We'll be on a cruise next April with a stop in Tenerife. Any ideas for an excursion? Has anybody taken one they really enjoyed? We prefer something with nature--even animal life is a good thing for us.

You got a mountain in the middle which you can cable car up.
You got the opportunity to see basket ball playing parakeets
You might be able to see short people (canariy island people) wrestling.

Swim, Beer, Cake, casino, hang glide

Thats it

As well as the extinct volcano La Teide, which is a national park there are things like the black pyramids at Güimar, Los Gigantes cliffs, or you could walk the Barranco del Infierno. There are lots of other places like the Anag Mountains, or La Laguna the former capital.

Anaga Mountains, sorry.

>>>You might be able to see short people (canariy island people) wrestling.<<<

????What short people?

If it is a cruise you really don´t have time for much. We have walked many walks on Teneriffe, both in Teide National Park and in the esatern parts. One good one was Masca Gorge where a boat picked us up at the end of it. But you don´t have time for those kind of things. And just about the only wild animals in the nature are rabbits, and whales in the ocean. Take a guided tour to the Teide volcano, that is my suggestion.

You need to check if you want to do Masca Gorge. I went on an organised walking holiday last December/January (2008/9) and it had been cancelled for safety reasons. I think a tour might be the better option unless you want to hire a car. Distances are not great but the roads are narrow and winding so journeys inland take longer than you might expect. Definitely worth seeing any of the countryside. It has great variety of countryside. It is worth looking at a guide book to help you choose. Mount Teide is very high so if you have any breathing problems you might reconsider this trip.

We've done volcano tours and enjoyed then, the last being in The mts. in The Azores. Basketball playing parakeets? Where's that? I think biloburgler is being fun, but I do want to know if it's in a wildlife preserve, maybe plants as well?

Good ideas here. I'll check a guidebook too.

The parakeets will probably be the ones at Loro Parque
www.loroparque.com

The "short people" wrestling are probably engaged in a Lucha Canaria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canarian_wrestling

It is basically a tourist island, the parakeets are up there with bingo and local dancing. The north of the island is green and damp while the south is dry. Due to the island's position in the atlantique there is some good swell so I've been on a beach with massive rocks rolling around in the surf. DOwn in the south it is possible to find houses from the 60s with some very "yes" type design. But honestly after going up Tiede its a beach party

This gives my a good overview. I'll compare it with the cruise line's list of excursions when the final documents arrive so we can decide what to do. I appreciate the input and perspectives! Thanks.