a whale watchers paradise come migration season. These routes have approximately one third of the entire world’s species of whales passing through each year. Most commonly spotted sea life on these tours are, the Bottlenose Dolphins and Pilot Whales although many other whales have been seen including the rare Sperm Whale. These trips commonly take several hours and some boast a delicious buffet lunch and unlimited drinks served during the tour. While they tours can’t promise to always have the creatures able to be spotted there are some that have been doing this often enough to boast a 80-95 percent chance of seeing Whales and/or Dolphins.
Teide National Park
Created in 1954 the Teide National Park is a breathtaking landscape of prodigious ecological value which lies at the foot of the volcanic formation located on an ancient and gigantic cauldron-shaped depression. This area is home to many flora, fauna, and animal species that are unique to the Teide volcano ecosystem. The area is made up of 18.990 Hectares (46.925 acres) of land with 2 public bus routes, and many magnificent vistas. Take a moment away from the beaches, shopping, and Carnaval, and explore the explosive volcanic past of Tenerife.
