Timanfaya National Park

Thursday
An amazing day today, starting with a visit to Timanfaya National Park. We first visited the visitor center which is located just outside the park, and looked at the various exhibits and saw two movies, one about the volcanic origins and the other on flora and fauna in the park. The Montanas del Fuego (Fire Mountains) were created during the years 1730-36, when over 100 volcanoes, covering around 50 square kilometers, rose up and devastated this area of the island. The last eruptions were in 1824, but due to the extremely arid climate, and therefore little erosion, the area has remained looking much the same as it did then. Unfortunately we arrived at a bad time, and there was a line of traffic waiting to get into the park, but at least it gave me chance to take some pictures from the car window! Arriving at the visitors car park, we were immediately directed to the tourist buses which take you on the 10 km Ruta de Los Volcanos, a narrow winding road which takes you past some of the highlights of the park. while the bus does stop from time to time, all pictures have to be taken through the glass, which was a shame, as you had to contend with reflections. Back at the car park and El Diablo restaurant, designed by the famous Lanzarote artist and architect, Cesar Manrique, they show you a couple of demonstrations of the extreme heat just a little way below the surface - between 400 and 600C a few meters down. Dry brush thrown into a hole in the ground catches fire almost immediately, and water poured down a bore hole erupts after a few seconds like a mini geyser. Meat for the restaurant is cooked by geothermal heat, over a large grill over an outdoor pit. The restaurant is circular and has large picture windows all the way around where you can enjoy the amazing views while having your lunch. Just outside of the park we took a short camel ride across the barren landscape.

From there we continued on to Los Hervideros (Boiling waters), a series of caves and blow holes which have been eroded into a former lava flow. As the waves crash into the caves, they produce a great amount of surf, giving the impression of boiling water. Visitors can walk around the cliffs watching the surf through several natural openings and balconies. A little further along the road you come to El Golfo, a half submerged cone of a volcano which over time has been eroded by the sea, leaving behind only the striated wall of the crater, with it's brightly colored hues. At the foot of the cliffs is a bright green lagoon, colored by volcanic minerals and algae, quite a striking sight.