At a glance
- The Guided Off-Road Volcano Buggy Tour runs 2 - 3 hours from US$173, rated 4.67 from 5,246 reviews, limited to 10 participants.[1]
- A guided volcano hike with transfers takes 3.5 - 4 hours from US$48 and is limited to 8 participants.[2] A Timanfaya hike costs from US$51.[3]
- Prefer sealed roads? The on-road guided buggy volcano tour runs 2.5 hours from US$207, rated 4.58 from 627 reviews.[4]
- To drive a buggy on this tour, drivers need to be 20 or older, with a driving licence held for two years or more.[5]
- Lanzarote has a warm climate throughout the year, with an average annual temperature of about 21ºC, and north-east trade winds blow all year round.[6][7]
| Off-road buggy | Volcano hike | Coast cruise | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | from US$173[1] | from US$48[2] | from US$86[8] |
| Duration | 2 - 3 hours[1] | 3.5 - 4 hours[2] | 2 hours[8] |
| Group size | Limited to 10 participants[1] | Limited to 8 participants[2] | Limited to 6 participants[8] |
| Rating | 4.67 from 5,246 reviews[1] | 4.85 from 929 reviews[2] | no reviews yet[8] |
| Guide languages | Catalan, English, French, Spanish[1] | English, French, Spanish[2] | Spanish, English[8] |
| Cancellation | Cancel up to 24 hours in advance[1] | Cancel up to 24 hours in advance[2] | Cancel up to 24 hours in advance[8] |
In Lanzarote, the vines are grown in pits dug in the volcanic ash; a centuries-old technique that takes advantage of the exceptional properties of volcanic ash.
Our Verdict: Buggy, Hike or Both?
Read before booking
On the day
- Sun cream, sunglasses and a buff keep the dust and the glare manageable.
- The off-road volcano buggy tour is limited to 10 participants.[1]
- Average annual temperature is about 21ºC, and mornings are the coolest window.[6]
- Lanzarote Airport is 12 km from Puerto del Carmen, 33 km from Playa Blanca.[9][10]
Lanzarote excursions at a glance
Lanzarote excursions range from buggy convoys on black ash tracks to quiet vineyard walks, and most of them begin within an easy drive of the airport. The island is small enough to pair a volcano morning with a beach afternoon. Guided groups here stay intimate: an e-bike tour of the craters and vineyards takes 4 hours from US$143 and is limited to 6 participants, while a guided volcano hike with transfers runs 3.5 - 4 hours from US$48.[2][11]
The tour booked from this site is the Guided Off-Road Volcano Buggy Tour, from US$173, rated 4.67 from 5,246 reviews. It runs 2 - 3 hours, is limited to 10 participants and has pickup available, with a live guide working in Catalan, English, French or Spanish.[1] If you would rather walk on the lava than drive across it, a hike through Timanfaya's volcanic landscapes takes 3 hours from US$51 and is rated 4.80 from 1,450 reviews.[3]
Volcano buggy tours: what the ride is like
The buggy is the loud, dusty way to see the lava fields. You follow a guide in convoy along dirt tracks that cut through black ash, past cinder cones and low walls of piled stone, with the Atlantic flashing off to one side. Expect grit in your teeth, wind in your ears and a grin you cannot switch off. Dust goggles, a buff, sun cream and closed shoes make a real difference, and a thin windproof layer is worth carrying even on a warm day. The driving itself is steady rather than fast, and beginners are looked after.
Rules matter more than most people expect. To drive a buggy on this tour, drivers need to be 20 or older, with a driving licence held for two years or more.[5] Bring the physical licence with you and keep it in a zipped pocket for the checks. Passengers who never take the wheel are welcome, and the guide leads the convoy, so nobody has to navigate. The off-road volcano buggy tour is from US$173.[1] A Puerto del Carmen buggy adventure is another option, from US$288.[12]
Buggy tracks cut across black ash and old lava on the slopes above the coast.
Timanfaya and the lava fields
Timanfaya is the reason many travellers come to Lanzarote. The eruption that built it lasted six years and covered 23% of Lanzarote in fresh lava and spatter.[13] The surface still looks raw: black and rust-coloured rubble, ropy flows frozen mid-move, and cones standing on a plain where almost nothing grows. The park's own routes show how thin and warm the crust is in places. It works as a geology lesson and a film set at the same time, and it changes colour through the day as the sun moves.
Peñas del Chache, the tallest mountain on Lanzarote, stands 672 meters (about 2,205 feet) above the sea.[14] Lanzarote is also listed as a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme, taking in the northernmost island of the Canary Archipelago and the northern islets.[15] Two guided days go deeper into the lava country: a Timanfaya volcanic day tour runs 6 hours from US$90, rated 3.78 from 7 reviews, and a nine-hour Volcanos of Timanfaya and Caves tour with lunch is from US$109, rated 4.52 from 531 reviews, with skip the ticket line.[16][17]
Hiking, e-bikes and the wine country
Not every excursion on Lanzarote needs an engine. A guided volcano hike with transfers takes 3.5 - 4 hours from US$48, is limited to 8 participants and is rated 4.85 from 929 reviews.[2] A three-hour volcano hike is from US$51, rated 4.76 from 371 reviews, with pickup available.[18] The walking is gentle to moderate, mostly on rough volcanic paths with very little shade, so carry water, start early and wear shoes with grip. Guides talk through the eruptions, the farming and the villages, which turns a walk into a story.
La Geria is the surprise of the island. The vines are grown in pits dug in volcanic ash, a centuries-old technique that makes the most of what the ash does for the plants.[19] From a ridge the hollows look like a field of green stars scattered over black soil. Cycling is a lovely way to cover the ground: an e-bike tour of the volcano craters and vineyards lasts 4 hours from US$143 and is limited to 6 participants.[11] Another e-bike route around Timanfaya's volcano, crater and vineyards takes 3.5 hours from US$137.[20]
from US$173
The Guided Off-Road Volcano Buggy Tour is the ride booked from this site: 2 - 3 hours with pickup available and a live guide.[1]
Coast, caves and the green lagoon
The south-west coast is where lava meets ocean. Los Hervideros is a stretch of dramatic black lava cliffs where the Atlantic surges into a labyrinth of sea caves and blowholes and appears to boil among the rocks.[21] A short drive inland, the El Golfo green lagoon, known as Charco de los Clicos or Green Lagoon, formed where an extinct volcano crater submerges into the Atlantic, and it is a Natural Reserve.[22] Both stops are easy to add to a day in the volcano country, and both are at their busiest around sunset.
If you would rather float than drive, the water options are strong. A cruise along the volcanic coast with an aperitif lasts 2 hours from US$86 and is limited to 6 participants.[8] A pack that pairs a buggy with a jet ski runs 3 hours from US$230, rated 4.66 from 139 reviews.[23] Tandem paragliding over the volcanoes and the Atlantic offers flights of 20 - 40 minutes from US$138, with a small group limited to 5 participants.[24] Sea, air and ash, all in one trip.
Driving rules, licences and getting around
Book the vehicle first, then check the paperwork. To drive a buggy on this tour, drivers need to be 20 or older, with a driving licence held for two years or more.[5] The off-road volcano buggy tour has pickup available and a live guide, and you can reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1] Passengers do not need a licence, so a non-driving friend can ride along and take the photographs.
Getting to your base is simple. Lanzarote Airport is 12 km from Puerto del Carmen, which makes the south coast an easy first stop.[9] Playa Blanca sits 33 km from the airport.[10] Cruise passengers dock at the Puerto de los Mármoles, 3 km (1.9 miles) from Arrecife city centre.[25] Lanzarote currently does not charge a general overnight tourist tax.[26]
When to go, what to pack and how to book
The climate makes planning easy. Lanzarote has a warm climate throughout the entire year, with an average annual temperature of about 21ºC.[6] The island sits in the trade winds, which blow steadily from the north-east all year round, though the speed varies.[7] It receives just over 3 million holiday tourists per year, plus a further 500,000 day visitors who arrive by cruise ship.[27] Mornings are usually the calmest and coolest window for a buggy or a hike, and the low light on the lava is lovely then.
Book the headline trips a few days ahead in busy weeks, and keep the flexible ones for the days when the wind drops. If you spot a discount code, compare it with the live from-price on the listing before you commit, because a code only helps if the final total is lower. Some travellers arrive with TUI excursions Lanzarote already in their plans, others build the week tour by tour. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund applies to the off-road volcano buggy tour, the guided volcano hike and the volcanic coast cruise.[1][2][8]
From-prices of Lanzarote buggy tours
From-prices from GetYourGuide listings[1],[28],[4],[29] and[12].
Buggy tour from-prices
US dollar from-prices from GetYourGuide listings[1],[28],[4],[29] and[12]. These listings show one from-price, so the same amount is used for adult and child.
When to book your excursion
How to plan your excursion
Pick your vehicle
Buggies, e-bikes and quads cover different ground. The off-road volcano buggy is 2 - 3 hours from US$173.[1]
Check the licence rules
To drive, you must be at least 20 years old and have held a valid driving licence for a minimum of two years.[5]
Choose a slot
The off-road volcano buggy tour runs 2 - 3 hours; check availability to see starting times.[1]
Plan the transfer
Pickup is available on the off-road volcano buggy tour; check availability for pickup options.[1]
Book flexibly
Reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance are offered on the guided off-road volcano buggy tour.[1]
Ready for the volcano? Book the guided off-road buggy tour
from US$174Reserve now & pay later
