Spain - Granada & The Sierra Nevada - Naturetrek Tour Itinerary
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Spain – Granada & The Sierra
Nevada
Naturetrek Tour Itinerary 2011
Outline itinerary
Day 1 Fly Granada; drive Guadix
Day 2/3 Daily programme of natural history walks
and excursions from Guadix
Day 4/7 Sierra Nevada
Day 8 Fly London
Red-billed Chough by Jorge Garzon
Dates
Sunday 26th June – Sunday 3rd July
Cost
£1,195 (£1,075 Granada/Granada)
Single room supplement
£160
Grading
Grade A/B. A programme of day walks, at altitudes
between 1,000 and 2,000 metres
Focus
Birds, plants & butterflies
Fritilliaria hispanica by Jorge Garzon
Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England
T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426
E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W: www.naturetrek.co.uk
Spain – Granada & Sierra Nevada Tour Itinerary NB. Please note that the itinerary below offers our planned programme of excursions. However, adverse weather & other local considerations can necessitate some re-ordering of the programme during the course of the tour, though this will always be done to maximise best use of the time and weather conditions available. Introduction The Sierra Nevada is a dramatic and imposing mountain range that lies to the east of the famous old Moorish city of Granada. The range (the second highest in Europe after the Alps) boasts the two highest mountains in Spain, Mulhacén and Pico Veleta, which tower to over 11,000 feet. Snow-capped for much of the year, these great peaks are visible from North Africa on a clear day, shimmering in the deep blue, cloudless Andalusian skies. This is serious mountain country, where many an ill-prepared tourist has been lured up to the inhospitable summits, fooled by the bright sunshine and proximity to the bustling costas a little more than an hour to the south. With a hugely impressive flora, some of Spain’s best birding, access to a wide range of different habitats and scenery, and with the added bonus of the magnificent Alhambra Palace on the doorstep, this new tour has all the ingredients to make a memorable holiday. Day 1 Sunday Guadix Our holiday begins with a flight direct to Granada, from where we drive east along the base of the northern flanks of the Sierra Nevada. Depending on flight times, we might first drive an hour or so west from the airport to Fuente de Piedra lagoon to admire the largest Greater Flamingo breeding colony in Europe. The scarce Gull-billed Tern also breeds here. We then drive back east for 2 hours or so to Guadix where ever since the Moorish times, Andalusians have been fond of living underground in order to avoid the impact of the summer heat wave. We will take the opportunity to join them, staying in modern, well-appointed comfortable cave houses. The jagged ochre terrain and the dazzling whitewashed chimneys and doors of the caves contrast dramatically with the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, which loom to the south. On arrival in Guadix we will have some time to settle in to our comfortable cave houses, where we spend three nights. Days 2 - 3 Monday - Tuesday Guadix We have two full days in which to explore the diverse surroundings of this less visited corner of Andalucia. From Guadix one morning we will drive up to Puerto de la Ragua at an altitude of 2,000 to enjoy the aromatic Mediterranean shrubs and to look for our first endemic flowers. Sierra Nevada has the highest number of endemic plant species in Europe, with an impressive 2,100 different species of vascular plant, a quarter of those recorded in the whole of Spain. Around 70 plant species are endemic to the Sierra Nevada, including Narcissus nevadensis, Sierra Nevada sandwort (Arenaria nevadensis) and the Wormwood Artemisia granatensis. Here we must keep our eyes open for the stunning plumage of the Rock Thrush, together with Europe’s southernmost population of Citril Finch. After a sumptuous picnic lunch we will be able to admire the wonderful setting of La Calahorra castle together with acrobatic displays by the resident Choughs. © Naturetrek March 11 1
Tour Itinerary Spain - Granada & The Sierra Nevada We will also make time to thoroughly explore the nearby Zenete Plains, where Calandra, Short-toed, Crested and Thekla Larks are all targets, together with Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Rock Sparrow. The superb birding continues in a patch of open relic oak woodland, where Hoopoe, Roller, Bee-eaters and Black Wheatear are all present. The dramatic coastline of Cabo de Gata is easily accessible from Guadix and may merit a full day of exploration. Here, coastal lagoons and saltpans hold flamingos, White-headed Duck, Slender-billed and Auduoin’s Gull and a range of passage and migrant waders. A stop at a reliable spot might throw up Trumpeter Finch on our return journey in the afternoon, and Black Wheatear is probably more common here than anywhere else in Europe. Day 4 Wednesday Solynieve – Sierra Nevada Today we drive from Guadix to our base high up in the Sierra Nevada; a comfortable hotel in Europe’s southernmost ski resort ‘Sun and snow’. It’s only a short journey though, of about an hour and a half, so we will have extra time this morning to continue our exploration of Guadix and its environs, including the peculiar landscape of the “Badlands”; gorges and steep sandstone slopes eroded into weird and wonderful forms. Mediterranean xerophytic shrubs and interesting small flowering plants survive here. Continuing up into the Sierra Nevada, we will pass through a dramatic canyon with cliffs on all sides, and examine the different vegetation zones, paying particular attention to some of the aromatic Mediteranean shrubs which grow here. We will visit the Genil valley for a gentle walk through a dense Chestnut forest, enjoying some beautiful orchids and Lineria flowers. Later in the afternoon we will head to our comfortable hotel at Solynieve, where we will spend the next four nights. Day 5 - 7 Thursday - Saturday Solynieve – Sierra Nevada Our guide is familiar with the many tracks which criss-cross the mountain slopes, and we will do much gentle exploration on foot during our two full days here, enjoying the flora and butterflies in rich alpine meadows and Chestnut forests. On one morning we will visit the Botany Research Centre where some of the endangered Sierra Nevada endemics are reproduced to be reintroduced into the wild. After a delicious al fresco picnic at a beautiful viewpoint, we will go in search of butterflies and endemic flowers in the alpine meadows, where several springs and bogs support a rich flora. We will also take the opportunity to ascend towards the top of Mt Veleta by 4WD or by chairlift. Eking out an existence on the rocky slopes and in the sheltered corries, the most highly prized endemics can be found, amongst them Glacier Toadflax (Linaria glacialis), the pink-coloured Violet Viola crassiuscula, the buttercup Ranunculus acetosellifolius boissieri, Nevada saxifrage (Saxifraga nevadensis) and alpine rock cress (Arabis alpina). 2 © Naturetrek March 11
Spain - Granada & The Sierra Nevada Tour Itinerary Half an hour’s drive away is historic Granada, the jewel in the crown of which is the Alhambra; a complex of palaces and gardens of the Moorish monarchs of Granada occupying a hilly terrace on the south-eastern border of the city. At the centre of the Alhambra stands the impressive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. The rest of the Alhambra is an elaborate museum displaying exquisite Islamic artifacts and architecture. We hope to make time for a visit to the exquisite gardens and grounds of the Palace, which will surely be a fitting finale to a varied and enjoyable week in Andalucia. Day 8 Sunday In flight Today we may have time for some further exploration from our base at Solynieve before transferring back to Granada airport for our flight home. Tour grading Grade A/B. The walks are relatively easy, but with some uphill sections on rougher terrain and narrow paths. As we explore the mountains of this spectacular region our pace will be gentle, and we will frequently be merely pottering as we take a closer look at our surroundings. Granada/Alhambra extension Half an hour’s drive away from Solynieve is historic Granada, the jewel in the crown of which is the Alhambra; a complex of palaces and gardens of the Moorish monarchs of Granada occupying a hilly terrace on the south-eastern border of the city. At the centre of the Alhambra stands the impressive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. The rest of the Alhambra is an elaborate museum displaying exquisite Islamic artifacts and architecture. We is unlikely that we will have time for a visit to the gardens and grounds of the Palace, nor to the Palace itself, but you may like to spend extra nights in Granada (we can recommend a nice hotel for about £60 per person per night in a single and £90 for a double (B&B) which will surely be a fitting finale to a varied and enjoyable week in Andalucia. Flights These are likely to be from either Liverpool or Stansted (please let us know your preference upon booking) but we are also happy to investigate whether there are any alternatives from other regional airports. Weather We can expect hot weather and clear skies in Guadix with temperatures around 32°C. Sierra Nevada will see slightly cooler temperatures of around 15-20°C, cooler at sunset, with a mix of sunny and cloudy days and the possibility of short summer rainstorms. © Naturetrek March 11 3
Tour Itinerary Spain - Granada & The Sierra Nevada
Food & accommodation
This is a two-centre holiday based in two very different locations. The first part of the trip is spent in a village close
to Guadix, where we will stay in comfortable old cave-houses. They have been completely refurbished, many with
private facilities and all have central heating. The complex is 500m from a lovely village in a quiet rural environment.
For the second part of the trip we will be staying in a hotel in the Sierra Nevada Ski Resort. The rooms have central
heating, private facilities and there is even a swimming pool. The main square faces the mountains, offering wide
views of the valley.
All food and accommodation is included in the price of the holiday.
How to book your place
In order to book your place on this tour, you will need to read the Naturetrek booking conditions carefully and then
complete and return a booking form, together with a deposit of 20% of the holiday cost. If you wish to take out
insurance with us please also include this with your booking. Should you have any questions about the tour, please
call us on 01962 733051.
Sierra Nevada by Jorge Garzón Gutiérrez
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