Overview
The amazing landscapes and fresh mountain air of the Grazalema Natural Park make for some rewarding walking in Spain’s deep south. The Sierra de Grazalema is an undiscovered green oasis, a mountainous area adorned by picturesque white-washed villages such as Grazalema or Montejaque. It is a land of jagged limestone peaks, deep gorges and lush green mountain pastures. The end of the walking tour will take you to the lovely town of Ronda with its unique beauty and intriguing mix of Moorish and European monuments, overlooking the stunning El Tajo Gorge.
- A mountainous area surrounded by charming white-washed villages, or pueblos blancos
- Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park
- Ronda
- Andalucía – famous for its ancient ruins, amazing beaches and excellent food
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Grazalema
Today you travel to the “Pueblos Blancos” (“the white villages”) and arrive in the lovely white-washed village of Grazalema, perched at 830m above sea level on a crag at the base of the Grazalema mountains. Here you’ll spend the next two nights. Enjoy an evening stroll in one of the best-preserved villages of the “pueblos blancos route” and admire the whitewashed houses. A transfer from Ronda bus station to your first accommodation is included in your package (45mins). Depending on your arrival time, take a short walk to a viewpoint at an elevation of 983m for views overlooking Grazalema.
- Overnight in Grazalema (Hospedería Casa de las Piedras or similar)
Day 2: Grazalema circular walk | 8.5km
Explore the limestone plateau of Endrinal, south of Grazalema, where the combination of red earth tones, grey jagged rock formations and green vegetation highlights the walk. Take in the scents of Mediterranean plants as you walk and admire the traditional construction techniques used for walls and snow pits.
- Walking for the day: 8.5km, 4-5h, ↑500m ↓500m
- Overnight in Grazalema (Hospedería Casa de las Piedras or similar)
- Meals: breakfast
Day 3: Grazalema to Villaluenga del Rosario | 16km
Today is a long but technically easy walk through open meadows and dehesas with holm and cork oaks on gentle slopes. By the end of the afternoon, you arrive at the cosy Posada in the next authentic white village, Villaluenga del Rosario. This village is known for its curious square bullfighting arena.
- Walking for the day:16km, 5h, ↑350m ↓330m
- Overnight in Villaluenga del Rosario (Hotel Tugasa La Posada or similar)
- Meals: breakfast and dinner (dinner included if staying in Villaluenga del Rosario)
Day 4: Villaluenga del Rosario circular walk | 8.4km
Take a step back in history and follow the ancient Roman road from Villaluenga del Rosario to Ubrique. Start on the main road and continue on a Roman path, you can make a side excursion through the village of Benaocaz. In this former melting pot of cultures, there is still a Nazari neighbourhood (in ruins) where remains of Roman houses have also been found. Continue following the old Roman road all the way into the valley, we recommend stopping for a drink or a real Spanish lunch in Ubrique (not included) before our driver takes you back to Villaluenga del Rosario (Included).
- Walking for the day: 8,4km, 3h, ↑65m ↓580m
- Overnight in Villaluenga del Rosario (Hotel Tugasa La Posada or similar)
- Meals: breakfast and dinner (dinner included if staying in Villaluenga del Rosario)
Day 5: Villaluenga del Rosario to Montejaque | 17.5km
Starting from Villaluenga del Rosario, walk down to Llanos del Republicano – a valley with a deep limestone cave where the river disappears underground. Strolling between the Sierra de Libar and Sierra del Palo, you pass grey-white limestone hills and impressive karst formations on the way to Montejaque, a lovely town and the last “Pueblo Blanco” on your trip. The views and sculpture formations definitely make this longer walk well worth it.
- Walking for the day: 17.5km, 5.5-6.5h, ↑525m ↓975m
- Overnight in Montejaque (Posada del Fresno or similar)
- Meals: breakfast
Day 6: Montejaque circular walks | 8-13km
Again there are two options for today: The first is a beautiful circular route from Montejaque via El Hacho Peak, following wide gravel tracks through Río Campobuche valley and dirt paths through woodlands and olive orchards. The second walk takes you to “La Cueva de la Pileta”, with its prehistoric cave paintings. To get there, you first have to walk down to Benaoján (which is only possible on surfaced roads, including 800m on the main road), but then you have a beautiful section through quiet Mediterranean woodland, followed by a steep ascent on goat trails up to the cave. There is no circular route possible here, so you either have to retrace your steps, order a taxi at the Cave or walk back to Benaoján Estación for a Spanish lunch at Restaurant Molino del Santo. If you’re returning on foot, remember that the walk up to Montejaque is steep, and it might be very hot in the afternoon sun.
- Walking for the day Montejaque – El Hacho Peak: 8km, 3-3.,5h, ↑325m ↓325m or Montejaque – La Cueva de la Pileta: max 13km, 3-5h, ↑325m ↓625m
- Overnight in Montejaque (Posada del Fresno or similar)
- Meals: breakfast
Day 7: From Montejaque to Ronda | 12km
A hike through tranquil rural landscapes, which starts out with a section on an ancient cobbled path. Next, you walk among fields and small family farms to reach the charming historic town of Ronda. The 200m chasm of the El Tajo gorge divides the town in two, and the 18th century Puente Nuevo, ‘new’ bridge, offers some of the best views. The historical old-town quarter is well worth a visit.
- Walking for the day: 12km, 4.5h, ↑440m ↓420m
- Overnight in Ronda (Hotel Polo or similar)
- Meals: breakfast
Day 8: Departure
Your trip comes to an end today after breakfast.
- Meals: breakfast
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in nice hotels and charming guesthouses, in double or twin private en-suite rooms. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
All breakfasts are included in the programme and two dinners on day three and four (dinner is included if the on days three and four is at Villaluenga del Rosario). When no restaurant location is available on route lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops or you can pre-order a packed lunch at your hotel. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your accommodation or restaurants in the village near your hotel.
Difficulty and terrain
This walking holiday requires a normal fitness level; it is suited to regular walkers used to hiking in some rugged terrain. Moderate day walks of 3-5h a day on hilly areas, sometimes using stony paths (read more about difficulty grades). The routes on this trip are generally well marked, but marking can be poor in places, and you will need to follow the route notes and maps provided by us. We strongly advise you to follow the trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
You can start on any day of the week, from the beginning of January till the middle of June and from the beginning of September till the end of December. It is recommended to avoid November (rainy period) and from the middle of June until August’s end as it is too hot for walking. Please note: supplements will apply during Easter, Fair and 101km race in Ronda in May and these dates are on request only.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Malaga Airport (AGP).
By train or bus
- Arrival in Grazalema: From Málaga airport, you can take a taxi, train or shuttle bus to Málaga city centre. Then travel from Málaga to Ronda by bus. Travel time is about 3hrs. Transfer from Ronda bus station to your first accommodation is included in your package.
- Departure from Ronda: Take a bus from Ronda back to Málaga. Travel time is about 3hrs. From Málaga city centre you can reach the airport by bus, train or taxi.
- For more information, visit Avanza Bus, DAMAS use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in charming hotels and country inns in private en-suite rooms
- 7 breakfasts
- 2 dinners (day three and four)
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel when changing hotels (1 piece up to 20 kg per person) – Days 3, 5 and 7
- Transfers according to the programme: Day 1 from Ronda bus station to Grazalema. Day 4 at the end of the walk
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Supplements during Easter, Fair and 101 km race in Ronda
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
- Airport transfers
- Supplements during Easter, Fair and 101km race in Ronda will be manually added.
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
