The firm says it has been calling for proper regulation for years, and that a proposal for approved routes it sent to Teguise council went unanswered.
In the meantime, it says, relations on the ground have turned hostile. The company reports insults and death threats, and says large stones and lengths of wood have been put on tracks its buggies use, which it believes was done on purpose. It has not named anyone, and none of the allegations has been tested in court.
At the root of the dispute is a map that has never been drawn. Canarian law has required an official network of off-road routes since 2019, and Lanzarote still has no such map, so organised buggy, quad and safari tours are not allowed on rural land or in protected areas. The Cabildo has begun to enforce this, fining one operator €4,500 last year for driving a convoy through the Los Ajaches natural monument.
Rural residents have also complained about the dust, noise and wear on the dirt tracks they rely on, and conservation groups have raised concerns for wildlife.
Tighter rules look likely before the court case gets far. Teguise mayor Olivia Duque has said the Cabildo is expected to ban buggy tours across the whole island in November, building on the precautionary ban on off-road driving it announced in July.
For now, tours that keep to public roads can still run. If you are booking one, ask the operator whether the route stays on tarmac before you pay. You can find other ways to see the island on our excursions in Lanzarote page.
