TF-8 Afur Circular Trail: Guide to the Most Popular and Best Anaga Hike

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WHY TRUST THIS INFORMATION? I hiked A LOT, including a quest to hike all Anaga trails during our family’s year in Tenerife. This and other articles are based on personal experience, while hiking alone and with our kids.

TF-8 ‘Business Card’

There’s a reason why the TF-8 is the most popular and probably the best of all Anaga hiking trails by popular judgment.
No other trail offers such a balanced cross-section of everything the nature park has to offer – scenic views, villages, ocean walk, diverse flora, visit to Anaga peaks, even a wine-growing region – in one hike.
The TF-8 trail is also easier to access compared another iconic hike – the TF-6 Chamorga trail. TF-8 is circular, allowing hikers to arrive and depart by car from the same location.
If you have time for just one hike in Tenerife, the TF-8 is probably it!

TF-8 Ranking Among Other Anaga Hiking Trails

If you do not want to do further research, below is an overview of all Anaga hiking trails ranked from best to not so impressive.

This rating should be useful for the average hiker, travelling without children and not having any health issues or low physical form. If you are looking for a list of trails arranged by ease, child-friendliness and other criteria, read this article about all Anaga Rural Park hiking trails.

Map of TF-8 trail

The TF-8 trail is marked in red on the above map. It makes a loop and connects the Afur village, Casa Forestal, Taganana village, and Playa de Tamadite.

The TF-8 trail connects to the TF-9 “Three vilages” trail in the Afur village. And it connects with the TF-4 trail in the Taganana village.

The above trail length and elevation numbers are based on my GPS watch readings when doing the trail. They may differ from figures in information of the Anaga Rural Park Administration. In general, there was at least a slight discprepancy between official and hikers’ GPS readings for most Anaga trails.

Our TF-8 Hike Video

We still haven’t finished our TF-8 hike video. You are welcome to check out videos of all other official Anaga hiking trails from TF-1 to TF-12.

If you have any questions about this hike, please leave them in a comment below and we’ll respond ASAP.

This article describes the trail as done from Afur towards Casa Forestal. If you decide to do the trail in the opposite direction from Afur to Playa Tamadite, make the necessary planning adjustments.

Why Is the TF-8 Trail Worth Hiking?

Below is a visual introduction to the TF-8 trail, however, if amazing nature is not enough, I’ll summarize the main rational arguments for doing this hike.

• TF-8 has the best cross-section of what the Anaga Rural Park has to offer in one trail.
• You get to visit two large villages – Taganana and Afur, and several smaller dwellings.
• There’s an ocean walk that begins with a nice tour through a historic wine-growing and wine-making region, complete with original wine presses.
• Section between the Afur village and Playa del Tamadite has an impressive “collection” of geologic phenomena: a lava dike, outcrop of semi-formed basalt columns, lava plugs, among other things.
• TF-8 brings you both to the highest peaks of Anaga and to the ocean coast.
• TF-8 connects with two other trails. The TF-9 trail has one of its ends in the Afur village, and the TF-8 intersects with the TF-3 trail in a short stretch near Casa Forestal or the Forest Warden’s house.

HOW TO MAKE SENSE OF ANAGA TRAILS? WHICH TO CHOOSE?

There are 12 official trails in the Anaga Rural Park in the North of Tenerife.

These trails are numbered from TF-1 to TF-12 and some have additional sections like TF-6.3 to add variety to your hikes or connect trails or villages with car parking locations and bus stops.

The internet is full of Anaga trail suggestions that present a segment of these 12 trails as a unique trail, confusing both novice and experienced hikers.

The table above provides a useful overview of the 12 trails. You should also read our Guide to All Official Routes in the Anaga Rural Park.

Hiking Trails in the Anaga Rural Park: Guide to All Official Routes

Visual TF-8 Trail Guide and Key Landmarks

You can start the TF-8 hike in two other locations – Taganana, Casa Forestal – but we highly recommend you start in the Afur village.

Afur village

While the village is small, it has a bus stop and one of the largest parking lots in Anaga. Afur is served by public transport bus 076 which connects it with the La Laguna Intercambiador (Bus Terminal).

Either when you arrive at or leave Afur, be sure to visit the village cafe Casa José Cañón. It’s served by a local gentleman and has a wide assortment of fizzy and alcoholic drinks, as well as some sandwiches and snacks. Despite not talking in English, Mr Cañón is very communicative and will make you feel welcome. He doesn’t mind if you ask him for a selfie or take a pic inside the cafe.

Issue with trail signs in Afur

There is an issue with TF-8 trail markings in the Afur village.

There are two poles like in the picture short distance from each other. Both of them seem to indicate direction of the TF-8 trail, but one of them will actually put you on the TF-9 trail to the Las Carboneras village.

You have to choose the trail that says both TF-9 and “Casa Forestal”. I have no idea why no one has corrected this mistake.

Beginning of the hike

If you are on a path like this shortly after Afur, you’re doing the right hike. Casa Forestal, the end of the initial hike, is one of the three smaller “bumps” up on the ridge.

The TF-9 trail to Las Carboneras starts with a concrete pedestrian path over a small creek, like in the picture above, which also shows you some of the Afur village houses. However, don’t take this path if you want to do the TF-8, and rather stay on the trail to the left and going up.

And another view of the Afur village as you ascent up to Casa Forestal. This is generally a good tip for Anaga – regularly look backwards, as the views behind you might be just as good as the ones ahead of you. Approach to Playa del Tamadite is hidden by the greener ridge.

The forest path up to Casa Forestal is in very good condition. Not all of it is like this, there are some less attractive stretches, and you also have to cross paved roads several times. So – enjoy when you see a particularly beautiful spot.

The nature on the trail is very … I’m running out of good adjectives to describe everything so as not to use ‘picturesque’ and ‘scenic’ in every sentence. One of the appropriate adjectives is also ‘colorful’ as in the picture above. Particularly, if you will hike after rain, or early after morning mists or fog.

On the TF-8 you’ll also see views like this. Pictures with what is called the “magic forest” are usually used for the Sendero El Pijaral (TF-7) marketing, but it’s not the only trail with mossy trees. You’ll get plenty “magic” ambience also on the TF-8.

Casa Forestal (Forest Warden’s House)

This is what the ‘Casa Forestal’ or Forest Warden’s house looks like. You’ll reach it after the main ascent from Afur, when there’s a short section of the Trail on the TF-12 road. Casa Forestal marks the location where you have to start your descent down to the Taganana village.

Casa Forestal is another location where you can start the TF-8 trail as well as the TF-3 circular trail to Valle Brosque and back. However, there are definitively more complaints about car at Casa Forestal compared to most other locations. If you choose to leave your car here, definitively leave nothing inside it that might spark a thieve’s interest.

Las Vueltas section to Taganana

Another useful note – the TF-8 section between Casa Forestal and Taganana is also branded as the Las Vueltas trail. This is a short approximately 1.3 miles / 2km descent to village on a rocky trail. I’d clasify this stretch as safe for children, and a nice alternative to the Sendero el Pijaral, TF-4 and Sendero de Los Sentidos child-friendly trails.

After Casa Forestal you’ll have to walk uphill until you’ll reach this crossroads with a shepherds’ refuge from the elements. This is where the TF-8 and TF-3 trails split, with the TF-8 going downhill to the Taganana village.

This is what the trail down to Taganana looks like. You can see the curve on the right side of the image. There are many of these on this stretch of the tF-8 to ensure that the path is not too steep.

Our kids walking down to Taganana and enjoying the giant ferns and looking for roly-polies.

Occasionally on the descent you’ll get glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean and the Taganana village.

Taganana village

As you descend the Las Vueltas stretch of the Anaga TF-8 circular trail, pay attention to the information plaques. In this one you’ll find out about the 300-year-old abandoned priest’s house and what is possibly the oldest dragon tree in the whole of Anaga Rural Park.

This is a noteworthy dragon tree on par with the Icod de los Vinos “thousand-years-old” dragon tree which is actually most likely only around 400 years old. So – when hiking the TF-8 trail you can pay a visit to a close contender for the title of “Tenerife’s most famous tree”.

Where to eat in Taganana

If you prefer a nicer meal while hiking, the sole place we really recommend on the trail is the Casa Bibi y Mana guachinche in Taganana. This place is frequented by a lot of locals in additional to tourists, which is always a good sign. It can be crowded around noon, but turnover is relatively fast if you are ready to wait a bit. Location and contact information is provided further in the article.

By the way, on top of Taganana you can observe one of the largest lava plugs in Anaga.

El Chorro (Los Auchones) historic wine-making region

Right after Taganana you are for another nice section of the trail- the historic wine making region of El Chorro, also known as Los Auchones. It used to really thrive in the 16th and 17th centuries, but wine is still being made there today. El Chorro is a string of clusters of houses that has a very nice historic, traditional vibe to it.

El Chorro has one very specific attraction – historic wine presses. Supposedly there are around 16 of them scattered around, but most are really hard to find. Here’s a few I managed to locate.

As you go through El Chorro, again, look back. There will be beautiful panoramas of the Anaga mountains when looking back towards Taganana.

Ocean walk (formally closed section of the TF-8 trail)

Shortly after El Chorro you’ll come upon a warning sign that the TF-8 trail section until Playa del Tamadite is closed. As in the case of TF-6 trail’s ocean walk section, there have been some landslides and the trail is not completely restored, hence, park administration has chosen to erect this warning sign. However, we found the trail totally walkable. You can see what the damaged trail sections look like in the video (once I’ve finished it).

This is what the TF-8 ocean walk section mostly looks like. It’s a very pleasant walk until Playa del Tamadite.

Playa del Tamadite

Playa del Tamadite as you descend from the direction of Taganana. From here it’s approximatelly 1.8 miles / 2.5 km until Afur, with a bit of uphill climbing through a scenic barranco.

While the Playa del Tamadite beach is not for swimming due to the strong waves, currents, and sharp rocks, during the colder months of the year there’s a swimmable sweet water pond about 300 yards / meters from the beach.

Return from Playa del Tamadite to Afur Village

This is the barranco or ravine as you return back to the Afur village. It’s probably our favorite stretch of the TF-8 trail. I’ve hiked the whole trail twice, and just this bit with my kids several times. We recommend the Afur – Playa del Tamadite TF-8 section to families with children and people who want to experience the best of Anaga without much hiking and strenuous exercise.

While it’s not a “Sunday stroll in the park”, the hike until Playa del Tamadite is not too difficult either and quite safe. There are only a few sections with steep drops. We found that the most dangerous bit was gravel on some descents that was very slippery.

As you and the hike in the Afur village, if you didn’t do so at the start, remember to visit the Casa de Jose Canon for a drink or a snack.

How to Get to the Trail Head in Afur

By Car

The shortest way to get to Afur goes through La Laguna on the winding but picturesque TF-12 road that also allows you to reach Cruz del Carmen and the Anaga Tourist Information Centre.

It takes 35-40 minutes to drive from La Laguna to Afur, and 45-50 minutes to reach Afur from Santa Cruz. You can also choose the TF-11 road that goes past the Las Teresitas beach, but that takes at least one hour from Santa Cruz and even longer from La Laguna.

All major car navigation apps – Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze – work well in Anaga, but always exercise caution, especially, if you go off paved roads. We liked to use navigation apps when driving in Anaga, as they allowed to prepare for particularly sharp turns.

Also watch out for the usual “road idiots”. While locals are extremely polite and will wait for a safe stretch of road to overtake you, the same cannot be said about tourists. This particularly applies to motorcyclists who’ve rented powerful bikes and often use Anaga roads as a racetrack of sorts without regard for their own safety or that of others, as you can see in the video above.

By Bus

Public transportation by bus (called “gua gua” on the island) is an option to get to and from Afur. While using a bus to get to the trailhead of the TF-8 is the more sustainable option, it does require some flexibility and planning, as the schedules are often limited to remote locations, particularly, in Anaga.

To reach Afur from La Laguna Intercambiador (Bus Terminal), you will take bus 076. The ride will take approximatelly 50 minutes. There are 5 buses on working days, and only 3 during weekends and festive days.

WORKING DAYS

WEEKENDS AND FESTIVE DAYS

Check the Titsa website for the current bus 076 running schedules between La Laguna and Afur. The ticket price is around 2 euros.

From our experience, you can trust public transport connections and schedules on Google Maps. If a bust does not arrive on time, it is most often just delayed.

Hiking with a Guide

For those who prefer a guided excursion, there are local companies offering guided hikes on the TF-8 trail and other trails in Anaga.

We had a very good experience with getting guides through the Get Your Guide website. I’ve reviewed one of these experiences – canyoning in the Barranco de Los Arcos ravine. Several guided Anaga hikes and other Tenerife experiences are shown below, but you can find many more on the platform.

— Guided tours on GetYourGuide.com —

— Guided tours on GetYourGuide.com —

These organized tours provide certified and knowledgeable guides who can share the area’s history, flora, and fauna while ensuring the group stays on the right path. Additionally, they often offer transportation directly from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Laguna or even South of the island. This eliminates the need to drive on the narrow mountain roads yourself.

Guides can also be found through the Tenerife Hiking Community Facebook group. Hiking with a guide can be a great option for those looking for a more structured and informative experience on the trail. All local certified guides found through Get Your Guide or other channels will provide insurance for participants during the hike.

PACKING LIST FOR HIKING IN ANAGA

Food and Hydration

When preparing for a hike in the Anaga Rural Park, it is important to ensure you have enough water and food (in that order). Sufficient amount of water is particularly important during the hot season month of May-September as many of the best Anaga trails have large sections in open terrain without tree coverage.

Our suggestions for food items to bring along include:

• Sandwiches. Some towns and villages have restaurants and small cafes. However, there are trails that are less well served. Better to come prepared.
• Trail mix of nuts, dried fruits, and seeds to provide a quick energy boost.
• Bananas and other fresh fruits. Apples and oranges are also good choices as they stand up to heat and don’t get easily bruised.
• Energy bars and energy gels with sodium. Need for these will depend on your physiology and length of the hike, however, I would suggest to take along at least a few energy bars or sodium (and caffeine) gels in this trail to compensate sweat loss, avoid leg cramps and give an extra energy boost. If you haven’t hiked steeper hills in very hot climate before, be ready for significantly higher energy and fluid loss. You can stock up on these in the La Laguna Decathlon.

For hydration, it is vital to carry enough water or other liquids to last the duration of the hike. It is best to assume that there are no water sources en route (very few trails have a cafe on them, and even fewer have a pottable water fountain). A general guideline is to bring 0.5 to 1 liter of water per hour of hiking, depending on personal needs. I personally took 2-3 liters per hike and generally consumed it all by the end of a trail. It might be more during summer months, and less if you’ll hike in the November-March period or are a smaller person.

Equipment

While the necessary gear for hiking largely depends on individual preferences, we’d classify the following as necessary items on hikes in the Anaga Rural Park (in priority order):

• Comfortable hiking shoes and hiking socks. Hiking boots are not necessary, but definitely get hiking shoes with a good protector and toe protection. Hiking boots might be particularly uncomfortable during the hot season from May to September. We’re quite fond of the Salomon, Merrel, and Hoka trail shoes.
• Water flask or “camelback”. If you use a water flask, carry with you a sufficient amount of water for refills.
• Hiking backpack. A lightweight one-day backpack with comfortable straps will allow you to carry all necessary items during the hike.
• Sun protection. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat to shield you from the sun during the hike.
• Power bank to charge your phone, as most people take a lot of pictures and videos when hiking in Anaga. You also should have your phone charged in case you need to call for help, although phone coverage can be spotty on this trail.
• First aid kit. A basic kit with band-aids, pain relievers, and any necessary personal medications can help with minor injuries or illnesses.
• Rain gear (necessary only in the December-February period).

Optional gear:

• GPS watch or a GPS device. This will save your phone battery even if you’re not a ‘quantified self’ zealot.
• Walking sticks, if you are used to them or your sense of balance is not that good.

Navigation on the Trail

Markings

All Anaga trails are well-marked with the typical white-and-yellow flag signs painted on rocks and other objects in places where there’s a chance you might choose the wrong direction. While most Anaga trails are easily navigated even without a map or a GPS device, we recommend to have a trail map on your phone and periodically check if you’re on the right path.

Some trails like TF-11, TF-8, TF-2 and TF-4 have spots where the navigation flags are not easily visible and you can take a wrong turn relatively easily. Our favorite GPS apps were Maps.me and Wikiloc, but others like AllTrails and Komoot are also widely used.

Be sure to download the necessary maps and routes before starting your hike. While there is phone reception on most routes, data connection is frequently a problem.

Facilities on the Trail (Cafes, WCs)

• Casa José Cañón in Afur. Serves only drinks and light snacks.
• Guachinche Bibi y Mana is our recommended spot in Taganana. There are at least two other Ok eateries in Taganana, but we’d suggest to go there if Bibi y Mana is closed. If you plan to eat out while doing the TF-8, this is a good spot as it’s roughly half way and only slightly off the trail in the village.
• Taganana also has a small no-name shop that sells groceries and various household items.

Safety

General Tips

Summer: During the summer months, we recommend bringing plenty of water, sunscreen, and wearing appropriate headgear and clothing to protect against the sun. The heat can be very intense, so it’s essential to shield yourself, stay hydrated and take breaks when needed.

Rainy Season: In the rainy season, the trails can become slippery and more prone to landslides. Wear shoes with good traction, bring a rain jacket or a rain poncho, and be prepared for sudden changes in weather conditions. Remember that the temperature on average decreases by 1.8 degrees F / 1 degree C for every 100 vertical yards / vertical meters. If the temperature is still pleasant at ocean level in Santa Cruz, it can be quite cold when arriving higher in the Agana mountains.

Closed Sections of the Trail

The TF-8 has an officially closed section between Casserio de los Auchones (1 mile / 1.6 km after Taganana) and Playa del Tamadite. However, this section can be hiked without any issues.

You only have to avoid this section during and after rainfall and heavy rain. But the same advice applies to all other trails even if these don’t have officially closed sections. Inquire with the Tenerife Hiking Community on Facebook before your hike.

Do You Need a Permit to Hike the TF-8?

No permit is required to hike the TF-8 trail.

Only Sendero el Pijaral (former TF-7 trail) requires a free permit in the Anaga Rural Park.

Do You Need a Guide to Hike the TF-8?

Hiring a guide to hike the TF-8 trail is not required, as the trail is well-marked and easy to follow. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the area or prefer having someone knowledgeable about the terrain and flora/fauna, hiring a guide can be a helpful option.

Dangerous Animals and Plants

Tenerife has no dangerous fauna, and very few somewhat dangerous plants that can cause skin and eye irritation. These are not an issue on the TF-8 trail.

If you hear something rustling in the grass, it’s just a family of lizards, as there are no snakes on the island (thank god!).

Can You Hike the TF-8 with Children?

Doing the whole TF-8 trail with children is not the best choice due to the long ascent around Casa Forestal. If you want to hike in this region of Anaga with kids, do just the segment between the Afur village and Playa del Tamatide, and then return to Afur. Or – choose another child-friendly trail in Anaga like the TF-4, TF-5 or the super easy and short Sendero de los Sentidos.

Mouflon Hunting

Mouflon hunting may rarely take place in the Anaga Rural Park. If it’s planned or ongoing, there will be signs at the trailhead and at regular intervals. Choose another trail if mouflon hunting is ongoing.

Forest Fire Warnings

Forest fires can be a risk in the Anaga Rural Park, especially during the hot season. There are years when the trails are closed for days or weeks due to forest fires or their risk.

Locals will be aware of the current situation so ask them. Also – there usually are signs at the trail heads if you have missed the warnings in news.

USEFUL RESOURCES FOR HIKING IN ANAGA RURAL PARK

Tenerife Hiking Community on Facebook

We recommend joining the Tenerife Hiking Community on Facebook to connect with fellow hikers and gather useful information before embarking on your hike in Parque Rural de Anaga. This online community shares helpful tips, experiences, and suggestions from those who’ve previously explored the various trails in Tenerife and other Canary Islands.

Cruz del Carmen Tourist Information Centre

We found it very useful to visit the offical Anaga Rural Park Information Centre (Centro de Visitantes del Parque Rural de Anaga) at Cruz del Carmen close to the park border when driving from La Laguna.

The centre has English-speaking and very competent staff. You can also obtain a printed leaflet for each of the Anaga trails there (if they haven’t run out of these), as well as an excellent material about all trails on one sheet.

Visiting the centre is an excellent way to make a last check whether the information you have gathered online corresponds to reality on the ground in Tenerife.

Address: Barrio Cruz Carmen, 2, La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain (Google Maps location)

Working hours: every day from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM.

Cruz del Carmen is the starting location of the child-friendly Path of the Senses (Sendero de los Sentidos), end-point of the TF-1 trail that comes up from the Las Mercedes village, as well as the more serious TF-10, TF-11, and TF-12 trails.

Hiking Gear Shops

If you are missing some hiking or running equipment or are looking for a possible impulse buy, we recommend you stop by at the Tenerife Outdoor La Laguna store. This is the best hiking and camping gear shop in the North of the island, period. Below are two other recommendations you can also check out before you head out to the Anaga Rural Park.

• Tenerife Outdoor La Laguna, Av. de la República Argentina, 79, Local Bajo, 38208 La Laguna, Google Maps link. A wide selection of top brands of outdoor goods. You can also rent hiking and camping gear like walking sticks for 8 euros a day here.
• base: Deportes Salud, TF-13, 153, 38280 Tegueste, Google Maps link. The small store is more focused on regular sports, but has a decent selection of hiking shoes and walking sticks. Stop by for some good deals during sales periods. We managed to get great Salomon hiking shoes at a 50% discount.
• Decathlon La Laguna, Cam. la Hornera, 160, 38205 La Laguna, Google Maps link

WHERE TO STAY IN ANAGA (RECOMMENDED HOTELS AND HOMESTAYS)

There are not very many options of staying overnight in the Anaga Rural Park itself and these are concentrated in the largest villages like Taganana, Almaciga and Benijo. I’ll add recommended options for hikers at a later date. In the meantime, search Booking.com for Anaga, read the reviews and check the accommodation’s proximity to hiking trails.

Anaga Rural Park Rules

Lighting a Fire

Lighting a fire is strictly prohibited, even gas stoves.

Wild Camping

Wild camping is officially not permitted.

I’ve asked park rangers about wild camping, and the unofficial policy appears to be that as long as you clean up after yourself and leave a location as you found it, you should not run into trouble. Camping should be done only in groups of 1-2 persons.

Collecting Flora and Rocks

Preserving Anaga Rural Park’s unique biodiversity is crucial. Therefore, it is striclty prohibited to collect flora (plants, flowers, fruits, etc.) or rocks from within the park.

Border guard and customs officials regularly check for plants on the border. For example, my wife’s plants purchased and collected on the island outside protected areas were anyway confiscated by customs officials when she arrived on Spanish mainland with a ferry.

Taking Trails Without a Permit

There areas in Anaga which are strictly of limits such as the Monte Aguirre area close to Cruz del Carmen.

The only trail requiring a free permit is the Sendero El Pijaral trail. If you are caught on this trail without a permit, or in any of the prohibited nature reserve areas, the fine can go up to 601.01 euros.