Hiking through the Alpujarras; Trekking in Nature Park Sierra Nevada
Andalusia, Granada, Spain
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Between Berchules and Yegen -
Treveles, highest village of Spain -
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Type of Tour
Hiking through Andalusia, Self-guided
Difficulty Level
Duration
8 days/ 7 nights
Departure - Destination
Granada - Yegen
Number of participants
2 travellers
Price from
725 €
Hiking in the Alpujarras; an oasis in Sierra Nevada
The Alpujarras is a region of mountain villages to the south of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which nestle in sheltered valleys and gorges running down towards the Mediterranean Sea. Its terraced farmlands have a year-round supply of water from melting snow above, giving the area the appearance of a high-altitude oasis. Its strategic location close to the Mediterranean beside the high mountains, which are declared National Park (at high elevations) and Nature Reserve of Sierra Nevada (villages were settled here), makes this region home to an authentic treasure of flora and fauna; in short, the perfect place for walking and hiking. Culturally the area is fascinating because its fifty or so villages were the last strongholds of the Spanish Muslims. Those Moriscos (Muslim-Christian converts) who still practiced their original religion and customs in private after the fall of Granada and in 1492 took to the hills in the face of increasing pressure from the Catholics, settling in this remote, inaccessible area. These unique villages have held on to their past. You can still see traditional architecture similar to that used by the Berber tribes of North Africa: terraced clusters of square houses with flat clay and slate roofs, like those to be found in the Rif and Atlas mountains of Morocco. We invite you to enjoy a week of intermediate level hiking in the Alpujarras, staying in peaceful family run hotels in different villages.
Ham, wine and traditional arquitecture
You will spend your first night in Granada, with its old Moorish quarter of Albayzín (UNESCO World Heritage Site). In Granada you must visit the Alhambra and the many highlights of this city: the cathedral, royal chapel, ancient streets, tapas bars, tea and coffee shops… Then you travel by taxi to the Alpujarra, and start walking from Pampaneira in the Poqueira valley to the small authentic village of Mecina. A great circular walk will bring you to the other side of the river with magnificent views of the small white mountain villages and the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Next day you pass Busquístar, one of the best examples of typical Alpujarra architecture, especially in the use of launa (a special type of clay found in this area) in roof construction. You go on waking towards the highest village, Trevélez (1,470m), which is famous for its ham-curing. The ham acquires its unique and fine taste of clean and fresh air in the high altitude and the area’s own special bio-climate during the curing process (at least one year). This ham is exported all over northern Europe and even to Japan. During your stay in the Alpujarra you will see this ham in almost every bar and you certainly will have to try it. You continue your hike with panoramic views over the valleys towards the village Bérchules. From there on you go to Mecina Bombarón by the ancient path through the gorge between both villages. The landscapes and colours changes as you continue walking passing small villages to Yegen, with its literary heritage as the former home of the British author of “South from Granada“, Gerald Brenan. Here you will spend two nights in a beautiful restored village house before your return to Granada.
