Sierra Nevada National Park Adventure

Enjoy a full on Multi activity week in Spains’ sunny Sierra Nevada National Park, where you will learn climbing techniques, kayak on a lake surrounded by high peaks, mountain bike on fabulous trails thorugh pine forests, walk up Spain’s highest mountain (3,400m.) & canyon in amazing limestone gorges. If you haven’t done this before you’ll learn all the techniques necessary & if you have you’ll love the adrenalin & amazing pristine landscape. Optional activities include a visit to the Alhambra Palaces & Paragliding.

Fact File:

Example Itinerary:

Saturday
Arrival. Transfer to Hotel Santa Cruz from Granada Airport (30mins.) Hotel check-in.
Introduction to Hotel Santa Cruz facilities & equipment. Orientation talk of activities we will be realising No audio visual as in 2001. Welcome drinks & dinner

Sunday - Mountain Biking
Breakfast. Transfer to Sierra Nevada ski resort at 2,500m. Unload bikes. Presentation of equipment, bike fitting & instruction on braking, changing gear etc. Ride on a picturesque pine forested alpine road learning how to corner & brake effectively before crossing into the Monachil valley where we have a picnic lunch overlooking the river & perhaps a swim! Take forest tracks & old mining access roads down into the Genil valley. After stopping for a coffee at a mountain 'Venta' (Inn) we cross into the Monachil valley where we follow forest access trails cross-country. Here we may divide the group up. Those with masses of energy can ride way down into the valley on a mixture of road & asphalt and finish in the village of Monachil. The others will transfer (10mins.) direct to the hotel. Eevening visit Park Visitors centre.
Dinner.

Monday - Climbing & Mountain Survival
Breakfast. Anybody that plans to make regular incursions into the mountains should learn the basics of Mountain survival. We will enjoy a simple but effective course that includes; Forecasting weather; Equipment & clothing preparation; Planning ahead in case of accidents; Simple navigation rules; Emergency & Accident procedures; How to bivouac overnight using natural resources. We do all this outside with practical hands-on tuition. After a picnic lunch we walk back to the hotel take a rest & then do warm-up & stretching exercises to prepare for our climbing session. The climbing course takes place on a limestone face just a 100m. from the hotel. The wall is perched high above the Genil valley with views to the lake far below. The wall has pitches varying from 25-50m. All fixed belays are bolted and there is easy access to the top of the rock up a footpath. Grades vary from 4 to 5+ with an optional overhang for free abseiling. Participants will be given training by 2-3 monitors and usually 2 pitches can be climbed simultaneously alleviating waiting time. Dinner in the hotel.

Tuesday - Canyoning the Rio Verde gorge
Breakfast. Transfer (60mins.) to the Sierra de Cazulas south of Granada after passing over the 'Suspiro del Moro' ('The Moors Sigh'). The Rio Verde pours its waters into the sea just 20km. away from our start point, of Andalucias' many canyons this is considered one of the finest in terms of length, excitement & attractiveness. The route starts after a walk through a forested nature reserve, around us steep peaks rise up a few hundred meters with streams running into the river from many directions. We eat our picnic lunch on the banks of the river. The Rio Verde is not a technical canyon although our experience with the climbing course will serve us well for the many abseils (variable no. depending on jumps) the longest of which is 20m. All the jumps are optional. Wetsuits provide positive bouyancy as we swim through a couple of shorter narrow sections and protection as we slide down the many natural water chutes that eject us with a splash into the deep clear pools. This whole canyon is like a natural water park where absolute fun is guaranteed! Once we come out of the canyon we walk back to our vehicles. Depending on group size & abilities the canyon section including the walk in & out will take 5-6 hours. Reunite with vehicles & drivers & transfer to Granada stopping off at typical mountain 'Venta' (inn) for drinks & tapas. Arrival Hotel & dinner.

Wednesday - Rest day with optional activities & visit to Granada & Alhambra Palace
AM - Optional activities* such as Tandem paragliding, Horse riding, Quad riding, unguided mountain bike rides or walking departing from the hotel. Lunch. PM Transfer (25mins.) & optional visit to Alhambra Palace & Generalife. Visit the 'teterias' (moorish tea shops) in the Albaicin. Dinner in Granada, visit to local bars & return transfer (25mins.). Paragliding may take place in the afternoon depending on thermal conditions.

Thursday - The ascent of Mulhacen (3,482m.)
Breakfast. Todays itinerary takes us to the absolute peak in the Iberian peninsula and the highest summit between North Africas' Atlas mountains to the south and the Alps to the north, surpassing even any peak in the Pyrenees. Our gradual acclimatisation over the previous days should help to alleviate the affects of altitude as we will be walking above 3,000m. for a few hours. This is a non-technical walk facilitated by an approach from 2,700m. where we leave the vehicles. Once we have crested the shoulder of Veleta totally different view embraces us, the Alpujarras valleys, oases of green terraces & pine splashed against the burnt brown rock of the Sierra Nevada mountains. After a picnic lunch we continue with a stiff walk across the saddle of Mulhacen with views across to the northern alpine like faces of the Acazaba (3,366m.) & Veleta (3,398m.) to the summit. Daytime temperatures usually float between 10-15ºc. in mid-summer at this altitude although flash blizzards have been recorded. After enjoying the views we return along the saddle then take take a route along the Corral de Veleta giving us an impressive view of Mulhacens' steep north face before returning to our vehicles. Sunset drinks at the University mountain refuge. Return transfer to Hotel (20mins.).

Friday - Mountain Bike descent followed by Canoeing
Breakfast. A more leisurely final day starts with a bike ride (departing from the hotel) on a 15km. forest trail downhill through almond, wild cherry & olive groves. This trail takes us to the head of the Canales reservoir where there is a picnic & barbecue area & small bar. The Canales reservoir was created in the 1970's to supply the ever increasing demand from the city of Granada. The lake is filled by the Genil river whose waters course off the north faces of the Sierra Nevada mountains above us. The lake receives sunshine all day and although meltwater the surface temperature is around 20-22ºc. throughout the summer making the water a very agreeable temperature for swimming. We take 2 man open canoes out onto the lake where a series of natural bays & beaches provide an interesting itinerary with plenty of opportunity for swimming. After a barbecue lunch on the lakeside for those that want to increase their experience further we will practice the 'eskimo roll' and other techniques (using one man Kayaks) essential for more advanced canoeing in 'white water'. Dinner. Last night party in hotel.

Saturday
Breakfast & transfer to Granada airport.