How To Visit Timanfaya National Park
Planning a visit to Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park? Here’s what you need to know!
Lanzarote offers much more than package holidays and cheap pints, as we discovered on a recent trip there. The landscapes of the island itself are diverse, otherworldy and fascinating. And nowhere is this more apparent than in Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote’s most-visited attraction.
The land was particularly shaped during the years of 1730 and 1736, when continuous lava eruptions occurred. In the aftermath, the eruptions left the red craters, lava fields and mysterious caves you’ll see in the park today. A visit to the National Park uncovers natural wonders created by the power of fire, and the lunar scenery here will make you feel like you’re on another planet!
If you’re visiting Lanzarote, here’s how to make the most of checking out Timanfaya and the Montañas del Fuego!
*This site uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I’ll earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you)*
Timanfaya National Park: Essential Info
Opening Hours: 9.30am-5pm (last entry at 3.45pm)
Entry Fee: €22 (adult), €11 (child aged 7-12). Discounts available for disabled visitors and Canarian residents.
Wheelchair accessible? Yes – the park offers fully wheelchair accessible buses
Child-friendly? Yes – under 7s go free
Getting to Timanfaya National Park
There’s no public transport to Timanfaya National Park. You can get there via car, or by joining a guided tour.
By car:
Lanzarote is a small island, so it’s easy to drive to Timanfaya from wherever you’re staying. Here’s roughly how long the journey takes from popular accomodation areas:
- From Puerto del Carmen: 25mins drive north via the LZ-2 and LZ-67.
- From Playa Blanca: 30mins drive east via the LZ-2 and LZ-67.
- From Costa Teguise: 40mins drive west via the LZ-2 to LZ-67 OR the LZ-34, LZ-20 and LZ-67.
- From Arrecife: 30mins drive west via the LZ-2 to LZ-67 OR the LZ-34 and LZ-20.
You can put ‘Montañas del Fuego Timanfaya’ into your satnav to get there, but the full address of Timanfaya National Park’s tourist centre is: Hilario Islet, 35570 Yaiza, Las Palmas.
If you need to rent a car in Lanzarote, compare and search for the best price here, and read my post on planning the ultimate Lanzarote road trip for tips on driving in Lanzarote.
By guided tour:
If you don’t have access to a vehicle – no worries! You can book a guided tour to Timanfaya with transfers.
You can also combine your visit with other attractions on a full day Lanzarote highlights tour.
When’s the best time to visit Timanfaya?
I’d recommend heading to the park as early in the day as possible, or towards the end of the day. We got there around 11am, at which point there was a growing queue of cars to enter the park. I’ve definitely had worse views stuck in traffic, though…
We visited in February, and the weather was pleasant – t-shirts and shorts were fine. Lanzarote generally has warm weather year-round with minimal rainy days. Between July and September are the hottest months to visit Timanfaya, so make sure you have SPF, sunglasses and a hat with you.
What to do at Timanfaya National Park
Take the Ruta de los Volcanes bus tour
The Timanfaya bus tour is the only way you can explore the park from the visitor centre. The 14km route takes you through the park’s magnificent otherworldly landscapes, pausing at points of interest so you can get a better look (and some photos through the window)
The bus tour leaves continuously throughout the day, around every 15 minutes. The tour takes around 50 minutes.
Geothermal Demonstrations
Other than the bus tour and scenic viewpoints, there isn’t LOADS to see and do at the . Underneath the ground you stand on, temperatures of 300 degrees celsius cause thermodynamic activity. Gathered around, you can watch a geyser of steam burst through the ground, and look down into a ten meter deep hole into the earth below.
El Diablo restaurant
In a circular building designed by renowned local artist Cesar Manrique, chefs cook up dishes using the heat from the volcanic ground. Even if you’re not eating at the restaurant, you can take a peek and watch the chefs grill meat over a well burrowed deep into the ground!
Visitor and Interpretation Centre
Timanfaya’s Centro de Visitantes e Interpretacion is actually around 4km from the entrance to the Ruta de los Volcanes. We actually ended up here first, as our satnav decided to send us here instead of the entrance!
I’m actually glad for the misdirection, as it was a great opportunity to learn more about the geological history of Timanfaya and Lanzarote. There are plenty of displays explaining how the landscape has been shaped by nature’s power, as well as a viewpoint looking out over the lava fields towards the Caldera Blanca crater.
Entry is free.
The Termesana Route: Timanfaya on foot
Most visitors to Timanfaya will only take the bus tour, but for more intrepid (or budget-conscious) travellers, there’s another way to experience Timanfaya on foot.
Termesana Route
The Termesana Route is a 3km trail, leading through rocks shaped by lava and through the vibrant colours of Montaña Encantada.
You’ll be picked up from the nearby town of Yaiza, to take the tour led by biologist guides in either English or Spanish (depending on the tour you pick). The trail is considered a moderate level of difficulty
Bookings for the tour open 30 days in advance. You’ll need to be fast, as groups are small – there are only eight places per tour. Tours only run twice a day – once in English, and once in Spanish. All guests must be at least 16 years old, and you’re required to have a good grasp of the language of the tour you’ve booked onto. You’ll also need to have closed toe walking shoes.
If you can’t get on this tour, check out a similar trekking tour in the nearby Volcanoes Natural Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I need at Timanfaya National Park?
The bus tour takes just under an hour, so including parking and waiting for the bus, allow around 2 hours for your visit.
What should I wear in Timanfaya National Park?
Although the weather is shorts-and-t-shirt kinda hot, it’s worth bringing a thin cover up layer as it can get windy, especially from October to April.
Does Timanfaya National Park have toilets?
There are toilets available at Hilario Islet and the Visitor and Interpretation Centre.
Can you walk around Timanfaya National Park?
Unless you book the Termesana route guided tour, you can’t go hiking or walking in Timanfaya National Park. This is to protect the landscapes and biodiversity.
Is Timanfaya wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Newer buses on the tour have wheelchair access, and disabled parking and toilets are available at Hilario Islet and the Visitor and Interpretation Centre.
