Located in the Tenerife Island, the biggest of the Canary Islands, Spain, The Teide National Park is centred on the 12,198 feet (3,718 m) high Mount Teide, the highest mountain of Spain, and the highest volcano in the Atlantic Ocean islands, as well as the third highest volcano in the world, 24,606 feet (7,500 m) high from its base in the ocean floor. Covering a huge area of 18,990 hectares, and also containing Pico Viejo, the second highest volcano in the Canary Islands with its 10,285.43 feet (3,135 m) peak, the park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tenerife, which was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site 0n 28 June 2007, and was also declared as one of the 12 Treasures of Spain on 31 December 2007. Interestingly, Mount Teide and Pico Viejo are the only two peaks in the Canary islands that rise above the 9,843 feet (3,000 m) level. Nevertheless, The Teide National Park is one of the few volcanic areas of the island, featuring ecosystem zones above the green belt, giving rise to unique ecosystems such as the alpine broom, and alpine ecosystems.

As the island is located between warm temperate and subtropical zones, the Teide National Park has generally a very sunny, dry and mild climate. Its major climates are the Mediterranean climate, also called a dry summer climate, and the semi-arid climate, with the mean annual temperature of 20 C, lows below -15 C in winter and highs above 30 C in summer. Annual precipitation of the island is below 500mm, out of which more than half falling in winter, and a third of it as snow, which can continue for months together, when a layer of cloud often hangs between 5,580 and 5900 feet (1,700-and 1,800 m) like a screen.

The Teide National Park reflects an outstanding and unique feature of the plant kingdom, where the plants are fully adapted to the tough living conditions of high altitude, intense sunlight, extreme temperature variations and lack of sufficient moisture. Adaptations of the plants in the region include acquiring semi-spherical forms, forming downy or waxy covers, reducing the exposed leaf area, and producing abundant flowers, which takes place mostly in the months of May and June, in the late spring or early summer. The nutrient and mineral rich soil of the Teide National Park supports a diverse number of plant species, which apart from 74 types of mosses, 8 liverworts and 100 lichens, consists of 168 plant species, known as Vascular flora, 33 of which are endemic, belonging only to the geographic location of Tenerife and found in the Park, among which 16 are endemic to the park itself.

The Las Cañadas caldera, one of the best exposed volcanic calderas in the world and one of the few known evolved alkaline volcanoes, which started to take shape at the end of the formation of a large basaltic shield that forms the main part of island of Tenerife, provides sufficient shelter for the Canary Island cedars and pines at higher altitudes. However, it is visibly clear that the most dominant plant species in the Teide National Park are the Teide white broom, which produces white and pink flower; the Canary Island wallflower, producing white and violet flowers; and the unique Teide bugloss, whose red flowers form a pyramid up to around 10 feet (3 m) in height. Apart from that, the other Canary Island endemics also include, among others, Teide daisy, which can be found at altitudes close to 3,600m above sea level, and Teide violet, found right up to the summit of the volcano, making them the highest flowering plants in Spain.

The Teide National Park houses a huge range of invertebrate fauna, but only a limited variety of native vertebrate fauna. The invertebrates include types of spiders, beetles, bugs, wasps, insects and others, more than 40% of which are endemic species, with 70 species only being found in the national park. However, the vertebrates include only 3 endemic reptiles, namely the Canary Island lizard, gecko and skink, plus 5 introduced species, which include mouflon, a type of wild sheep, Algerian hedgehog, rabbit, house mouse and black rat. Interestingly, bats are the only mammals native to the park, the most common species of which is Leisler's bat. Around 15 species of birds are recorded in the park, most noticeable among them being the blue chaffinch, Atlantic Canary, Berthelot´s pipit, a subspecies of kestrel and long eared owl.

Mount Teide held spiritual significance to the original inhabitants in the park area, the aboriginal Guanches, who believed it was the gate to hell. They were conquered by the Spanish in the late 15th century, when they left the area, leaving their huts, pottery and wooden and obsidian tools, which have been discovered in the park. Today, Teide is reckoned as the most visited national parks in Spain, which offers guided coach trips through the park, departing from selected areas in the south of Tenerife's tourist towns. In addition to hiking, there are also arrangements for camping, climbing, caving and bike tours.