Sierra Nevada Walking Holiday – Gail’s group

Day 1– Arrival Capileira
Fly from Dublin to Malaga Ryanair FR7046 (depart Dublin at 10h55)
Bus transport (less than 3h) to the village of Capileira, a beautiful Moorish village protected by UNESCO, which will be the base for our trip. In our free time we can wander around its narrow streets, shops and bars. Its white architecture is symbol of the Alpujarras.
You will be based in the family run 3 * hotel Finca Los Llanos, very comfortable with a nice garden and outdoor swimming pool (might not be open at this time of year).
All breakfasts and included dinners will take place in the hotel.
Dinner included.
Day 2 – Pampaneira and Bubion
Circular route starting from Capileira to visit two typical villages of the valley: Pampaneira and Bubión, while we enjoy the views of the high peaks of Sierra Nevada.
Level A: Ascent route toward Peña del Angél to see the main valley Trevélez. Distance 12Km – 570m ascent – 570m descent
Level B: A more relaxing walk to enjoy this place of special beauty while we walk through the white villages and its beautiful streets.
Distance 8 Km – 420m ascent – 420m descent
Breakfast & dinner incl. Picnic Lunch not included.
Day 3 – Poqueira Valley
Circular route from Capileira to enjoy the Poqueira river valley, passing between old farmhouses, huts and terraces full of fruit trees.
Level A: Ascent route along the valley passing through the deserted village of La Cerradilla, where you can continue to the end of the valley or get to know the transverse valley of the Toril river and then return to Capileira.
Distance 15Km – 520m ascent – 520m descent.
Level B: Softer ascension to the houses of La Cebadilla or Poqueira powerhouse where we will cross to back down to Capileira for the other riverside.
Distance 12km – 330m ascent – 330m descent
Breakfast & dinner incl. Picnic Lunch not included.
Day 4 – Trévelez
Walk from Portugos or Los Llanos to Trevélez, the highest village in Spain with its 1,476 m altitude, very famous for their hams dried by the mountain air. We will go through the typical landscape of the Alpujarras with beautiful views of the valley and the peaks of Sierra Nevada, high above the river Trevélez .
Level A: Transfer to Portugos from where we will take the trail Sulayr until Trevélez uptown.
Distance: 16Km – 600m ascent – 350m descent
Level B: Transfer to Los Llanos. Nice walk to Trevélez through oak forests, fields and meadows.
Distance 12Km – ascent 500m – descent 300m
Transfer of both groups back to Capileira from Trevelez.
Breakfast & dinner incl. Picnic Lunch not included.
Day 5 – Free Day – optional walk
Depending on the weather and the condition, we will organise an optional walk through the valley to a good place to have lunch along the river. The GR7 crosses 3 lower villages: Bubión, Pitres and Pórtugos.
Alternatively you can also take an optional day trip to Granada by private bus transfer. You can then spend a part of the day self-visiting this amazing city. It was the last Arab stronghold conquered by the “Catholic Monarchs” in 1492. You can visit the beautiful cathedral with its baptistery, the gardens of the Generalife, the Albaicin quarter.
You can also visit the Alhambra in that case you need to book online on the official website to take tickets is: https://tickets.alhambra-patronato.es/en/
I would suggest you buy the Alhambra General Complete visit. This is generally what people book for the first visit.
Visit time is around 2h30, so I would suggest to organise your visit to take place in late morning/early afternoon to have time to arrive and not to miss return bus.
Breakfast incl. Picnic Lunch and dinner not included.
Day 6 – Mirador de Trévelez
We will get toward the Mirador de Trevélez (2650m) by bus go to begin the trekking and save a bit of climbing for this major climb.
Level A: Transfer Capileira – Mirador de Trevélez. Attempt to climb the Mulhacen Peak, with 3465m, the highest mountain in Sierra Nevada and in mainland Spain.
Distance: 12km – 600m ascent – 600m descent
Level B: For people who prefer a shorter walk, then go al the way to the Mulhacen South summit
Distance 8km – 250m ascent – 250m descent
Breakfast & dinner incl. Picnic Lunch not included.
Day 7 – Buddhist retreat of ¨O Sel Ling¨
Transfer from Capileira to Buddhist Centre.
We can start our trekking at “O Sel Ling”, a Buddhist retreat centre situated in the Alpujarra mountains near Granada at an altitude of 1600 m on the South face of the Sierra Nevada, far from the villages and with some magnificent views.
Level A&B together will a possibility to extend the A walk:
Buddhist Center – Acequia Alminar – Buddhist Centre
Distance 13km – 320m ascent – descent 660m
With Extension: Distance 16km – 550m ascent – descent 950m
Breakfast & dinner incl. Picnic Lunch not included.
Day 8 – Farewell!
Early start and transfer to Malaga airport and fly back to Dublin Ryanair flight FR7055 (depart Malaga at 15h00)
Breakfast included.