Ronda to Granada

Self-Guided MTB Tour in Spain 

Bike tour from Ronda to the city of Granada in Spain

This self-guided XC mountain bike tour offers great MTB riding through dramatic scenery, via stunning towns, as it heads from the high mountains of Ronda, through varied landscapes to finish in Granada, the must-see city of Andalucía.

This self-guided MTB tour is an opportunity to experience the quiet of the Andalucian countryside, the drama of its landscape and the culture of some of its finest towns and cities, all connected by superb mountain biking trails. 

(If you are looking for a smaller outdoor experience while travelling in Spain, consider booking one of our Day Tours from Ronda.)

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Overview

 

START:  Ronda     FINISH:  Granada

Price	From €1175 p.p. based on 2 people sharing a double or twin room with breakfast
Duration	7 days	6 nights	5 cycling days
Distance	274 km total	55 km daily avg     ( max 75km: min 36km )
Grading	Moderate-Challenging - Ascent varies from 631m-1046m per day. Riding is mainly on dirt tracks, remote roads, and sections of singletrack. Confidence riding an MTB is required in parts. Daily distances and climbing are significant, so riders need to be prepared for relatively long ascents in the saddle. Although the last day is 75km, after the first 39km the route is mostly downhill and finishes along a flat riverside path into Granada.
Availability	March - June | Sep - November  Choose the dates which suit you. Start on any day of the week. Note: Supplements may apply during Easter week due to inflated accommodation prices.

 

Ronda to Granada Mountain Bike Tour Highlights 

Riding Highlights Remote Mountain Biking Trails Natural Trails and Single Track Changing landscapes every day Outstanding routes through Natural Parks	Experiences Ronda "City of Dreams" Alhama de Granada village and gorge Cacín river canyon Granada City

Itinerary

 

Arrival Day in Ronda

Extra sightseeing days can be added on request

Check in to your hotel and enjoy the sights and sounds of the beautiful clifftop town of Ronda. Briefing and bike set-up will take place on your first evening.

 

Riding Day 1 - Ronda to Ardales

56km +631m

Leaving Ronda, you are soon on dirt tracks which lead eastwards, via olive groves and Holm oak forest. You pass through the village of Cuevas del Becerro (a good lunch stop) and then via Serrato, a sleepy village, before your only notable climb of the day into pine-covered mountains. You then enjoy a terrific descent all the way to Ardales and your overnight accommodation. If you still have some energy, take a walk up to the remains of the hilltop fortress before dinner in one of the cafes or restaurants on the main plaza.

Riding Day 2 - Ardales to Antequera

51km +1046m

Your day begins along some quiet roads to a scenic area of blue lakes known as the Malaga Lake District, here the landscape changes dramatically as the mountains rise up above you. A descent through a beautiful valley brings you to the exit of the el Chorro gorge and the famous Caminito del Rey, a suspended walkway through the gorge. Beautiful views abound as you ride out of the valley and onto tracks through remote valleys and up gain towards Antequera. Your day ends with a fun descent into Antequera, a lively town which is dominated by a striking hilltop Moorish fortress, or Alcazaba. Plenty of options in the town for post-ride relaxation and dinner. 

Riding Day 3 - Antequera to Mondron

56km +1001

Exit Anteuquera via a track past abandoned water mills, once the heart of the town's thriving textile industry. The track heads deeper into the countryside, through grazing lands for agile goats and sheep, before joining a mix of old drover routes and riverside tracks to the villages of Villanueva del Rosario and Villanueva del Trabuco, both with many options for lunch. From here you take a steady climb into the mountains to the Fountain of One Hundred Pipes, a delightful spot where rows of spouts gush with water from natural sources in the mountains above. Follow the mountain track up to pass over the mountains to a fun twisting descent. You then pass the oldest roadside inn in Andalucia, the Venta del Alfarnate, said to date from the 13th century. From here the final 10km are pretty much all downhill to Mondron.

Riding Day 4 - Mondron to Alhama de Granada

36km +807m

Today you begin with a long steady climb, passing through the sleepy village of Periana and onto the route of an old railway line which cuts a high track through the hills, with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. You pass a strange bridge (a suspected folly), ride through a long tunnel and onto an established bike route, with traces of the old railway tracks. Stop for lunch in Ventas de Zafarraya before riding mainly on small tracks through an agricultural plateau, where fields of crops extend in all directions. The final part of the day is on dirt tracks which descend through pine forests to arrive at a small lake and dam. From here you enter the gorge of Alhama de Granada, a dramatic narrow channel through the mountains, formed by the Rio Alhama, where a path takes you to the base of the cliffs upon which sits the village and your overnight accommodation.

Riding Day 5 - Alhama de Granada to Granada

75km +818m

The day starts with you riding back down into the Alhama gorge and onto tracks which take you down to the reservoir de los Bermejales where you ride a really nice single-track path along its shoreline. At the end of the lake, you will ride out of the valley and then down along the ridgeline of the little-known but spectacular Cacín river gorge and pass an old bridge known as the Puente Romano. After passing the tiny village of Cacin you ride the second climb of the day.  You then rejoin tracks which head steadily downhill to La Malaha. Another long descent on a road brings you closer to Granda's outer suburbs before joining a riverside path that takes you right into the heart of the city, passing through the old Arabic street market, where metalwork, leather goods and ceramics are still sold from tiny shopfronts before you finish your cycling tour in front of Granada's impressive Cathedral. Enjoy a final evening in this atmospheric city. Extra sightseeing days can be added on request.

Departure Day

Extra sightseeing days can be added on request.

N.B. If you wish to visit the Alhambra, please make sure you book your entry tickets well in advance, as it gets extremely booked up.

Check out from your hotel and have a safe trip home or to your next destination.

We can provide transfers to your next destination or airports of Sevilla or Malaga. POA

We hope to see you again in the future.

What's Included

 

WHAT'S INCLUDED   6 nights of accommodation on a B&B basis Luggage transfers Quality hardtail MTB Helmet & water bottle (or bring your own camelbak or bottle) Toolkit (multi-tool, chain tool and speed links, tyre levers, inner tube, pump, puncture repair aerosol) Overnight lock Route GPS (phone App with daily routes, profiles and maps, no Data-usage required) or GPX files Annotated route maps Briefing Pack, incl day-by-day route notes Briefing meeting on arrival  Bike collection at finish See our suggested KIT LIST for mountain biking in Spain.

ACCOMMODATION Your tour goes through a mix of large and small towns and more rural areas, so the accommodation style and standard will vary greatly. In the larger towns, we usually book 4-star or 3-star hotels; outside of these, you will stay in countryside haciendas, boutique B&Bs or traditional-style village hotels. All rooms have en-suite facilities. Our selections are based on clean and comfortable accommodation (if sometimes quite simple), friendly owners and staff, a warm welcome, bike storage and sometimes a swimming pool too.

ROUTE NAVIGATION For self-guided mountain biking, we provide a GPS application on your mobile phone.  We give free access to the application which can be used in offline mode for each day's ride.  The app. shows maps and the route in great detail. We supply a quality phone holder on the bike to keep your phone safe. We also provide a large-scale, annotated map, designed specifically for your tour by Hike and Bike, giving you a perspective of where you are at all times.

FAQ's

 

IS THERE A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THE ROUTE?

Our Mountain Bike Tours are designed to maximise off-road riding through changing landscapes, on a mixture of single-track paths, double-track, forest tracks, cycleways and occasional linking sections of quiet roads. The single-track is not groomed for mountain biking, so the technical requirements vary through each section. Check the individual tour Itinerary for more details. You will sometimes be riding in remote areas.

 

HOW FIT DO I NEED TO BE?

Our Mountain Bike Tours are graded from ‘Moderate’ to ‘Challenging’, with daily distances of 40-70km, depending on the specific tour. They are designed for cross-country mountain bikers who have reasonable off-road biking skills and good fitness. To ensure the maximum time off-road, there are notable climbs and technical sections in every tour. Check the individual tour Itinerary for a daily breakdown of distance and ascent.

 

WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE?

Our cycling tours run from March through to November, with the best cycling weather from March to June and from September to November. Most routes are also possible during the summer months but we recommend an earlier start to beat the main heat of the day, and don’t forget to carry plenty of water.

 

WHAT HAPPENS TO MY LUGGAGE?

We transfer all your main luggage for you. We provide a rear seat trunk bag or small side pannier and a handlebar bag (per couple) to carry a few essential items with you each day e.g. water, snacks, sunscreen, but we recommend you travel light.

 

HOW DO I NAVIGATE EACH DAY?

Navigation on this tour is very easy with our phone app. RidewithGPS. We provide personalised daily routes from door-to-door of each day’s accommodation. The app shows maps and daily routes in great detail, with distances and route profiles, so you always know what is coming up. The app is used in offline mode so you do not need to use Data on your phone and can still navigate in areas where there is no phone signal.

 

WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A PUNCTURE OR PROBLEM WITH MY BIKE?

On this self-guided tour we provide all the necessary kit on your bikes for you to fix your own flat tyres or deal with minor mechanical issues (e.g. broken chain). If you do not know how, ask a bike mechanic at home to show you before your holiday or check our Bike Repair notes at the bottom of every webage. If you need our assistance, you can call us on the number provided and we will help as much as possible on the phone; we may be able to attend minor mechanical issues but this may be subject to a charge. In the case of a more major mechanical issue, we we will come to repair the bike or bring a replacement.

 

WHAT MEALS ARE INCLUDED?

All accommodation includes breakfast (unless specifically stated). Lunch and dinner are not included, so you are free to eat when and where you wish. We mark up your map with suggested lunch locations. Your hosts can recommend dining options, or sometimes they will serve dinner – this information will be included in your daily route notes.

 

IS THIS TOUR AVAILABLE WITH A GUIDE / SUPPORT?

We can offer a guided version of this tour with qualified guides and support vehicles or a semi-supported version with a support vehicle and driver/mechanic. There is a minimum requirement of 6 people to be able to provide this service. Please do not hesitate to enquire about price and availability.

 

WHAT IF I NEED TO CANCEL OR CHANGE MY BOOKING?

If you need to cancel or change the dates of a booking, we have a scaled set of charges based on the work already completed and any costs already incurred which we cannot get back. If you re-book a holiday with us within 12 months of a cancellation which has incurred charges, we will credit up to 50% of the retained amount to the new holiday. Our full cancellation policy can be found here