• Departure: On demand
• Duration: 7 days
• Tipology: low-budget geological filed-trip for university students only
• Group: minimum 15 people

I have been a Geology student myself and I remember all my dreams travels always crumbling in front of the prices!
I heartly decided to promote a very low cost trip to this fantastic volcanic island to help out those future colleagues of mine who want to increase their knowledge of the field geology.
Hope their professors will support them
The trip can be lead in English, Italian or Spanish. German and Czech can be also available but not for specific geological explanations.
The trip can be custom made in accordance with students and professors specific requirements.
It is also possible to arrange scientific visits to local University facilities and labs with no additional charge. Please let me know if interested.
Trip date can be selected by the group in accordance with our availability. Please note that depending on the chosen date (high or low season), stated prices could change.

Program:

Day 1: The arrival

Arrival and accommodation in simple apartments in Costa Teguise.
Welcome cocktail and presentation of the program by the English (or Italian or Spanish) speaking staff.
Afternoon and evening free for relax or we can start working at once.

Day 2:The North

Breakfast and departure for the "Monte Corona" (609 m a.s.l.) lower rim (1.5 hours). First lesson about the type of volcanism and time for a brief geological survey. Walk along the southern slopes to admire the structures and the red-oxidized lapilli deposits. This is the volcano which about 4ky BP created a lava tunnel flowed towards SE (we will visit it at the "Cueva de los Verdes" in the next days). Box lunch.
We will proceed to the Famara cliff topmost edge (over 400 m a.s.l.) to enjoy one of the most breathtaking views that the island has to offer and to try together to understand how and from where the impressive volcanic succession was emplaced (brainstorming theories are very welcome). We will descend to the cliff's beach along an old and easy path crosscutting the entire basaltic sequence. After a refreshing although not very geological swim, we will be picked up by a boat an then by the private bus to take us back to our apartments.

Days 3 and 4: The Timanfaya National Park

This program will be splitted in two days accordingly with the weather or wind conditions and the general interest of the group for the details.
In the morning we will climb on the "Caldera Blanca" tuff cone: one of the most perfect phreatomagmatic craters among all in the Canary Islands. From the rim we will appreciate the widely-spread lava flow erupted by the Timanfaya volcano between 1730 and 1736 AD. Box lunch and descend to the private bus.
We continue the tour of Timanfaya National Park with a half-hour tour (approximately 20 km-long ring) on board of the official tourist bus (unfortunately in this site hiking is prohibited).
We will then visit the adjacents "El Cuervo" spatter cone and the "Montaña Colorada" cinder and scoria cone with the world's largest volcanic bomb (4 km walking path). Question: is it really a bomb? You'll tell.

Day 5: The South

After breakfast we will drive to the Southeast area of Lanzarote island. From the village of Femés (360 m a.s.l.) we will follow an easy leading us up to the adjacent crest (450 m a.s.l.). Then we will proceed through the "Los Ajaches" Park. Here we can admire the 17 million years old gabric ophiolites belonging to the uplifted ancient core of the island outcropping thanks to the strongly eroded valleys now home of the majority of the Lanzarote goats. In about three hours walk we will descend to the village of Playa Quemada. Before arriving in town we can stop for a swim at a basaltic-black sand beach. Box lunch.
We will proceed to the south west coast for the visit of the really impressive surge deposits of the "El Golfo" phreatomagmatic ring and the basaltic cliffs of "Los Hervideros", Southeastern end of the Timanfaya lava flow.

Day 6: The cliff of Famara and the Valley of Thousand Palms

From the vast beach of Famara, famous for kite-surfing, we will climb up the steep but easy path of " Risco de Famara" massif, carved by erosion through an impressive series of ancient basalts. In about 2.5 hours we will reach the highest peak of Lanzarote: "Peñas del Chache" (630 m a.s.l.). Along the way we can admire the 20 species of Lanzarote's endemic plants stubbornly grabbed at the reddish basaltic soil. From the cliff edge we will appreciate the dramatic jump of more than 600 meters above the sea. Box lunch.
On the way back we will visit the "Cueva de los Verdes", part of one of the longest volcanic tunnels in the world (inside a funny surprise...) and, depending on availability, we will try to be invited to visit the underground geophysics labs. The visit of the scoria lapilli fallout deposit of "Mataburros" will end the field trip.
Return to hotel and dinner at the hotel's restaurant.

Day 7: the return

Free morning, last minute shopping and departure. Depending on the departure schedule, possible time for snorkeling or scuba diving (also for beginners).

Note: In order to provide the best service, the days order presented in the program might be modified accordingly to the possible sudden changes in weather and wind.

Price: €450 per person (minimum number of participants: 15 pax)
Price may change accordingly to the period of the year

The price includes:
- 7 nights accommodation in triple room (in apartment with own kitchen)
- Breakfasts
- Welcome aperitive
- Box lunches
- Entrance fee to Timanfaya National Park
- Entrance fee to La Cueva de los Verdes
- Constant assistance and support of the guide throughout the program
- Specific geological explanations in English, Italian or Spanish
- All transfers foreseen by the program (included transfer from and to the airport)

The price does NOT include:
- Flight
-Travel and health insurance
- Dinners and drinks - Private personal expenses, tips,...
- All extra activities which are not covered by the program (diving, snorkeling, etc...)
- Anything not mentioned in “the price includes”.

Terms of participation and payment:
50% of the participation fee has to be paid at time of booking in order to receive confirmation. The balance of the remaining 50% is due at the latest one week prior to arrival.

Cancellation Policy:
7 days to 48 hours before arrival – 50%
from 48 hours before arrival – 80%

Flights suggestions:
Ryan Air flies from Italy (Bologna airport) and England at very attractive prices, depending on how much advance you book your flights!