Camel Rides Lanzarote Timanfaya: Inside the Echadero De Los Camellos

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Where the camel station sits in the volcanic south

The Echadero de los Camellos stands among the ash fields of Lanzarote's south, on the road that carries visitors towards the Montañas del Fuego. You see it before you reach the park gate: a low cluster of pens, a loading platform and a line of animals waiting on black gravel. The ground around is bare and pale-edged, with the dark slopes of the fire mountains behind, and there is very little shade. Wear a hat, carry water, and expect the wind to move fine ash around your feet.

Timanfaya National Park covers about 51 square kilometers (20 square miles),^[10] and the camel station sits within easy reach of the main visitor route through that landscape. A ride lasts approximately 20 minutes,^[1] long enough to take in the sweep of the lava field from a slightly higher seat, short enough to slot into a day that already includes the park's coach route, the caves at the north end or a meal at El Diablo. It works best as a cheerful add-on rather than the main event.

Is the camel ride included in your tour?

The tour booked from this site spends nine hours on the road,^[4] and its listed stops are Timanfaya National Park, Cueva de los Verdes and Jameos del Agua.^[4] Camel rides are run at the station itself, so whether one forms part of your particular day depends on the operator and the date. If riding a dromedary is high on your list, ask before you book and check that your pickup point leaves room for it.

Independent tickets for Montañas del Fuego can only be bought online and for a specific time slot,^[2] which shapes how a self-drive day works. On a coach tour the schedule is set by the operator, and the day is built around the stops on the itinerary. Driving yourself, you can reach the camel station on your own terms and then head into the park with a timed ticket in hand. Either way, decide before you travel whether the ride matters to you.

Dromedaries waiting in the black ash beside the park road.

Dromedaries, not camels

The animals carrying visitors here are dromedaries, the single-humped species, rather than the two-humped Bactrian camel. The hump is a store of fat, not a water tank. It sits high on the back, and the basket saddle hangs to either side of it rather than on top. Dromedaries are built for hot, dry country, with long legs, a narrow chest and nostrils they can close against blowing sand.

They have worked in the Canary Islands for centuries, brought in for haulage and farm work long before tour coaches reached the island. On Lanzarote the dry south suited them, and a line of animals walking the ash tracks would once have been an ordinary working sight rather than a photo stop. The animals at the echadero are calm and thoroughly used to visitors climbing in and out.

The saddle basket and riding two by two

The ride is built around a woven basket saddle slung across the animal's back. Two passengers sit in it, one on each side, which balances the load. You climb in from a raised platform, swing your leg over the basket rim and settle with your feet braced against the side. A handler walks at the head of the string, leading the animal at a slow, even pace, sometimes with several dromedaries nose to tail.

Bags are best kept on your lap or in a closed pocket, because anything loose can slip out of the basket while the animal moves. Cameras are fine, but a strap around your wrist or neck saves a scramble. Keep hats on with a cord, since the wind across the ash is constant. Tall passengers may find there is less leg room than they expect, so sit towards the outer edge of the basket and let a smaller rider take the middle.

How the animals are worked and cared for

Dromedaries are hardy and patient, and the ones at the echadero are working animals that spend their day carrying strangers up and down the same stretch of gravel. Between rides you will see them standing in line, chewing, blinking and shifting their weight. Handlers move along the string, checking baskets and straps before each turn, and the whole operation runs at a slow, steady pace rather than a rush.

Keep your voice low around the animals, move slowly as you climb in, and never wave food, bottles or plastic bags near their heads. Ask a handler before you touch one, and keep small children beside you rather than letting them run along the pens. If an animal is being rested, wait. The ride takes approximately 20 minutes,^[1] and the string will not leave without you.

Riding with a bad back, hip or knee

The ride is gentle, but it is not static. You sit in a basket slung over a large animal that sways as it walks, and you have to step up into that basket from a platform. Passengers with a sore back may find the motion easier than they feared, while a stiff hip can make the step up the awkward part of the whole experience. Tell a handler if you need more time or a steadying arm.

If you decide to skip the ride, nothing else about the day is lost. The Route of the Volcanoes inside the park has adapted coaches,^[5] and that coach loop is an easy way to see the lava field without climbing in and out of a saddle. The visitor centre at Mancha Blanca gives free access to its exhibition and audiovisual programme^[11] and opens Monday to Sunday from 9:00 to 16:00,^[6] which makes a calm alternative if heat or walking is a worry.

Timing, tickets and booking your day

The standard adult ticket for Montañas del Fuego costs 30.00 EUR,^[3] and for independent entry it must be bought online for a specific time slot.^[2] On the surface at Islote de Hilario the ground reaches around 250 ºC, and it can reach more than 600 ºC at 13 m deep,^[9] so keep to the marked routes and take the heat seriously. El Diablo Restaurant cooks over subsoil heat, where temperatures exceed 600 °C just 15 meters below the surface.^[12]

The tour booked from this site runs 9 hours, has 61 pickup location options and skips the ticket line,^[4] which suits travellers without a car. It offers free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance^[4] and the chance to reserve now and pay later.^[4] Guides speak English, French, German and Spanish.^[4] Shorter days exist too, from a 2 hour express run that leaves from Yaiza^[13] to a 5 hour half-day tour,^[14] so match the length to your energy and your base.

For a camel ride, Lanzarote Playa Blanca visitors head up the west coast road. The resort sits at the southern tip of the island, and the park lies to the north west of it. Line 60 passes through Yaiza on its route between Arrecife and Playa Blanca,^[15] and from Puerto del Carmen the park is about 22 km away directly, or about 23.5 km by road.^[16] A car gives you the freedom to stop at the camel station on the way in or out, and to take the drive at your own pace.

How the camel ride works

1. Arrive at the echadero

   The station is on the southern road towards the park. Park up and watch a ride or two before you join the line, so you know what to expect.

2. Step up into the basket

   You step from a raised platform into a woven basket saddle that carries two passengers, one on each side of the animal.

3. Sway out across the ash

   A handler leads the string at walking pace. The ride lasts approximately 20 minutes, with wide views over the volcanic landscape.^[1]

4. Dismount and carry on

   Step down the way you came up, check you have your bag, and head for the park coach route, the caves or the visitor centre.

5. Plan around the heat

   Surfaces at Islote de Hilario reach around 250 ºC,^[9] so keep to the marked routes and drink more water than you think you need.

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