Snorkelling at Isla de Lobos: what the €27 ferry package actually buys

The €27 ferry-and-snorkelling ticket from Corralejo is an inexpensive way to add time in the water to a Lobos visit. It is not a day-long guided exploration of the seabed. That difference matters more than the photograph of clear water: the package combines transport, a scheduled activity and independent time ashore, each with its own clock.

Tour 305928 costs from €27 in our inventory dated 12 September 2026, with 4.5 stars from 904 reviews. The ordinary return ferry, tour 306838, starts at €17. Your starting-price difference is €10, but compare the actual date and participants before treating that as a fixed supplement.

How the snorkelling part fits into the day

Nortour’s description of the activity separates a short boat ride along the south coast of Lobos from the stop in the water. It currently describes about 10 minutes of coastal navigation and approximately 25 minutes at a spot near the pier, with equipment and crew instructions included.

Those figures describe the activity sequence, not the complete time away from Corralejo. The ferry crossing, boarding, time ashore and return trip are additional parts of your plan. Our inventory leaves the overall duration field blank, so we do not turn the short snorkelling stop into an invented half-day timetable.

Check where you must board for the activity and whether your chosen outward sailing leaves time on the island beforehand. A ferry departure and the snorkelling meeting are not interchangeable appointments. If you arrive early to walk, keep the return to the activity’s meeting point in your route plan.

Clear in a photograph is not a visibility forecast

Lobos is sold with images of turquoise water, but colour seen from the deck and visibility through a mask are different things. Surface reflections, suspended material and local conditions affect what you can see below. There is no documented minimum visibility in this ticket that lets us promise a certain number of metres.

Ask the crew what the snorkelling conditions are that day and how they choose the stop. A useful answer describes the actual site and conditions; repeating that the water is crystal-clear does not answer the question. Expect an outdoor observation activity rather than an aquarium display arranged for your arrival.

For the same reason, do not book around one named animal. Seeing fish close to the boat can be enjoyable without a rare encounter. Anyone whose main objective is species identification should compare a more closely instructed session in the snorkelling and diving selection, asking specifically what the guide does in the water.

Temperature: ask about equipment, not a yearly average

A sea-temperature average cannot tell you whether you will be comfortable during this particular stop. The listing confirms snorkelling equipment, but that phrase alone does not establish a wetsuit, its thickness or sizes. Ask what is supplied and whether anything additional is available at a charge.

Bring a towel and something dry for the deck afterwards. Your wet swimming time may be short, while the wait and onward boat journey are longer. If one person tends to get cold quickly, plan around the option to finish earlier rather than assuming everyone must use the entire stop.

Do not buy a second activity for later on the assumption that the first finishes the moment you leave the water. Changing, collecting belongings and getting back to the ferry schedule all take time. Keeping that space free makes the inexpensive package much easier to enjoy.

Current and getting back aboard

A stop close to the island is not a promise of still water. Ask how entry and reboarding work, what swimming ability the operator expects and whether flotation equipment is available in the right size. These are questions for this vessel and this departure, not conclusions you can draw from the short crossing distance.

Follow the crew’s instructions about the swimming area and returning to the boat. A mask and snorkel do not replace swimming ability or supervision. If you are uneasy about climbing out of the water, describe that concern before paying; “equipment included” says nothing about the ladder.

The wider weather decision is covered in our wind and swell guide. A trip that still sails can have a changed water programme. Ask what the operator offers if snorkelling is removed but the ferry service continues.

What the €75 catamaran changes

Tour 210330, the Corralejo catamaran with drinks and snorkelling, is listed at €75 for four hours, with 4.8 stars from 1,146 reviews. Its description includes paella and activities such as kayaking. You are buying a longer boat outing with food, not simply paying more for the same brief snorkel stop.

The starting-price gap is €48 per person. That can be worthwhile if the boat itself is your afternoon’s entertainment. It is a poor reason to upgrade if your priority is independent walking on Lobos: check whether the catamaran includes a landing at all. Compare Lobos offers by the written itinerary rather than by the island name.

Who should choose something else

The ferry package suits confident participants who want a short introduction to snorkelling and time to organise their own island visit. It is less suitable for someone expecting sustained instruction or a long session entirely in the water.

For children, operators set different limits; check the individual booking page. Confirm child-sized masks and flotation equipment, the supervision arrangement and whether a non-participating adult can stay aboard. There is no universal birthday at which these details stop mattering. Our guide to boat trips with children helps frame that conversation.

If the water activity is the only reason you are booking, ask about changes and cancellation before choosing the date. If the island walk is the priority, reserve enough time ashore first and fit the snorkelling around it.