Classic Vulcan Bike Route in 7 Days

Classic Vulcan Bike Route in 7 Days

THIS COURSE IS FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO TAKE THE CALMER APPROACH AND TAKE THEIR TIME ON EXPLORING AND ENJOYING THE PARADISE OF THE ISLAND OF LA GRACIOSA AND LANZAROTE. In days 6 & 7 of this course you will take various routes passing through Yaiza and ending up in the picturesque village of El Golfo to enable your journey not to be cut short but resulting in a slight increase of mileage. TOTAL:260KMS/3650M OF ACCUMULATED POSITIVE SLOPE.

1st STAGE: Puerto Del Carmen-Arrieta

(49kms/300m accumulated positive slope) Do not expect this route to lack altitude. It can be demanding and will incur some sections harder than others, which may result in slowing down the process. We will pass through the capital of the island, Arrecife, but will also seek solitary trails and tracks passing through the beautiful villages of Guatiza and Charco Del Palo and ending up in the harbor of Arrieta – The final stage of stage 1.

2ND STAGE: Arrieta-Orzola

(15kms/50m accumulated positive slope) Not certain you can call this a stage in its self, but with its beautiful trails in less than 15kms you will be in the stunning village of Orzola. This means it may offer you more time to enjoy yourself in La Graciosa, with the option of enjoying kayaking, fishing or just relax on the beautiful beaches.

3rd Stage: La Graciosa:

30 kms / 330 meters positive accumulated elevation Yes, we understand it’s only 30 kms and little elevation change. A route a pro could do in less than 2 hours. But friends…..you are in the Graciosa, a place which merits at least a day of your lives. It’s a short stage given the limited terrain of the Graciosa Island, but due to its uniqueness and beauty it is an obligatory visit. Perfect days to forget the world, to enjoy your bike, to enjoy the beaches, to do some water sports like kite surfing or diving, etc. or to relish in the flavours of the Canarian gastronomy. It is also good for us to relax a bit before taking on the two most demanding stages of the Vulcan Bike.

4rd stage: Orzola – Famara:

50 kms / 1.400 meters positive accumulated elevation This is the most “alpine” stage of the Vulcan Bike. Today we are going to ride through the highest area of the island. If the highest point of Lanzarote is only 700 meters above sea level, the elevation accumulated on this route is going to triple that number given the ascents and descents we are going to do. It isn’t a long stage, but the constant transition between ascents and descents makes it a difficult day. The challenges we are going to face will be compensated tenfold by the spectacular landscape we are going to be experiencing along the journey.

5th stage: Famara-Yaiza:

42 kms / 600 meters positive accumulated elevation On this stage we will see that the name, “Vulcan Bike” is very appropriate. We will cross through various lava areas, one of which is the amazing Timanfaya National Park. If you want to see something similar you will have to go to Hawaii….yourself. Following this lava “hell” we will cross the quaint village called Yaiza which is the end of our cycling journey.

6th stage: Yaiza-Playa Blanca (extension along  El Golfo):

39 kms / 270 meters positive accumulated elevation Here the original Vulcan Bike route undergoes a directional change as well as a change in distance. It’s longer! One of the reasons is that otherwise the stage would be very short, but the principal reason is to ensure that the cycling travellers ride through one of the truly beautiful areas of Lanzarote. We are speaking about the Golfo and its nearby attractions. The Charco Verde where Pedro Almodóvar was inspired for his film, “Los Brazos Rotos” and the coast of Los Hervideros are also remarkable. This change from Yaiza until joining once again with the original route is mostly on asphalt. There is, however, one stretch riding on a trail where there are a lot of rocks. Although you will be riding on asphalt, we insist that the beauty of the stage and the lack of traffic make it highly recommendable.

7th stage: Playa Blanca – Pto. del Carmen:

35 kms / 700 meters positive accumulated elevation Welcome to the wonderful land of Los Ajaches. Today the stage is short, but the expression “short but intense” could be the name of the route. Don’t be confused by the small number of kilometres. We are going to have to put all of our skills into action to overcome the challenges we are going to encounter on this route. To finish the Vulcan Bike there is no better finale than the most inhospitable and wild terrain of the entire island (with permission of the Timanfaya volcano!) to truly enjoy the best mountain biking has to offer. There are a number of ascents and descents, paths, single track trails and many technical spots. If you aren’t a pro rider, don’t worry, what you can’t do “in the saddle” you can do walking. No one will be watching. The Ajaches are a mountainous ridge at the south of the island which together with the Famara cliff are the oldest areas of Lanzarote. These two areas are several million years old. The highest point just passes 600 meters above sea level; however, we won’t ride above the 200 meter line. Due to erosion, its ancient volcano is hardly visible. Its location parallel to the sea and its millions of years of erosion which have created a number of ravines reaching the sea make it a difficult terrain to ride through. There are no roads and the paths can’t free themselves of the extensive erosion. Being at the south of the island, the aridity is extreme. The number of ravines and the veritable solitude are going to put our cycling skills to test. Without a doubt this stage is the perfect finale to the Vulcan Bike.