Route of the Volcanoes, Timanfaya

The Ruta de los Volcanes (Route of the Volcanoes) is the coach tour through the core of Timanfaya National Park in south-west Lanzarote. It starts from the Islote de Hilario, takes about 35 minutes and covers around 14 km on a regulated road that private cars cannot use. It is included in the Montañas del Fuego ticket, sold by the island's public tourism centres (CACT Lanzarote), together with the geothermal demonstrations at the visitor centre.

What is the Route of the Volcanoes?

According to CACT Lanzarote, the route was conceived by César Manrique and runs through the main area of the eruptions in a specially equipped coach, with a recorded commentary in Spanish, English and German. You pass craters, lava tubes, lava fields (malpaís) and ash plains, including the Valle de la Tranquilidad, named after the Moon's Sea of Tranquility. Halfway, the coach makes a 180-degree turn between two volcanoes and the view opens to Montaña Rajada, Montaña de la Vieja Gabriela, Pico Redondo and other cones.

How much does it cost and how do you book?

The Montañas del Fuego ticket was €30 for adults and free for children aged 0–6 when checked in October 2026, with reduced rates for Canary Islands and Lanzarote residents and people with disabilities (claimed at the ticket office with documents). Tickets for Montañas del Fuego are sold online only, for a specific date and time; arrive at the ticket office 15 minutes before your slot. The centre is open every day from 09:00 to 15:45, and the whole visit takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. CACT also runs a small-group guided "Insólita" visit (€59.90 in 2026, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays) to Montaña Rajada and the Tinecheide refuge, which the standard ticket does not include.

What else is included?

• Geothermal demonstrations on the Islote de Hilario, where heat from the subsoil is still close to the surface.
• Access to the Islote de Hilario and its viewpoint over a "sea of lava" with more than 25 craters within a few square kilometres.
• The El Diablo restaurant (not included; meals paid separately), also designed by Manrique, grills food over a 5-metre well where the ground temperature reaches about 250 °C. It does not take reservations.

Why is it important?

The park protects more than 5,100 hectares shaped by eruptions that lasted six years, from 1730 to 1736, among the most representative examples of recent volcanism in the Canary Islands. To protect it, visitors must stay inside their vehicle from El Taro to the Islote de Hilario car park; there is no free roaming on foot in this part of the park.

What should you know before you go?

• Weather: CACT recommends a cap and sun protection between June and September, and warm clothing between October and April because the area is windy.
• Accessibility: the coaches are adapted; pushchairs can be awkward, so a baby carrier is easier.
• Parking: the Islote de Hilario car park is on a slope — open doors carefully.
• Pets: not allowed, except assistance dogs.

Book an early slot to combine Timanfaya with the Cueva de los Verdes and the Jameos del Agua in the north the same day, or see more of Lanzarote.