Star-shaped itinerary - The hidden face
7 days, 6 nights. 5 days on horseback. Accommodation and breakfast included.
Riding through Sierra Nevada
A one-week radial itinerary that takes in all the landscapes of the northern face of the Sierra Nevada.
Full breakfast and accommodation in a former palace converted into a hotel in the historic centre of Guadix, where you can do cultural visits (Cathedral, Barrio de las Cuevas,...) and enjoy the famous tapas and local gastronomy during your free time. From around 16:00 pm, guests are free to enjoy their time of rest and sightseeing.
This itinerary covers all the landscapes of the Sierra Nevada north face in 5 days, with daily rides of 3.5 to 4 hours in the middle of nature.
Accommodation is in the charming Hotel Palacio de Oñate, in the historic centre of Guadix, on a bed and breakfast basis.
This week is dedicated to exploring and perfecting the techniques of outdoor riding.
We will explore the history of the Moors who stayed in these lands after being expelled from Granada, while walking through small villages that have retained their appearance since that time.
Ideal for those who want to have time to rest or do some sightseeing, or for those who want to prepare for long horseback rides.
This formula offers the opportunity to take advantage of the hotel's facilities, explore and discover all the dimensions of the Natural Park and relax.
As a general rule, if the usual hotels are not available, we will make sure that our guests are accommodated in establishments of a similar level of quality and comfort.
Highlights
An unforgettable experience
An exclusive horseback riding tour that allows you to discover the landscapes of the northern face of the Sierra Nevada, with its contrasts, its people and its culture.
Charming hotel in the historic centre of Guadix, close to the Cathedral, the Roman Theatre, the Plaza de las Palomas, the Mirador,...) and restaurants where you can eat very well.
Long gallops over gentle slopes and vast plains.
An itinerary that offers the opportunity to rest, discover the Natural Park and get to know its traditions and culture.
Itinerary
Day 4 - Wednesday
Jérez del Marquesado. After breakfast we drive to the Cabacci facilities in Lugros (15 min). We head up through the white streets of Jérez del Marquesado Jérez del Marquesado to the "Picón", one of the highest mountains in the Sierra Nevada (3,090m). Our route reaches 2,000 metres where we will find small streams and waterfalls where the water comes down from the mountains, following the same path that the miners used for many years to go to work in the mines of Santa Constanza. We return to Lugros to leave our horses at the Cabacci stables and then return to the hotel (15 minutes).
Overnight at the Palacio de Oñate hotel in Guadix.
Day 2 - Monday
La Pantaneta. At 9.30 a.m., after breakfast, we will take you to the Cabacci stables in the Sierra Nevada, located in Lugros, 15 minutes from the hotel. We will set off towards "La Pantaneta", a small lagoon surrounded by mountains and formed by the meltwater of the Sierra Nevada, following an easy trail surrounded by dense pine forests. You will be afforded fantastic views of the high plateau at an altitude of 1.200 meters. We return to the Cabacci stable "El Cerrillo de las Perdices" where we leave the horses and go by car back to the hotel.
Overnight at the Palacio de Oñate hotel in Guadix.
Day 5 - Thursday
Zalabí valley. After breakfast we go by car to the Cabacci stables in Lugros (15 min). We descend from the high plateau (1,200m) to the Zalabí valley, through a green landscape surrounded by cultivated fields, which in the past were used to grow mulberry trees and to feed the worms that were used to make silk for the clothes of the Muslim sultans who lived in Andalusia. We return to Lugros to leave our horses at the Finca de Lugros and return to the hotel (15 minutes).
Overnight at the Palacio de Oñate hotel in Guadix.
Día 3 - Tuesday
Camarate. After breakfast, we go by car to El Cerrillo de las Perdices, where we prepare our horse and head towards Camarate. The softness of these mountains, with easy roads for cattle, has allowed the inhabitants of this area to drive their cows and bulls to the green high mountain meadows known as "El Camarate". We return to Lugros to leave our horses at the Cabacci stable and then return to the hotel.
Overnight at the Palacio de Oñate hotel in Guadix.
Day 6 - Friday
End of the world. After breakfast we will go by car to the Cabacci stables in Lugros (15 min). On the last day of our trip we will visit one of the most spectacular areas of the Sierra Nevada: "El Fin del Mundo", a valley of red clay, reminiscent of the Grand Canyon, which was formed in the Quaternary period by the meltwater of the Sierra Nevada and which contains the largest inhabited cave nucleus in the world (more than 4,000 people live there). We return to Lugros to leave our horses at the Cabacci stable and then return to the hotel (15 minutes).
Overnight at the Palacio de Oñate hotel in Guadix.
Click here to see the average temperatures and rainfall in the Cabo de Gata.
Please note, this is a suggested itinerary only and subject to change at the discretion of our guides due to weather and other influencing factors.
Useful information
Schedules
→ Breakfast: from 8 a.m. → Meeting time daily at the hotel reception: 9.30 a.m.
Where are the horses?
The horses are 15 minutes drive from the hotel. Cabacci provides daily transfers to and from the stables.
Don't forget to bring
✔︎ Helmet. ✔︎ "All-terrain" riding boots (preferably waterproof) to walk beside the horse in rocky terrain. ✔︎ Appropriate riding pants. ✔︎ Riding gloves. ✔︎ Gaiters, if you use them habitually. We will provide you with saddle bags for you to carry with you if you wish: ✔︎ Non-breakable canteen. ✔︎ Sun protection (we recommend long sleeves). ✔︎ Lip protection. ✔︎ Insect repellent. ✔︎ Mosquito bite relief ✔︎ Swimsuit. ✔︎ Windbreaker. ✔︎ Extra battery to take pictures if your phone runs out of power. We have a basic emergency kit, but don't forget to bring any specific medication you may need.
Remember
→ Meeting at the hotel reception on Sunday (day 1) at 20:00.