Key takeaways
- Peñas del Chache rises 618 metres above sea level, offering panoramic views across the northern landscape from your buggy.
- The Famara cliffs plunge dramatically below the plateau where you ride, creating a striking natural boundary to the north coast.
- From the peak, La Graciosa and neighbouring islands become visible across the water on clear days, expanding the view beyond Lanzarote itself.
- Navigate through the malpaís lava fields, where ancient black rock formations reveal the island's volcanic origins in striking detail.
- Higher elevation and moisture-bearing winds create greener vegetation in the north, contrasting sharply with the arid southern regions.
The Climb to Peñas del Chache
Your buggy tour begins in Costa Teguise and heads inland toward the island's highest point. The drive takes you through changing terrain as elevation increases, and the air grows noticeably cooler the higher you climb. Peñas del Chache rises significantly above the surrounding landscape, dominating the northern skyline from almost anywhere on the island. The ascent reveals how the terrain transforms from coastal flatness into genuine mountain country, with the buggy handling the unpaved tracks that wind upward through volcanic rock formations.
As you approach the summit, the ride becomes more exhilarating. The guide navigates the off-road sections with precision, and your vantage point from the buggy gives you an unobstructed view of what lies ahead. On clear days, the perspective from this vantage point stretches across the entire northern portion of Lanzarote. The climb itself is part of the experience, showing you how the island's geology shifts as you gain altitude and move away from the sea.
Views From the Island's Highest Peak
From Peñas del Chache, your eye can travel across the northern plateau and beyond to neighboring islands. La Graciosa sits to the north, clearly visible on most days, lying between Lanzarote and the smaller islands of Montaña Clara and Alegranza. The clarity of these views depends on weather conditions, but the northern waters often provide excellent visibility. This perspective shows you why the north of Lanzarote feels connected to a wider archipelago, rather than isolated as a single island destination.
The summit position also reveals the Famara cliffs in their full dramatic context. These towering formations dominate the northwestern edge of the plateau, dropping steeply toward the coast below. From above, you can see how the cliffs create a natural boundary between the high interior and the coastal lowlands. The scale becomes apparent only when you are at elevation, understanding why these formations are among the island's most photographed natural features.
Peñas del Chache summit: where the island drops away to the Atlantic
The Famara Cliffs From Above
The Famara cliffs rise as a sheer wall of volcanic rock along Lanzarote's northwestern coast. From your position on the buggy tour, these cliffs appear as a dramatic escarpment that seems to tumble directly into the sea. The height creates a striking visual contrast between the high plateau and the narrow strip of land at sea level. Famara village nestles at the base, looking almost miniature from your vantage point above. The cliffs' russet and ochre tones shift throughout the day as sunlight moves across their face.
What strikes most riders is the sheer verticality of the drop. The cliffs do not slope gently but plunge in a series of steep faces. Below them lies Famara beach, a dark ribbon of sand that contrasts sharply with the turquoise waters offshore. The scale of the landscape becomes truly apparent from above, and many visitors find this moment offers one of the tour's most memorable views. The cliffs also explain why the northern coast has a different character from the resort areas further south.
The Malpaís Lava Terrain Up Close
The northern plateau is carpeted in malpaís, the Spanish word for 'badlands' or rough lava field. This volcanic terrain consists of jagged, sharp lava flows that cover vast areas of the landscape. From ground level in your buggy, the texture becomes apparent: the lava broke into thousands of irregular fragments when it cooled, creating a landscape that is hostile to most plant life yet undeniably dramatic. The dark black and deep brown colors dominate, with occasional patches where hardy plants have established themselves in small pockets of soil.
The off-road route takes you directly through sections of this terrain, allowing you to experience its raw character. The lava flows date back centuries, yet they retain their jagged edges and angular formations. Driving through the malpaís shows you why this landscape has challenged human settlement and agriculture throughout Lanzarote's history. The terrain's harshness is also part of its appeal for visitors seeking genuine wilderness scenery. Your guide can explain how these flows shaped the island's development and why much of the north remains sparsely populated.
Why Northern Lanzarote Feels Greener
Travelers often remark that the northern regions appear noticeably greener than the southern resort areas. This difference has a straightforward explanation: the north receives more rainfall and benefits from trade winds that bring moisture from the Atlantic. The plateau's elevation also contributes to cooler temperatures and occasional cloud cover, which reduces evaporation. During winter months especially, this effect becomes pronounced. The vegetation responds to these conditions, and the landscape takes on a less arid appearance than the semi-desert conditions further south.
The contrast becomes obvious when you compare what you see from Peñas del Chache with the drier plains elsewhere on the island. Scrubland vegetation appears more abundant, and seasonal rains support a wider variety of plant species. This greener character does not mean the north resembles a temperate forest, but the vegetation cover is notably higher than in the south. For visitors accustomed to seeing Lanzarote only through the lens of its resort areas, this northern landscape reveals an entirely different ecological zone. Wind, which you will feel during the tour, plays a major role in maintaining these conditions and shaping the vegetation patterns.
Black Sand Beaches and Coastal Views
The route offers views of several beaches characterized by dark volcanic sand. These black and charcoal-colored shores result from the breakdown of lava rock into sand particles. The beaches around Famara and other northern coastal points showcase this volcanic geology clearly. The contrast between the dark sand, the turquoise water, and the cliff faces creates distinctive color combinations that stand out in photographs. Some of these beaches remain relatively undeveloped, retaining a wild appearance quite different from the resort beaches further south.
From your vantage points during the buggy tour, you can observe how the volcanic coastline meets the sea. The beaches are narrow in places, wedged between cliffs and water, while other stretches open into broader bays. The currents and wave conditions along this coast are more vigorous than on the southern shores, and this energy is visible in the churning waters and the way waves reshape the sand. The beaches represent the final expression of Lanzarote's volcanic history, where lava flows once reached the ocean and cooled into these formations.
Prime Photo Stops and Natural Lookouts
The tour's route includes several natural vantage points where the landscape opens up dramatically before you. Peñas del Chache itself offers panoramic views that encompass the northern islands, the cliffs, and the plateau. The guide knows where these locations are and can position you for optimal viewing. The early morning light, before clouds build up, often provides the clearest and most dramatic lighting for photography. Late afternoon light also creates strong contrasts and rich colors across the volcanic landscape.
Beyond the named summit, the drive through the malpaís and along the plateau edges reveals numerous compositions worth capturing. The interplay between the dark lava terrain, sparse vegetation, and distant sea views creates visual variety throughout the route. Wind, which is frequent in this location, can create dramatic cloud patterns and clear moments of perfect visibility. The 3-hour duration allows sufficient time to stop and take in these views without rushing. Your guide's experience helps identify the most rewarding locations and optimal times to photograph specific features.
