Cartajima Hills - Grazalema Natural Park - Juzcar, blue village - Sierra de las Nieves National Park - Ronda gorge and Puente Nuevo Bridge - Torrecilla peak 

Walking Holidays in Spain

Guided or Self-Guided Walking Holidays in Andalucia, Spain

Enjoy a guided or self-guided walking holiday in Andalucia, experiencing the mountains and unspoiled countryside stretching out for miles in every direction. For this holiday, you will be based in or near Ronda, in the heart of fabulous walking country. The town is ideally located between one National and one Natural Park and is surrounded by dramatic mountains, rolling hills, areas of rich forest, open countryside, vineyards and olive groves. Walkers can enjoy quiet trails throughout the region, walking along old drovers' routes, secret mountain pathways between villages, hillside goat tracks, undulating valley trails and unsurfaced farm lanes. 

We will put together a varied choice of routes to suit you, including a couple of drop-offs/pick-ups to optimise the route choice and explore the wider region.

Book Your Holiday Now

Book Your Holiday Now

Overview

 

Price	Self-Guided from €655 p.p. (Minimum requirement of 2 people) Mix Self-Guided & Guided from €755 p.p. (Minimum requirement of 4 people) Prices are based on 2 people sharing a double or twin room with breakfast
Duration	6 days	5 nights	4 walking days
Distance	13km per day average	Ascent +450 per day average
Difficulty	Moderate - Challenging - the area is hilly and beautifully scenic hilly. Trails are not groomed so all walks will include ascent and stony, uneven sections. Some walks include notable hill climbs, with steep descents and ascents and sections on loose or rocky surfaces.
Availability	March to June | September to November. The duration and pricing above is only a suggestion. Choose the dates and duration which suit you, start on any day of the week, alternative pricing on request. Note: Supplements may apply during Easter week due to inflated accommodation prices.

 

Ronda Walking Holiday Highlights

Walking Highlights Amazing unspoiled landscapes – mountains, valleys and forests   Breath-taking scenery in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park and Sierra de las Nieves National Park Walking 'the less travelled path' – routes which explore where other visitors to the area don't get to see Ronda, the City of Dreams - a cliff-top town separated in two by a 120m-deep gorge with an awe-inspiring, 18th century, arched bridge White villages - nestled in the valleys and mountains and unchanged for centuries Best weather in Europe – 300+ days of sunshine per year for optimal walking conditions Warm Andalucian hospitality, local culture and cuisine

Flexible Planning Flexible booking schedule - pick the dates you want to travel and the length of your holiday Choice of hotel - Boutique countryside hotel or Ronda town centre hotel  Half-board or B&B options - all offering superb hospitality Choose guided or self-guided walking – qualified local guides or phone GPS navigation App Bespoke routes and itinerary  Choice of difficulty and distance Add a day or two of easy bike rides to help you explore more of the Serrania de Ronda

 

Itinerary

 

EXAMPLE WALKING ITINERARY:  Sunday - Arrival Day Transfer to Ronda and settle into your hotel.  Monday - Ronda to 'Cat Cave', lunch by the river 13km +170m    Walk below Ronda bridge for spectacular views, then head out to a local beauty spot with a waterfall and clear water pool. Optional lunch at riverside restaurant then transfer back to Ronda. Tuesday - Tajo del Abanico ('Fan Gorge') 11km +200m    A circular walk from Ronda via a striking limestone gorge with striking rock formations. Wednesday - Grazalema Natural Park 13km +264m     Walk from one white village to another through the heart of the Grazalema Natural Park. Thursday  Cartajima to Ronda 13km +463m     From a small white village, follow an ancient drover's trail over the mountains to Ronda. Friday - Departure Day Return to Malaga airport for your flight home or take onward travel elsewhere if you are staying in Spain. We can help with airport or other transfer arrangements if required.

A TYPICAL DAY: (based on Country Hotel) 09:00 - Enjoy a hearty breakfast ready for the day ahead 10:00 - Head out into the countryside on your first hike 14:00 - Finish at a local bar or cafe for refreshments or light lunch. If we finish outside Ronda, minibus return to your hotel.  16:00 - Chill-out by the pool. Afternoon tea and cakes provided.   19:00 - Drinks in the bar 20:00 - Enjoy a well-deserved 3-course meal on the hotel restaurant's terrace. 21:30 - Relax with a nightcap before getting a good night's sleep, ready for tomorrow's adventure

Hotel Options & Prices

  

Over the years we have seen how our guests have different requirements for their accommodation, just like they do with their riding preferences. 

For this reason, we offer 3 excellent choices of accommodation to suit everybody's needs. All our hotels have excellent reviews, facilities, hospitality and location. Choice of accommodation does not affect where you ride or walk each day, the Ronda hotels are very close to each other and the country hotel is less than 10 minutes from the town.

Prices below are per person, sharing a double or twin room for a 6-day, 5-night holiday but we can cater for anything from a single day of walking through to a full week.

COUNTRY HOTEL: Half Board Relax in a boutique countryside hotel just outside Ronda with a pool, gardens and restaurant. Self-Guided: from €695 Mix S-G and Guided: from €795 Includes: 5 nights' en-suite accommodation with breakfast 3 nights' dinner, incl drinks Afternoon tea & cakes 4 days of walking Transfers from Ronda to the hotel on arrival and departure days Self-guided walkers receive route maps, local information and GPS phone app/GPX files, and selected drop-off/pick-up days to optimise route choice

 

4* RONDA HOTEL: B&B Enjoy one of Ronda's popular hotels right in the centre of town, usually the 4**** Hotel Maestranza. (Subject to availability) Self-Guided: from €655 Mix S-G and Guided: from €755 Includes: 5 nights' en-suite accommodation with breakfast 4 days of walking  Self-guided walkers receive route maps, local information and GPS phone app/GPX files, and selected drop-off/pick-up days to optimise route choice

 

SUPERIOR RONDA HOTEL:  B&B Indulge in one of Ronda's finest 4-star hotels with a pool, spa, gardens and wonderful views over the famous cliffs. This hotel is also close to the town centre. Self-Guided: from €875 Mix S-G and Guided: from €975 Includes: 5 nights' luxury en-suite accommodation with balcony/terrace Superb breakfast buffet 4 days of walking  Self-guided walkers receive route maps, local information and GPS phone app/GPX files, and selected drop-off/pick-up days to optimise route choice

 

NOT INCLUDED: Flights Airport transfers - Malaga transfers available on request Meals not stated above Single room - price available on request Travel Insurance Personal expenditures e.g. bar bills, hotel extras

Trail Options

 

 

Ronda-Based Walking Holiday

Our most popular walking holidays are at a moderate level of difficulty. This region is mountainous so all walks will include some level of ascent and descent. Climbs can sometimes be steep or with a drop to the side but no special equipment is required and they are perfectly do-able by any reasonably fit and able hiker. We can include more mountainous climbs and longer distances if you would like more challenging walking options.

Please note, that we can include one or two easy walks as part of a walking holiday itinerary but this area is not suitable as a holiday base for walkers who are looking only for smooth, easy or groomed walking trails. 

Guided holidays include vehicle support throughout. 

N.B. Self-guided centre-based walking holidays include some days with transport drop-offs/pick-ups. The countryside hotel is not available for 100% self-guided walking holidays, though we can offer a mix of guided and self-guided walks if you would like to stay in this country hotel.

Add in a day or two of cycling on some of the routes we have in the area, including the Via Verde de la Sierra, a beautiful ride along a disused railway passing through 30 tunnels and alongside a Griffon Vulture nesting site.

 

EASY ROUTES

Easy walks include minimal ascent and range from 8-10km. Trails may still include some short steep sections and stony ground but not for extended distances.  

 

 

 

 

 

MODERATE ROUTES

Moderate-level walking will require a good level of overall fitness, together with the ability to walk on trails which are mainly untended and not well-maintained. We walk on all-natural trails, so routes can be weather-eroded with stony, gravelly or uneven surfaces and some sections take us through unmarked ground, with no obvious pathway at all. 

 

 

 

 

CHALLENGING ROUTES

Walking routes with more ascent or very rough trails, often no trail at all, so you could be walking through rocky open ground or along river beds or up steep narrower paths.