Description

Enjoy this wonderful area in the heart of Andalusia. A 7-day hiking and yoga trip in the area of ​​Sierra de Tejeda National Park, Almijara y Alhama: an impressive mountain range that forms a natural border between the provinces of Málaga and Granada.

You will see olive, almond, orange and medlar trees and an abundance of wild plants during walks. During the hiking days you visit several beautiful villages.

Everyone knows the Costa del Sol, the Spanish coast between Gibraltar and Almería, with (bath) places like Torremolinos and Marbella. We prefer a more authentic stay, more inland, where you can relax after a beautiful hike and enjoy a delicious drink and a good book with a beautiful view.

Much less known than the tourist attractions of the Costa del Sol is the inland of this region, where small mountain ranges (Sierras) and beautiful valleys alternate. The climate is usually very pleasant in spring.

We offer a program with hiking and other activities such as: yoga, meditation, cooking, going to the beach, kayaking on the lake, and last but not least, enough free time to relax.

All activities are free of obligation, so when there is a need for more free time there is always room for it. Among other things, we offer a few yoga sessions in which we show how you can positively influence your life with yoga and meditation.

In addition, there is a cooking workshop where our Chef shows you how to prepare the most delicious meals with varied, local, healthy and mostly seasonal products. Why yoga and a cooking workshop? What we believe is that a combination of healthy nutrition and exercise ensures that the body stays healthy and in balance.

As a bonus we offer a beautiful kayak or bike trip at Lake Viñuela with a beautiful view of the white villages and the impressive mountains with the ‘highlight’ of the Maroma mountain.

The routes all vary in difficulty but they are easy to do for people with a normal condition. This hiking and yoga holiday is for everyone who is looking for a combination of beautiful hikes, yoga, interesting workshops and time to relax in a beautiful natural setting.

We deliberately choose to work with small groups; during our hiking holiday there are a maximum of 12 participants. Jeroen will host the week and will accompany you as a guide to tell you more about the area and its culture.

Venue

During our walking holidays we stay at beautiful locations near the village of Periana. Periana with more than 3000 inhabitants is one of the largest and famous villages of Andalusia. The beach at Torre del Mar on the Mediterranean Sea is a 30-minute drive away.

We have selected a few very special locations for these special walking and yoga vacations. If you click on the date of the trip, there is more information about the location of the week in question.

All cortijos are located in the mountains and have a beautiful view. They all have a lovely swimming pool.
The rooms are decorated in authentic Andalusian style; cozy and fully equipped. The bathrooms are shared. The cortijos where we stay are in the countryside, about 50 minutes drive from Málaga airport.

During your day off there will be no dinner, then you have the opportunity to eat at one of the excellent rated and nearby restaurants Las Mayoralas, el Cañuelo, Cantueso, Venta el Charco, Venta Alfarnate or several restaurants on the beach.

These restaurants are located within a 15/30 minute drive from the cortijo and serve regional dishes prepared with fresh, local products. In the picturesque white village of Periana, you will also find several restaurants. We are happy to help you with giving tips or ideas for things to do.

Example Hikes

Below you can find possible hikes we will do. Depending on weather conditions we choose the most interesting routes per period of the year.

La Ruta de Los Olivos Milenarios
La Ruta de Los Olivos Milenarios; this is a route along the thousand-year-old olive trees. Olive trees are inextricably linked to the Axarquía area. The biggest source of income in this region from agriculture is the olives, for which the worldwide rewarded olive oil Aceite Verdial has been made for centuries. This route is about 9 km, takes 3 hours and leads among others along the oldest olive tree of Spain, ‘El Chato’, which is estimated at 1500 years. Along the way you get info about the ancient industry of olive oil production.

Route La Maroma
La Maroma, “the rope”, the name of the highest mountain in Málaga (2067m). Here you can do fantastic walks. This botanical trail starts in a beautiful forest halfway up the mountain where you will have a beautiful view over the Sierra de Tejada and the Mediterranean Sea. During the hike you will look out over a large part of Axarquía, with its white villages and you get to know the impressive flora and fauna.

Route El Torcal
El Torcal, one of the most extraordinary natural areas in Europe, created more than 150 million years ago, 30 km north of Málaga. The limestone rocks have been given a special shape due to tectonic forces and erosion. During the 2.5 hours of walking (4.5 km) you could easily encounter different kinds of animals, including eagles, vultures, foxes, rabbits, mountain goats, badgers, weasels or lizards.

The flora consists of no less than 664 different plant species including about 30 species of orchids as well as 12 species of moss and all kinds of white, pink and yellow flowers that form a beautiful decoration on the bare stone. Following the possibility of visiting the medieval city of Antequera.

Route Alhama de Granada
Alhama de Granada is a very picturesque village situated on top of a gorge, “Los Tajos”, between Málaga and Granada. People call it little Ronda. It has a rich history that dates back to the Roman times but which you can also see through the Moorish castle and hot springs. You will walk a 16 km hike that will last about 3.5 hours. Along the way, walking along the river, you see abandoned mills and impressive poplars and fig trees. With the opportunity to visit the ‘hidden gem’ Alhama de Granada or the nearby hot springs.

Daily schedule

You get up in the morning and we start the day with an energising yoga session. Afterwards, a breakfast buffet will be waiting for you. After breakfast you can take a rest and prepare your things to take with you during the walk that day. We leave by car or bus, depending on the size of the group, towards the starting point of the walking tour.

During the walk you can have lunch. Upon arrival at the end of the walk we will be picked up again by car or bus and we will drive back to the location. On a number of hiking days, a stop will be made during the return trip to give you the opportunity to visit an interesting village, city or other highlight of the area.

When you arrive at the location you will have time to rest, read a good book and enjoy the peace, space and nature of the surroundings and at night the dinner will be served. Included in the holiday is an inspiring cooking workshop by the chef Alejandro, and we make a kayak trip on Lake Viñuela or at the sea. To end the week in a great way, the last evening is a Spanish night!

Retreat Price

Single Room €1095
Single Room with private bathroom €1145
Twin shared room €945 per person
Double room (couple) with shared bathroom (with one other room) €1850
Shared twin ensuite €1995 for two people

Includes

• 5 days of varied walks (see below for an example of a day program).
• Transport back and forth to the walking routes (by car or bus depending on the size of the group).
• Every walk will be guided by Jeroen as a guide.
• 6 nights in a single room or a shared room.
• 2 times a yoga and meditation workshop
• 1 cooking workshop.
• 1 kayak session on the Lake Viñuela reservoir or at the sea.
• 1 healthy welcome cocktail.
• 6 x breakfast buffet.
• 4 lunch packages during the walking days to La Maroma – El Torcal – Alhama de Granada and the Ruta de los Olivos
• Milenarios. (walks are subject to change depending on weather conditions)
• 5 evening meals
• Visit to the beach (depending on the weather)

Not included

• Return transfer airport – location (we can arrange this for you, 30 euro per person single transfer when you travel together with the rest of the group – there will be 1 departure time agreed, 90 per person euro for a single transfer when you only take a transfer by taxi).
• Flight to and from Málaga. The cheapest tickets can be found on www.skyscanner.nl for example.
• Travel and / or cancellation insurance.
• Expenses of a personal nature.

What to pack

• Take hiking shoes and easy-fitting (sports) clothing.
• A lightweight hiking stick, backpack and drink bottle is recommended.

How to get there

You can book the shared transfer with us for 30 euros per ride. We are situated around an hour from the airport of Malaga. The shared transfer will leave the airport/ city on the starting day around 12:00.12:30 PM. If you arrive after this time we can arrange you a private transfer. Costs will be around 70 euros for a private transfer.

Check-in is possible from 2 pm, check-out by 11.30 am from the location. The transfer leaves around 13:00 back to the airport and/or Malaga city. You can buy a cheap flight via Transavia, Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling. Best to book two single tickets.

Booking

Fill in the booking form to enquire about this 7 Day Yoga and Hiking Retreat in Andalusia. You can also contact the team direct on [email protected] with any questions you may have.

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