Timanfaya Lanzarote National Park is one of the island’s main attractions.
It’s an experience you won’t forget!
These volcanic landscapes are like something from another world, with smooth, sandy lava rocks alongside large, sharp boulders, shifting from black to orange to red.
Here’s our guide to visiting Timanfaya Park by car, bus or on foot.
Our favorite car rental platform: DiscoverCars
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Why visit Timanfaya National Park?
Is visiting Timanfaya worth it?
Yes, absolutely. Imagine 51km2 of protected land covered with lava and volcanic elements in all their shapes and colors. Sure, it’s a popular spot, but it’s worth joining the crowds to discover these unique landscapes!
And because the landscapes look like this:
This is one of Lanzarote’s must-see places.
About Timanfaya Lanzarote
- Timanfaya is a park composed entirely of volcanic soils.
- The biggest eruptions recorded in the region were the 6 years between 1730 and 1736 – during this period, over 100 volcanoes became active and devastated part of the island.
- It is one of the main parts of the Lanzarote Biosphere Reserve created by Unesco in 1993.
- Volcanic activity continues today – you can see the heat just below the crust with the 2 experiences next to the restaurant: the steam geyser and the fire pit.
How to visit Timanfaya by car, bus or on foot…
Where Timanfaya is in Lanzarote – Map
- On the south-west coast
- Playa Blanca at the entrance to Timanfaya = 20min drive
- Puerto del Carmen to Timanfaya entrance = 25min drive
- Costa Teguise to Timanfaya entrance = 35min drive
- Here’s a simple map to show you the extent and location of Timanfaya National Park and the surrounding Los Volcanes Natural Park:
Access by car
It’s easy to get to the park entrance.
The roads are in excellent condition and the scenery is magnificent.
You can’t rent the entrance to the park with its large statue (and, depending on the time of day, a queue of cars to enter the park).
It’s another 5-minute drive to the parking lot.
It’s not huge, but as the visit doesn’t last very long, the cars often turn around.
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING A CAR IN Lanzarote
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- A small car is all you need.
- But you can also choose a larger one if you wish, as the parking spaces are rather large.
- Demand is high, so book early.
Excursions from seaside resorts
If you don’t want to rent a car, there are excursions from all the resorts (Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise) and the cruise terminal.
- A half-day that only covers the trip to Timanfaya, the fire experience at the restaurant and the park tour by bus – See this option
- A day that takes you on a more in-depth experience with other interesting stops in Lanzarote – See this option with the green Golfo lagoon and the cliffs of Los Hervideros
What to do in Timanfaya
Let’s start with a summary of your options. We present each of them in the next sections of this article:
- Bus tour – this is the main way to see the park. From the El Diablo restaurant, you can visit a large part of the park by bus. This is included in the admission price.
- Volcanic restaurant
- Hiking with a Ranger (other area) – a very limited number of places to take part in small-group visits on special walks in other sections of the park – 3-hour walk and booking is essential.
- Tourist office (outside the park) – don’t miss the Timanfaya visitor center, which is not located in the restaurant. Further along the road, you can learn more about Lanzarote’s geological history, flora and fauna.
- Camel ride (outside the park) – Another popular tourist stop is a camel ride. A short walk on one of the volcanoes. We don’t recommend it, but we list it here anyway
- The road around the park (outside the park)
Practical information
- Open from 9 a.m.
- Price: 12 euros for adults, 6 euros for children aged 7 to 11.
- Next to the restaurant, you’ll find a souvenir store and toilets.
- There is no accommodation in the park.
Best time to visit Timanfaya?
If you come by car, you can choose your own time.
Avoid the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. period when all the tour buses arrive.
Then, for the best light: morning and afternoon will be interesting. The road swirls around numerous volcanoes, so you have views in all directions.
So sometimes you’ll see black shapes because you’re facing the sun, and sometimes you can see colors when the sun is behind you.
Ideally, this should be done once in the morning and once in the late afternoon.
CHOOSING A HOTEL IN Lanzarote
Choosing where to stay:
Select by hotel type:
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Our favorite: Hotel Cala Lanzarote – See prices, photos and availability
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1. Timanfaya Bus Tours
The main option for visiting the National Park is to take the bus tour from the El Diablo restaurant.
The bus tour leaves regularly.
If you’ve come with an excursion, you’ll get back on your bus to tour the park.
If you’ve come by car, queue up for the orange bus near the gift store.
How long is the bus tour?
Too short – it takes 30 to 40 minutes to do the whole loop – there’s pre-recorded audio in several languages (including French) explaining what you see around you.
Which side of the Timanfaya bus do I sit on?
Both sides have interests and you’ll end up standing up and trying to see what’s on the other side. However, as a general rule, the right side (opposite the driver) is a little more interesting for panoramas, especially in 2 places where you’re higher up and it opens onto a vast area.
How do I take photos from the Timanfaya bus?
The bus may stop at a few nice places, but you can’t get out (to protect the landscape). So you’ll always have reflections from the windows. To reduce them, place your lens against the window. This limits your angles, but you won’t get strange distortions and glare.
Note
The road is narrow, and some people are afraid of heights in certain places… The drivers are very impressive, and we think a tip is deserved if they’ve driven really well.
Photos from the bus
And now, a selection of photos from our bus tour of Timanfaya National Park. It was hard to narrow it down to just a few, but we can’t share them all!
Note the different appearance of the lava: sometimes smooth, sometimes with large rocks and sometimes looking like sand.
And don’t forget the different colors!
2. Proof of geothermal energy
Right next to the parking lot, there are two demonstrations of heat under the earth’s crust:
- The funniest part is when they throw water into the hole and it erupts into a steamy geyser.
- The other is when dry bushland catches fire from geothermal heat.
3. Restaurant El Diablo
Next to the parking lot is the El Diablo restaurant.
First of all, the restaurant offers panoramic views of the magnificent park with its volcanoes and all its colors (the wall is covered with windows). The location is exceptional.
What’s more, the meat is cooked using geothermal energy. As a result, cooking is not always under control, and some people complain that the meat is too dry.
It’s one of the most original restaurants on Lanzarote, but not the best. See our selection of the best restaurants in Lanzarote.
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4. Hiking – Timanfaya National Park (limited access)
If, like us, you plan your trip early enough, you might still be lucky enough to get a place on one of the Timanfaya National Park hikes with the rangers.
How to book a hike
In Timanfaya National Park, you can’t walk alone. In any case, there aren’t many pedestrian zones, because it’s mostly volcanic soil that’s fragile and could break under your weight if there’s a tunnel. It’s dangerous!
However, there are a few service roads, where walks are organized with park rangers.
There are only a few per week, and groups are limited to 8 people.
These tours are free, but you must provide information to obtain a permit and show your passport on the day of the tour.
You can see the different options and book on this website: reservasparquesnacionales.es.
Tips for hiking in Timanfaya
We’ve only done the Tremesana hike from Yaiza. Here are a few tips:
- The walk lasts 3 hours, so bring water, a hat and sunscreen. There’s no shade at all!!!
- Wear good shoes and, if possible, ankle-high hiking boots. Most of the time, you walk on picon (small volcanic rocks like gravel). So it’s hard on your calves, and small stones tend to get into your shoes. Which is annoying!
- Don’t bring a tripod. It’s a long walk. There is no real stop. You keep walking, taking short breaks for explanations. No time to set up your tripod.
Landscapes of Timanfaya Park – Tremesana Walk
At the start of the tour, we saw historic fig trees that were planted after the eruptions. They were the only trees to survive, and they’re still bearing fruit!
But our favourite part is the second half, more towards the heart of the national park. The landscape is breathtaking, with many different styles of lava and volcanoes. Fascinating to have the ranger’s explanation and to be able to ask lots of questions!
5. Route LZ-67 along the park
Even if you don’t enter the park, the road to the east already offers great views.
It connects Yaiza to Mancha Blanca.
There aren’t many places to park because there’s lava right next to the road. And walking on the road is dangerous because people tend to drive at high speed. However, you can’t really walk on lava either, because it’s sharp and fragile.
We recommend driving along the park in both directions.
It is beautiful!
6. Timanfaya Visitor Center
Our next stop is the Timanfaya tourist office. Strangely, it’s nowhere near the El Diablo restaurant inside the park.
The center is further north on LZ-67. You can’t miss it, it’s well signposted (Centro de Visitantes).
We recommend visiting the center during the hottest part of the day.
It’s a great way to refresh yourself and learn more about the fascinating world around you.
You have a beautiful small-scale representation of the park and the alignment of volcanoes.
Then there are photos and explanations of the region’s geology, history or eruptions and how flora and fauna return after such a cataclysmic event.
The screens are in English, Spanish and German.
They also installed an observation platform at the rear of the building. You can’t see the volcanoes very well, but it’s impressive to be in the middle of a sea of lava.
On-site toilets. Open from 9am to 5pm.
7. Camel ride at Timanfaya
Finally, another tourist attraction in Timanfaya Lanzarote National Park is the camel ride.
The parking lot is on the LZ-67, south of the El Diablo entrance.
We don’t recommend it because it’s sweltering with tourists and doesn’t offer such fantastic views.
And the poor camels do it all day long.
But there you go, if it’s something you love:
8. Alternative: Los Volcanes Natural Park
Surrounding Timanfaya National Park is the Volcanoes Natural Park (Lanzarote’s, not El Salvador’s).
In this area, you can find many other volcanoes that have erupted at different times and can look very different.
The advantage is that access is free, and several walks have been set up for visitors. Among our favorites:
- Montana Cuervo
- Montana Colorado
- Montana Negra
- Caldera Blanca
- …
See our article on the best hikes in Lanzarote and our article on Lanzarote’s volcanoes.
To enjoy all these magnificent places, you’ll need a car.
Timanfaya and Lanzarote volcanoes in Video
Before we give you more information on the different options for visiting the national park, we’ve made a short video of the bus ride through the park and the Tremesana hike, to give you an idea of what you might experience around the Mountains of Fire:
Frequently asked questions
Photographing Timanfaya
Because you can only visit the main area in a closed bus, photographing Timanfaya is difficult. Your best option is to book one of the walking tours (but you can’t choose the time and take as long as you like).
It will be frustrating, but it’s the best way to protect the landscape.
Lodging
There is no accommodation in Timanfaya or on the road alongside it. The nearest option is Yaiza.
Looking for the best place to stay to visit the island? See our Lanzarote accommodation guide or our article comparing 5-star hotels in Lanzarote
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Lanzarote
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Best things to do in Lanzarote
Most beautiful beaches
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César Manrique’s attractions
Secret places, off the beaten track
Most beautiful hikes
- Practical advice
25 tips for a successful trip to Lanzarote
How to get around
How to rent a car in Lanzarote
Driving tips
Where to stay in Lanzarote
Best hotels in Lanzarote
Best excursions
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