When I first heard about the Masca Gorge hike, I’ll be honest—I thought it was one of those things that gets hyped up on Instagram but turns out to be a bit underwhelming in person. Then we actually did it in early 2024, and I understood why it’s considered one of the most spectacular hikes in Tenerife. But here’s what nobody warned me about: everything changed in 2025.
If you’re planning to tackle this trail, you need to know about the new permit system, the booking requirements, and what actually happens when you’re down in that gorge. Because trust me, our family learned some of these lessons the hard way.
What actually changed in 2025
The Masca Gorge hike now requires advance permits. You can’t just show up at the trailhead anymore like we did back in 2024. The Tenerife government introduced this system to protect the environment and manage the crowds that were literally eroding the path.
You need to book through the official Tenerife tourism website, and spots fill up weeks in advance during peak season. Each permit costs around €10 per adult (kids under 12 are usually free), and you’ll need to select a specific time slot. They’re limiting it to about 200 hikers per day, which honestly makes the experience so much better than the chaos I’d heard about from people who hiked it years ago.
The permits are checked at both the start in Masca village and at the beach end if you’re doing the full descent. Rangers are actually there now, which wasn’t the case before. A British couple we met at our daughters’ school tried to sneak in without booking and got turned away after driving all the way from Los Cristianos. Don’t be those people.
The reality of hiking Masca Gorge
Let me paint you the actual picture. This isn’t a casual morning stroll. The Masca Gorge hike is a 5-7 hour commitment depending on your fitness level and how many photo stops you make (and you will make many).
You start in Masca village, which is already worth the drive—a tiny hamlet clinging to cliffsides with about 90 residents. The views on the drive alone made Gábor grip the steering wheel so hard his knuckles went white. Those hairpin turns are no joke.
The descent begins
The trail drops about 600 meters over roughly 8 kilometers to the beach. The first section is steep, rocky, and requires decent footwear. I saw a woman in sandals within the first 15 minutes, and I genuinely have no idea how she managed. Our middle daughter (15 at the time) wore her regular trainers and regretted it by kilometer two.
The path winds through the narrow gorge with sheer rock walls rising up on both sides. In some sections, you’re literally walking through a stream bed. When we went in March, there was still water flowing, which meant hopping between rocks and occasionally getting wet feet. In summer, it’s usually dry, but that brings its own challenge—the heat.
What nobody tells you about the middle section
Around the halfway point, there’s a section where the gorge narrows dramatically. The walls close in, and you’re scrambling over boulders. This is where I understood why they don’t recommend this hike for young children or anyone with mobility issues. Our youngest stayed home with Gábor’s mother for this one, and that was the right call.
There are metal cables bolted into the rock in a few places to help you navigate the trickier bits. They’re solid and safe, but if you have a fear of heights or exposed sections, this might get your heart racing. I watched a German hiker freeze up completely at one point, and it took his friends 10 minutes to talk him through it.
The logistics that actually matter
Here’s what you need to sort out before you even think about booking your Masca Gorge hike permit.
Getting there and back
This is the part that confused us initially. You can’t do a loop. You either hike down to the beach and take a boat back to Los Gigantes (then bus or taxi back to Masca for your car), or you hike down and back up the same way. Most people do the boat option because hiking back up is brutal—we met exactly two people attempting it, and they looked like they were questioning all their life choices.
The boat costs about €15-20 per person and needs to be booked in advance too. The boats leave from the small beach at the end of the gorge, and there are specific departure times. Miss your boat, and you’re either waiting hours for the next one or hiking back up. The boat company coordinates with the permit system now, which makes it easier than it used to be.
If you’re driving to Masca, start early. The parking in the village is extremely limited—maybe 20-30 spaces total. We arrived at 7:30am and still had to park on the road leading into the village. Locals have told us that by 9am, it’s often full, and you might have to turn back.
What to bring (from actual experience)
Proper hiking boots or trail shoes with ankle support. The terrain is uneven, rocky, and sometimes slippery. This isn’t negotiable.
At least 2 liters of water per person. There’s nowhere to refill once you start. We brought 1.5 liters each and ran out with about a kilometer to go. Not fun in the Tenerife sun.
Snacks with actual substance. We packed bocadillos (sandwiches) and fruit. The energy bars we brought weren’t enough. You’re burning serious calories on this hike.
Sun protection is critical. Even in the gorge, the sun reflects off the rock walls. I wore factor 50 and still got color. A hat with a brim helps too.
A dry bag or waterproof case for your phone. Even in dry season, there are sections where you might slip or need to steady yourself in water. Our neighbor María, who’s Canarian and has done this hike multiple times over the years, swears by keeping electronics protected.
Best time to actually do it
We went in March, and the weather was perfect—around 20°C, some water in the stream, wildflowers blooming. Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) are ideal for the Masca Gorge hike. Summer gets scorching hot in that gorge with no shade, and winter can bring rain that makes the rocks dangerously slippery.
Start as early as your permit allows. The 8am slots are gold. You’ll avoid the heat, get better light for photos, and have the trail relatively quiet for the first section. By midday, it’s busier and hotter.
Avoid weekends if possible. Even with the permit system limiting numbers, weekends fill up first and feel more crowded. We went on a Wednesday and it was noticeably more peaceful than friends who went on a Saturday.
The parts that surprised us
The sheer beauty of it. I know that sounds cliché, but honestly, photos don’t capture what it feels like to be inside that gorge. The scale of the rock formations, the way light filters down, the occasional palm tree growing out of seemingly solid rock—it’s genuinely stunning.
How quiet it gets in the middle sections. Despite other hikers on the trail, there are moments where you’re surrounded by nothing but rock walls and the sound of your own footsteps. It feels ancient and humbling.
The beach at the end is tiny and pebbly, not the golden sand paradise you might imagine. But after that descent, just seeing the ocean felt like an achievement. We sat there for 30 minutes before our boat, eating the last of our snacks and watching other hikers emerge from the gorge looking equally triumphant and exhausted.
What actually makes it difficult
It’s not the distance—8km isn’t that far. It’s the terrain. Constant uneven surfaces mean your ankles and knees work overtime. The scrambling sections require upper body strength and balance. And the heat, if you go in summer, can be genuinely dangerous.
Our 15-year-old daughter, who’s quite fit and active, said it was harder than she expected but totally worth it. She’s asked to do it again, which is high praise from a teenager.
The mental aspect surprised me too. There’s a point around two-thirds through where you’re committed—too far to turn back easily, still a ways from the end. You just have to keep going. Some people find that meditative; others find it stressful. Know yourself.
When you shouldn’t do this hike
If you have knee problems, the descent will wreck you. Every step is jarring on your joints. I saw people using hiking poles, which seemed to help, but if you already have issues, this might not be your hike.
If you’re not comfortable with basic scrambling or exposure, skip it. There are plenty of beautiful easier hikes in Tenerife. No shame in knowing your limits.
If it’s rained recently, seriously reconsider. A Canarian friend who works in mountain rescue told us that wet rocks in the gorge cause multiple accidents every year. The permit system will sometimes close the trail after heavy rain, but check conditions yourself too.
With very young children, it’s not suitable. The official recommendation is 12+ years, and I’d agree with that. Our youngest is 9 now, and she’s not ready for this one yet. Maybe in a couple of years.
The mistakes we made (so you don’t have to)
We didn’t book the boat far enough in advance and ended up on a later departure than ideal, which meant waiting around at the beach longer than necessary. Book the boat when you book your permit.
We underestimated how long the drive to Masca would take. The roads are incredibly winding, and you can’t rush them. Budget at least 90 minutes from Los Cristianos or Playa de las Américas, even though it’s only about 50km. We left too late and felt rushed at the start.
I wore a backpack that wasn’t properly fitted, and my shoulders paid for it. If you’re carrying water and snacks for multiple people, make sure your pack is comfortable and adjusted correctly. Gábor ended up carrying most of our stuff because my pack was digging in.
Is the Masca Gorge hike actually worth it?
Yes. Even with the new permit requirements, even with the logistics, even with the difficulty—absolutely yes. It’s one of those experiences that reminds you why you moved to Tenerife in the first place (or why you’re visiting).
The permit system, while adding an extra planning step, has genuinely improved the experience. The trail feels less trampled, the crowds are manageable, and knowing that they’re protecting this incredible natural space makes the €10 fee feel reasonable.
We’re planning to do it again next spring with our oldest daughter, who missed it the first time due to university exams. That’s how good it was—we’re voluntarily signing up to do it again.
Just go in with realistic expectations about the difficulty, sort out all your logistics in advance, and give yourself permission to take it slow. This isn’t a race. It’s one of the most spectacular hikes in the Canary Islands, and it deserves your full attention and respect.
The Masca Gorge has been carved by water over millions of years. It’ll still be there whether you rush through it or take your time. We chose to take our time, and I’m glad we did.
Photo by Joeri Mombers on Unsplash
