Best Tours and Day Trips from Lanzarote

If you are planning a trip to Lanzarote, you are sure to have found a wide variety of things to do and see in Lanzarote. Although it's not very big, you'll be able to choose from a wide range of leisure activities, beaches and spectacular views.

Snorkelling in La Graciosa, camel riding in the Timanfaya Park, cycling, driving an off-road vehicle, catamaran rides or wine tasting... you choose how you want to spend your stay. In this post I leave you all the information you need to decide what activities you can do.

This type of tour is one of the most popular among tourists, especially if you are visiting Lanzarote for the first time.

Often the operators include a transfer service from your hotel. From there you are driven to the harbour to board a ferry to the island of La Graciosa.

In just under half an hour, the boat reaches the port of Caleta de Sebo, where a luxury catamaran awaits you for the final stretch along the south coast of the island. This is undoubtedly one of the best boat trips in Lanzarote.

Before reaching the beach, lunch is usually taken on the catamaran. Often a feast of paella and fresh fruit plus an open bar consisting mainly of locally produced wines is offered.

Having enjoyed several hours swimming, snorkelling or just sunbathing on the sand, you return to the starting point.

Details of interest

• Price: From 69 €.
• Duration: 5 hours.
• Timetable: morning.
• What the tour may include: All transfers by bus, catamaran and ferry to and from. Lunch with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let your operator know, often this type of tour offers alternatives for vegans and vegetarians.
• Means of transport: catamaran, ferry and bus.
• Pros: Operators organise the entire tour so you only have to worry about getting to the pick-up points on time to let the adventure take you away.
• Cons: The length of the tour. Some people prefer to stay longer in the area. In my opinion if you want to get to know the island, day trips to La Graciosa from Lanzarote are the perfect way to make the most of your time.

In this type of tour, the adventure starts in the morning with a transfer that takes you directly to Puerto del Carmen, where a speedboat is waiting for you and your group members.

From that moment on, you will start enjoying the beautiful views of the coastline, as a prelude to the dolphin tour on Lobos Island. The tour lasts approximately 90 minutes, during which it is possible to see bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, Risso's dolphins, spotted dolphins, fin whales and other cetaceans swimming around the boat.

The guide will share information about these fellow travellers. Whale watching can take place all year round, but I advise you to visit Lanzarote in spring or winter, when these species are migrating.

On the way back to the whale watching tour the boat arrives at the village of Isla de Lobos, a place full of natural sea lion pools and beautiful hiking trails.

After you have dived into the calm waters of the island, a light lunch is usually provided before returning to your point of origin having enjoyed one of the best dolphin watching tours in Lanzarote.

Details of interest

• Price: From 60 €.
• Duration: 5 hours.
• Schedule: morning.
• What the tour usually includes: lunch, transport service to and from the hotel. Transfer by boat to Lobos Island. Professional guide services.
• Means of transport: bus and speedboat.
• Pros: the sighting of cetaceans and sea lions is a fantastic experience, a sense of connection and admiration for nature is awakened among the participants of the event.
• Cons: Groups tend to be large.

In this type of tour, a professional guide leads the group alternating between roads and winding paths. If you decide to take this buggy tour in Lanzarote, you will witness breathtaking views of the cliffs, the contrasting colours of the sea, as well as respect for the local flora and fauna.

I recommend you to bring a scarf to cover yourself from the sand and, if possible, to sit in your state-of-the-art off-road vehicle or buggy and let yourself be driven through the sand dunes, Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen, the Red Volcano, Puerto Calero as well as La Geria and its wineries.

Lanzarote produces Muscatel, Burra Blanca and Breval wines, among others. The speciality of the house are the wines of the volcanic malvasia, a type prized for the balance, aroma and quality of its taste. The stop at the wineries usually takes a little longer than in the other places so that you can participate in the wine tastings. But this is just one of many. Enjoy the scenery, the group experience and take memorable photographs.

Details of interest

• Price: From €142.
• Duration: 3 hours and upwards.
• Timetable: Morning and afternoon, check with your operator.
• What the tour may include: Expert guidance on Lanzarote's unusual roads and tracks. The rental of the off-road vehicle for the duration of the tour.
• Means of transport: 4x4
• Pros: The guides of this type of excursion love extreme sports without overlooking safety, so they control the speed of the group.
• Cons: Not suitable for children.

Land safaris are well known, but marine life also presents a rich world to discover. With this submarine safari you will descend to a depth of about 30 metres into the Atlantic Ocean aboard a tourist submarine comfortable enough to accommodate 44 seated guests.

During this fantastic excursion, you will see, among other things, eels, barracudas, sea turtles, iridescent green fish, giant groupers, black groupers, coral reefs and sunken ships.

In total, the experience usually lasts about 60 minutes, full of entertainment for the whole family, so make this one of the things to do in Lanzarote with kids.

Details of interest

• Price: From 63 €.
• Duration: 1 hour.
• Timetable: The Spanish tours are usually offered from Monday to Saturday, in 4 daily shifts, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
• What the tour may include: Transfer to and from your hotel. A personalised dive certificate. The ride in a submarine departing from Puerto Calero Marina. Professional guide on board the submarine with commentary in your language.
• Means of transport: submarine.
• Pros: The trip is practical and convenient for the whole family. Children (and not so children) love the ride and it is suitable for pregnant women thanks to its pressurised cabin.
• Cons: Time is short when the fun is good and with this tour it delivers on that premise. All in all, it's worth it.

Excursions to Timanfaya National Park are splendid, but this one is even better and includes a camel ride, what more could you ask for?

This kind of excursion usually starts with a pick-up at the hotel and then you head to the park in a comfortable minibus.

Once the group enters the Volcanoes Route, the views are a real spectacle among rock formations of curious shapes worthy of admiration.

Afterwards, there is usually the opportunity to take a camel ride at the Echadero de Camellos stop. At the end of the tour, the group changes course and turns towards the wine-growing region of La Geria, with its dreamy viewpoints flanked by cliffs and Los Hervideros, where seawater gushes out at a temperature of 90ºC.

After the respective stops at each place, the group moves on to El Golfo and its famous LagoVerde, a lagoon of crystalline waters with a background of gradients of blue that impresses at any time of the day.

Have you ever wondered how to visit Jameos del Agua? The answer lies in your next stop, where you will get close to the natural habitat of the only dwarf and blind crabs in the territory, in a volcanic tube intervened by Cesar Manrique to preserve the species of the place.

Jameos de Agua reveals a landscape of craters and peculiar lava flows. This place has been compared to a walk on Mars, so you will finish the route with a small approximation of the past, present and future of the Earth.

Details of interest

• Price: From 54 €.
• Duration: 8 to 9 hours.
• Schedule: Morning.
• What the tour may include Queue-free entrance to Timanfaya National Park. Entrance to Jameos de Agua. Wine tasting. Professional guide service. Transport to and from your hotel.
• Means of transport: minibus.
• Pros: This is one of the best day trips from Lanzarote because of the variety of visits it offers. If you want a quick look at the main points of interest on the island, this is the tour with your name on it.
• Cons: Normally doesn't include entrance fees to the camel camp, lunch, or camel rides.

This eastern Canary Island abounds with turquoise spas, white sand, palm trees, impossibly shaped lava fields and an enviable wealth of marine life. It is worthwhile, therefore, to contemplate their shapes from an intimate space with the setting sun on a private boat tour of Lanzarote.

During this type of excursion you will often pass by Playa Grande, Puerto Calero, Puerto del Carmen, Playa Quemada and Barranco del Quiquere.

A guide will often entertain you by sharing stories of the island and the presence ofCésar Manrique in every corner of Lanzarote.

This 120 minute tour is usually perfect for couples or small groups. I can only advise you to go dolphin and whale watching at sunset.

Details of interest

• Price: From 41 €.
• Duration: 2 hours.
• Schedule: Afternoon.
• What the tour may include Professional guide service. Boat trip. Snacks, wine and champagne.
• Means of transport: boat.
• Pros: It is an almost personalised tour. The experience offers a new perspective of the island that is now drawn between reliefs and plays of light and shadow.
• Cons: No transfer to the hotel.

• Wear comfortable, non-slip shoes, especially if you plan to do the volcanoes route. Inside the caves, space can be slippery.
• For hiking, cycling and generally all daytime activities, except for beaches and swimming pools, wear long-sleeved shirts. The sun is intense, especially during the summer.
• To see the main tourist sites, a 3-day tour of Lanzarote will suffice, but if you're interested in getting to know the island like the locals, combining hiking trails with marine activities and relaxing in this little Canarian oasis, it's best to plan a 5-day visit to Lanzarote.

There are a variety of beautiful places to see in Lanzarote. The Cactus Garden, the picturesque walks around Arrecife, Costa Teguise, the modest Castillo de Santa Barbara and the Salinas de Janubio are among them, but my top must-sees are the following:

Cave of the Greens

This grotto is a place of extraordinary beauty. It was used as a hiding place for pirates during the 16th and 17th centuries and later the Verdes family kept livestock inside it.

In this context, countless legends were born. And in the midst of the stories, the whimsical shapes of the lava left a beautiful multicoloured mark.

This is a different kind of cave, accessible only with a guided tour. A place like this deserves to be felt and appreciated in person, it is one of those unique experiences, add it to your list.

Papagayo Beaches

There are about 2 kilometres of coastline in the south of the island where the golden sand and crystal clear sea contrast with the volcanic landscape.

Together you will find some of the best beaches of Lanzarote: El Pozo, Caleta del Congrio, Playa Mujeres, Puerto Muelas and Papagayo. Choose where you want to swim away from the crowds.

Jameos de Agua

Cesar Manrique Cabrera, the World Ecology Prize winner, transformed a lava tunnel into an oasis to be admired. This is the most famous stop on Lanzarote, are you going to miss it?

La Graciosa

This beautiful island is devoid of roads and overcrowding. What it has to offer is nature at your feet.

Take a catamaran or ferry ride, discover the marine life with your snorkel at Playa de la Francesa, swim at Playa de las Conchas, go hiking or cycling on the Agujas Grandes volcano, you decide what to do in La Graciosa.

El Cuervo Volcano

Its origins date back to 1730 when an eruption of Timanfaya created this geological heritage of Lanzarote.

This is the favourite volcano among trekking enthusiasts. Its stony landscape offers a circular hiking route of 4-5 kilometres easy to walk. Along the way you will appreciate the traces of the imposing nature. Everything is very well signposted and you can go all the way to the crater.

Playa Blanca Beach

Endless activities in one place. This is Lanzarote's tourist centre par excellence. From this fishing village you can enjoy terraces, fishing, bowling, swimming in the natural pools of Los Charcones, catamaran trips, a gastronomic tour or a wine tasting.

Timanfaya National Park

It is the jewel of the island. The tour of its mountains of fire is a spectacle to be admired. By buggy, off-road vehicle or camel, choose your means of transport and don't miss the Los Hervideros trail, the dunes, the cliffs and the geysers.

• The beaches are suitable for adults and children. Although part of the island is a paradise for extreme sportsmen, volcanic eruptions have created a protective barrier from the currents, so you will have the peace of mind of enjoying many beaches and natural pools free of waves.
• A wide range of activities: How many places can you find crystal clear beaches with golden sandy coasts, camels and desert scenery with privileged attention, wine tours, dolphin trails and go-kart racing concentrated in one place? Lanzarote is an island with a difference.
• Itis one of the largest marine reserves in Europe. Marine biologists, extreme sportsmen, beach lovers and adventurous travellers agree: the nature here is visually attractive, entertaining and healthy.