Tenerife with children: private routes built around families

I am Daniela Mira, an official tourist guide of the Canary Islands. This page is not a list of attractions for children. It is an explanation of how I work when minors are travelling, and of which questions are worth settling before you book anything.

What changes when children come along

Three things, and all of them are logistics rather than content.

Driving time. This is what wears everyone down first. In Tenerife distances are measured in bends, not kilometres, and a day with too much road becomes long for anyone and very long for a six-year-old.

Timing. Sunset and night-sky activities finish late. That works beautifully at some ages and terribly at others, and it depends far more on your particular child than on any table.

Altitude and cold. In Teide National Park it turns cold the moment the sun goes down, summer included, and the radiation is stronger. With children that shows sooner.

None of this rules anything out. It simply has to be built into the design of the day, which is exactly what a private route allows and a fixed one does not.

How I handle it

• The pace is yours. If we need to stop earlier, we stop. If something is going well, we stay longer.
• The route is agreed beforehand. You tell me the ages and I tell you frankly what fits and what I would cut.
• Only your group travels. No adjusting to anyone else’s schedule and no waiting through hotel pick-ups.
• It can be shortened. Routes start at three hours: the longest is not always the best with children.
• Questions get answered. Children tend to be curious about different things than adults, and that is an advantage when there is time to attend to it.

What tends to work well

Without promising anything by age, because it varies enormously between families:

The night sky. For children who are struck by looking through a telescope, it is one of the things they remember most. The Moon works especially well: the craters appear immediately and require no patience. The shortest session fits best when there is an early start the next day. → Estrellas Express, three hours.

The volcanic landscape in daylight. Teide works well with children because it looks like nothing else. What needs rationing is the drive, not the place. → Sunset & Stars, four hours.

The Anaga forest and a northern table. A day with a short walk through the laurel forest and a food stop. It usually works with children who walk comfortably. → La Laguna, Anaga and a guachinche, six hours.

A day designed from scratch, when the ages or the timings call for something the catalogue does not hold. → Tailor-made private tour.

What I will not promise without confirming it

I would rather say this here than let it be assumed:

• Child seats. If your group needs them, tell me when you write and I will confirm in the proposal what is possible for that date. I do not treat them as included.
• Specific accessibility. It depends on the route and on the individual spot. It is checked case by case.
• Minimum ages. I do not publish a general one, because it would not be honest: it depends on the route, the timing and the child.
• Activities designed for children. I am not an entertainment company. What I offer is a well-prepared day in which children have a place.

Whatever is included in your case is set out in writing in the proposal before you book.

What to tell me when you write

The more specific the message, the better the answer:

• The children’s ages, the detail that shapes most.
• Where you are staying, which determines driving time.
• Possible dates.
• How many of you there are in total.
• Whether anyone gets carsick on mountain roads.
• Allergies or dietary restrictions, if the route includes a meal stop.
• Mobility needs, if any.
• What time it is reasonable for the day to end for your family.
• Language: Spanish, English or Italian.

With that I prepare a realistic proposal, and if I think another route suits you better I will say so.

Larger family groups

I do not publish a maximum group size. If you are several family units, or more people than one vehicle holds, the right logistics are worked out while preparing the proposal. Tell me how many you are and where you are setting out from.

Frequently asked questions

From what age does a private tour make sense? There is no general answer, and I would be wary of anyone who gave one. With babies, what matters is the driving and the timings; with primary-school children, most things work if you ration the road; with teenagers, what usually fails is interest, and knowing beforehand what they like helps.

Do children get bored during stargazing? It depends on the child and on the night. The Moon and the planets work very well because they appear immediately; deep sky asks for more patience. Cold matters too: standing still at that altitude is harder for them.

Do they have to walk much? No, unless we agree to. On routes that include a walk, the distance is matched to your real pace and confirmed before booking.

What should they wear? For any high-altitude route: layers, a windproof and closed shoes. Plus hat and gloves in winter if there is a night section. It is the most repeated mistake on family trips.

Can a route be shortened if the children tire? Within what was agreed, yes. It is one of the real differences of going privately.

Can we bring food, or are there stops? We can stop. What you consume is not included unless the proposal states otherwise.

What if we are travelling with a baby? Write to me before choosing a route. With a baby, some things work very well and others do not pay off, and I would rather say so beforehand than improvise it.

Tell me who is travelling

Give me the ages, the date, where you are staying and what appeals to you, and I will prepare a proposal that can actually be delivered.

→ Check availability · See all private tours · About Daniela

And if you are still planning, what to see in Tenerife in 3 days helps spread the trip without overloading it.