La Palma Cueva de las Palomas Volcanic Tube Tour

Cueva de las Palomas, a lava tube under La Palma

A lava tube forms when a river of molten lava flows down a slope and its surface cools into a hard crust while the hot lava keeps running underneath. When the eruption stops, the liquid lava drains out and leaves behind a long, hollow tunnel. Cueva de las Palomas is one of these tunnels, about 500 metres long, and it is among the best places on La Palma to understand how the island was built from the inside.

The tube is a protected natural site, and visits are only possible with a guide, which keeps the cave and its delicate formations in good condition. Is Cueva de las Palomas worth visiting? For anyone who has seen the island's volcanoes from above, walking through the inside of a lava flow completes the picture in a way few places can.

Inside the tube: formations and lava features

With your helmet and torch you move slowly through chambers and narrower passages. Your guide points out the details that tell the story of the eruption: lava stalactites hanging from the ceiling like drops frozen in time, benches along the walls that mark the level of the lava as it flowed, and smooth, ropy surfaces on the floor where the last lava cooled. In places the colours change from black to red and brown as iron in the rock meets the air.

The cave is cool and quiet, a welcome contrast to the sun outside, and the floor can be uneven, so you walk at an easy pace with stops for explanations and photos. Children usually love the adventure of exploring by torchlight, which is why the tour is open to ages 6 and over.

The lava field and the volcanic landscape around the cave

Before entering, the group walks across the lava field that surrounds the cave. Here you see what the tube looks like from above: a rough landscape of dark basalt, small collapsed openings in the ground and the first plants, lichens and Canary pines that slowly colonise fresh lava. The guide explains how different kinds of lava, smooth or jagged, create different surfaces and why some flows build tubes while others do not.

This part of La Palma lies on the volcanic slopes that have been active many times in recent centuries, including the 2021 eruption of Tajogaite. A visit to the lava tube pairs perfectly with a guided trek to the new volcano, giving you both the inside and the outside of an eruption in a single day.

Planning your visit

The tour lasts about 2 hours, including the lava field walk and the time inside the tube, with a morning and an early afternoon start. Comfortable closed shoes are essential, and a light jacket helps because the cave stays cool all year. The helmet, torch, entrance and insurance are provided, and the explanations are given in English and Spanish.

If you are wondering how to get to Cueva de las Palomas, the exact location of the entrance is on your voucher, and most visitors arrive by rental car or taxi from Los Llanos de Aridane, El Paso or Santa Cruz de La Palma. Cueva de las Palomas tickets on this page include the guided entry, so there is nothing more to buy on arrival.