A cruise to the Canary Islands

A cruise to the Canary Islands is definitely one not to miss. The small islands boast gorgeous weather thanks to them sitting just off the west coast of Africa but the Canary’s also offer a wide array of things to see and do

One place to certainly explore is Lanzarote and whilst there a visit to Timanfaya is a must do on any holiday makers itinerary

Established as a National Park in 1974 to protect the beauty of this fascinating volcanic landscape, Timanfaya consists of an area of 51 km and is extremely accessible either via car or coach

Lanzarote’s Montana’s del Fuego in English meaning Mountains of Fire are fascinating to say the least, you really will be left firmly surprised at the sheer size of this area and the fact the ground is charcoal black, this is due to lava that spilled across the land during two violent eruptions, one in 1730 which lasted six years and then another in 1824 which resulted in the formation of several new cones including Tao, Tinguation and the New Fire Volcano also known as El Chinero

Once there you are usually shown a demonstration where cold water is poured into a very small hole in the ground, what you can’t see though is that at the bottom of this hole lies unbelievably hot volcanic lava and the effect of the cold water hitting it is rather unique. A small screeching sound is shorty followed by a large steam blast emitting from the hole, certainly worth seeing but be quick if you want to take a photograph.

They also sometimes offer a BBQ , quite possibly the biggest BBQ you will ever see and I imagine the only one you will ever have that is powered by the sheer heat from the molten lava. You will also in most cases find your coach will take a drive around the park itself, this letting you see the real effects of the past eruptions where the land has literally been transformed into something you would expect to see in a horror movie. Some of the roads are quite tight but the coach can just squeeze through and once at the peak the views are stunning

If you are lucky enough on your way back to the ship the coach may also make a short stop at the sea edge just on the edge of the park. When the eruptions occurred the lava travelled down into the ocean and at one particular spot the entire face of the cliff is black but is being soothingly washed by the bluest and clearest water I personally had ever seen in my life

Most cruise line’s offer this as a planned excursion so certainly consider taking it, one thing I would recommend is to take a coat and possibly some decent walking shoes or sneakers. When you disembark from you ship it may well be clear skies and blisteringly hot sun but as you proceed up the mountain to Timanfaya the mist soon sets in and it can get quite cold and damp.