Day trip to Timanfaya National Park / Fire Mountain

This is perhaps one of the best day trips that can be taken on the island of Lanzarote, leaving a lasting impression on all who make the excursion.

Timanfaya national park, dominated by the dormant "fire mountain" is situated to the west of the island, north of Yaiza. This volcanic landscape also known as the "Land of Tranquility" is one of the most unpoilt and complete in the world. There isn't anywhere quite like it on at least the rest of our planet. People describe the national park as "lunar" and it has been used in several science fiction movies, the 1966 movie 'One Million Years BC' and also in the James Bond movie 'Moonraker'. The site was also used by NASA to test out their lunar buggies etc.

The park can be reached by car but coaches can be taken there from most areas of the island. Once you arrive you take to a guided coach trip around the baron landscape with its deadly silence and eary feel. After the trip which lasts about 3 hours you can take a ride on one of the dromedary camels (ideal for the rough terrain and often used on th island up until 50 years ago) or eat at the restaurant "El Diablo". Local cuisine is cooked using the earths vast reserves of heat.

Part of the tour is a demonstration of this natural power lieing just beneath the earths surface. Water dropped into a whole in the grond reappears as a great steaming geazar moments after its entry. Sticks catch fire as they contact the hot surface.

All in all a trip to Timanfaya is a day to remember.

The current landscape was created with the last eruption of the volano in 1730 - 1736 which considerably increased the size of Lanzarote.

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