The Echadero de los Camellos is on the LZ-67 road, about 2 km south of the Montañas del Fuego access checkpoint. Yaiza town council provides the service and camel-handling families from the village of Uga work it. Our verdict in one sentence: it is a short, cheap ride that children love, but go knowing it is not an excursion and that several animal-welfare groups question how the animals are treated.
Score
- Price
- 4.5/5Fixed €11; public rate agreed with the Canary Islands Government
- Ease
- 4.5/5No booking, pay on site by card or cash
- Content of the ride
- 2.5/5A 250 m loop with no guide or commentary
- Crowds
- 3/5Mid-morning queues with excursion groups
- Animal welfare
- 2.5/5NGO complaints in 2021 and 2023, no public resolution
For
- Low official rate, the same for everyone.
- Turn up, pay and ride: no booking needed.
- Views of the volcanoes from the slope.
- Café, shop and information point on site.
Against
- Very short for the detour if you are not visiting Timanfaya.
- No shade at all on the slope.
- Queues when the coaches stop.
- Documented criticism of how the dromedaries are treated.
Who runs it and what it offers
"Echadero de los Camellos" (roughly, "the camels' resting place") is the name of the site. The ride is a service of Yaiza town council, which keeps 10% of each fare to cover costs; the rest supports about 40 camel-handling families from Uga. It is not part of the Montañas del Fuego ticket, the CACT does not run it, and it has no website of its own: official information is on the council's page and the national park's.
The animals are dromedaries. The route is a loop of about 250 m, climbing from 315 to 356 m above sea level on the southern slope of Montaña de Timanfaya. Usually two people ride each animal, one on each side, balanced by weight. Professional photos are taken during the ride and offered to you when you get back. Next to the car park there is a café, a souvenir shop and a small museum with an information point that is closed on Sundays.
The council does not publish a weight limit per person; if it concerns you, ask before paying. Full details of the ride and how to fit it into your day are in our Timanfaya camels guide.
Price: direct, agency or excursion
| How | Price |
|---|---|
| At the Echadero, per person | €11 |
| Booked through an agency | €9.50 per person |
| Children | Pay from age 4 (under-3s free with an adult, according to another council note) |
The rate has applied since 25 August 2022, after thirteen years without change, and is set by Yaiza town council and the Canary Islands Government. Booking through an agency saves only €1.50 and ties you to a schedule; the practical choice is to pay on the spot.
No excursion sells the camel ride on its own. On GetYourGuide, the Timanfaya and Lago Verde tour from €65 includes an optional camel ride; ask when booking whether it is included in the price or paid on site. On Viator, the €59 "Short South Tour" offers it as an extra.
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Opening hours and how to get there
The council gives 09:00 to 15:00 every day of the year except 25 December and 1 January; other official pages give slightly different hours, so assume the last rides leave around 15:00. Questions: 928 836 220 or 699 946 819. Official information on the Yaiza town council page.
It is at km 16 on the LZ-67, between Yaiza and Tinajo. No scheduled guagua (bus) goes there: car, taxi or excursion.
| 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 |
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.
If you are driving to Timanfaya, the Echadero is on the way. With a timed entry slot at Montañas del Fuego, do the camels before or after your slot, never cutting it fine: if you arrive late for your slot you may lose your ticket.
Animal welfare: what is known
This is what divides travellers most, so here are the facts. In 2021 a veterinary report by the Franz Weber Foundation with the local NGO Ademal alleged that the animals spend the day without shade, water or food, carry more than 200 kg, wear muzzles that stop them ruminating and develop calluses. In June 2023 a video circulated of workers beating a young dromedary that could not stand up with its riders, and the NGO FAADA filed a complaint with Yaiza town council. How it ended has not been made public.
On the other side, the council says it organises the service without exceeding the capacity of the car park, the path and the rest area, and the animals are protected by the municipal bylaw, the Canary Islands animal-protection law and the Spanish national animal-welfare law. The service provides work for about 40 families in Uga. If animal welfare is decisive for you, Timanfaya is just as enjoyable without this ride.
What travellers say
On Tripadvisor two positives keep coming up: the landscape and how much children enjoy it. The most common complaints are the length, the heat, the crowds when the coaches arrive and seeing the animals muzzled. Older reviews mentioning two-hour queues in the car pre-date timed tickets for Timanfaya.
Alternatives
- Montañas del Fuego: the park's main visit, €30 with a timed online ticket. See Timanfaya.
- Mancha Blanca Visitor Centre: free, at LZ-67 km 9.6, 09:00 to 16:00. A good option while you wait for your slot.
- The park's free guided walks (Tremesana, the coastal route), from age 16 and booked a month ahead; we explain them in hiking in Lanzarote.
- El Golfo and the Charco de los Clicos, a few kilometres away: see El Golfo.
- With young children, more ideas in Lanzarote with kids.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Echadero de los Camellos cost?
€11 per person per ride, paid on site by card or cash. Booked through an agency, €9.50. Young children ride free with an adult: the council says they pay from age 4, and another council note mentions under-3s.
Do I need to buy tickets for the Timanfaya camels?
No. Families and small groups do not need to book: you arrive at the Echadero, pay and wait your turn.
What are the Echadero de los Camellos opening hours?
Yaiza town council gives 09:00 to 15:00 every day except 25 December and 1 January. It is quietest before 11:00.
Is the camel ride included in the Timanfaya ticket?
No. It is a separate site, at km 16 on the LZ-67, and paid for separately. It is run by Yaiza town council, not the CACT.
How do I get to the Echadero de los Camellos?
By car on the LZ-67 between Yaiza and Tinajo, about 2 km south of the Montañas del Fuego checkpoint: about 20 minutes from Playa Blanca and 24 from Puerto del Carmen. There is no scheduled bus.
Are the Timanfaya camels well treated?
There are NGO complaints from 2021 and 2023 about shade, water, loads and one case of abuse caught on video, with no public outcome. The council maintains that the service respects the site's capacity and animal-protection rules.
