The Timanfaya camels set off from the Echadero de los Camellos, on the southern slope of Montaña de Timanfaya, beside the LZ-67 road between Yaiza and Tinajo. Strictly speaking they are dromedaries, with one hump, and the ride is short: a loop of about 250 metres over volcanic ash, climbing from 315 to 356 metres above sea level, with views of the park's cones.
It is not part of the Montañas del Fuego visit run by the CACT: it is a different site and paid for separately. Yaiza town council manages it and around 40 camel-handling families from the village of Uga work it. Here is the price, the hours, what the ride is like and what to know about the animal-welfare debate before you decide.
Timanfaya camel ride price
The official rate is €11 per person per ride, paid at the Echadero by card or in cash. If it comes as part of a tour, the agency pays €9.50 per person. The rate is set by Yaiza town council and the Canary Islands Government; it has applied since August 2022, after thirteen years without change. The council keeps 10% of each ticket to cover the running costs.
Children pay from the age of 4, according to the council website (another note from the same council mentions under-3s riding free with an adult). If you have a 3-year-old with you, ask on the spot.
There is no online "discount" worth having: booking through an agency saves only €1.50 per person and ties you to a schedule. The practical move is to turn up and pay there.
Timanfaya camel ride hours and how to get there
Yaiza town council gives 09:00 to 15:00 every day of the year, except 25 December and 1 January. The park authority lists slightly different hours on different pages, so assume the last rides leave around 15:00. For questions, the published phone numbers are 928 836 220 and 699 946 819. The official information is on the Yaiza town council page.
The Echadero is at km 16 on the LZ-67, about 2 km south of the Montañas del Fuego checkpoint, towards Yaiza. It has a car park, a café, a souvenir shop and a small museum with an information point that closes on Sundays.
| Playa Blanca | Puerto del Carmen | Costa Teguise | Arrecife | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echadero de los Camellos | 20 min20 km | 24 min19 km | 35 min34 km | 28 min28 km |
| Montañas del Fuego (Islote de Hilario) | 29 min25 km | 33 min25 km | 45 min39 km | 38 min33 km |
| Yaiza | 29 min16 km | 34 min17 km | 46 min32 km | 39 min25 km |
| El Golfo | 20 min19 km | 30 min25 km | 41 min40 km | 34 min33 km |
Driving time without traffic, calculated with OSRM on OpenStreetMap. Add 20–30 % in summer and at rush hour; at Timanfaya the queue of cars at the gate can add a lot more.
By car it is about 20 minutes from Playa Blanca and 24 from Puerto del Carmen. No public bus (guagua) goes there: without a car, your options are a taxi or a tour that includes the stop. We explain how in Lanzarote without a car.
What the camel ride is like
You arrive, pay and wait your turn on the flat area where the dromedaries rest. Usually two people share an animal, one on each side, and the handlers seat you so the weight is balanced. Hold on tight when the camel stands up and when it kneels down at the end.
Then the line of camels climbs in a caravan along a marked path on the slope and comes back to the start. It takes about 20–25 minutes at a slow walk. The appeal is the picture: a row of dromedaries on black and reddish ash, surrounded by volcanoes.
No per-person weight limit is published in the official sources. If you are concerned, ask before paying.
For
- Cheap and quick: €11 and half an hour all in.
- No booking: turn up and ride.
- Views of the volcanoes from the slope.
- Fits into the same morning as Montañas del Fuego.
Against
- Short: it is a loop, not an excursion.
- No shade on the slope and very hot in summer.
- Gets crowded when the coaches arrive mid-morning.
- An open debate about how the animals are treated.
Two themes keep coming up in traveller reviews: children love it and the scenery makes it worthwhile; the complaints are about the length, the heat, the crowds when tour groups arrive and seeing the animals muzzled.
Camel rides in Timanfaya with children
It is one of the easiest things to do in Lanzarote with small children: no walking, it is short and under-4s ride free.
Practical tips for going with little ones:
- Hat and sun cream: there is not a scrap of shade on the slope.
- Go before 11:00 or after lunch: tour groups heading to Timanfaya tend to stop here mid-morning.
- Water: there is a café by the car park, but nothing during the ride.
If you want something longer with animals, the other option on the island is horse riding in Tinajo: one-hour rides from €55, from age 7 with an adult. All our family ideas are in Lanzarote with kids.
Animal welfare: what you should know
There is a genuine debate about these rides, and it is only fair to give both sides. In 2021 a veterinary report commissioned by the Franz Weber Foundation with the local association Ademal said the dromedaries spent the day without shade, water or food, carried more than 200 kg, wore muzzles that stopped them chewing the cud and had calluses. In June 2023 a video of workers hitting a young camel that could not get up with riders on its back went viral, and the NGO FAADA filed a complaint with Yaiza town council.
On the other side, the service is municipal and subject to Yaiza's animal by-law, the Canary Islands animal protection law and Spain's national animal welfare law of 2023. The council says it runs the service without exceeding the capacity of the car park, the path and the resting area, and the activity supports around 40 families in Uga, where the camel is part of local tradition.
Our view: it is a personal decision. If the treatment of the animals worries you, you can watch the caravan from the car park without riding and spend the time at El Golfo or the wineries of La Geria instead. If you ride, keep the weight balanced and look at how the animals are doing: if something seems wrong, you can report it to Yaiza town council. There is more detail in our review of the Echadero de los Camellos.
Camels and Timanfaya in the same morning
The Echadero and Montañas del Fuego are on the same road, 2 km apart, so it makes sense to combine them. Going independently, this order works best:
How to combine the camels and Timanfaya on your own
- Buy your Montañas del Fuego ticket online (€30) for the first slot of the morning.
- Do the Islote de Hilario visit and the Ruta de los Volcanes (about 90 minutes).
- Drive down the LZ-67 towards Yaiza and stop at the Echadero: camel ride for €11.
- Carry on to El Golfo and Los Hervideros, or to La Geria for lunch among the vines.
The park ticket, with its time slots, queues and rules, is covered in our Timanfaya guide. Remember that ticket is online only, timed and non-refundable; the camel ride, by contrast, is paid on the spot.
Without a car, look for a tour that includes the stop. On GetYourGuide, the Timanfaya and Lago Verde tour (from €65, 8 hours) offers the camel ride as an option. On Viator there is a short south-of-the-island tour with the camel ride as an extra. Half-day Timanfaya-only tours do not always stop at the Echadero: check the itinerary before booking.
GetYourGuide8 hours
Lanzarote tour: Timanfaya National Park & Lago Verde
4.2 (886)
from €65Check availability
GetYourGuide5 hours
Lanzarote: Timanfaya National Park – Half-day tour
4.4 (2,823)
from €59Check availability
See all on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 5 October 2026
For the rest of the south and west of the island, see things to do in Lanzarote.
Timanfaya camel ride FAQs
How much is a camel ride in Timanfaya?
€11 per person per ride, paid at the Echadero by card or cash. Through an agency the price is €9.50 per person. Children pay from the age of 4.
What are the Timanfaya camel ride opening hours?
According to Yaiza town council, 09:00 to 15:00 every day of the year except 25 December and 1 January. The last rides leave around 15:00.
Do you need to book a camel ride in Lanzarote?
Not for families or small groups: you turn up, pay and ride. Booking only makes sense for large groups or if it comes as part of a tour.
Is the camel ride included in the Timanfaya ticket?
No. The Echadero de los Camellos is run by Yaiza town council, separately from the €30 Montañas del Fuego ticket sold by the CACT. They are about 2 km apart on the same road.
How do you get to the Timanfaya camels?
By car on the LZ-67, km 16, between Yaiza and the Timanfaya checkpoint: about 20 minutes from Playa Blanca and 24 from Puerto del Carmen. There is no public bus; without a car, take a taxi or a tour.
Can young children ride the camels?
Yes, they ride with an adult and under-4s go free. Bring a hat and water, as there is no shade on the route.
