Granada and Las Alpujarras
11 Days & 10 Nights- An Andalucian adventure, exploring Granada and traversing the Alpujarras on foot
- Discover the Alhambra palace, with its Moorish mosaics and fountain-filled gardens
- Sample delicious local food—dried hams and dishes with an explosion of spices
- Walk to Trevelez, the highest village in Spain, at the foot of mighty Mulhacen
- Overnight stays in charming rural hotels in idyllic locations surronded by mountains
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:
Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.
This trip is suitable for:
Solo Travellers
As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 16 Years
Ideal if you have an interest in:
- Foodie
- National Parks
- Off the Beaten Track
Activity Level & Terrain
This walking tour is graded moderate to strenuous overall. Walks are between 3-8 hours on a mixture of unsurfaced tracks, footpaths and animal trails 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. Ascents are between 330 and 1130m with descents of up to 920m. There is also an optional walk to the Sietes Lagunas from Trevelez. This is a serious hike and previous mountain experience is strongly advisable. It involves around 1350m of ascent and descent. Please check the weather forecast before leaving; unfortunately we cannot recommend this walk if storm, heavy rain or low visibility is expected and we do not recommend this walk for solo walkers. During the summer months of June 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 waymarked 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. You can simply download the GPX tracks to your phone for offline use and off you go!
Accommodations
8 Nights accommodation in small rural hotels in the Alpujarras, and 2 nights in a 3 or 4* hotel in Granada are included in your tour.
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
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
10 Breakfasts are included and usually consist of breads, fruits, cheeses and meats. Dinners are included on 6 nights—the first night in Capileira, 2 nights in Trevelez, 1 night in Berchules and 2 nights in Mairena. Lunches, (and dinners on the days not mentioned above) are not included but you will find suggestions in your route notes of local places to eat. The food is a real highlight in this part of Andalucia and you will feast on hearty local specialities (usually quite meat-based) such as Plato Alpujarreno (tasty dish made with sausage, potatoes and eggs), Trucha con Jamon (trout with ham) and Cocido Alpujarreno (a rich stew).
- 9 Nights in small rural hotels
- 1 Night in a 3 or 4* hotel in Granada
- 10 Breakfasts
- 6 Dinners in Capileira (1st Night), Trevelez, Berchules and Mairena
- Luggage transfers as per itinerary
- Transfer from Mairena to Almeria or Granada Airport
- 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 Granada/from Almeria or Granada
- Lunches, snacks and drinks
- Dinners in Granada, Capileira (2nd Night) and Ferreirola
- Entrance to the Alhambra (we recommend booking in advance)
- 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 June, and then again from September to November. We do not offer this tour in July and August as it is too hot for enjoyable walking then.
Weather and Climate
The Alpujarras is enjoyable most of the year round and each season has it’s own highlights. 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 slopes are filled with colourful butterflies and bee-eater birds. In the autumn months the days start to cool down, chestnuts fall from the trees and the colours turn to more shades of brown and golden. We do not offer this tour in July and August as it is too hot for enjoyable walking then.
Getting to the Start
By Air: There are international flights to Granada from London with airlines like British Airways and Easyjet, as well as connections from other Spanish cities like Madrid and Barcelona. It is also possible to fly to Malaga Airport which has more connections from the rest of the UK and across Europe with low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, Vueling and Easyjet and catch a bus to Granada (1.5-2hrs)
By Train: Granada is connected by rail to many other large Spanish cities such as Almeria (3h), Cordoba (3h), Ronda (2.5h) Seville and Madrid (4h). Rail tickets for Spanish rail travel can be booked on the Renfe website.
Getting from the End
By Air: Almeria and Granada Airports are both approx. 1h 30m drive from Mairena, and an included transfer will take you from Mairena to either of these options. Please just let us know which airport you are flying out of. Airlines flying from Almeria include British Airways, Ryanair and Easyjet to the UK and there are also flights with Iberia and Vueling via Madrid.
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 getting the routes all checked and route notes re-written as well as some of the accommodations having been upgraded.
This tour is available to start on any day of the week from March through to June, and then from September to November. The temperatures during these months should be very pleasant. We do not offer the tour in July and August due to high temperatures at this time of year.
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.
Equipment
Your detailed information pack will be sent to you after you book. This has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, waterproof clothes 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.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive and overnight in Granada Day 2 Free day in Granada. transfer to Capileira Day 3 Poqueira Gorge Loop Walk 6 miles / 10 km Day 4 Walk to Ferreirola 6.5 miles / 11 km Day 5 Taha Valley Loop Walk 9 miles / 14 km Day 6 Walk to Trevelez 10.5 miles / 17 km Day 7 Choice of walks from Trevelez 9 miles / 14 km Day 8 Walk to Berchules 9.5 miles / 15 km Day 9 Transfer to Yegen, Walk to Mairena 7 miles / 11 km Day 10 Loop walk from Mairena 7 miles / 11 km Day 11 Onward TravelYou May Also Like
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