Timanfaya National Park: How to Visit the Fire Mountains in 2026

Timanfaya National Park is the landscape that makes Lanzarote unique: miles of lava, craters in every colour and ground that is still hot just a few metres down. We live half an hour from the park, and it is the visit we recommend to all our guests. Here is what you need to know to go in 2026, starting with the most important change: you can no longer just turn up and buy a ticket at the gate.

Since 15 June 2026, tickets for the Fire Mountains are only sold online, on the official website of the Lanzarote Centres of Art, Culture and Tourism (cactlanzarote.com), with a set entry time. Without a ticket bought in advance, you won’t get in.

What is Timanfaya?

Timanfaya National Park was born from the eruptions that shook the south-west of the island between 1730 and 1736, one of the longest on record, and from a shorter one in 1824. The lava buried villages and farmland and left the landscape much as you see it today. It has been a National Park since 1974 and, to protect it, almost all of its interior can only be explored on the official coach or on guided walks.

Tickets, opening hours and how to book

• Price: €30 for adults; children under 7 go free. Canary Islands residents get a discount, showing proof at the ticket office.
• Where to buy: only at cactlanzarote.com, choosing a day and time. Tickets can’t be changed or refunded.
• Opening hours: every day, 9:00 to 15:45.
• How long: about an hour and a half in total.
• On the day: arrive 15 minutes before your slot and keep your ticket downloaded on your phone, because mobile signal is patchy up there.

In high season, especially in August, time slots sell out days ahead. Book as soon as you have your travel dates.

What the visit includes

The Route of the Volcanoes

This is the heart of the visit: a coach tour of about 14 km through the interior of the park, lasting around 35 minutes, with recorded commentary in Spanish, English and German. You stay on the bus, but the views of craters and lava flows are spectacular.

The demonstrations at Islote de Hilario

Next to the car park, park staff show you the heat stored underground: they drop dry brush into a hole and it bursts into flames, and pour water into a pipe that shoots back out like a geyser. The demonstrations are repeated every few minutes.

El Diablo restaurant

Designed by César Manrique, it grills meat and fish over the heat of the volcano. You can’t book: tables are first come, first served.

Beyond the coach tour

• Mancha Blanca Visitor Centre: free, every day from 9:00 to 16:00. It has a room that simulates an eruption, a walkway over the lava and explains the park’s history very well. Worth a stop before or after the Fire Mountains.
• Free guided walks: the Tremesana route, through the interior of the park, and the Coastal route (Ruta del Litoral). Places are very limited: book about a month in advance through the National Parks booking centre (reservasparquesnacionales.es).
• Camel ride: at the Echadero de los Camellos, next to the road into the park. It is paid separately from the park ticket.
• Volcanoes you can climb on your own: just outside the park, Volcán del Cuervo is a short, easy walk with no booking needed. If you like hiking, Caldera Blanca is a walk of about 4 hours with stunning views.

Tips for enjoying Timanfaya

• Choose the first slot. Fewer people, room to park and less heat: at midday in summer it goes above 32 °C with no shade at all.
• Best time of year: spring and autumn. Winter is very pleasant too.
• Bring water, a hat and sunscreen. Even when it’s windy, the sun is strong.
• Don’t take stones or leave the paths. It is a protected area and the landscape is very fragile.
• Combine it with La Geria and El Golfo. They are on the way and make for a perfect day. We explain how in our 4-day Lanzarote itinerary.

How to get there

There is no public transport to the park, so a car is the practical option. The entrance to the Fire Mountains is on the LZ-67 road, between Yaiza and Mancha Blanca. The car park at Islote de Hilario is small and, when it fills up, queues form on the road: another reason to go first thing. From our cabins in San Bartolomé, it takes about 30 minutes.

Prices and opening hours checked in October 2026. They may change, so confirm them at cactlanzarote.com before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Timanfaya without booking?

No. Since June 2026, tickets for the Fire Mountains are only sold online and with a time slot. The Mancha Blanca Visitor Centre, however, can be visited without booking.

Can you drive through the park in your own car?

No. You can drive as far as Islote de Hilario, but the Route of the Volcanoes is only done on the park’s coach, which is included in the ticket.

How much time do you need?

An hour and a half for the Fire Mountains. Add Mancha Blanca, La Geria and El Golfo and you have a full day.