Timanfaya Camel Rides Extended for One More Year as Yaiza and Canary Islands Government Prepare New Agreement
The popular camel rides at Timanfaya National Park will continue for another year, while authorities review the future arrangements for the service.
Visitors planning a trip to Lanzarote can continue to experience one of the island’s most recognisable tourist attractions, with the agreement governing the camel-riding service at Timanfaya National Park now extended until 19 August 2027.
The decision gives the service another year of continuity while the Canary Islands Government and Yaiza Town Council work on a new agreement for the activity.
Camel rides at Timanfaya continue until August 2027
The latest decision was formally published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC) on 31 August 2026.
The existing agreement between the Canary Islands Government and Yaiza Town Council was originally signed on 19 August 2022. It covered the management of the camel transport service for visitors to Timanfaya and was due to reach the end of its initial period this year.
Yaiza had requested a further four-year extension. However, rather than automatically extending the existing arrangement for that length of time, the authorities have opted for a one-year extension.
This means the current arrangement will remain in place until 19 August 2027.
The reason is that work is already underway on a new agreement that is expected to take account of updated technical considerations and recommendations concerning the service.
Why has the agreement only been extended for one year?
According to the official documentation, a technical report from the management of Timanfaya National Park recommended reviewing and updating the existing agreement.
A technical memorandum is being prepared, with the intention that its conclusions will be incorporated into a new agreement.
Rather than allowing the existing arrangement to expire while this work is completed, the authorities have chosen to maintain the service for an additional year.
For tourists, this means there is no immediate cancellation of the Timanfaya camel rides.
For residents and businesses in Yaiza, meanwhile, the coming year is likely to be important in determining how the activity will operate in the future.
What does this mean for tourists visiting Lanzarote?
For anyone searching for things to do in Lanzarote, the camel ride remains available at the Echadero de los Camellos, on the LZ-67 road between La Santa and Yaiza.
The official Timanfaya National Park information describes the experience as a short ride on a dromedary along the southern slope of the mountain.
Despite commonly being called a “camel ride”, the animals used are actually dromedaries, meaning they have one hump.
The attraction has become closely associated with the landscape and tourism history of Timanfaya and Lanzarote, and Yaiza has previously highlighted the historical connection between dromedaries and the island’s agricultural traditions.
Timanfaya itself is one of Lanzarote’s defining attractions. The national park covers around 5,107 hectares across the municipalities of Yaiza and Tinajo and is famous for its volcanic landscape. The use of dromedaries also forms part of the area’s cultural history.
Animal welfare campaign adds another dimension
The extension comes at a time when the use of dromedaries for tourist rides in Lanzarote is attracting renewed debate.
The Franz Weber Foundation, a Swiss environmental and animal-welfare organisation, has been campaigning against tourist camel rides on the island. Its campaign has raised concerns about the welfare of the animals and encourages tourists and tourism intermediaries to reconsider promoting camel-riding experiences.
The organisation has previously referred to veterinary assessments and alleged welfare problems involving some animals.
These are claims made by the campaign organisation and should not be confused with the conclusions of the new technical review being prepared by the authorities.
The latest government decision does not announce an immediate ban on camel rides. Instead, it maintains the existing service while the future agreement is prepared.
That distinction is important for visitors looking for accurate information about camel rides in Lanzarote.
A Lanzarote tradition under review
The debate is also complicated by the long-standing cultural role of dromedaries on the island.
Dromedaries have historically been used in Lanzarote’s agriculture, particularly around the volcanic areas, and have become a familiar sight for generations of residents and visitors.
Yaiza has previously argued that the camel rides in Timanfaya form part of the area’s social and cultural heritage.
The authorities therefore face the challenge of balancing several considerations, including tourism, local traditions, animal welfare, environmental management and the protection of a national park.
The new agreement will ultimately determine what changes, if any, are made to the current system.
Visiting Timanfaya: what tourists should know
The Echadero de los Camellos is located on the LZ-67, between La Santa and Yaiza.
The official Timanfaya National Park website currently lists the visitor centre’s opening hours as 9:00am to 3:00pm, although information relating specifically to the dromedary experience gives a service window of approximately 9:30am to 3:30pm.
The official information also states that advance booking is not normally required for the activity, although visitors should always check the latest information before travelling because operating arrangements can change.
For tourists combining the experience with a wider Timanfaya National Park visit, it is worth allowing plenty of time to explore the volcanic attractions rather than treating the camel ride as the only activity.
What happens next?
The one-year extension effectively creates a transition period.
During the next year, the relevant authorities are expected to continue developing the new agreement and incorporating the findings of the technical work currently being prepared.
The existing conditions remain in force during the extension, according to the published agreement.
So, for now, the message for visitors is straightforward: camel rides at Timanfaya are continuing.
But the longer-term future of the attraction remains under review, making the next year potentially significant for one of Lanzarote’s most recognisable tourism experiences.
