Buggy tours spark anger in Lanzarote as operators ignore rules and still go ‘off road’
An increasing number of residents in northern Lanzarote are calling for tighter controls on buggy excursions and tours, which they say are disrupting local life, damaging farmland, and disturbing protected wildlife.
In the village of Guatiza, clouds of dust from convoys of buggies regularly sweep through the streets. Locals complain that, despite rules forbidding these tours on rural land and nature reserves, the activity continues daily. “When tourism can no longer coexist with residents, we have a serious problem,” one local stated.
Buggy tours are widely advertised online, with promises of rides across dunes, volcanic landscapes and villages for around €100 per person. But many of the routes cross agricultural zones and areas of environmental protection, including a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) that is home to endangered species such as the Canarian houbara bustard, the stone curlew and the Eleonora’s falcon.
Noise pollution is another major concern, with tours sometimes operating late into the evening. “There are elderly people who can’t rest. On hot, dusty days, the situation is unbearable,” said Nayra, a local resident.
A convoy of buggies travelling through Lanzarote and the image of a houbara (a type of houbara). Source: Alberto Ucero / Project Hubara
The Cabildo de Lanzarote has reminded town halls that these kinds of excursions are not permitted off public roads under both the Canary Islands land law and the island’s planning rules. “These vehicles cause noise, dust, and environmental damage, particularly in sensitive landscapes, and can face sanctions,” said Jesús Machín Tavío, councillor for Territorial Policy.
Despite this, the Ayuntamiento de Teguise has not yet introduced new restrictions, although it has opened a public consultation on how to regulate activities on rural land.
Environmental experts warn that the impact goes beyond inconvenience for residents. Ecologist Alberto Ucero, who has studied the endangered houbara for years, stressed: “These birds avoid areas close to busy dirt tracks, especially during feeding and breeding. Noise and disturbance can reduce their habitat and survival. In some cases, birds have even been killed on these tracks.”
Campaigners say Lanzarote’s status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve makes such activities even more inappropriate. “The laws exist,” Ucero added, “but what’s missing is the political will to enforce them.”
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