Back in July 2013, I found myself on a trip to Lanzarote, an island I initially had little enthusiasm for. It was my wife and daughter's plan, and honestly, the closer it got, the less I looked forward to it. Well, I'm happy to admit now how wrong I was! Lanzarote turned out to be one of the most enjoyable places I've ever visited, and I genuinely look forward to the day I can go back.
One of the many highlights of that trip was our island tour, which included a visit to Timanfaya National Park. I wasn't sure what to expect. Knowing it was home to an active volcano filled me with a mix of anticipation and a little trepidation. While there wasn't any flowing lava or bubbling pools to see (a slight disappointment, I'll confess!), the trip was still incredibly worthwhile.
We witnessed fascinating demonstrations of just how close the intense heat is to the surface, and we even got a peek inside the El Diablo Restaurant, where food is cooked directly over an open well of volcanic heat – truly a unique dining experience!
Exploring the Fire Mountains
Timanfaya National Park was established in 1974 and encompasses nearly 20 square miles of southwestern Lanzarote. To protect its unique environment, public access is regulated, with most of the park viewable only via a guided coach trip. There's also an area where visitors can enjoy camel rides and a restaurant for refreshments. In 1993, the park, along with the rest of Lanzarote, was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a testament to its incredible and protected flora and fauna.
A Land Forged by Fire
While the volcano is active, it's considered dormant, with its last eruption occurring in 1824. The most significant volcanic activity to shape the island happened during a six-year period between 1730 and 1736. This intense period created much of the dramatic landscape we see today around the park. Sadly, it also led to the loss of several villages, including Tingfa, Mancha Blanca, and Timanfaya itself. Much of the island's most fertile land was covered in volcanic ash, making it a time of immense hardship for the inhabitants.
Today, this land is of immense interest to scientists. As one of the newest places on Earth, they are keen to study how it develops with minimal human interference.
Feeling the Heat
Though the volcanic activity isn't visible on the surface, it's certainly active just below ground. At a depth of only 13 meters, temperatures can soar to between 100 and 600 degrees Celsius! The park offers a fascinating geyser demonstration to vividly illustrate just how hot it is beneath your feet.
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| The Fire Pit is used as a demonstration to show how hot the temperature is just underneath the surface of the park. |
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| The parks restaurant can be seen to the left of the crater. |
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| El Diablo, created by Cesar Manrique is the symbol of Timanfaya National Park. |
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| The restaurant uses geothermal heat channelled through open pits like this to cook the food served. |
