Natural Parks Of Southern Spain

You arrive at Malaga airport and transfer by coach into the Andalucian countryside to the village of Grazalema. Nestled in the Sierra de Grazalema, Natural Park  the village serves as an ideal base for exploring this lush region of southern Spain. The group is accommodated in the Hotel Villa de Grazalema for seven nights'. Depending on the arrival time, the leaders will conduct a short orientation walk of the village before dinner. Please note dinner is taken much later in Spain than in the UK. Expect to sit down for dinner at roughly 8pm.

The extraordinary microclimate of the Grazalema region makes the Sierra region one of the most ecologically important in Spain. Mountains rise to over 1500m providing some beautiful scenery and highlights include the scenic approach to the striking Moorish hilltop castle looming over Zahara, the varied and dramatic mountainous scenery as we cross the Sierra de Endrinal and the remote limestone valleys traversed on the walk into Montejaque, where you can often see birds of prey wheeling and gliding into their spectacularly situated nests. The variety of terrain and scenery in such a small area is quite remarkable and is ideal for offering a two leader, two grade walking programme. Each day, there will be a grade 4 and a grade 6 walk on offer, quite often following the same route, but with added transport for the grade 4 walk, making this within grade.

Following are the walks we plan to offer during the week.

Walks

Distance: 9.5 miles

Time: 4.30 hours

Ascent: 375

Descent: 690

Grazalema to Zahara: A long, pleasant but fairly easy cross country walk from Grazalema to the hilltop village of Zahara with its spectacular Moorish castle. The Grade 6 route starts from the hotel. Those walking the Grade 4 route will take taxis from hotel to start at the Fuente de Aguafria.   This reduces the ascent to 250m and the total length to 8.4 miles, +365m/-575m, while still offering some of the finest walking on the route. Both groups return together by coach from Zahara. miles

Distance: 7.1 miles

Time: 4.30 hours

Ascent: 550

Descent: 590

Grazalema to Benoacaz Via Endrinal: The Grade 6 route is a challenging traverse on tough mountain terrain linking Grazalema to the charming village of Benoacaz. The Grade 4 route is an alternative, less demanding circular path, in the same area traversing the beautiful meadows of llanos de Endrinal and returning to Grazalema in the afternoon. It is a little rocky underfoot but a relatively short walk at 6 miles and +345m/-560m. miles

Distance: 10 miles

Time: 5 hours

Ascent: 450

Descent: 585

Grazalema to Montejaque: A wonderful cross country walk through wild and dramatic scenery in the Sierra de Zurraque. The route enters remote areas but underfoot conditions are not too demanding. The Grade 6 route starts Grazalema. Those electing to do the Grade 4 route travel by taxi to Puerto de los Alamillos on the A-372. 8 miles, +325m/-435m. Both groups return by coach from Montejaque. miles

Distance: 7 miles

Time: 5 hours

Ascent: 645

Descent: 605

Grazalema to Villalengua Del Rosario: The Grade 6 route crosses the dramatic Sierra del Endrinal across challenging terrain through holm oak forest and bare limestone pavements. There is rough walking underfoot but the marvellous scenery makes the effort worthwhile. Those following the Grade 4 route reach Villalengua on an attractive, lower and more pastoral walk through the meadows of Patagalana east of the Endrinal. 9.4 miles, +510m/-455m. Both groups return by bus or coach. miles

Distance: 7.4 miles

Time: 5.10 hours

Ascent: 700

Descent: 700

El Gastor and Lagarin: This walk is one of very few in the area which leads to a summit. The route takes follows a path through attractive, tranquil and  unspoilt scenery. The Grade 4 route  is identical to that of the Grade 6 walk but omits the detours out to the peaks. 6.2 miles +500/-500m miles

Leaving Grazalema today, you make the transfer to Tolox, situated on the eastern side of the Sierra de las Nieves, where you stay at the Hotel Balneario for 7 nights' accommodation.

Orientation walk around the village streets, exploring the Moorish layout of the village and providing historical context to start your journey into Andalusian rural culture.

The village of Tolox is known as the heart of the Sierra de las Nieves, Spain’s newest National Park.

It’s dramatic location at the confluence of two streams with a backdrop of the limestone peaks of the Sierra de las Nieves mountains is surprisingly green, due to the irrigated terraces of orange and avocado groves that surround the mountain slopes around the village thanks to a Moorish era network of irrigation channels. Tolox is also the gateway the most dramatic landscapes of the National Park and thanks to its historical mule tracks, footpaths and more modern vehicle tracks and makes it an excellent base for our grade 4 and grade 6 walks each day.

Day 12 is a free day, we recommend booking tickets to walk on the Caminito Del Rey. Transport to and from the Caminito Del Rey will be arranged locally by the leader. You can purchase tickets here: https://www.caminitodelrey.info/en/tickets/buy. Please be aware tickets sell out very quickly so we advise booking tickets as soon as you know the tour is confirmed to operate. When booking please book a time slot around 10am- 11am to avoid a long wait for others once finished/ starting.

Walks

Distance: 7 miles

Ascent: 550

Descent: 550

La Rejia & La Virgen Waterfalls: Grade 6 walk starts from your hotel with a steep ascent into the Sierra de la Nieves Nationall Park via footpaths through pine forests to the mountains overlooking the Rio de los Caballos valley with some spectacular views. You then walk to Malaga’s tallest waterfall, La Rejía. Then descend to the Rio de los Caballos and walk to La Virgen waterfall and its beautiful natural water pool for an optional swim. You then descend following the river down to Tolox passing eucalyptus forests, and some sections of peridotite rock, extremely rare and essential for holding the sulphur waters of Tolox’s historical spa. Grade 4 will take a shorter route, preferring wider tracks, where possible, to La Rejia and follow the Rio de los Caballos back to Tolox. miles

Distance: 7 miles

Ascent: 350

Descent: 750

Yunquera to Tolox: Today you catch the local bus service to the pretty white village of Yunquera, famous of its chestnut fiesta, cherries, baby clothes and over 100 natural springs. After a walk through the village you descend into the Rio Grande valley through terraces of avocado and orange groves. On the rio Grande you’ll see the San Pascual hydroelectric power station, a beautiful neo-mudejar style building built in the 1920s and a perfect spot for a break and eat some of the loquats growing on the trees in the garden in the late spring. After crossing the river you start gently ascending on the north face slightly cooler and with perfect conditions for kilometres of wild flower displays in the spring. As you rise above the river we will walk through olive groves to reach the ridge where Grade 4 will descend straight to Tolox from this point. Grade 6 will then ascend the ridge to get some more spectacular views of the rio Grande valley as it merges into the wide open Guadalhorce valley all the way to Malaga and the coast. The final descent to Tolox will be along newly cleared historical footpath to the Horcajos river valley. 8.8miles Ascent 550m / Descent 880m miles

Distance: 7.8 miles

Ascent: 250

Descent: 1100

Horcajos Valley: Grade 6 will go on 4x4s to the start of the walk at 950m above sea level which will provide spectacular views in all directions right from the start of the walk. The footpath that you will be using is part of the traditional route from Tolox to the highest peaks of the Sierra de las Nieves, walking initially on the rare peridotite rock, with its unique flora, and views to the rio Verde valley and glimpses of the Mediterranean in the distance. You will then cross the Corona saddle where you’ll start your long descent along a historical mule track into the limestone valley of the Horcajos river, crossing the world’s oldest Pinsapo forest. One of the most environmentally important places in the National Park this magical fir tree forest also has amazing views as you zig zag all the way down to the bottom of the valley, you then follow the river to the Virgin de la Nieves shrine. The final section will take you through cultivated terraces with dozens of different types of fruit trees including centuries old carob and fig trees all the way back to Tolox. Grade 4 will walk up the Horcajos river valley to the Virgin shrine and then ascent to a ridge via the ‘lime kilns route’ through some beautiful pine forests to get to a spectacular view point over the river valley perfect for lunch. In the afternoon after a pleasant shady section of track on the ridge, you do the final descent to Tolox via ‘La Cruz’ shrine for a lovely view of village. 7.2miles Ascent / Descent 540m miles

Distance: 6.1 miles

Ascent: 550

Descent: 550

Juanar (Sierra Blanca): The 'white mountains' get their name from the marble that is abundant in these parts. Your private minibus will take you to the Juanar country hotel, the start point for today’s walk. Grade 6 will start crossing the peculiar plateau of Juanar with its olive groves and beautiful forests. You then climb to a ridge before descending to a dry stream valley for a long climb to the ridges at around 1100m that dramatically drop all the way to the Mediterranean coast giving you spectacular views all the way to Gibraltar and the North African coast. You then descend back to the plateau to return to the Juanar hotel for a drink and transport back to Tolox. Grade 4 will take a similar route avoiding the descent to the dry stream but still enjoying the spectacular views of the coast. 6 miles Ascent / Descent 480m. miles

Distance: 8.1 miles

Ascent: 850

Descent: 870

Sierra & Pinsapos: Today 4x4 transport will take you to Puerto Corona, and at a height of over 1150m, and you’ll walk in the heart of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park. Grade 6 walk will start with a long ascent with breath taking views south to the rio Verde valley and parts of the coast, while heading for some of the highest areas of the park, at over 1700m, famous for the karst topography, with many of Spain's largest caves and sinkholes. You will have some spectacular views and come across centuries-old specimens of ’spooky’ Quejigos (mountain Valencian Oak). You then descend to see the breath-taking La Caina limestone cliff and finish walking through the Pinsapo forest to reach Puerto Caucon for your transport back to Tolox. Grade 4: you will be taken by minibus to Puerto Saucillo 6km west of the village of Yunquera to explore the world’s largest Pinsapo forest through a wonderful network of ancient mule paths and head to the spectacular views of the mountain surrounding Ronda and even to Grazalema but avoiding the highest paths. 6.2 miles, 500m ascent 500m descent. miles

You depart Tolox today and transfer to Malaga airport for your return flight to the UK