Beyond the Bus at Timanfaya: Guided Walks, Camel Rides and the Visitor Centre

Most visitors see Timanfaya from a bus window, and that is a wonderful way to see it. But the Volcano Route is not the only way into the park’s landscape. The park itself runs free guided walks, camel rides cross the edge of the lava fields, and a visitor centre explains how this extraordinary landscape came to be. There are also guided hikes in the volcanic country next door.

This guide covers all of them: what each involves, how to book, what it costs, who it suits and how to fit it into a day on Lanzarote.

The options at a glance

Experience	Where	Length	Cost	Booking
Ruta de Tremesana	Inside the national park	About 3 hours, 3.5 km	Free	At least a month ahead
Short coastal route	The coast, from El Golfo	About 2.5 hours, 2 km	Free	At least a month ahead
Long coastal route	The coast	5–6 hours, 9.75 km	Free	Walked freely
Camel ride	Echadero de los Camellos	20 to 25 minutes	€11 per person per ride	Not needed for small groups
Mancha Blanca visitor centre	Tinajo–Yaiza road	As long as you like	—	Not needed
Guided lava-field hike	Volcano natural park next to the national park	About 3 hours, 9 km	Paid tour	Book the tour

The park’s free guided walks

The park administration offers a free service of guided walks inside Timanfaya. Because walking in the national park is only allowed on permitted routes, they are the way to see parts of the park on foot rather than from a bus.

How to book

The walks are free.
They must be booked at least a month in advance. This is the rule that catches most visitors out: you cannot decide on the day, or even the week before.
The Tremesana route is offered in Spanish and English.

If a guided walk in Timanfaya appeals to you, make it one of the first things you book after your flights.

The Ruta de Tremesana

The Tremesana route is the classic guided walk inside the park.

Type: guided.
Duration: about 3 hours.
Distance: 3.5 km.
Difficulty: low.

At 3.5 km over about 3 hours, it is a slow walk, and deliberately so: the pace leaves time for the guide to explain the eruptions, the formations around you and the plants and animals slowly returning to the lava. It suits almost anyone who can walk on uneven ground.

The coastal routes

The coast of the park, where the lava met the sea, is a completely different landscape from the Fire Mountains.

The short coastal route is guided, about 2.5 hours and 2 km, of medium difficulty, and starts from El Golfo.
The long coastal route is walked freely, over 5–6 hours and 9.75 km, and is of high difficulty.

The short route is a guided introduction to the coast; the long route is a serious walk for experienced hikers who are comfortable on rough volcanic terrain for most of a day.

A guided hike across the lava fields

If you missed the booking window for the park’s walks, or want a longer walk with transport included, there is another option. The guided hike across Timanfaya’s volcanic landscapes covers 9 km at an easy pace across the lava fields of the Timanfaya eruptions, in the volcano natural park next to the national park, in about 3 hours, with optional hotel transfer.

It is not inside the national park itself, but the landscape is the product of the same eruptions, and walking through it gives you a feel for the scale and texture of the lava that no bus can match. It suits visitors who want to walk rather than watch, and who would rather not plan a month ahead.

The camel rides

Camel rides are one of the classic images of Timanfaya: lines of camels plodding across the edge of the lava fields beneath the volcanoes.

Where and when

Where: the Echadero de Camellos de Timanfaya, on the LZ-67, 2.5 km along the road from the El Taro entrance to the Montañas del Fuego.
When: the recommended hours are 9:00 to 15:00, every day except 25 December and 1 January.
How long: the ride lasts 20 to 25 minutes.

Price and booking

€11 per person per ride, payable by card or cash.
Children from the age of 4 pay.
No booking is needed for small groups; just turn up at the Echadero.

What to expect

The camels walk in a line along a set route across the volcanic slopes near the park. It is short, gentle and memorable, and it gives you a slow, close look at the edge of the lava landscape. For children it is often the highlight of the day.

Tours that include camels

The Timanfaya half-day tour offers an optional camel ride, and the full-day island highlights tour includes a stop at the camel centre. If you are on a tour, check whether the ride itself is included or only the stop.

The Mancha Blanca visitor centre

The Mancha Blanca visitor and interpretation centre, on the Tinajo–Yaiza road, is the park’s main public facility and the best place to understand what you are seeing.

Open: daily from 9:00 to 16:00.
Inside: permanent exhibitions, a simulation room and a projection room.

The exhibitions explain the eruptions that created the park and the landscape they left behind, and the simulation and projection rooms bring the story to life. It is an easy stop to combine with the Montañas del Fuego, since it lies on the same road, and it is especially worthwhile before a guided walk, when the background it gives you makes everything your guide says more meaningful.

Booking the free walks, step by step

Because the park’s walks must be booked at least a month in advance, they reward a little forward planning.

Decide as early as possible. As soon as your Lanzarote dates are fixed, decide whether a guided walk is part of the plan.
Choose the route. Tremesana for the interior of the park (offered in Spanish and English); the short coastal route from El Golfo for the coast.
Book through the park’s reservation system at least a month before your chosen date.
Plan the rest of the day around it. The walk has a fixed start time; add the Montañas del Fuego, the camels or the visitor centre before or after.
Prepare for volcanic ground. Sturdy shoes, sun protection and water.

If you are reading this less than a month before your trip, the park’s own walks may already be out of reach. The guided hike in the volcano natural park next door is the alternative.

Who each walk suits

The Ruta de Tremesana suits almost everyone who can walk on uneven ground for a few hours. Its low difficulty and slow pace make it a good choice for families with older children and for visitors who want explanation more than exercise.

The short coastal route suits reasonably fit walkers who want to see where the lava met the sea. At medium difficulty it asks a little more of you, but it is short.

The long coastal route is for experienced hikers only. Five to six hours on rough, exposed volcanic ground is a demanding day.

The guided lava-field hike suits active visitors who want to walk a longer distance at an easy pace without planning a month ahead, and who appreciate a hotel transfer.

Combining Timanfaya with El Golfo and La Geria

The short coastal route starts from El Golfo, which is also home to the Green Lagoon, one of the island’s best-known sights. Nearby, the vineyards of La Geria grow in hollows dug into the volcanic ash. Together they make a natural loop with Timanfaya: the park in the morning, El Golfo and La Geria in the afternoon.

If you would rather not drive, the Timanfaya and La Geria tour covers the Volcano Route and the geothermal demonstrations, then the La Geria vineyards and the Green Lagoon at El Golfo, in about 5.5 hours.

Planning a full Timanfaya day

A day that combines several of these experiences might look like this:

Morning: start at the Echadero de los Camellos for a camel ride — they run from 9:00 — then drive the 2.5 km to the El Taro entrance for your timed slot at the Montañas del Fuego.
Late morning: watch the geothermal demonstrations at Islote de Hilario and take the Volcano Route bus.
Lunch: the El Diablo restaurant at Islote de Hilario, whose grill uses the heat of the volcano.
Afternoon: drive north on the LZ-67 to the Mancha Blanca visitor centre, open until 16:00.

If you have booked a guided walk, build the day around its time instead, and add the other stops before or after.

When to walk

Lanzarote’s volcanic country is exposed in every season, and the time of year changes how a walk feels.

In summer, the lava fields hold the heat and there is almost no shade. Choose the shorter routes, start as early as your booking allows, and carry more water than you expect to need.
In spring and autumn, conditions are usually more comfortable for the longer walks, including the long coastal route.
In winter, the milder temperatures make walking pleasant, but check the forecast: wind on the exposed coast can make the coastal routes hard going.

Whatever the season, the rules are the same: stay on the route, and follow your guide.

Timanfaya with children

Families can have a wonderful day at Timanfaya by mixing the experiences.

Camels first. The 20- to 25-minute ride is short enough for young children and memorable for all ages. Children from 4 pay the same €11 as adults.
The visitor centre for curious minds. The simulation and projection rooms make the eruptions vivid for older children.
The Tremesana walk for older children. Its low difficulty and slow pace suit children who are used to walking; book a month ahead.
The Montañas del Fuego in between. The geothermal demonstrations and the seated bus ride are easy with children of any age.

Which experience is right for you?

You want to walk inside the national park: the Ruta de Tremesana, booked at least a month ahead.
You want the coast: the short coastal route from El Golfo, or the long coastal route if you are an experienced hiker.
You want a longer walk without advance booking: the guided hike across the lava fields in the volcano natural park next door.
You want something gentle and memorable, especially with children: a camel ride.
You want to understand the eruptions: the Mancha Blanca visitor centre.

Tips for walking in volcanic country

Wear sturdy closed shoes. Lava is sharp and uneven, and cinder slopes are loose.
Protect yourself from the sun. There is almost no shade on the lava fields.
Carry plenty of water. The long coastal route in particular is a full day in exposed country.
Stay on the route. The lava and the life returning to it are fragile.
Respect the rules of the park. Inside the national park, walking is only permitted on the routes and in the ways the park allows.

What to bring on a walk

Sturdy closed shoes or boots. Lava is sharp; sandals are not suitable.
Water, more than you think you need.
A hat, sunglasses and sun cream.
A light windproof layer, especially on the coast.
A snack for the longer routes.
Your booking confirmation for the park’s guided walks.

After your walk

Walking in Timanfaya changes the way you see the rest of the visit. After a guided walk, the Volcano Route from the bus feels less like a view and more like a landscape you have touched; the exhibitions at Mancha Blanca fill in the story your guide began. If you can, put the walk early in your stay and the rest of the park afterwards.

Why the rules are strict

It can seem frustrating that you cannot simply walk into Timanfaya. The reason is the landscape itself. The eruptions of 1730 to 1736 covered about a quarter of Lanzarote, and the ground they left is still, in ecological terms, at the very beginning of its recovery. Lichens, mosses and a few hardy plants are only now establishing themselves on the lava. Unrestricted walking would crush them and break up surfaces that will take centuries to recover. The guided walks, the bus route and the rules at the El Taro entrance all exist to let people experience the park without undoing its slow recovery.

Frequently asked questions

Are the guided walks in Timanfaya free?

Yes. The park’s guided walks — the Ruta de Tremesana and the coastal route — are free, but they must be booked at least a month in advance.

How long is the Tremesana walk?

About 3 hours for 3.5 km. It is guided and of low difficulty, and it is offered in Spanish and English.

How much is a camel ride at Timanfaya?

€11 per person per ride, payable by card or cash. Children from 4 pay. Rides last 20 to 25 minutes.

Do I need to book the camel ride?

No, not for small groups. Just go to the Echadero de Camellos de Timanfaya between 9:00 and 15:00, any day except 25 December and 1 January.

When is the Mancha Blanca visitor centre open?

Daily from 9:00 to 16:00.

Can I hike in Timanfaya without booking a month ahead?

Not on the park’s own guided routes. The guided hike across the lava fields in the volcano natural park next to the national park is an alternative that you can book as a tour.

Where does the short coastal walk start?

From El Golfo. It is guided, about 2.5 hours and 2 km, of medium difficulty, and must be booked at least a month ahead like the other park walks.

Is the long coastal route guided?

No. The long coastal route is walked freely: 5–6 hours and 9.75 km, of high difficulty. It is for experienced hikers only.