Best Timanfaya Tours

As a tourist destination, Lanzarote is an island full of things to see and do. Spending a few days exploring the attractions of this small island should be on the itinerary of every first time visitor to the Canaries.

One of the main attractions, not only of Lanzarote but of the whole Canary archipelago, is undoubtedly the Timanfaya National Park, due to its volcanic landscape of calderas.

On your visit you will find a protected area of 51.07 km2 and 25 active volcanoes. A visit to this area of Lanzarote is a must if you want to be amazed by the spectacular landscapes of black, red and ochre lava fields.

Exploring Timanfaya on an organised tour is one of the smartest decisions you can make. The Timanfaya experience is considered by travellers and locals alike to be one of the best tours in Lanzarote.

The most popular option is a half-day excursion to Timanfaya. Organised for small to medium sized groups, the company takes travellers aboard a mini-bus to tour some of the area's most popular attractions including the Volcanoes Route within Timanfaya Park.

Some variants of the tour also include a visit to the La Geria Valley, famous not only for its volcanic landscapes, but also for its vineyards and delicious wine.

The best part of this tour is the accompaniment of local guides certified by the Canary Islands Government. These guides are knowledgeable about all aspects of Lanzarote's history and scientific curiosities, so they are able to provide impressive facts and figures.

Useful Information

• Price: Available from €60 per traveller.
• Timetable: These excursions usually leave in the morning in order to take advantage of the best hours of sunshine
• Duration of the excursion: Depending on the company you hire you will have to book between 5 and 6 hours for this tour.

An unusual alternative, and one that not many tourists explore, is the possibility of a cycling tour to Timanfaya. Rated by tourists and locals alike as the most spectacular bike tour in Lanzarote due to the incredible scenery you can enjoy along the way.

Although some aspects may vary depending on the company you hire, the usual route starts from Puerto del Carmen and includes key points such as La Asomada, Uga, Islote de los Camellos, Mancha BI, Tinguaton, Montaña Blanca and others.

If you like outdoor adventure and sports, this is an experience you should consider along with surfing lessons in Lanzarote.

I especially recommend the bike tour for cyclists with a bit of experience and who have developed medium endurance, as the route covers a distance of between 43 and 62 kilometres and has gradients ranging from 680 metres to 1110 metres.

Take into consideration that when you arrive in Timanfaya the route inside the nature reserve is done by bus. This time is ideal to rest and recharge your batteries to continue the route.

Useful information

• Price: If the transfer to the starting point is included in the budget, the price to pay is around €50 per traveller.
• Schedule: This type of adventure usually starts early in the morning to take advantage of the best weather hours.
• Duration of the excursion: Depending on the company you hire, you will need between 3 to 5 hours for this experience.

Travellers with time to explore and see the best of Timanfaya can make the most of this type of adventure. A combination tour that will take you to some of the most fun and entertaining attractions to do on the island.

You will find several local companies that offer this type of experience, including transport from the hotel zone to each of the points to be visited, a specialised guide, entrance fees to the attractions and other facilities.

Please note that excursions are carried out in small to medium sized groups and usually require a full day of your itinerary.

If you are coming to Lanzarote for 5 days or more this type of combined tour can save you a lot of planning and effort by allowing you to visit several attractions in a row.

The Cave of the Greens

An impressive volcanic structure located in the municipality of Haría in the north of Lanzarote.

The rock formation was formed after thousands of years of interaction between water, volcanic lava and rock. Impossible landscapes of unparalleled beauty have been created here.

The Jameos del Agua

Very close to the Cueva de los Verdes, a visit to Los Jameos de Agua in Lanzarote is an experience you cannot miss on your itinerary.

By definition, jameos are holes formed after the collapse of ancient volcanic structures. In this area of Lanzarote you will find 3 of incalculable beauty and geological value. This place is also famous for being the favourite habitat of the Canarian white crab.

Timanfaya

Finally, this excursion includes a visit to Timanfaya Park to enjoy the lava landscapes and mountains on the La Ruta de los Volcanes bus tour and other attractions included.

Useful Information

• Price: This type of adventure costs around €70 for an adult ticket, while children's tickets cost around €35. Please note that the cheaper options do not include lunch.
• Timetable: The tour starts first thing in the morning between 08:00 and 09:00.
• Duration of the tour: It is a full tour lasting approximately 9 hours. You should reserve a full day for this experience.

Both options are equally interesting and have their positive and negative points. Depending on the specific conditions of your trip you may prefer one alternative over the other.

Visiting Timanfaya on your own

The main advantage you will have when undertaking this adventure on your own is total independence in terms of schedule and itinerary, although this independence is diminished by the need to plan many more details.

For this reason, I recommend visiting Timanfaya on your own only if you have already visited Lanzarote and if your visit to the island includes an itinerary of several days, for example 7 days in Lanzarote or more.

If you choose this option, the best thing to do is to rent a car in Lanzarote and set off on your own. You can use the services of local companies in Lanzarote such as Autoreisen S.L. or SIXT.

If you don't want to drive, another alternative is to hire a private transfer, but in this scenario it is more convenient to book one of the many excursions to Timanfaya available.

This option is not only cheaper but you will also have the added bonus of an expert guide for the whole trip.

• Opening hours: Open to the public Monday to Sunday from 09:30h in the morning, until 15:45.
• Price: Adult tickets are available from €12 per participant, while children's tickets start from €6. This is the price for non-residents of the Canary Islands.
• How to buy tickets: You can buy your ticket directly at the ticket office located at the entrance of the park.

Visiting Timanfaya is an excursion

Visiting Timanfaya as an organised excursion is the best alternative available, as it offers notable advantages such as completely eliminating the need to plan and create an itinerary.

You don't need to worry about transport or fuel: you just need to be at the agreed place at the time of booking, relax and enjoy the experience.

In addition, most local companies offer direct hotel pick-up. This is a great alternative if you are going to Lanzarote with children for the holidays and you are looking to free yourself from responsibilities to sit back and enjoy with the family.

As a way of protecting the sparse vegetation of the volcanic landscape, hiking routes in Timanfaya are prohibited. The park can only be explored by following the internal route that has been structured by the caretakers.

Timanfaya is made up of more than 25 volcanoes. The mountain range of Timanfaya National Park is undoubtedly the most impressive in the Canary Islands. Here you will find emblematic places such as the Montañas del Fuego, Montaña Rajada or the Caldera del Corazoncillo.

An interesting alternative is to do some of the hiking routes in Lanzarote near Timanfaya.

One of the favourites is the Tremesana Route, organised in small groups and by advance booking, which takes place 3 times a week accompanied by a guide from the park. While you walk through impossible lava landscapes you will learn about the forces of nature that influenced the creation of these spaces.

Those who have time to plan a 100% tailor-made excursion to Timanfaya may need some basic guidance on which activities or places to prioritise within the facilities.

Please note that many organised excursions include in their package several of the activities highlighted here as priorities, thus covering the most important elements of the visit.

The route of the volcanoes.

The basic bus tour that you cannot miss in Timanfaya is known as the Route of the Volcanoes. On this tour you will enjoy breathtaking views of the volcanic landscape of the park, including lava fields and mountains covered with volcanic ash.

A multilingual narration about the history of the park is included, as well as other interesting facts about the science and geology of the place. Getting off the bus during the tour is prohibited in order to preserve the integrity of the area.

The route departs from the Islote Hilario Visitor Centre every 15 minutes, covers about 15 kilometres and takes just over 30 minutes to complete.

The statue of El Diablo

On your route you can't miss the famous statue of El Diablo, a very characteristic symbol of the Fire Mountains of Lanzarote and, for many locals, a national symbol.

It was designed by the famous local artist Cesar Manrique, who dedicated much of his work to spreading the environmental value of the Canary Islands through his artwork.

See the camels in Timanfaya

Many visitors are unaware that it is possible to visit Timanfaya and take a camel ride. However, this is one of the most fun and popular guided tours on the island.

To do it you will have to go to the camel station, where you can join a small group ride of approximately 20 minutes at a price of around €10 per participant.

You'll also be able to have your photo taken with the camels, which are really gentle creatures and very used to humans.

Lunch at El Diablo Restaurant.

Many of the tours and guided visits to Lanzarote do not include food in the planning. If this is the case, I recommend to my travelling friends to make a stop to enjoy one of the most unique places to eat in the area: El Diablo Restaurant.

It is the official restaurant of the park, so you can eat delicious dishes cooked with geothermal energy.

Tourists from all corners of the world stop by to get a close-up look at this method of food preparation which is, to say the least, impressive.