An Autumn Adventure
OCTOBER 22nd - 26th, SIERRA NEVADA, Spain
As well as our members club ventures, you can also take the opportunity to enjoy some externally organised activities in the area.
As part of the 5 day experience, we'll include open decks events, social meet ups in places with incredible views, group meals, picnics and barbeques, indoor and outdoor/ day and night parties, drum and bass pub quizes and games, sustainability activities, an all-female DJs session, sunset DJ sessions in outdoor mountain locations with Etherwood & Monrroe, a "Music is Medicine" showcase with DJ XK, a "Liquid Chill Podcast" filmed from a secret outdoor viewpoint with Twelve Step Audio, a group artistic mural and various social gatherings.
If you don't fancy any of that, there is plenty of time to enjoy the stunning local scenery, hot weather, nature, friendly locals and great prices.
HIKING
There are, literally, tonnes of stunning hiking routes in Sierra Nevada for all styles, lengths, levels and types of landscape! You can go hiking in a tour guided group (see links below) or independently*. From peaking mountain tops to waterfall walks, seeing wild nature to Andalucian agricultural landscapes, from visiting castle ruins to “miradores” (view points), there’s a wealth of choices to satisfy everyone and all levels of ability.
If you go independently, a great first point of call is the tourism office in Guejar Sierra (see the map in the “Guejar Sierra” section) where English speaking officers will share with you maps of walking routes, information on terrain, types of hikes, difficulty levels and, most importantly, safety advice. You will also find some good information online and you can find a few boards dispersed around the area.
Some of our personal favourites are: Cerro del Calar (or just the first stretch to Mirador Pena de la Vaca, if you’re feeling lazy), Castilejo, Barranco S Juan to Vereda de la Estrella (make sure to go for a dip in the beautiful cascading stream in Barranco S. Juan!), Pico de Veleta and Pico de Mulhacen (for the highest peak of Sierra Nevada!)... but there are dozens more to discover!
To learn more information about specific routes, level of difficulty, safety, advice, etc. visit:
10 Best Trails, Walks, and Paths in Güéjar Sierra | AllTrails
Walking routes and paths - Ayuntamiento de Güéjar Sierra
To go on a walking guided tour or interpretive walks, check:
Ecoturismo - Educación ambiental
*If you go independently, make sure you visit the Tourist Information point to learn and follow all safety advice provided, take maps, adequate shoes and clothes, sunscreen, enough food and water and ensure to let someone know!
CULTURAL, HISTORICAL and GASTRONOMIC TOURS
The company Ecoturismo offers local cultural, environmental, historic and gastronomical walks as well as interpretive walks (enacted with historic or typical characters). You can learn about the extremely rich and influential local history - spanning from the times of the Moors to the Spanish civil war - or visit local farms and shops to find out about the local delicacies and produce, as well as taste it! You can explore life in the Spanish country side and learn about the local environment. Ros and his wife are an extremely nice and experienced local couple who will advise you on the best options and prepare a tour specially for you and your group (or our MB group, if you’d like to pair up with others!).
Ecoturismo de Guejar Sierra - Ros
+34 625871805
MOUNTAIN BIKING, E-BIKES AND BIKE RENTAL
The Sierra Nevada national park is home to more than 1,100kms of jaw-dropping mountain biking trails for all levels! Aside from providing you an opportunity to cover more terrain than on foot - hence taking in more of the magnificent views on display from various corners and perspectives - it also delivers on the fun aspect, if you are an avid rider or simply a curious beginner! Whether you want to experience more extreme mountain biking or just cruise around pleasant, easy paths as an easier way to move around, we highly recommend biking as both a form of transport and entertainment!
You can simply rent a mountain bike or e-bike from a local provider or join in on mountain biking guided tours. Whatever you choose to do, please, be sure to do so safely, within your ability and seek advice before going on any of the more technical routes without supervision if you are a beginner - you can ask at the tourism office for information on suitable options for your ability level before adventuring into any trails.
As an idea, with Captainways, you can rent gravel bikes from as little as €30/day and e-bikes for €50/day for 3-5 days on standard rates - if more than 10 club members rent bikes, this would be lower. For one or two days, they charge 35€/day for gravel bikes and 55€/day for e-bikes. Captainways will charge a delivery and pick up fee of 40€ to/from our locations for up to 12 bikes.
You can also rent mountain bikes with dual or single suspension through José, in Pradollano, for 60€/day or 40€/half day.
With Sierra MTB Holidays, guided MTB tours start at €40 (about 1h) and can go up to €100 (full day) per person, with equipment included, depending on duration while José, a qualified MB tour operator and supplier based in Pradollano, charges 100€ per day per group or 60€ for half day but without equipment included.
You can find out more information about bike trails available and maps online, at the tourism office as well as a few boards dispersed around the village. If you want to rent a bike, contact us so we can get the best pricing possible for the group.
A little more info…
Bikes and E Bikes rental Pradollano: José +34 633 12 76 97 (WhatsApp)
Bikes and E Bikes rental Granada: Captainways
Mountain Bike Tours: Sierra MTB Holidays
Local E-Bikes rental: Rutas E- Bike
ASTRONOMY & MOUNTAIN BASS ASTRONOMY SESSION
There are thousands of locations to experience astronomy in the Sierra Nevada mountain range as you can easily get 360° views of the sky and you are away from city light pollution. All you need to do is get away from any nearby villages and look up!
In addition, the Sierra Nevada Observatory is the highest in Europe at 2,896m altitude and you can walk up to it from Pradollano/Hoya de la Mora, in the 2nd part of our journey. Unfortunately, guided visits to its interior and telescopes are limited to the summer months, however, Ecoturismo de Guejar Sierra has prepared an exclusive night astronomy session specially designed for members of our club which you can register for!
The session has been designed to offer a night time activity around our music schedule, at a special price, leaving from the Albergue Universitario on the night of 26th October. This will include an English speaking astronomy guide and multiple telescopes to watch the stars from. For a little glimpse of the standard session available to the general public see Noches de astronomía.
If you would like to book this session, contact us or Ros directly at Ecoturismo de Guejar Sierra, ensuring you mention you are a MBMC member and part of our group.
CLIMBING
From Via Ferrata routes to some of the most extraordinary climbing rock faces, there’s a wealth of choice for climbers and height lovers of all levels in Sierra Nevada! A couple of the most highly recommended options, locally, are climbing the local rock faces or completing the Guejar Sierra via ferrata, but there are many others if you are willing to go a bit further afield in the Sierra Nevada mountains! Even if you are a beginner, the tour operators below are qualified to guide you safely and provide all the information and equipment you will need.
Nearby Via Ferrata Routes
Ferrata de Güejar Sierra Vivak (tour operator)
Ferrata de Quentar Vivak (tour operator)
With the Vivak or the Captainways teams, no previous experience, equipment or technical knowledge is necessary! The tour operator will teach you everything you need to know in order to practise a safe and fun activity as well as guide and provide you with the required equipment. Both these via ferrata routes are of medium difficulty level, with vertical sections and collapsed steps that will test your bravery. During your journey, you overcome bridges, zip lines, DNA stairs, swings and collapses. These are two very complete options that combine the best of via ferratas, including the feeling of emptiness and a beautiful environment.
Aguja de la Encarna
Aguja de la Encarna is an impressive rock column of around 50m height and 15m wide, looking stunningly rugged and boasting incredible views over the valley, village, mountains and lake. Captainways and Vivak can take you on a walk sightseeing the Aguja de la Encarna and combine it with climbing one of the more suitable rock faces in the area, supplying all the equipment, safety advice and guidance you might need.
Captainways
+34 673 43 98 41
Vivak
+34 685 099 697
HORSE RIDING
The surroundings of Guejar Sierra make it a very special place to appreciate in most ways, shapes and forms! A fun and practical means of exploring the dozens of routes and landscapes is by horseback riding with Las Encinillas. They cater for all levels of experience (from novice to expert) and deliver from short 2h/3h routes to week long holidays horse riding! If you would like to give it a try, contact Victor for routes and prices (the website may not be fully updated) on the details below - they have excellent reviews on trip advisor from more than 300 visitors!
Las Encinillas - Victor
+34 616256704
CANYONING
The area of Sierra Nevada is famous for its truly stunning and jaw dropping canyons and we highly recommend it for the adventurous who don’t mind getting a little wet! In October, this activity is available depending on weather and there are a couple of tour operators offering it. The closest spots are Riconcillo and Rio verde (also suitable for beginners) although there are lots of other options within a couple hours radius for more experienced canyoneers. Cost depends on the number of people in the group as well as the service provider, however, you can do it for about €20-40 within a group of people. You can find a little more information about different place on Canyoning and Water Sports.
Club Cabra Loca
+34 619 11 71 31
barranquismorioverde@gmail.com
https://clubcabraloca.es/producto/barranquismo-del-rinconcillo/
Nevadensis - Pablo di Palma
+34 667 75 59 13
