Lanzarote – the island of volcanoes is declared a Biosphere Reserve, which means has a strong historical link between man and nature. Lanzarote is one of the Canary Islands with a very unique landscape and topography. The island is mostly covered by volcano cones which spread between black lava fields and stunning surfing beaches. There are many spectacular volcano hikes in Lanzarote with some lunar landscapes.
The island is much less popular than other Canary Islands, but in my opinion with so many incredible places, volcanic coasts, and ocean landscapes with untypical rock formations, Lazarote seems to be way more interesting than the nearby islands. I’ve hiked almost every corner of the island, leaving detailed itineraries for adventurous hikers!
Magnificent volcano hikes in Lanzarote.
Apart from my volcano hiking fascination, the reason I was going to Lanzarote was a private intensive Spanish course. I was meant to go there for two weeks combining it with hiking adventures. I found a local highly recommended school that was available for short Spanish language courses. The school was in a small, cozy town – Tinaho located in the middle-west of the island. A day before my flight I received a text message saying my Spanish lessons had been cancelled as the tutor had to fly to the mainland for a funeral. Gosh.. that is a late call but I understand the circumstances! I flew to Lanzarote to figure out a new plan for my trip. And I was about to discover how unique Tinaho and the whole island are, and get inspired for life with the beauty of lava fields and fire-mountains!
I rented a car for the whole stay to explore every corner of the island. I hiked almost all the volcanoes, which are quite challenging but will be massively attractive for hiking lovers! Check out the most magnificent volcano hikes in Lanzarote.
Lanzarote - the windiest Canary Island!
During the flight to the island it turned out the weather conditions were so bad that all Canary’s airports have been closed.. That moved our landing destination to Marakesh – Marocco.…! Luckily the next day in the afternoon the plane took off to land in Lanzarote and after the most rough landing I have ever experienced in my life, we touched the red Lanzarote ground!
The island was still extremely windy. Shortly after our plane landed they closed the airports again for the next two days! Interesting start to the adventure! So having my school canceled, I had plenty of time to explore the island and do some volcano hiking. This land is a paradise for adventurous hikers! I have hiked all the trails listed below and can tell you each route to the crater is unique and the landscapes will blow you away.
Getting to Lanzarote.
Flights to Lanzarote can be surprisingly cheap if booked in advance. It is still a relatively long flight from Europe – 4-6 hours depending on a country. For best deals check Skyscanner.com.
Lanzarote walking tours.
Once you land in Lanzarote, get a walking map from any local tourist office. Lanzarote is very walking-friendly, and most of the terrain is not too challenging.
Montaña Roja is one of the easiest hikes in Lanzarote, located at the far southern end of the island. It’s near one of the most famous beaches – Playa Blanca.
Getting around Lanzarote.
Getting around Lanzarote, especially if you want to approach all the hiking trails, is most convenient with car rent. It is the most comfortable and hassle free way of exploring the island, which gives you great travel itinerary flexibility. Car rental in Lanzarote (like in most Canary Islands) is very affordable. I highly recommend DISCOVER CARS – the best an award winning car rental in Lanzarote – with best rates, no hidden cost, no card fees and free cancellation (World Travel Awards, Financial Times 1000).
Make sure you have decent medical insurance, I recommend SafetyWing, which I’m using since I tried it.
1. Fire Mountains (Montañas del Fuego) – Timanfaya National Park
Timanfaya National Park is a spectacular part of the island, a protected area where some of the volcanoes are still active. The park offers guided hikes where you can explore the fascinating geothermal activity and impressive craters. An incredible landscape, the absence of vegetation and unique colors make this place very different from anything I’ve seen before. To avoid crowds try to arrive whether early morning or late afternoon. During the season the traffic jam to enter the park is terrible. Check opening hours as they differ depending on a season. The fee is 12 Euros per adult (2023).
VISITING BY CAR: If you are arriving by car, there is a huge car parking near the entrance. From there you’ll be traveling by coach exploring the park area. I would advise to take some snacks and water, as the park restaurant is slightly overpriced.
Timanfaya National Park The dramatic volcanic landscapes, formed by volcanic eruptions in the 18th century, create an otherworldly atmosphere. Timanfaya is one of the most spectacular hikes in Lanzarote. Volcano Trekking Tour is one of the top-rated Timanfaya tours.
It’s possible to explore some parts of the park by car for free. Just follow public asphalted roads. The best time to drive through the park is just after sunset. The volcano landscape changes into grey and brown tints mixed with black lava rocks. You feel like on another planet. I was there at the beginning of March and there were almost no tourists.
Did you know Lanzarote was a host place for many movies shooting due to its unusual volcano scenery and otherworldly atmosphere!
To go more adventurous I would recommend Volcano Buggy Tour or Volcanic Craters Tour – both smashing!
Two best sightseeing tours in Timanfaya:
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO TO TIMANFAYA:
- Get there as early as possible – the place is extremely popular among tourists. Try to be there 15-20 minutes before opening to secure smooth entry.
- If you get there for 12, you will need to queue for a long time (depending on the season of course, but Lanzarote is full of tourists almost all year round).
- Take water and some snacks with you!
- Once you are in the coach, there are no stopovers (so make sure to use the toilet before getting in).
- Timanfaya unique place and a must-visit. The volcanic landscape is breathtaking!
2. Hiking around Tinajo town.
I was staying in Tinajo, which is a convenient starting point for a few volcano hiking routes. This land is a paradise for adventurous hikers. The impressive red coastal volcano was one of my targets. It is located a little south of La Santa (a small tourist town). This is one of the most pleasurable volcano hikes in Lanzarote and it is much more fascinating when approached from the south side. Also possible to climb but be careful as it’s quite steep at the end your feet are totally sinking in lava gravel. The surrounding view of the black lava rocky coast is stunning.
3. Hiking Volcan El Cuervo – the lunar landscape!
Hiking Volcan EL Cuervo is very easy. There’s a small parking along the road, where you can leave your car and start walking toward El Cuervo Volcano through lunar fields. Green-graphite landscape with Fire Mountains in the background makes this route one of the most magnificent hikes in Lanzarote. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the volcano, making it one of the easiest walks in Lanzarote. There’s a clear path leading to the interior of the crater, you’ll be also able to take a path around the crater.
4. Caldera Blanca hike Lanzarote.
Easily accessible from the small town of Mancha Blanca, located near Tinajo. There are many signs on the road so you shouldn’t have problems finding a parking place – your starting point. It takes about 50 minutes to get to the top of the caldera from the parking place. Unless you want to climb the highest rim of the caldera, it’s another 30 min. The route takes you through dramatic lava fields, it gets a little steep at the bottom of the volcano but there were lots of people hiking with kids, so I would say it’s doable and accessible for everyone. The caldera is perhaps not the highest but definitely the widest volcano hike in Lanzarote.
The small Montana Caldera is ahead of Caldera Blanca. Reaching the highest rim might be a little challenging but if you are a good hiker the distance should not be an issue. Don’t forget to carry plenty of water with you, I can only imagine how hot it gets in the summer months. It was also very windy at the time I was on the island, the wind did not stop for 10 days. You will also need a sun lotion! Bloody hell! My face after the first hiking day looked red, despite the cold wind the sun was very aggressive.
5. Hiking La Corona Volcano.
La Corona Volcano is located in the north of the island next to the Famara Mountains. It’s challenging and steep but it’s one of the most incredible hikes in Lanzarote! At first, I couldn’t find the starting point for hiking La Corona. When I was driving around the volcano there was literally nobody to ask for direction.
Eventually, I decided to stop and just try climbing the crater, although there was no clear path, the terrain was covered by cactuses and other vegetation. My feet kept sinking into lava gravel. Getting closer to the crater I noticed two people hiking the volcano from the other side. It was obvious there was a better way leading to the top! Anyway, I always enjoy what life serves and it wasn’t that hard in the end to hike through the unknown 🙂 Here is one of the top-rated Walking Tour through La Corona Volcano and Famara Cliff | Tripadvisor.
6. Coastline on the way to Hervideros.
Hervideros is probably most spectacular and famous Lanzarote volcano walk. Coastal way toward Los Hervideros is a combination of black lava rock cliffs, underwater caves and tunnels and incredible lagoon ocean view.
Many call it one the most beautiful places and best hike in Lanzarote. This is one of the most visited natural attraction on the island. Driving the coastal route you can admire the powerful ocean crashing against the lava rocks.
7. Los Hervideros - the longest Lava Tubes in the wolrd.
Lava tubes – the longest lava tube in the world is located in Lanzarote. The Tunel de La Atlantida stretches for over 7km and encompasses La Cueva de los Verdes and Jameos del Aqua. The tunnels are easily accessible from the main road, with Los Hervideros located near EL Golfo. There are several viewing points to watch the powerful sea meeting the lava tubes and penetrating the tunnels underneath the rocks. The sea is so rough that it seems like it is boiling – Hervideros originating from the Spanish word HERVIR. Definitely one of the most unique places in Lanzarote.
8. Famara Cliffs - must see places in Lanzarote.
A tiny coastal road along Famara cliffs offers amazing views over nearby islands and one of the best hikes in Lanzarote.
Playa de Famara is one of the places worth visiting, despite a beautiful laguna beach, it’s one of the most popular surfing spots.
Small-group North Volcano hiking tour to discover the lesser-known areas of Lanzarote is a great idea.
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