In a nutshell
- Take a guided island tour: Perfect for your first visit to Lanzarote — see all the major highlights of Lanzarote with a local guide in one day.
- Sail on a catamaran: A boat trip to Playa de Papagayo with lunch on board and time to snorkel in crystal-clear water.
- Explore the famous Fire Mountains: Trigger geysers and feel the heat — an incredible 600 degrees still smolder just ten meters underground.
Tours for Exploring the Island
Guided Day Tour to Lanzarote's Highlights
Want to discover all of Lanzarote at once? A guided day tour to the top Lanzarote attractions is the perfect way to do it.
You’ll be picked up by bus from your hotel in Lanzarote, and admission tickets to the sights are included.
On this Lanzarote excursion, you’ll visit all the major highlights: Timanfaya National Park, the lava caves of Jameos del Agua, the Lago Verde near the fishing village of El Golfo, the Janubio salt flats, and several viewpoints.
The tour lasts approximately nine hours, including a lunch break in Yaiza.
Book the full-island day tour of Lanzarote
Excursion to the North or the South
If covering all of Lanzarote in one go feels like too much, your best bet is to join a tour that focuses on just one part of the island: the northern tour or the southern tour.
Both parts of Lanzarote are beautiful, but very different. The north is quite mountainous and green, while the south is shaped by rugged volcanic landscapes and sandy beaches.
Depending on what appeals to you more, choose one of the two half-day excursions — or do both back to back for the full picture.
Explore the north of Lanzarote
Explore the south of Lanzarote
In the Footsteps of César Manrique
If there’s one name more associated with Lanzarote than any other, it’s undoubtedly César Manrique. Manrique was a sculptor, painter, architect, environmentalist, and native lanzaroteño.
His work has left a lasting mark on the entire island. He became famous for always integrating his architecture with the existing natural landscape — many buildings are built directly into solidified lava bubbles, and there’s even a concert hall inside a volcanic tunnel.
On this tour, you’ll visit four of Manrique’s best-known attractions: the Monumento al Campesino Lanzaroteño, the cactus garden, the Mirador del Río, and the Fundación César Manrique. Admission tickets are included.
Book the César Manrique art centers tour
Water Sports in Lanzarote
Diving at Lanzarote's Underwater Museum
Lanzarote’s underwater museum is seriously one of the island’s standout highlights. At a depth of 14 meters, artist Jason de Cayres Taylor has placed enormous sculptures modeled after real people from Lanzarote.
The catch: to reach the underwater museum, you have to scuba dive. But don’t worry — this experience is specifically designed for beginner divers.
You’ll start with a brief theoretical introduction covering the basics of scuba diving, and your experienced dive instructor will be by your side the entire time. You’re in safe hands.
Book your dive at the underwater museum
Kayak Tour and Snorkeling at Papagayo Beach
One of the best things to do in Lanzarote is to explore it from the water — the perspective is completely different from anything you’ll see on land.
After a quick briefing, you’ll head straight into the water and paddle along rugged cliffs and secluded coves to Playa Papagayo, one of Lanzarote’s most beautiful beaches.
Once there, you can soak up the sun, spot colorful fish while snorkeling, and recharge with some snacks. All kayaking and snorkeling equipment is included.
Book the kayak and snorkeling tour at Papagayo Beach
Hiking in Lanzarote
Volcano Hike in Timanfaya National Park
If you’re only doing one Lanzarote excursion, make it Timanfaya National Park.
You’ll see extraordinary volcanic landscapes, fields of solidified lava, geysers, and the iconic Fire Mountains — all formed by a series of massive eruptions in the 18th century that buried much of southern Lanzarote under lava.
The hike through the park takes four hours, and you’ll be accompanied by an experienced guide who’ll share fascinating insights into Timanfaya’s unique ecosystem along the way.
Book the guided volcano hike through Timanfaya National Park
Hike Through the La Geria Wine Region
Looking at Lanzarote’s barren volcanic landscape, you’d never guess that anything could grow here.
But quite the opposite is true: volcanic ash is exceptionally fertile and ideal for growing wine. La Geria is one of the island’s most celebrated wine-growing regions — though the process isn’t without its challenges. A small wall has to be built around each individual vine to protect it from the wind.
On this outing, you’ll stroll leisurely through the rows of vines and learn all about Lanzarote’s unique wine-growing methods. A tasting of the delicious local white wine and a few snacks are included.
Book the La Geria wine country hike
Adrenaline-Packed Activities in Lanzarote
Paragliding Flight over Lanzarote
Want to see the island from above? This is one of the most exhilarating things to do in Lanzarote — a tandem paragliding flight with seriously incredible views.
You’ll start with a ten-minute hike up to the launch site and a short briefing. Then, together with your tandem pilot, you’ll soar to 200 to 800 meters in altitude. Depending on conditions, you may even get to steer the glider yourself and fly spirals.
The panorama over Lanzarote and the Atlantic from up there? Absolutely unbeatable.
Book the paragliding flight over Lanzarote
Off-Road Buggy Tour
On this Lanzarote activity, you’ll drive two-seater buggies over unpaved roads and dirt tracks while desert dust swirls all around you.
You’ll have a whole lot of driving fun while also seeing parts of the island that a regular rental car simply can’t reach.
Don’t forget: Bring your driver’s license and closed-toe shoes — you’ll need both for the buggy tour.
Book the off-road buggy tour in Lanzarote
Ride in a Real Submarine
One of the most popular activities in Lanzarote is a submarine ride departing from Puerto Calero.
Through large windows in the bow, you can watch colorful fish, reefs, and sunken shipwrecks glide past — and onboard monitors give you additional camera angles.
This is an especially exciting experience if you’re traveling with kids. And unlike scuba diving, the cabin maintains normal surface pressure, so you can join even if you have heart or ear problems.
Book your submarine ride in Lanzarote
Sea Tours in Lanzarote
Catamaran Sailing Trip
On this Lanzarote excursion, you’ll set sail by catamaran to the stunning Playas de Papagayo — some of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Once there, you can cool off in the crystal-clear water or grab your snorkel and explore beneath the surface.
Back on board, a delicious lunch awaits — tuna or vegetarian options available — plus complimentary drinks at the bar.
Feel like taking the helm? The crew is happy to walk you through the basics of sailing.
Book the adults-only sailing tour to Papagayo
Lanzarote Excursion to the Janubio Salt Flats
Near the fishing village of El Golfo lies one of Lanzarote’s most fascinating yet under-the-radar spots: a very old salt flat that once produced up to 10,000 tons of salt per year.
You’ll stroll through rows of salt mounds that look like giant sugar loaves and learn all about how salt is harvested here.
At the end, there’s a tasting of Flor de Sal, and the on-site shop stocks great souvenirs — including green mojo and chimichurri.
Book the Janubio salt flats tour
Discovering Lanzarote's Natural Wonders
Experiments at the Fire Mountains of Timanfaya Nature Park
The Fire Mountains in Timanfaya Nature Park are Lanzarote’s most iconic landmark — and for very good reason.
The name is spot-on: even though the last volcanic eruption was back in 1824, things are still very much alive underground. Just ten meters below the surface, temperatures still reach an incredible 600 degrees.
On this tour, you’ll carry out fascinating geothermal experiments — like pouring water into the ground to trigger small geysers. You can also ride a dromedary through the volcanic landscape for an additional fee.
Day Trips from Lanzarote
Boat Trip to La Graciosa
La Graciosa is a small neighboring island of Lanzarote, often called the eighth Canary Island — even though it technically belongs to Lanzarote.
The boat crossing takes just about half an hour. Once there, you’ll find mainly one thing: peace, peace, and more peace. Hard to believe, but the island has just one paved road, as Graciosa is part of a marine nature reserve.
You can swim, or rent a kayak and explore the coastline at your own pace. On board, you’ll be treated to Spanish paella, beer, sangria, and non-alcoholic drinks.
Don’t forget: Bring a valid ID for the crossing to Graciosa.
Book the catamaran day trip to La Graciosa
Dolphin Tour to Lobos
Besides Graciosa, Lanzarote has a second tiny neighboring island — Lobos — sitting right between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. It consists almost entirely of a single volcano.
On the boat trip over, you’ll pass through areas where dolphins are regularly spotted. With a little luck, you might also see whales, sea turtles, and other marine life.
Once on Lobos, you can explore the small fishing village of Puertito, swim in the natural saltwater pools, or hike up to the volcanic crater for a fantastic vista over Lanzarote. A picnic is included to keep you fueled along the way.
Don’t forget: You’ll need a national ID card or passport for the crossing to Lobos.
