Positioned on a broad sloping mountainside and set against a spectacular and endless Mediterranean panorama of olive groves, undulating upland pastures and towering limestone outcrops is a secluded mountain hamlet that serves as the perfect base for exploring the lesser known, though beautiful and stunning, terrain of the High Axarquía region. The walking and the scenery in these relatively isolated parts of the Axarquía is nothing less than spectacular, and you will be perfectly placed in the heart of this beautifully wild and rugged Andalusian mountain setting in accommodation that is suitably matched.
Highlights
- Traditional, rustic-style accommodation in an enchanting, self-contained mountain hamlet.
- Traditional cuisine of the Axarquía region proudly prepared by the hamlet’s resident husband and wife team.
- Rambling through the stunning upland pastures, hillsides and olive groves of the High Axarquía.
- Exploring the countryside on horseback and discovering the landscape from a different perspective.
- A visit to the oldest inn in Andalucía dating to the XVII century. Over the centuries the inn has provided room and board to many kings, presidents, dignitaries, politicians, famous people and well-known travellers, and is sited on one of the oldest rights of way in Andalucía.
- Optional “midnight escapade” to the countryside to soak under the stars in an outdoor thermal bath at the natural hot springs on the banks of the historical town of Alhama de Granada.
- Walking in the footsteps of muleteers, “bandoleros”, outlaws and mountain guerrillas in an area that in centuries gone by was considered extremely dangerous and a hotbed for nefarious activity.
- Optional visit to the local olive mill for a guided tour of the facilities, an olive oil tasting and a few other worthy delights.
Description
The walking itinerary for your exciting week ahead is made up of a lovely collection of walks specifically chosen to highlight the magnificence of the area, and you will almost always be overwhelmed by fantastic views no matter where you are on any given itinerary. Some of the noteworthy features of the region are its upland pastures and meadows randomly interspersed with abrupt limestone outcrops and cliffs; the charming olive groves that aggressively dominate the agrarian landscape, some of which are hundreds of years old; the evergreen thickets and Mediterranean scrub that cover the surrounding hills; the many streams and waterfalls that come alive especially during the rainy season; and the spectacularly sweeping views of the landscapes of the surrounding mountains and the Low Axarquía down the valley towards the Mediterranean far below.
Itinerary
Accommodation
Summary of Key Points
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1* Price
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Starting from €820 per person on half-board basis. Price varies according to season, number of people and nights. No sharing restrictions. No single supplement. Because of the relative isolation of the hamlet, all evening meals are included in this walking holiday. However, lunch is not included as meals are planned for restaurants and inns along the various walking routes on most days. |
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2* Details of Itinerary
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The price quoted is based on a walking holiday of 7 nights whose itinerary includes: 4 full walking days, one horseback riding day, and 1 rest day with optional visit to an olive mill. If the group is ambitious and prefers a full 5-day walking itinerary, the horseback riding day or rest day/visit to olive mill could be changed to a walking day. However, the rest day is highly recommended. |
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Group Size
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Minimum group size of 12 persons required to guarantee the “go-ahead” of this walking holiday. Maximum group size of 14 – 16 persons in order to maintain group safety, good walker/guide ratio and a high standard and level of enjoyment for the entire group. |
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3* Accommodation and Facilities
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The accommodation comprises individual houses or “casitas” that are in a rustic style. Although the accommodation is self-catering in style and design, all of your meals will be served in the restaurant. There is a large pool and grassy areas around the property for sunbathing. |
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Dates
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Available during season September – June only, however, flexible booking allows you to choose specific dates within the season to suit your requirements (dependent on availability). |
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Closing Booking Date
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Reservations/bookings/arrangements should be organised and confirmed at least 6 weeks prior to the walking holiday start date, unless otherwise stated or agreed. If you would like to book this walking holiday and your intended walking holiday start date is less than 6 weeks away, please contact me first in order to discuss the arrangements in more detail. |
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Grade of Walks
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This walking holiday comprises of walks and hikes generally graded as moderate. However, if you or your group is interested in a more difficult itinerary, you can let me know and we can discuss the options available. |
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Level of Difficulty
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2B – 4B (rating explanation) |
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4* Walking Conditions
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Please bear in mind that you will be walking over consecutive days, sometimes on rugged paths, but through mostly moderate terrain of varying difficulty ranging from easy to moderate. Proper attention to foot care is important. |
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Daily Walking Time
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Between 5 – 8 hours of walking each day, depending on each walk (includes stops for breaks, photos, lunch, etc.). The only exception, of course, is the rest day and optional visit to a local olive mill on Day 4. |
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Daily Walking Distance
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Between 12 – 22 kilometres. You will have a minimum of 4 full walking days in total, so an average distance of 65 km will be covered over the duration of the walking holiday, with complimentary and optional short morning and evening walks on arrival and departure days, respectively (dependent on flight arrival/departure times, and of course, group enthusiasm and consensus). |
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Acc. Height Gained
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Average daily accumulated elevation gained: approx. 300 metres |
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Acc. Height Lost
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Average daily accumulated elevation lost: approx. 300 metres |
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Walking Location
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In the High Axarquía region of the province of Málaga, in and amongst its rolling hills and valleys, with visits to some of its pretty and typical whitewashed villages in idyllic Mediterranean countryside. |
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Risk of Vertigo
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Some risk. Please enquire. |
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Recommendations
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Walking/hiking boots and top quality socks are best and highly recommended. Trainers or tennis shoes acceptable but not recommended; do so at your own risk. Appropriate clothing for the walking and weather conditions. Please also ensure that you are adequately insured for walking abroad before booking your holiday, and that you bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with you to Spain. |
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Additional Gear
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Dependent on the season and prevailing conditions. These are just guidelines. Please enquire for more details: General: walking poles, lip balm, sunglasses, hat/cap, suncream. Autumn & Spring: suncream, light and loose clothing, fleece jumper, waterproofs. Winter: suncream, wooly or warm hat, gloves, neck warmer, baselayers, fleece, waterproof clothing, waterproof walking/hiking boots. |
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Facilities
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Food, drinks, general supplies, chemists, non-technical equipment, etc. available either at your accommodation, in the village of Periana, or in any of the other villages on each walking day. |
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5* Complementary services
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An interesting range of additional and complementary services are available upon request. |
1* The price is quoted in euros. The price is based on a group size of 12 people for 7 nights. Bookings for groups of smaller sizes may incur extra costs to the final price. Similarly, larger group booking should benefit from an economy of scale.
2* Also available for this walking holiday are itineraries of 4 and 10 nights for group sizes of between 8 – 16 people. Various dates available during the walking season of 15 Sept – 15 June.
3* See additional notes on Accommodation at the end of this page.
4* See additional notes on Walking Conditions at the end of this page.
5* See additional notes on Complementary Services at the end of this page.
What’s included and what’s not?
Included
– 7 nights’ accommodation in the hamlet at half-board (includes breakfast and evening meal with wine – additional drinks not included).
– Airport transfers to and from your accommodation on arrival and departure.
– All baggage and ground transfers where required, including forwarding of all bags and non-walking gear during the changeover day (where needed) ahead of our arrival at the next accommodation.
– Lunch on horse riding day.
– Diverse itinerary with discussions on culture, architecture, gastronomy, geography, archaeology, history, rural traditions and ways of life, and flora and fauna.
– Full-time service of 1 licenced, insured, British-trained Mountain Leader and First Aid qualified guide.
– Andalucian Walks is also covered by fully comprehensive public liability insurance.
Not Included
– Flights to and from Spain.
– Travel insurance.
– Tips and gratuities.
– Lunch on arrival day; lunch on all walking days except where specifically stated, lunch and evening meal on departure day.
– Guided tour of the olive mill and all other directly related to the tour, olive oil tasting, etc.; any admission to museums, attractions and other similar sites; additional demonstrations/tastings.
– Specialist walking/adventure travel insurance.
– EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). Please remember to bring with you!
– Anything else not mentioned in the “Included” section.
More Information
If the group does not want to do the guided tour of the olive mill, there are two other options available. Please refer to the following links for more information:
Themed Rural Walk: Bees and honey: https://www.andalucianwalks.com/guided-themed-walks/bee-and-honey-museum-apiary-workshop-and-campo-field-tour
Themed Rural Walk: Goats and traditional cheese making: https://www.andalucianwalks.com/guided-themed-walks/the-malaga-goat-meat-milk-and-cheese
Further notes
Cost of Food and Drinks
In general, the cost of lunch will vary slightly from village to village. Expect an all-inclusive lunch menu to cost between €9.00 – €14.00 and will usually include a salad, a first course, a second course, dessert, wine and bread. Cost of other items:
Small beer €1.50 – €2.00
Large beer (pint) €2.50 – €3.50;
Glass of wine €1.50 – €3.00;
Coffee €1.50 – €2.00;
Water €1.00.
Accommodation
Because of the characteristics, layout and flexibility of the accommodation, single rooms can usually be made available at no extra charge.
Casitas are both one-bedroomed and two-bedroomed. Two-bedroomed casitas have one double bedroom and one twin bedroom; shared bathroom; kitchenette with fridge, sink, kettle and microwave; washing machine; welcome pack; large sitting room with fireplace; verandah with spectacular views over gardens and pool and the lake down in the valley; and of course the on-site bar and restaurant. One-bedroomed casitas have the same features and facilities as the two-bedroomed casitas. Extra single beds can also be put in the sitting rooms.
The owner of the hamlet collected antique rustic doors and windows during the early 1990’s and built the core casitas around them. The casitas are next to the bar/restaurant and its terraces, and they open onto the gardens and pools. The bar is the original village farmhouse – occupied until the owner bought it in 1991. The farmer who lived there still owns and runs, with his family, most of the olive groves around the hamlet. His wife was born in the bar, as was her brother, a retired goatherd who one of the casitas is named after, and which was originally the corral where he kept his goats. He still lives in the hamlet and spends most of his time in the bar. The other casitas are original village houses, restored and converted as necessary.
Walking Conditions
As you will be walking over consecutive days along terrain of varying difficulty, good rhythm, personal management and attention to proper foot care on the part of each individual is essential. Also, a good level of stamina is just as important as a good level of fitness. It is also of the utmost importance to bring good, comfortable walking boots that have been broken-in, not to mention the best quality socks you can afford. If concerned or in doubt, please enquire to discuss these issues with me. Your safety and comfort, and that of the group, is my number one priority; and ensuring that you have a good time, of course! Additionally, it is imperative that you have suitable insurance for walking abroad. I may ask to see proof of your insurance before taking your booking.
Additional Services
An interesting range of complementary services are available upon request, provided by professionally qualified people, and independent of the walking holiday package. These could be just the thing for treating yourself and your sore legs, either on your rest day or in the afternoon/evening time when you get back from one of your walks:
Sami: She is a Hatha Vinyasa Yoga teacher, Reiki Master, massage therapist and complimentary therapy practitioner and teacher. Sami provides a variety of classes to suit all ages and skill levels where each class includes asana, pranayama and meditation.
Helen: She is a top class, experienced, qualified aromatherapist, reflexologist and therapeutic masseuse; Helen is available on-