Walking on the moon: Lanzarote active holidays

Lanzarote, the most easterly Canary Island, is best known for its unique volcanic landscape.

The island endured the world's longest ever volcanic eruption, lasting six years, from 1730 to 1736, and as a result, around one third of the island is still buried beneath a sea of solidified lava, making large swathes of Lanzarote accessible only on two feet rather than four wheels.

This unique landscape, along with Lanzarote's very low rainfall, protected UNESCO biosphere status and year-round temperatures of 21 degrees plus has turned the island into a magnet for walkers and trekkers over recent years.

And a guided walk is now a must-do for anyone who really wants to get off the beaten track and explore the island's natural treasures.

Of these, the most famous is the Timanfaya Volcano Park, which is Lanzarote's number one tourist attraction.

Drawing some 900,000 visitors every year, tourists can enjoy a coach tour through the spent volcanic cones and petrified lava fields – on a route created by the famous Lanzarote-born artist and architect Cesar Manrique, who was responsible for much of the restrained and controlled development of tourism on the island.

But very few visitors are aware they can also explore the volcano park on foot – an experience which offers the most exciting walking on the island.

These treks are organised by the Visitors Centre at Timanfaya – and are not widely advertised.

Not least because the organisers like to restrict group sizes so as not to interfere with the delicate eco-structure of the Volcano Park. And also possibly because these tours are free of charge.

The treks are conducted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and have to be booked well in advance of arrival on the island. This can be done by contacting the Visitors Centre on 0034 9288 40839 (from 9:00 to15:00, English spoken).

After booking in at the office at the Visitors Centre walkers are taken by mini-bus to a start point within the Volcano Park. All the guides speak English and are experts on volcanology.

This walk is a wonderful introduction to the island of Lanzarote and as you stroll through this quite extraordinary landscape the guides will give you a complete history on the volcanic activity that shaped the Island of Fire.

Nick Ball, editor of www.lanzaroteguidebook.com