Last Updated on October 23, 2022
A great way to see south Fuerteventura is by buggy or ATV! Personally I’m a huge fan of ATV’s, I even rented an ATV in Santorini, Greece! Fuerteventura has a rocky, dusty landscape and heading off-road is a fun half day excursion. My Fuerteventura buggy tour departed from Costa Calma and was run by Quad Adventure (FuerteAdventure Excursions). They also have tours departing from Corralejo in the north and Caleta de Fuste.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on purchases made after clicking the link, at no extra cost to you. For more information visit the Privacy & Disclosure Policy.
Fuerteventura Buggy Tour
Trip Details
🕖3hrs
🗺50km from the east coast to the west coast and back
📍Start Point: Costa Calma
🚙60% off-road | 40% on main roads
🎒MUST have: Driving Licence
What to take/wear
I was staying in Esquinzo and had a bus pick up to Costa Calma. On arrival to Quad Adventures we had to sign waivers and have our driving licence details taken. The buggies hold 2 people sitting side by side and apart from a roll cage, they are very much open to the elements.
The chances are, whatever you wear, WILL get dusty. Wear something you don’t mind getting dirty. Closed toe shoes are a must. Sunglasses or glasses are required to protect your eyes from the dust. A buff or a face mask is recommended too. I took a couple of buffs with me, but they also had a variety of colours for sale at the main office. Fuerteventura is WINDY, we were a little chilly, so wore hoodies too.
We took one small backpack and shared it between us. Backpacks hang from a handle bar in front of the passenger seat. They will get dusty too! Inside we had our face masks, money (and licences), water, sun cream, room key, camera, phones etc. (They can not go in the rack behind the seats. This area gets too hot as it’s directly above the engine).
Costa Calma to Playa De Ugan
The buggy tour begins in Costa Calma, which translates to ‘calm coast’. In Fuerteventura you will find that the east coast has calm waters and white sand beaches. In contrast, the western coast has black sand beaches and is popular with surfers due to the waves along that shoreline.
Most of the driving through Costa Calma is on the main roads through the town. Everyone drives in a convoy behind the guide. Being part of Spain, they drive on the right hand side of the road. You are expected to obey by Spanish road laws, the same as if you were driving a car. The company has insurance for drivers but it only covers legitimate accidents, not reckless driving.
The journey to Playa de Ugan in the west is one of the longest driving stretches. Once outside of Costa Calma, it has the most off-road driving, taking small dirt tracks across the middle of the island. It’s not a hard drive but it is rough and rocky and makes the steering wheel shake a lot!
Playa de Ugan is a black sand beach that is very much off the beaten track. It’s rocky and the sea is rough, so it’s not recommended for swimming. The guide also shared with us that the black volcanic sand is actually magnetic! Volcanic minerals often contain magnetite. The last volcano eruption in Fuerteventura was over 4000 years ago.
Bar Castillo
After a short drive from Playa de Ugan, we stopped at Bar Castillo for a little break. Here we could use the toilets and there is a small bar. Obviously being a driving tour, alcohol purchases are not allowed, but they have a coffee machine, soft drinks and an ice cream freezer (I bought a Calippo).
There’s an outdoor area with tables and chairs. We even saw a cat bite the tail off a lizard and the lizard ran away. It actually has a pretty cool defence mechanism. The tail will continue to move, to distract the predator, while the main part of the lizard can run away to safety. They can regenerate their tails multiple times.
La Pared
Playa del Viejo Reyes
A short main road drive took us to the small surf town of La Pared. There are several surf schools, a couple of accommodation options, a cafe and a bar. Playa del Viejo Reyes is a popular surf beach. We parked up on top of the cliff and spent some time watching the surfers.
Punta Guadalupe
From here we walked along the cliff to a viewpoint overlooking Punta Guadalupe. This is a rocky headland that stretches out into the sea and it has an archway in the middle of it. In the Canary Islands you can buy cool artwork postcards, where part of the picture is coloured in with sand. I bought one in Fuerteventura that features Punta Guadalupe!
Natural park of Jandia
After visiting La Pared, it’s then another mostly road journey back to the east coast, passing through the Natural Park of Jandia.
Mirador de Sotavento to Costa Calma
One last stop is at the Mirador de Sotavento. This is a viewpoint that looks back along the coast towards Costa Calma. The return trip is mostly off-road again from here, until you reach the outskirts of the town. The route runs parallel to the FV-2 highway. Then it’s main road driving back to the starting point!
Buggy Tour Fuerteventura final words
There’s not a huge amount of sight-seeing to be done on a Fuerteventura buggy tour. So I wouldn’t join the tour with the impression that you would be going to lots of different places. A big element is the off-road driving experience and travelling on the backroads of the island. It’s more about enjoying the landscape in a unique way.
There are several points in which drivers can be changed over. As long as they have the licence details at the main office, you are free to switch over at each stop. The guide told us what sections would include the most off-road driving and which stretches were only short.
How To Book
You can find the Fuerteventura buggy tour from Costa Calma here. If you are not staying in Costa Calma, there is another option that include pick ups from Jandia or Esquinzo. (Prefer to use GetYourGuide? You can find the same tour here).
Alternatively, if you are staying further north, here is a 2.5hr Dune Buggy Tour from Corralejo.
Other Places To Visit In Fuerteventura
9 Awesome Things To Do In Morro Jable, Fuerteventura | Spain
Turtle Nursery Morro Jable, Fuerteventura | What You Need To Know
