Timanfaya Jameos del Agua and Cueva de los Verdes Tour Lanzarote

Timanfaya National Park and the Volcano Route

The day starts in the Fire Mountains of Timanfaya National Park, the area of southwest Lanzarote reshaped by six years of eruptions between 1730 and 1736. The ride along the Ruta de los Volcanes takes about 100 minutes with the stops at Islote de Hilario and the viewpoints, passing craters, red and ochre slopes and fields of black lava. Private cars are not allowed on this road, so a Timanfaya National Park tour by bus is the way to see it.

At Islote de Hilario you see the geothermal demonstrations: water poured into a pipe returns as steam, and dry brush ignites in a pit in seconds. The park is protected, so the guide explains the rules on paths and rocks. Your ticket is included, and the early start means cooler air and clearer views across the craters.

Cueva de los Verdes, the lava tube under the north

Cueva de los Verdes is part of a lava tube several kilometres long, formed when a river of molten rock flowed from the Corona volcano toward the sea and its crust hardened into a roof. Visitors walk about a kilometre through galleries on two and three levels, some of them reaching around 40 metres in height, with subtle lighting that shows off the colours of the rock. The guided visit lasts about 55 minutes.

Despite the name, it is not green. It takes its name from a local family that once used the caves as shelter from pirate raids. If you are wondering whether Cueva de los Verdes is worth visiting, the scale of the tunnels and the guide's explanations make it a highlight. The floor is uneven, so wear closed shoes; the visit is not suitable for visitors with reduced mobility.

Jameos del Agua, César Manrique's cave garden

Jameos del Agua is another section of the same lava tube, where the roof has collapsed to open natural skylights called jameos. The artist and architect César Manrique turned it into a cultural centre that opened in 1966, blending white walls, volcanic stone, tropical plants and a striking blue pool. You can wander through the concert hall carved into the rock, look over the restaurant terraces and follow steps down to the underground lagoon.

The lagoon shelters tiny white blind crabs found almost nowhere else, which is why swimming is strictly prohibited. You have about 55 minutes here, enough for photos and a slow walk, and the stop is included in your ticket. For a more art-focused day, our César Manrique full-day tour follows more of his work across the north.

A full day: pickup, lunch stop and return times

The tour leaves at 08:00 with pickup from selected locations across Lanzarote. Give your accommodation details when booking and check your messages the day before for pickup information. If you change your pickup less than 24 hours before, you meet at El Campo at 09:30 instead. There may be a short logistics stop at Yaiza to organise groups onto buses.

Lunch is optional: the tour stops for about an hour at a local restaurant where you choose and pay on the spot, or you can bring your own food. Allow around nine hours in total; the tour returns in the early evening, so if you are joining from a cruise ship, check the return time against your all-aboard time. The guide speaks English, and other languages may be used on the same tour.