Guide
Quad or buggy in Tenerife? The differences that help you choose
In Tenerife both are sold the same way: as a tour, almost always up to Teide, where vehicles may only use the roads. What changes is how you sit, how you drive and how you pay. This guide compares them using data from the listings.
| Aspect | Quad | Buggy |
|---|---|---|
| Driving | Handlebars, astride | Steering wheel and pedals |
| Riders | 1 or 2, passenger behind | 1 or 2, side by side |
| “From” price for two | €100 (per quad) or €84 (2 × per person) | €150 (per buggy) |
| Usual route | Teide on the road; a few with track sections | Mostly to Teide |
| Format | Guided tour | Tour (as the listings advertise) |
How each one drives
A quad is a four-wheeled vehicle with handlebars: you sit astride it, accelerate with your hand and use your body for balance in the bends. It feels more like a motorbike than a car. A buggy has a steering wheel, pedals and seats: it drives like a small open car.
The quad tours we compare do not require previous experience: they all start with a safety briefing and the guide sets the pace. One caps the speed at 45 km/h.
Seats and comfort
A quad carries two people at most: the driver and a passenger behind who holds on and does not drive. The listings also set a weight limit per quad of 150 to 200 kg. In a buggy you sit side by side, which makes it easier to talk and take photos without holding on.
Either way you are in the open air: at 2,000 m it is cool, especially at sunset. What to wear at sunset
Price
Comparing means checking the unit: many quads charge per person and buggies per vehicle.
- Quad, per person (15 tours): from €42 to €130. For two, double it.
- Quad, per quad (1): €100, alone or with a passenger.
- Quad for one person (“per group of up to 1”, 3): from €58 to €91; with a passenger, a separate option at a different price.
- Buggy for two (7): from €150 to €210 per buggy.
- Buggy for one (4): from €149 to €179.
Requirements
To drive a quad, the listings ask for a driving licence and, where they give an age, 18 or over (one asks for 21). Under Spanish rules, a category B licence covers motor quadricycles from age 18 (Royal Decree 818/2009, art. 4). We have not reviewed buggy requirements listing by listing: check them in the listing before you book. Requirements for each quad tour
Guided tour or self-drive hire
What GetYourGuide offers
Every Tenerife quad listing we reviewed is a guided tour: you ride in a group behind a guide, on a set route and at a set time. The buggy listings are also advertised as tours. We found no self-drive hire.
If you are looking for hire
Hiring a quad to ride on your own requires a registered vehicle and a licence that covers it, and in Teide National Park you may only use the roads, just as on the tours. We do not compare hire companies because we cannot check their terms against the same public source as the tours.
What the rules say
Inside Teide National Park traffic may use the TF-21, TF-24 and TF-38 roads freely. Driving on its tracks is banned except for emergencies, patrols, park management and guided routes run by the park itself (plus a few authorised cases such as research or access to private land). Driving off the authorised roads and tracks is not allowed.
Source: Management plan, Decree 182/2025 (BOC no. 240, 3 Dec 2025), sections 6.2.p and 6.3.1 (vehicle traffic and parking), read on 29 Oct 2026.
Which suits you?
- Quad, if you like the motorbike feel, you are on your own or a couple and want the lowest entry price; or if you want a track section (there are few, always outside the park). Track routes
- Buggy, if you would rather drive like a car, sit next to your companion or do not fancy balancing a quad.
If you choose a buggy, buggytenerife.es compares Tenerife buggy tours using the same method.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for two, a quad or a buggy?
At the “from” prices we saw, a quad for two costs from €100 if the tour charges per quad, or from €84 if it charges per person and takes a passenger. A buggy for two, from €150. The price for your date is on GetYourGuide.
Can you hire a quad on your own in Tenerife?
We found no self-drive hire on GetYourGuide: everything listed is a guided tour. If you hire elsewhere, the vehicle must be registered, you need a valid licence and in Teide National Park you may only drive on the roads.
Which is easier to drive?
A buggy has a steering wheel and pedals, like a car; a quad has handlebars and a hand throttle, and needs more balance. The quad tours we compare do not require previous experience and start with a safety briefing.