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Degollada de Cherfe · Santiago del Teide, Tenerife

Mirador de Cherfe

Everything you need to know before you go: Getting there, parking, prices, best time.

Last checked: September 2026

Common questions, answered

Does it cost anything?No, €0Open roadside viewpoint. The lay-bys are free too.
How do I get there?~5 min from SantiagoOn the TF-436 towards Masca. Bus 355 stops right at the viewpoint.Where do I park?Lay-bys at the passTwo small free lay-bys facing each other across the road.When is it best?Check fire alerts firstOn fire-alert days tourist cars are turned back on the TF-436.
From the Cherfe pass towards the Teno ridges, with La Gomera on the horizon
Photo: Edgar El, License: CC BY 3.0

The viewpoint sits on the pass at km 20.9 of the road to Masca, about 1,100 m up. Look east and you see Teide and Pico Viejo, turn round and the old Teno massif drops into the Masca gorge. There is no ticket and no building, just two lay-bys on either side of the road.

Straight talk

What to know before you go.

  • You cross the road on foot. The two lay-bys are on opposite sides of a road with no shoulder. Watch for buses coming round the bend.
  • There's nothing up here. No toilets, no water, no café. A coffee van is sometimes mentioned, but don't count on it.
  • There are two pins on Google Maps. A second pin called Mirador de Masca sits about 300 m further on. The viewpoint above the village of Masca is about 4 km from Cherfe by road.

Getting there

Cherfe is the first viewpoint on the TF-436 after Santiago del Teide, on the way to Masca and Buenavista del Norte.

By car

From Santiago del Teide
~5 min
From Los Gigantes
~20 min
From Costa Adeje
~35 min
Road
Narrow, no shoulder, many bends
  1. 01From the south coast drive up the TF-82 to Santiago del Teide. In the village turn onto the TF-436 towards Masca.
  2. 02The road climbs about 1.5 km to the pass. The viewpoint and the lay-bys are right at the top.
  3. 03Coming from Buenavista del Norte you pass Altos de Baracán and Masca first. Cherfe is the last viewpoint before Santiago del Teide.

The stretch between km 17 and 21 is among the narrowest on the TF-436, with tight bends and few passing places. In March 2026 a broken-down campervan blocked it. Pull in and out of the lay-bys slowly.

Route to the car park

Other

  • Bus 355 from Santiago del Teide

    La Cumbre is the first stop after Santiago, a few minutes up the pass. The stop has no shelter and no bench.

  • Wednesday to Saturday

    Extra buses run between Santiago del Teide and Masca in the morning, but passengers with a Masca gorge ticket board first.

  • Combine with Masca

    The same line continues to Masca village and Buenavista del Norte, so you can see both viewpoints in one trip.

  • On foot from Santiago del Teide

    About 1.4 km up the TF-436. The road has no shoulder, so it is not a pleasant walk.

Check before you go

During a fire alert the Cabildo can turn tourist and rental cars back on the TF-436 through the Teno Rural Park, and Cherfe lies inside the controlled zone. Bus 355 keeps running. In 2026 this applied from 30 July to 9 August, 9:00–16:00. Tenerife ON shows whether an alert is in force today.

Parking & arriving

Lay-bys at the pass
0 €
Two small lay-bys facing each other across the road. No official capacity is published; both are small.
Masca deck lay-by
0 €
About 300 m further towards Masca there is a second lay-by at another viewing deck.
No verge parking
The road has no shoulder. If the lay-bys are full, drive on rather than stopping on the carriageway.

On site

Two lay-bys face each other across the road at the top of the pass. From there you look east to Teide and Pico Viejo and west into the Teno ridges and the Masca gorge. A small hill next to the viewpoint is a popular photo spot.

Time there
~15–30 min
Walk from car park
a few steps from the lay-bys
Toilets
None
Food & drink
None fixed; bars in Santiago del Teide, ~1.4 km

When is it worth it?

Cherfe has no opening hours. What matters is fire alerts, buses and the light.

Rules and timetables as of September 2026. Check alerts on the day you go.

1 Jul – 30 Sep

Wildfire season. Alerts can be declared at short notice, so check the Cabildo channels before you drive up.

Sunrise and sunset

Santiago del Teide promotes the pass for both. Teide lies to the east, so evening light falls on its western side.

Forecast

    Facts

    Entry
    Source: Guides · 09/2026
    Free, open at all times
    Location
    Source: Town · 09/2026
    TF-436 km 20.9, about 1.5 km from Santiago del Teide
    Height
    Source: Cabildo · 09/2026
    About 1,100 m
    View
    Source: Town · 09/2026
    Teide, Pico Viejo and Chinyero to the east. Teno massif and Masca gorge to the west. La Gomera and La Palma on clear days
    Parking
    Source: OSM · 09/2026
    Two small free lay-bys, no official capacity
    Bus
    Source: TITSA · 09/2026
    Line 355, stop La Cumbre (4555/4556) at the viewpoint
    Protected area
    Source: Cabildo · 09/2026
    Teno Rural Park. No recreational drones
    Road information
    Source: Cabildo · 09/2026
    +34 900 210 131
    Santiago del Teide tourist office
    Source: Town · 09/2026
    +34 922 839 220

    Nearby

    Start route to the car park