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Ronda and the Sierra de Grazalema

8 Days & 7 Nights 4.7 Read 28 reviews
  • Spectacular walking through the white villages of the Sierra de Grazalema
  • The beautiful village of Zahara de la Sierra, in its perfect hilltop location
  • Stay in rural guesthouses and boutique hotels in beautiful “pueblos blancos”
  • Enjoy a plate of tapas in plazas shaded by scented orange trees
  • The vibrant city of Ronda, sitting atop the famous El Tajo gorge
Walk the quiet trails of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park between the famed "Pueblos Blancos" (White Villages) of Andalucía and discover one of Spain's most beautiful mountainous areas. A land of jagged limestone peaks, deep gorges and lush green mountain pastures. Begin in the brilliant white village of Zahara de la Sierra, perched on a crag at the base of the Grazalema mountains. Enjoy a walk through two wild and remote valleys, keeping your eyes peeled for deer and griffon vultures. Continue through unspoiled countryside to Grazalema, one of the prettiest “Pueblos Blancos” in a stunning location surrounded by craggy mountains. Walk on paths through cork oak forests and secluded valleys to the captivating white villages of Benaocaz, Benaojan and Montejaque with their exotic Moorish influences. Finish in the city of Ronda, the most famous of all the Pueblos Blancos, with its spectacular location on top of the fantastic El Tajo gorge.
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What To Expect

This tour explores one of the best hiking areas of Andalucia and has been designed to visit some of the most picturesque white villages it is so well known for. Graded moderate overall, with daily walks of between 5 and 20km and ascents of up to 795m, it is suited to regular walkers who are used to walking in more rugged terrain. You will stay overnight in hand-selected small boutique hotels and rural posadas who offer a warm welcome to walkers.

Trip Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

  • Off the Beaten Track

Grade & Terrain

This walking tour is graded moderate overall. Walks are between 3-7 hours on a mixture of unsurfaced tracks and footpaths, with the occasional section on surfaced tracks or small tarmac roads. Some of the terrain is quite rocky and you may encounter some loose rocks or muddy/slippery sections in wet weather. There are also some sections with steep drop-offs. Ascents are between 225 and 700m with descents of up to 800m. During the shoulder months of May and September the walking may become more difficult due to the higher temperatures at that time of year and we recommend setting off early on those days.

Navigation

The routes on this trip are generally way-marked but we will also provide detailed route notes and maps.

You will also have access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone App enabling you to follow the route using your phone’s GPS so using this combined with the provided route notes and maps means you should have no problems finding your way.

Accommodation Information

Accommodation is in a mixture of small boutique hotels and rural posadas is included in your trip.

The accommodation we normally use is detailed below. We may sometimes have to use alternative hotels subject to availability but if this is the case we will always let you know when confirming your booking.

Accommodation Location

We will always try and accommodate you at the locations detailed in your itinerary. Occasionally, because of limited availability, there is the option to be accommodated at an alternative location. In the unlikely event that we have to accommodate you elsewhere we will advise you of this before confirming your booking.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

Single rooms are available and a single supplement is payable. This trip is available to solo walkers but we recommend that you are an experienced walker who is comfortable with navigation, has walked in rougher, mountainous terrain before and is comfortable with steep ascents/descents and some steep drop-offs.

Meals

Breakfasts are included and usually consist of breads, fruits, cheeses and meats. Packed lunches and Dinner are included at Zahara de la Sierra. Evening meal is served at the Hotel Al Lago, which offers contemporary Andalucian cuisine in a relaxed setting. All other lunches and dinners are not included but you will find suggestions in your route notes of local places to eat. The local cuisine in this area is second to none. Expect local specialities such as the ‘serrano gazpachos’ (gazpacho served with tasty chunks of Iberico ham), the mouth-watering payoyo goats cheese and ‘chacinas’ (delicious pork sausages).

Included
  • 7 Nights in small boutique hotels and rural posadas
  • 7 Breakfasts, 2 Dinners and 2 Packed Lunches (in Zahara de la Sierra)
  • Transfer from Ronda to Zahara de la Sierra
  • Luggage transfers as per itinerary
  • Detailed route notes, maps and pre-departure information pack
  • GPX tracks and access to our smartphone app
  • 24/7 Emergency telephone support
Excluded
  • Travel insurance (required)
  • Travel to/from Ronda
  • Lunches, dinners (apart from those listed), snacks and drinks
  • Personal equipment
Extras
  • Additional nights before, during or after the tour

When To Go

You can start this tour on any day of the week subject to availability between March to May and then again from September to November. We do not offer this tour in the summer months due to high tempereatures at that time of year making it uncomfortable for walking. It should be noted that the shoulder months of September can still be quite warm with average temperatures reaching up to 30°C. 

Weather and Climate

The Sierra de Grazalema is enjoyable most of the year round. The spring months of March and April are fantastic if you want to see the bird migrations in full swing and a profusion of flowers in bloom. The temperatures start to heat up in May and June and the summer meadows are alive with colour at this time but it can make walking more difficult. In the autumn months the days are still nice and sunny and the colours change again with a variety of autumn bulbs coming out. This area does also have its own mountain microclimate and can have sporadic rain showers throughout the year which are usually followed by drier days.

Getting to the Start

By Air: Malaga Airport is the most convenient airport to fly into for Zahara de la Sierra. From here travel to Ronda by bus (2h 30m). An included taxi transfer will pick you up from Ronda and transfer you to Zahara de la Sierra (25min). Malaga has lots of airline connections from the UK and Europe with airlines such as British Airways, Ryanair, Vueling, as well as the large European airlines such as KLM, Air France and Lufthansa.

Alternatively you can fly into Seville Airport and take the bus to Ronda (2h 30m), and again a private transfer will take you from there to Zahara de la Sierra.

Getting from the End

By Air: Malaga Airport is the closest airport to Ronda, reachable by bus from Ronda in approximately 2h.

To get back to Seville Airport, by bus takes approx 3h.

By Train: Ronda is well connected by train to other Spanish cities including Granada (2h 30m) and Cordoba (1h 45min). Visit the Renfe website for more details.

We can also arrange airport transfers from/to Malaga and Seville Airports at an additional supplement. Please just ask us for details.

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight stay. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

General Information

The reviews for this tour up until December 2019, are based on a previous itinerary. As of December 2019, minor changes and improvements have been made including have the routes all checked and route notes re-written and some of the accommodations have also been upgraded.

The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example. proper rain gear, sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has detailed advice and a kit list on what to take.This includes good waterproof gear, walking shoes/boots, and lots of other useful bits and bobs.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Zahara de la Sierra Day 2 Loop Walk from Zahara de la Sierra 9 miles / 14.5 km Day 3 Walk to Grazalema 13 miles / 20 km Day 4 Walk to Villaluenga del Rosario 11 miles / 17 km Day 5 Walk to Benaojan 7 miles / 11 km Day 6 Walk to Ronda 7 miles / 11.3 km Day 7 Loop walk to El Tajo Gorge 3.9 miles / 6.3 km Day 8 Onward Travel

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