Ronda and the Sierra de Grazalema Short Break

Tour 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.

Activity Level & Terrain

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 400 and 800m with descents of up to 500m. 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.

• 4 Nights in small boutique hotels and posadas
• 4 Breakfasts, 2 Dinners and 2 Packed Lunches (in Zahara de la Sierra)
• Transfer from Ronda to Zahara de la Sierra
• Luggage & taxi transfers as per your itinerary
• Detailed route notes, maps and pre-departure information pack
• GPX tracks and access to our smartphone app
• 24/7 Emergency telephone support

• Travel insurance (required)
• Travel to/from Ronda
• Lunches & Dinners (other than in Zahara de la Sierra)
• Snacks & Drinks
• Personal equipment

• 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.

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 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.