Isle of Lobos

This protected nature reserve offers tranquility amid crystal clear waters. You will have wonderful views back to Fuerteventura and towards Lanzarote.

The island is home to wildlife and plants not found anywhere else in the world.

The Isle of Lobos got its name from the large population of seals - lobos del mar - that used to live there.

The island was one of the first nature areas to be designated as protected in 1982 along with Corralejo's dunes. In 1994 a law reclassified Lobos and the dunes as separate nature parks. The EU has included Lobos in the Spanish areas of special protection for birds.

The island has four different zones - green which is an exclusion zone; orange which is restricted use; blue which is for moderate use and red which is for general us.

Places to look for on the Isle of Lobos include La Hoya de Las Lagunitas (the valley of the little lagoons), Salador de El Faro (the lighthouse saltmarshes), Los Hornitos (the little ovens), el Jable de La Cocina (sand of the kitchen), el Malpais del Interior (the badlands of the interior) and delapidated Los Edificios Volcánicos (volcanic buildings) on the north coast and Casas El Puertito which is a picture postcard setting.

There is a restaurant on the island at El Puertito (little port).

The climb up the Caldera de la Montana is quite steep but the views worth it. The beach at Playa de la Concha forms an arc around a cove.

The Isle of Lobos is also a dream for birdwatchers. Several species go to nest high on the crags including Cory's Shearwater and the Herring Gull.

Being a nature reserve you must stick to the paths and taking cuttings is not allowed.

It is also forbidden to disembark on to the island anywhere other than El Puertito, take dogs or cats, walk off the oaths, leave litter, make noise or hunt.

Prior permission is needed for camping in la Carpinteria, collecting geological samples or  professional filming.

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