Walking in Costa Almeria

8 Days & 7 Nights 5 Read 1 reviews

Explore the desert-like landscapes and unspoilt beaches of the Cabo de Gata
Spot varied flora and fauna including Bonelli's Eagle and cacti trees
Visit the Church of Cortijo del Fraile, the setting of several spaghetti westerns
Enjoy long, sunny days in one of the driest places in Spain and even Europe
Stay in the white fishing villages of Agua Amarga, Las Negras and San Jose

Walk through the rugged volcanic landscapes, russet-coloured hills and desert-like beaches of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, and discover one of Spain’s last remaining undeveloped coastal regions. On a week of easy going walking, head along the unspoiled coastline between whitewashed fishing villages, and into the desert-like interior, where you can explore old gold-mining villages and locations for the play Blood Wedding and spaghetti western, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. A diverse range of flora and fauna including wild cacti, pink flamingos, and palm trees, give you the feeling of an altogether more exotic destination outside Europe. With much of the park only accessible on foot, and overnight stays in authentic little villages this tour allows you to truly get away from it all and discover a part of Spain unexplored by many.

What To Expect

If you enjoy plenty of sunshine but prefer to get away from the crowds this is the trip for you. This tour offers a varied itinerary which takes in the sparking coastline of the Mediterranean as well as the desert-like interior landscapes. Daily walks of between 10 and 16km and some gentle ascents and descents make this a good option for anybody looking for a relaxed walking tour. Overnight stays are in simple but friendly 3* hotels and one 4* spa hotel in Rodalquilar.

Tour Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent active trip.

Activity:

Multi Center Walking | You will spend multiple nights in one or more of the locations on this walking tour

Activity Level & Terrain

This walking tour is graded easy-moderate overall. Walks are between 3-5 hours and there is an ascent/descent of between 335m to 575m each day. The loop walk from Rodalquilar is longer with up to 575m ascent so would be more of a moderate grading. You will be walking on a combination of clifftop paths, sandy coves, and ramblas (dry stream beds).

Navigation

The routes on this trip are generally way-marked but can be unclear at times so you will need to follow the route notes and maps provided. 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.

We also provide you with access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone App, which you can use to navigate. We strongly recommend using this App, or at least having it on your phone ready to use should you ever be in any doubt about your direction.

Accommodations

7 nights accommodation is included in your trip in a variety of simple but friendly 3 and 4* hotels. You can add extra nights at any point during your stay, and we particularly recommend extra nights in either Agua Amarga or San Jose for some relaxing time on the beach!

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.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

This trip is available to solo walkers although there is a supplement applicable. Single rooms are also available and a single room supplement is payable.

Meals

7 breakfasts are included. Expect delicious Andalucian style breakfasts with bread, olive oil, tomatoes and jamon all being regularly featured! Lunches are not included. You can pick up lunch in the villages you pass by or stop along the way for a picnic. 2 evening meals are included in Rodalquilar. On the other nights, evening meals are available either from your hotel or a variety of local restaurants. The food is delicious in this part of the world and typical dishes include Cuajadera, a seafood stew and an abundance of tasty fried fish dishes. Your route notes have details for each day.

Included

7 Nights in 3 and 4* hotels
7 Breakfasts
2 Dinners
Luggage transfers as per itinerary
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 Almeria and from San Jose
Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
Personal equipment

Extras

Additional nights before, during or after the tour

When To Go

You can start your walk anytime between January and May, or between September and December. We do not offer this tour in the summer months of June through to August as the temperatures are simply too high for enjoyable walking.

Please note that this tour is only available for departures from October 2018.

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.

Weather and Climate

The climate in this part of the world makes for perfect walking conditions most of the year round and in fact, being semi-desert, it is one of the sunniest, driest parts of Spain experiencing annual rainfall of only around 200mm.

Getting to the Start

Almeria is the easiest airport to fly into, which is easily accessed by flights from across the UK and Europe. Airlines flying from the UK include low cost carriers such as Easyjet and Ryanair as well as British Airways.

Coming from the US, you would fly via Europe with airlines such as Vueling, and Iberia Airlines.

On arriving in Almeria, an included transfer will pick you up and take you to your hotel in Agua Amarga (40min).

Getting from the End

The closest airport is again Almeria. Several buses a day run from San Jose to Almeria (apart from a Sunday when there is only one bus) taking approx 1hr. From the bus station, take one of the regular shuttle buses between there and the airport (35min).

Private Transfers:

If you prefer we can arrange a private transfer from San Jose back to the airport for you for an additional cost.

Luggage 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 distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

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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