Walking holiday in Andalucia, Spain
| country: | Spain |
| location: | Andalucia |
| departures: | 2010: 27 Mar, 23 Apr, 22 May, 26 Jun, 16 Oct, 30 Oct, 13 Nov, 27 Nov, 4 Dec, 11 Dec, 26 Dec |
| price: | From €450 - €780 (8 days) excluding flights, per person, depending whether guided or self guided walks chosen. Minimum group size 4, maximum 9. |
| more info: | Price includes: All meals and local transfers (excludes meals eaten out in restaurants) . Minimum age 16. This trip can also be tailormade anytime throughout the year for a minimum of 4 people and can be adapted to suit your needs and interests. |
| offers: | £100 off per person on the following dates; 27th Mar and 23rd April (only 4 spaces left) . |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Walking holiday in Andalucia, Spain
Our aim is to respect the local environment while offering our guests the opportunity to discover the natural beauty and wildlife found in this lovely and unspoilt area of Andalucia. Combine your love for walking, good food and culture on one of our popular walking holidays. From our base in a valley in the heart of the stunning Maroma mountain range in Axarquia, we offer our guests the opportunity to experience the real Spain. Our knowledgeable guides lead daily walks through the local national parks and sleepy pueblo villages of the region. This area is steeped in history and was formerly the domain of the maquise during the civil war.
There are many ruined hamlets with stories to tell of midnight raids by the Guardia and the rebels. Ancient mule trails used to transport wine, raisins and ceramics between Granada and the villages traverse some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Andalucia. Our walks are tailored to suit our visitor’s requirements with introductory and moderate levels, mixed and women only groups. We keep our groups small, with a minimum of four and a maximum of 9 people per group.
Visitors return from their excursions to superb home-cooked Moorish and Andalucian cuisine, served on the terrace of our restful, farmhouse. The house nestles in an orange grove with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. A private outdoor swimming pool and river dip pool are also available for use. There is an open log fire for the cooler evenings in December and January when the days can be clear and the evenings starlit and fresh.
Best time to go
Said to have the best climate in Europe due to the shelter gained from the Axarquia mountain range making the Autumn, Winter and Spring the best times to visit for walking.
There are many ruined hamlets with stories to tell of midnight raids by the Guardia and the rebels. Ancient mule trails used to transport wine, raisins and ceramics between Granada and the villages traverse some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Andalucia. Our walks are tailored to suit our visitor’s requirements with introductory and moderate levels, mixed and women only groups. We keep our groups small, with a minimum of four and a maximum of 9 people per group.
Visitors return from their excursions to superb home-cooked Moorish and Andalucian cuisine, served on the terrace of our restful, farmhouse. The house nestles in an orange grove with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. A private outdoor swimming pool and river dip pool are also available for use. There is an open log fire for the cooler evenings in December and January when the days can be clear and the evenings starlit and fresh.
Best time to go
Said to have the best climate in Europe due to the shelter gained from the Axarquia mountain range making the Autumn, Winter and Spring the best times to visit for walking.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive at the accommodation. Welcome drink, relax and unwind before dinner. Dinner - a variety of local tapas, wine tasting, and a chance to sample some of the regions wines. |
| Day 2: | Breakfast. Transport to the stunning Al Mijara range and a walk on the old mule trail to Granada with picnic lunch. Distance 18k, Time 5 hours. Evening meal, Andalucian specialties and Spanish wines |
| Day 3: | Breakfast, Cajula valley walk - transport 15 minutes: This walk follows the Cujula vally from the lovely small white village of Canaillas de Albaida crossing the Rio Cajula several times through pleasant countryside ending back in Canaillas with a descent of the Roman road. Lunch in Canaillas de Albaida. Distance: 16km, Time: 5.5 hours. Evening meal- A Moorish Andalucian menu -traditional Spanish food with an Arab influence served with a selection of Spanish wines. |
| Day 4: | Breakfast, Pilates on the terrace (optional). Unguided walk - explore the surrounding countryside or relax by the pool. Lunch - packed lunch provided or a light lunch by the pool. Evening meal - a cookery demonstration how to prepare an authentic North African tagine with all the trimmings and wine tasting |
| Day 5: | Early bird Breakfast. We take the route of the sultans to visit the majestic city of Granada & the Alhambra palaces. A wonderful day out. Lunch- in one of our favourite restaurants in Granada. Evening meal - a variety of local tapas, wine tasting, and a chance to sample some of the regions wines. |
| Day 6: | Breakfast Casa De La Mina, Five Valley walk-transport 45 minutes. This walk explores the Al Mijara range with the most spectacular views across to the horizon of the sea. Distance: 20km, Time: 6 hours. Picnic lunch. Evening meal - A Moorish Andalucian menu - served with a selection of Spanish wines . |
| Day 7: | Breakfast, A local guided walk and talk on local wild herbs and the culinary & medicinal uses with one of our local experts. We will then prepare lunch using the herbs and flowers foraged for you to taste and enjoy. Afternoon - Optional massage by a qualified therapist. Dinner at the wine museum restaurant in Competa where you can sample the local muscatel wines, buy local products and enjoy the atmosphere |
| Day 8: | Breakfast - Transfer to airport. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment
Our office runs with the minimum use of paper with our main point of advertising being internet based. We recycle all our paper, printer cartridges and use energy saving lights in both the office and the farmhouse. We recycle our bin waste and use the available environmentally friendly cleaning products. Our expert walking guides have empathy for the flora and fauna, knowledge of where and when to encounter them and integrity of stewardship to protect and maintain their place in the wild. Community We support local businesses and incorporate a choice of visits in our itineraries. This may include the local vineyard, garlic farm, Olive refinery, village shops selling local produce or restaurants producing regional food. We donate and work closely with two local charities; Action for Animals and CAS (Costa Animal Society) both animal protection and rescue charities which help in the neutering and re-homing of stray cats and dogs with in Andalucia. We help with the fostering and re-homing of some of these animals, and are keen to make a difference by making people in local villages aware of the importance of neutering domestic animals. Our Walking Retreats run using local experts of Mountain Walking, Wild Herbal Gathering and Local Organic Food Growing. We offer various excursions that are designed to educate and enlighten with knowledgeable talks on the history of Moorish Spain and the wonderful legacy the Moorish rule left behind in architecture and education. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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