Timanfaya National Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Timanfaya National Park
Timanfaya National Park
4.5
National ParksGeologic Formations
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
About
An awe-inspiring stretch of volcanic wasteland: a desolate and bleak monument to the power of Mother Nature.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Richard D
    Fleet, United Kingdom566 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing Place, must visit if youa re n Lanzarote
    You cannot visit Lanzarote without visiting Timanfaya. This place is out of this world and like being on another planet. We did a coach trip which I would recommend. The only down side was seeing camel rides for tourists which was not great..so avoid these
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 23, 2023
  • SCHarris
    Midland, Michigan5 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful views!
    Get there early! Otherwise you spend your whole day in car queues to park and visit the site. Bus ride can cause you to be a bit queasy as it is a bit like a roller coaster ride. Kudos to those bus drivers! Mad driving skills! As you arrive you are directed to a leisure bus that drives you through the volcano area - very cool takes about 35 minutes. Enjoyed the sites! Phenomenal views.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 5, 2023
  • Alan B
    Worcester, United Kingdom8 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Getting up close to volcanic landscapes.
    Very interesting visit as we had never seen volcanic lava fields and the associated landscapes. Demonstration of the steam eruption was great as was the hot rock chicken oven, overall well worth a visit and if you go by coach they take you on a fantastic trip along a mountain road through the moonscape!!
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 18, 2023
  • dmihovilovic
    Menlo Park, California69 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must see in Lanzarote
    Timanfaya Park is a must visit if you go to Lanzarote. There was a long wait of one hour to get into the park (because of many visitors) but it was well coordinated by the park personnel. The best part of the visit is the guided tour bus that cover espectacular views of the area. The visitor center was not very interesting. And finally we enjoyed a good piece of steak cooked on the volcano heat, something we do not do every day!
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 9, 2023
  • mahmad
    The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, United Kingdom31 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A good day out
    The coach trip once you get to the visitor centre is "out of this world" as you are driven around/inside the volcanic remains. The restaurant/ cafe is also a decent stop, as is the shop. Go early, as there can be car loads of queues in the morning, or go in afternoon when it is less busy.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 19, 2023
  • Rakester1965
    Aveley, United Kingdom90 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Must
    This is absolutely a must see attraction, if you are coming to Lanzarote. At the visitor centre, you will feel hot stones in your hands, see fire come up from the ground, and see a hot water geyser spurting. You are not allowed to get out in parts, due to the authorities attempting to preserve the park. Always, in my opinion go on a coach tour, as they will get priority over cars (you can wait for around 2 hours to get into the park apparently) The tour we went on, we were picked up at 8:40am and dropped off at around 2:10pm This was the “short tour” and was around 31 euros per adult.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 7, 2023
  • chick68
    34 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A good half day out seeing the landscapes
    It was a really enjoyable half day out! We ignored the poor reviews and so glad we did! People going on this trip should want to see the amazing scenery rather than worry about a gift shop! We went by hire car and expected to queues so we were prepared. Aftrt 1 hr 40 mins of queueing we were there and straight onto a coach with an excellent driver. The coach was comfortable, and the views were amazing. We then took in the views, used the facilities, and left. My only slight complaint was lack of choice in cafe especially with no choice for GF diets. But we left and got something at our villa. We paid 48 euros for 4 of us which seems really reasonable. An interesting morning! Dont go if you are expecting anything other than a visitor centre and amazing views of the landscape and volcanoes.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 27, 2023
  • Stephen
    11 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very interesting and worth visiting but make sure you get a skip the line tour bus.
    We visited this as part of a premium tour (which was great). The drive up to the volcano is very scenic with almost martian like landscapes. The volcano itself was good, there were demonstrations where you get to hold hot rocks and a fun water spout trick. There is also the option of volcano cooked chicken which we did not get to try but it looked very nice. We did not stay long with our tour, maybe around 30 minutes but I felt this was more than enough time as once you see the demonstration there was not much more to do apart from having some lunch. There was a massive line of cars waiting to get in and it looked like it would take a very long time to reach the entrance. I do not think I would wait in line to see the volcano. I would highly advise you to do this as part of a guided tour as you get straight through the lines. The premium tour we went on was perfect and quite inexpensive especially considering how many other sights we saw. It is 100% worth it for time efficiency and value.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 6, 2023
  • zara1981
    Plymouth, United Kingdom10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Going early is a must
    Amazing if you go early....we arrived at 8:45 and there were still a few cars in front of us. The photo is the queue when we left at 10:15. Lovely little tour, hot put and steam demo.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 9, 2023
  • Leah F
    Newmilns, United Kingdom83 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Go early if you can
    Absolutely fantastic experience. We were on an arranged excursion and we arrived at the park around 9am. This was clearly a benefit to us as when we were leaving there was huge queues of cars trying to get up to the top. The view from the top is spectacular and the experiments and experience are worth it as this is so unique. Highly recommend
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 15, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles19,547 reviews
Excellent
12,947
Very good
4,882
Average
1,120
Poor
307
Terrible
291

David
Doncaster, UK3 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Family
Arguably one of the most boring things I have done whilst on holiday, don’t get me wrong the views are worth seeing especially the rock formations and lava flows but with a coach trip it gets old quickly especially when the longest stop is for lunch at a location where tickets are bought for a meal (€9 per adult €5 per child) other than the fixed meal there is nothing else at this location apart from a church and WC (we didn’t approach the church as there was ceremony taking place and we didn’t want to disturb).

El Golfo and the Visitor centre are 20-30 minute stop each which in a busy environment is not long enough to experience the views or geothermal activity and green lake or eat (which seems like a racket when you consider the option for lunch so take a pack up especially if you have an allergies as a for instance I saw no GF options (but then again I did not enquire either).

The ‘experiments’ are good to see, young children enjoyed this especially the geyser part but make sure you get a front row spot and stand your ground.

The wine tasting or wine taste is just that you can taste either a sweet or dry wine and then go in the gift shop (this location has WCs).

€12 per each for the camel ride which I did not partake in.
WCs at this location are very clean with a small cafe and museum on camel use on the island.

The guide was informative enough and multilingual.

if I was to visit these areas again it would be via hire car and not via coach, I estimate we spent over an hour in Playa Blanca picking up then another 20 wait on the coach in Yaiza allowing customers to pay by card for the trip.

In summary would not recommend a coach trip of these areas, we completed the South tour at €35 an adult €18 a child total of €123 for that price look into a day or 2 hire care and do it under your own stream.
Written October 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kevin M
Guildford, UK11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Family
We loved our visit here. The bus tour of the volcano fields is brilliant, so many great photo opportunities a d the bus driver was so adept at manoeuvring the bus it was unreal. The demos when you get off the bus are brief but worthwhile.

Now here is the key part... we were staying in Playa Blanca and had a hire car for the week. I had read terrible tho gs about the queues so had almost decided to pay for a tour which for a family of 4 with 2 pre teens would still have been around £125. Whatever did in the end is leave the villa at 8am, get there and be the first car at the barrier at 08.30 and they opened it up just after 9 by which point point there were 25 cars behind us. It cost us €36 for 4 of us. We were on the first bus tour of the day. Even if you pay for a tour picking you up YOU STILL HAVE TO TRANSFER TO THE orange Park buses. By the time we finished our tour the car park was full and the queue for the orange buses must have been 300 deep and I didn't see any special Skip to Line system touted. We didn't eat in the restaurant although looked a nice spot.

So top tips? If you have a car then get up early and drive, sit on the left hand side of the bus as you enter it and do stay for the geo-thermo demos.

We drove to the camel rides 2 mins away. Was OK... nothing really to see well organised and ok-ish at €24 for 4 of us for 20 mins. Camels look well fed and treated but when there 100+ of them does make me think they are a commodity and I have spent 3 days on a camel at the Indo/Pakistan boarder. Wouldn't do it again though.
Written April 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

neenoonee
Warrington, UK45 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
Today was my first time at the Montañas del Fuego and I’m gutted I didn’t go last time I was in Lanzarote. €12 entry to the park, which covers a coach tour around the top of the crater (with commentary in Spanish, English and German) and a lesson in Geothermal Physics!

I don’t want to give too much away, because there’s a few surprises along the way but it’s an absolute must do. There’s a shop at the top and a restaurant with meals available, or just coffee and cake, but with BEAUTIFUL views of the Martian landscape. The restaurant is very reasonable - five drinks and four mains for four adults cost us €48 in all, a bargain at just over £10 per head for a drink and a delicious filling meal.
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Davidjellis
Lowestoft, UK8,812 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
We visited the Timanfaya National Park on a coach excursion from Arrecife (cruise ship visit) and had a wonderful time here. Cars are not permitted to drive around the volcano tour itself, we were fine in our tour bus, but car drivers need to park up and take one of the tour buses that are included in the admission price of the park.

The drive around the volcanoes is just wow, taking about 35-40 minutes to do the circuit with various stops and a running commentary explaining the volcanic history of the island. Note that you cannot get out of the bus for photos, you must stay inside the bus at all times, but the views were amazing.

Back at the main national park centre we also watched the earth's natural power to full effect seeing straw catching fire from the volcanic heat, seeing what happens when water is poured into the vents, and also holding some volcanic gravel and feeling the heat of it. There was food being cooked on a natural BBQ (i.e. just using the heat of the volcano). There are toilets and a restaurant at the Centre.

The national park, whilst being very popular, is well worth doing, it's a unique attraction and a 'must do' on the island.
Written May 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dane12
Truro, UK40 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
We went on a tui excursion to the national park along with a stop at a winery and a meal in the restaurant where the food is cooked using the heat from the volcano. Our guide was good with good knowledge about the history of the area. We also enjoyed the winery where you only get to taste one of the wines but it only cost an extra two euros on top of the normal excursion price so understandable. The food in the restaurant was good but you are sat with other visitors sharing the starter and wine so your enjoyment is dependent on who your seated with. Overall a good afternoon out.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sid G
London, UK350 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
Do youself a favour and visit Timanfaya national Park. This is the closest you can go to Moon or Mars due to rugged, Volcanic rocks/topography and awesome bus ride.

First visit Timanfaya visitor Centre(entry is free), they have good exhibition, Volcano audio visual and a nice walkway(you can spend around 30-60mins here)

Post this visit the actual park. Entry is €12/adult (child is €6). Entry price includes bus tour of 30 mins, Geyser show, Volcanic oven visit where they cook your live food. Reasonably priced restutant with decent portions considering the fact that they cook your food over the oven from the volcanic heat.

Highlight is undoubtedly the bus tour of around 35mins across the national park, expert drivers moving coaches in limited space (however watch out for Vertigo!),
TIP: Sit on right hand side of the bus for best views. Driver stops the bus at 3-4places to take snaps up close of the volcanic carter's.

We went in Aug (during pandemic) so no queues at all(otherwise it takes around couple of hours up the hill due to very limited car park space - such a shame)

In all, extremely good half day excursion with/without kids and a must visit in Lanzarote
Written September 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ChoiceMum
Liverpool, UK43 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
Great place for the whole family to visit. Such an unusual experience to see a vast volcanic landscape. Buy a ticket on entry for €12 each and dive up to Grill Volcano de Timanfaya then take one of the visitor coaches on a trip around the volcano sites. The trip is very informative with multi lingual commentary. Plenty of stops for photographs but unfortunately from within the coach. We managed to get some really good pictures anyway. After the coach trip we were then shown the natural heat from a fire pit with water shooting from geysers, fabulous!
You can then go into the restaurant for a bite to eat at very reasonable prices. 4 of us had a meal each with coffees and cold drinks and the bill came to €48 in total.
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kathy G
San Miguel de Salinas, Spain55 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Couples
Thoroughly recommend this 5 hour tour experiencing an interesting and informative (not lecturing) journey through the National Park.

Given the COVID 19 situation and this being the first post lockdown tour, the care taken by Angela to ensure we were all safe and sanitised at each stopping point of the trip was very reassuring.

The comfortable ride through the volcano park, seeing craters just across the way was mind blowing. There was a stop at a restaurant (designed by Cesar Manrique) to experience the heat of the dormant volcano, the kitchens use this heat for cooking.

Onwards to the coast to see the beautiful cliffs Hervideros followed by the Green Lagoon - formerly a crater.

Finally a drive through La Geria wine region - amazed to see how the vines are individually cultivated in their own walled enclosure.

We were offered the chance to sample the delicious Malvasia wine.

At no time during our trip were we pressed to purchase anything.
Written July 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jasmine38Chichester UK
Chichester, UK1,953 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
Suggest you arrive early as by 10am there was quite a queue and the car park is not that big. However, although the website states the park opens at 9am they didn't open the gate until 9.25 except for tour buses.

We enjoyed our visit overall but felt organisation could be better. There is no info when you arrive. Basically you just need to head to the buses parked up and hop on one as soon as space is available.

The bus ride around the park takes 35 min with commentary repeated in various languages. Interesting but we saw almost as good volcanic scenery driving around the island.

Outside the cafe/restaurant there are a couple of demos to show hot it is beneath the service every couple of minutes so you can breeze through quite easily in an hour or so if you're limited for time and there are no queues.

Whilst Lanzarote is a windy island it was super windy here and very cold so dress accordingly.

Confusingly the visitor centre with the museum are 4km further on from the park and are free to enter irrespective of whether you paid the 12 euro park fee. Worth a stop for explanation on Timanfaya and volcanoes in general.
Written April 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gary W
Dartford, UK141 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Oddly spectacular lunar like landscape that you drive through to get to the volcano visitor area, 12 Euros each well spent with a coach tour (I wouldn't want to navigate the tight turns!) and commentary then there are various things they show you like the cooking over a thermal pit and spectacular steam geysers. There is a coffee area and restaurant too. Really do recommend a visit & best advice is to go quite early and if possible at less busy times as it does get crowded and the car park fills up quickly.
Written February 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Timanfaya National Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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