Lava Tube Tour La PalmaCueva de Las Palomas, 2 Hours

Inside the 1949 lava

Two hours underground and on the surface at the Cueva de Las Palomas, on La Palma. When the San Juan volcano erupted in 1949 its lava buried some of the best farmland in the district, and inside that new rock a tube formed: close to 500 metres of passage, about 3 metres wide, and anywhere between 1 and 6 metres high.

How the visit runs

The group meets at the benches by the road, opposite the Caños de Fuego visitor centre, fifteen minutes before the start. The first half of the visit is outside, walking the walkways laid over the lava field, where the shapes the flows left are visible in the open.

The second half goes into the tube itself. A helmet and a head torch are handed out before you go in, and the guide walks it with the group. There is no lighting down there, so what you see is what the torches pick out: the ceiling and walls the lava left as it drained, and the colours in the rock.

What it is known for

Two things: the rock formations, which is what most visitors come for, and the fauna. The tube is studied for the animals that have adapted to living underground in it, which is why access is limited to guided groups and why the marked route is not left.

Worth knowing

Closed shoes are required, ideally trainers, because the ground is rough volcanic rock. Bring a jacket and something for rain, sun protection for the walkway section, and water. The minimum age is five and everyone needs an identity document. It runs Monday to Friday, and the start time changes from one day to the next, so the calendar is the place to check yours.