Timanfaya National Park: tickets, opening hours and visitor tips

Timanfaya National Park protects the large lava field in the southwest of Lanzarote, born of the eruptions of 1730 to 1736. The heart of the park, the Montañas del Fuego (« Fire Mountains »), can only be visited on the Route of the Volcanoes, a coach circuit included in the ticket. The official website of the Lanzarote Art, Culture and Tourism Centers (CACT) states that it is open every day from 9 am to 3:45 pm and that the ticket costs €30, sold only online for a specific date and time slot. This page explains how to book without nasty surprises, what the visit includes, what time to come and what else you can do in the park.

For the rest of the island (beaches, villages, other César Manrique sites), see our guide to visiting Lanzarote, and for the weather month by month our page on the best time to visit Lanzarote.

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Timanfaya at a glance

According to CACT, the national park protects more than 5,100 hectares (12,600 acres) of volcanic origin, one of the most representative examples of recent volcanism in the Canary Islands. Its value lies in the amount of material ejected and the duration of the eruptions: six years, between 1730 and 1736. Another eruption took place in 1824, and the national park was created in 1974.

The focal point of the visit is the Islote de Hilario, a former islet of land spared by the lava. From there, the view opens onto a « sea of lava » where more than twenty-five craters are concentrated over a few square kilometers. Beneath this area the ground is still hot: this is what the geothermal demonstrations and the oven of the El Diablo restaurant show.

Tickets: the rule to know

This is the point that catches the most travelers out: for the Montañas del Fuego, the official website states that there is no ticket-office sale. The ticket is bought online, in advance, for a date and a time slot. If the time you want does not appear, that slot’s quota is full. On the day, you must report to the ticket office 15 minutes before the time you chose: the FAQ says you cannot enter before or after your slot. The ticket does not need to be printed, but as mobile coverage is weak on site, download the QR code or take a screenshot before you arrive.

The price shown on 27 October 2026 on the CACT « Opening hours & prices » page is €30, free from 0 to 6 years. Discounts (residents of the Canary Islands, residents of Lanzarote, people with disabilities) cannot be combined and are only available at the ticket office, on presentation of physical proof. Once bought, tickets can be neither changed nor refunded.

Guided tour or excursion from your hotel?

You have two options. The first: buy the official ticket yourself and come by car. The second: book a « Timanfaya » excursion from the resorts, with transport. Before buying an excursion, check that park entry is included, the time of your visit (the slot matters), the guide’s language and the cancellation conditions, and compare with the official ticket price. CACT also offers an official small-group experience, « Insólita »: departure at 8:45 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 120 minutes, €59.90, with guided access to Montaña Rajada and the Tinecheide refuge and a tasting at the end.

What the visit includes

• The Route of the Volcanoes: designed by César Manrique, it runs through the heart of the eruptions, on a regulated road inside the park, in a purpose-equipped coach. The trip lasts about 35 minutes with an audio commentary.
• The geothermal demonstrations: on the Islote de Hilario, staff show how heat from the subsoil still rises to the surface.
• The El Diablo restaurant: the grill is set above a five-meter (16 ft) well where the natural temperature reaches about 250 degrees Celsius (482 °F), according to CACT. The restaurant does not take reservations: tables are allocated in order of arrival.
• The Timanfaya Devil: the park’s emblematic silhouette, which welcomes visitors on the road to the Montañas del Fuego.

The official guide also mentions the view halfway along the Route of the Volcanoes, after a 180-degree bend between two volcanoes, and the Valley of Tranquility, whose name refers to the lunar « Sea of Tranquility » where Apollo 11 landed. It notes that the site was chosen, for its geological conditions, to prepare part of astronaut training.

Opening hours and best time of day

The official website gives opening hours of 9 am to 3:45 pm, every day. The table below gives sunrise and sunset on the 15th of each month: at Timanfaya, the sun sets well after closing time in every season. Sunset over the volcanoes is therefore not available as part of the paid visit.

Month	Sunrise	Sunset	Day length
January	7:49 am	6:19 pm	10 h 30 min
February	7:34 am	6:44 pm	11 h 11 min
March	7:05 am	7:03 pm	11 h 58 min
April	7:29 am	8:21 pm	12 h 52 min
May	7:03 am	8:39 pm	13 h 36 min
June	6:55 am	8:55 pm	13 h 59 min
July	7:06 am	8:55 pm	13 h 49 min
August	7:23 am	8:35 pm	13 h 11 min
September	7:39 am	8:00 pm	12 h 21 min
October	7:56 am	7:25 pm	11 h 29 min
November	7:18 am	6:00 pm	10 h 43 min
December	7:40 am	5:59 pm	10 h 18 min

Our takeaway: in winter, the sun rises between about 7:30 and 8 am, shortly before opening; the first slots offer a low, raking light that brings out the relief and the colors of the craters. In summer, the light is harsher in the middle of the day. CACT advises a cap and sun protection from June to September, and warm clothing from October to April, as the area is windy. For temperatures, see the best time to visit Lanzarote and our page on the climate of the Canary Islands.

Getting there and rules in the park

You reach the Montañas del Fuego by road, by car or on an excursion; the official website mentions no public transport. Most visitors rent a car: see our page on car rental in Lanzarote. We give no travel time or distance from the resorts, for lack of an official source.

• CACT asks visitors to stay in their vehicle between El Taro and the Islote de Hilario car park, to protect the national park.
• In the Islote de Hilario car park, open car doors carefully: the slope can make them hit neighboring cars.
• Animals are not admitted, except assistance dogs (Canary Islands law 3/2017).
• The Route of the Volcanoes has adapted coaches; access with a stroller can be difficult and a baby carrier is advised according to the official website.

Hiking in the park: guided walks

The volcanic heart cannot be explored freely on foot. The Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition (MITECO), which manages the national parks network, says the park’s public use service offers free guided walks on two routes: the Tremesana route and the Coastal route. They are organized through the Mancha Blanca visitor and interpretation center (Tinajo-Yaiza road, km 11.5), which has access for people with reduced mobility. Registration details and the schedule must be requested directly from the center.

Common mistakes

• Arriving without a ticket and thinking you can buy one on site: sales are online only.
• Arriving late for your slot: entry is refused outside the booked time.
• Relying on the mobile network to display the QR code: it is weak, take a screenshot beforehand.
• Planning to watch the sunset from the Route of the Volcanoes: the site closes at 3:45 pm.
• Getting out of the vehicle along the access road to take photos: visitors are asked not to do so between El Taro and the car park.

What to see around Timanfaya

CACT also manages the Cueva de los Verdes and the Jameos del Agua, in the La Corona volcanic tube in the north of the island, as well as the Jardín de Cactus and the Mirador del Río. Like Timanfaya, the Cueva de los Verdes works with online tickets and a mandatory time slot. To compare with the other great volcano of the archipelago, see our page on Teide in Tenerife, and for the neighboring island our guide to Fuerteventura.

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• CACT Lanzarote (Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo), « Montañas del Fuego » and « Opening hours & prices » pages and FAQ (hours, price, online sales, what the visit includes, rules, El Diablo, Insólita), consulted on 27 October 2026
• MITECO, national parks network, « Centro de Visitantes e Interpretación de Mancha Blanca » page (free guided walks), consulted on 27 October 2026
• Wikipedia, « Timanfaya National Park » article (creation, area, 1824 eruption, coordinates), consulted on 27 October 2026
• Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, applied by Destination de Voyage at the coordinates of Timanfaya National Park (Wikipedia) (15th of each month, year 2027, clear horizon)
• Our methodology

Updated November 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.