The Lanzarote Cabildo has issued a formal reminder that tourist excursions using buggies, quad bikes, or safari-style vehicles, such as jeeps, are strictly prohibited off-road on rural land across the island.
The warning is issued in response to growing concerns about the environmental damage caused by these activities.
In an official statement, the Department of Territorial Policy has sent a report to all local councils, highlighting that these excursions are not permitted under current land-use and environmental regulations.
The document says the ban is based on local and regional land laws regarding the dust, noise, and damage these vehicles cause to the natural environment.
“The protection of our landscape and the sustainable management of our territory are fundamental priorities for this administration,” said Cabildo President Oswaldo Betancort. “Tourism must coexist in harmony with the land that sustains it. We cannot allow our rural environment to be degraded by unauthorised activities that threaten our natural heritage.”
Betancort also called on local councils to tighten enforcement and respond quickly to violations, stressing that the island’s development model must balance economic growth with environmental preservation. “The future of Lanzarote lies in promoting responsible tourism, not in repeating mass tourism models that harm what makes us unique in the first place,” he added.
Jesús Machín Tavío, Lanzarote’s Councillor for Territorial Policy, echoed the message, stating clearly that there is no officially approved network of routes for these types of excursions. “Until one exists, it is prohibited by both regional legislation and our own island planning,” he said.
Machín noted that these unauthorised tours often use dirt tracks, rural paths, and even private land, contributing to the deterioration of agricultural and livestock routes. “We’re not trying to ban tourism, we’re trying to regulate it in a way that doesn’t cause irreversible damage,” he explained.
“There are roads available, but vehicles must stay off environmentally sensitive zones and traditional trails that local councils work hard to preserve.”
The Cabildo has made a direct appeal to tour operators, residents, and visitors alike: act responsibly. “We must use common sense, show collective responsibility, and commit to protecting the essence of Lanzarote,” Betancort concluded. “This island must be cared for, respected, and preserved, for now and for future generations.”
