Timanfaya National Park is located on the southwestern side of Lanzarote and was declared a national park in 1974. Timanfaya Lanzarote, consisting of an area of 5,107 hectares, is made up of volcanic soil. Hues of red, black and ochre create a vista resembling a lunar landscape. Timanfaya Lanzarote was designated as a Biosphere reserve, an area that exhibits a balanced relationship between nature and man, by UNESCO in 1993. One visitor writes, “Visiting Lanzarote without viewing Timanfaya Volcano National Park would be like traveling to Egypt and not seeing the Pyramids.”
Timanfaya National Park, or Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, is one of the most popular attractions in Lanzarote and was created by volcanic eruptions beginning in 1730 and lasting for 6 years. These eruptions buried entire villages. The mountains that surround Timanfaya Park are the Montanas del Fuego, or Fire Mountains, and were also created around this time. Between the years 1730 and 1736 over 100 volcanoes erupted, destroying.
Besides the enchanting lunar-like landscape that Timanfaya Park has to offer, it is also known for the rare plant species that are found in the park such as the 100 types of lichen, 15 species of moss and 5 types of algae. There are several higher species of flora here as well, having survived the lava flows and colonized the surrounding land. Fauna at Timanfaya National Park includes the Atlantic Lizard, which is endemic to park, the Canary Island Wall Gecko, black rat, rabbit and the Canary Shrew. Bird watchers will appreciate the 20 types of birds that winter here.
Visitors to Parque Nacional de Timanfaya can enjoy a meal of Canarian food at the El Diablo Restaurant. Food is prepared on a cast-iron grill, which the chef places over a hole in the ground, using geothermal heat. Visitors can take a coach trip around the park, go on one of the two walking routes that the Spanish National Parks have recently implemented or take a camel ride and see everything from a higher perspective.
Remember to “Travel Lanzarote!”
