Year-round warm weather, exotic and beautiful nature that most of us will only see on TV, what else do you need? Camping in Lanzarote can be a unique experience that you’ll remember throughout your whole life. We decided to make a list of wild camping tips for this beautiful island.
Lanzarote is an island located west of Africa, close to the coast of Morroco and Western Sahara to be precise. It is administered by Spain and is surrounded by a couple of beautiful islands such as Tenerife, Fuerteventura, and Gran Canaria.
It might surprise you to hear that certain parts of Lanzarote island allow free camping. When we talk about paradise, this is as close as you can get.
Is camping in Lanzarote legal?
As with most islands and places, wild camping is against the law on Lanzarote as well. However, there are a few free campsites on the island. Most of the local folks make money with tourism, so it’s not hard to imagine why the locals are against camping.
In case you still want to do wild camping, we can give you a couple of tips. Firstly, never light a campfire on Lanzarote. Campfires are forbidden and pretty dangerous. Instead, use a storm cooker that’s good enough and won’t cause a fire disaster.
Wild camping is illegal, but we understand that not everyone has the funds to explore some of the world’s coolest nature. Instead of stopping you, let us guide you on how to properly wild camp without causing damage.
- Never leave any trash behind you. This one is a no-brainer, yet some people still do it. If you got any trash, put it in a bag and carry it to the nearest dust bin. There are reasons why wild camping got forbidden over the years and leaving trash behind is one of them.
- Don’t start a campfire. We understand how tempting it could be to start a campfire and watch a beautiful sunset on Lanzarote sand beaches. However, there is a lot of dry vegetation around. Either use a storm cooker or a fire pit if there is a designated place for one.
- Don’t camp on private land. Cultivated land is a private one in 99.99% of cases. Also, if the land is surrounded by fences and gates, that’s most likely private as well. If you decide to camp on private land, make sure you get the landowner’s permission.
- Stay on the move. Chances to be caught are much higher if you stay at one spot for multiple days.
Official campsites in Lanzarote
Unfortunately, there aren’t many official campsites in Lanzarote where you can pitch your tent. Most campsites on this island offer camper vans in which you can stay overnight. However, most of these tend to be pricey.
Still, there are campsites where you can pitch your tent and enjoy the great view. One example of such a campsite is Playa del Papagayo. The site is right on the beach, but it has approximately 284 different camping spots which is quite a lot.
You can make the reservation directly on the site, or you can also contact “Cabildo de Lanzarote” which is in charge. The prices are approximately 7€ per day if you are camping in a tent or 10€ per day for those of you coming with a motorhome.
Don’t be surprised if none of the 284 spots is available. As you may see in the image above, people love to camp there. Even the locals will often park their motorhomes during the summer and use them as vacation houses. Facilities include toilets, electricity, an access ramp for wheelchairs, and more.
There are many other beaches that people love to camp on. Don’t be surprised if you get told to leave though. Wild camping “hurts” tourism income as we have already mentioned.
Climate in Lanzarote
So, what’s the climate like? Well, it rarely rains, and the temperature is almost always high. We can safely say that this is an ideal island to visit during the winter days to escape the cold. Average temperatures in November and December can get as high as 22 Celsius degrees (71.6 Fahrenheit).
Even though the climate is pretty sunny as you can see, we still suggest you bring a waterproof tent. Why? Because you might still be unlucky and catch a rainy day. If your tent is not waterproof, water can get into your camera or other equipment.
Other than that, Lanzarote is very sunny during the year. It’s no wonder so many people visit it during the whole year, not just during the summer. As always, bring spare clothes, but you should dress lightly as it can get pretty hot during the day.
Camping tips for Lanzarote
Camping in Lanzarote is probably different than your average camping trip. Most destinations we usually camp at have harsh weather in the winter months. Well, that’s not the case with Lanzarote as you can tell.
If you decide to camp in Lanzarote, you don’t need to bring as many things as on your usual trip. However, you should still bring essential camping items like:
- Waterproof camping tent – Regardless of only a couple of rainy days per year. If you got any equipment with you such as cameras or mobile phones, you don’t want those to get wet.
- Water bottle – As silly as it seems, you can easily forget to bring one. Most restaurants would probably be willing to fill your bottle for free if you ask nicely. You can also buy one in the store and re-use it.
- Sleeping bag – It can get cold overnight, especially during winter days. A sleeping bag is a great piece of equipment that doesn’t cost much and provides great comfort.
- Flashlight – There isn’t anything worse than losing something when it’s dark outside. A flashlight can be a life-saver and you can get the pocket ones for a couple of dollars. They don’t take much space either.
- Pocket knife – You never know when you’ll need one. They can be super helpful when you are on a camping trip.
- Suncream – Sun can be pretty strong on Lanzarote, and you should protect your skin. You don’t need to carry that one with you, most stores on the island are selling it.
If you want to read more about camping gear, make sure you check our other articles on this website.
P.S. Don’t forget to check our other destination guides covering Tenerife, North York Moors, Sardinia, Algarve, and South Downs.
