Hiking in Las Alpujarras: Top 4 Walks from Capileira
Hiking In Las Alpujarras: Top 4 Walks from Capileira Hiking in Las Alpujarras makes for a relaxing and peaceful holiday, away from the busy Spanish cities. Las Alpujarras is one of Spain’s…
Hiking in Las Alpujarras makes for a relaxing and peaceful holiday, away from the busy Spanish cities. Las Alpujarras is one of Spain’s lesser explored areas and are a string of mountain villages nestled high in the Sierra Nevada National Park. The villages were the final refuge of the Moors in Spain and their heritage is reflected in the whitewashed houses and North African architecture to this day.
Fun Fact: The Moors introduced new technology to Europe including paper and Arabic numerals to replace the Roman system.
Las Alpujarras are also famous for their ‘acequias’; ancient waterways constructed by the Moors to divert fresh meltwater from the high mountains to the villages. Each village has water fountains where you can fill your bottles with ice cold, refreshing water, ready to tackle a day of hiking in Las Alpujarras!
In our guide we’ve listed our Top 4 Walks from Capileira, including a range of difficulties and lengths. Whether you’re looking for a morning stroll or a day-long adventure there’s something for everyone.
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Many visitors from the UK will fly into Malaga which lies approximately 85 miles south west of Las Alpujarras and is well served by all UK regional airports.
We flew to Malaga from Bristol then hired a car. It’s an approximately 1 hour 45 minute drive, the first 60 miles of which is on good motorway but that’s when the fun starts! Once you have left the A7 and begin to travel upwards into the Sierra Nevada, the roads get narrower and windier. It’s good road all the way though and shouldn’t be a problem for any confident driver.
From Malaga Train Station a bus leaves hourly – after nearly 2 hours change at Granada to Capileira – as detailed below.
From Granada, take the E-902/A-44 towards Motril. Take exit 164 and take the A-348 towards Lanjarón. Carry on past Lanjarón and after a further 8km turn left onto the A-4132, marked towards Trevélez (the turning is just after you enter Órgiva). Follow this road until you get past Pampaneira, then turn up to the left following signs for Bubión and Capileira.
Capileira is served by Alsa services from Granada bus station (4 per day). Click here for more details.
We stayed at Hotel Finca Los Llanos. The 3 star hotel has rooms available from £43 per night throughout the off-peak season.
We visited at the end of March 2019, the pool was closed but it was cosy and budget friendly with great food and an acequia on the doorstep. Fresh mountain water every morning!
The Cicerone ‘Hiking in Andalusia’ guidebook also recommends Hotel Real de Poquiera, a 3 star hotel at around £55 per night.
Hostal Pampaneira – A rustic and traditional Spanish hotel, 3 stars around £40 per night.
Villa Turistica de Bubión – a comfortable hotel located in the quiet village of Bubion. A 3 star hotel, rooms from £35 per night.
Casa Tita María – A cosy guesthouse, with a peaceful and airy atmosphere. Rated 3 stars and rooms from £60 per night.
An alternative option could be the sleepy hamlet of Ferreirola, although we didn’t visit here and it is a short drive away from the walks listed in this article. The guide book recommends Casa Anna.
The following walking routes are all covered on the excellent Alpina 1:40,000 Map of the Sierra Nevada National Park. You may also find the Walking in Andalucia guide book by Guy Hunter-Watts useful, although only numbers 1 and 2 of our list are featured in the book.
A lengthy gorge walk weaving through an abandoned village, passing ancient Moor ruins and culminating with a view of several 3000m peaks. The highlight being the breath-taking view of Mulhacén , the highest mountain in mainland Spain.
The trail begins on the outskirts of the quaint village of Capileira, a wooden signpost with ‘PRA-69 – La Cebadilla’ directs you up a stone path. Having passed a white hut and skirted a water treatment structure you begin the descent into Poqueira Gorge via a dirt road.
Soon you stumble upon the deserted village of La Cebadilla. Passing the abandoned apartments and peering through the gaps between the boards at the deserted church, sends chills down your spine.
Fun Fact: La Cebadilla was built in the 1950’s to house the 200 workers for the Hydro-Electric Power Station but has since been abandoned. Along with the remains of many houses, the ghost town also includes an eerily deserted church and abandoned school.
Continue up towards La Cebadilla Power Station crossing the tumultuous river at the concrete bridge. At the sign for Refugio, branch off on the smaller dirt path, following the odd rock sprayed with paint.
As you zig zag up the hillside you may be lucky enough to come across some local and albeit, smelly wildlife… mountain goats.
Passing several old farm and Moor buildings, the rocky path eventually begins to descend towards Sendero Acequias del Poqueira. Having crossed a dried riverbed you then reach the turbulent white water of the Naute River. The path crosses two picturesque stoney bridges before reaching a fork at the remains of Cortijos de Naute, an abandoned farm.
Fork right, weaving through rocks, overgrown foliage and climbing steadily up the valley. Several small footbridges, a fork right and yet another ruin later you come to Cortijo de las Tomas the abandoned farm that marks the halfway point.
Perched on a hump, the idyllic picnic spot sits in the shadows of the mighty Mulhacén with views stretching far into the green valley below. You can even spot the cosy Refugio de Poqueira nestled in the side of the rocky face.
Fun Fact: Cortijo de las Tomas means ‘The Farm of The Water Sources’. The farm is the beginning of several Acequia, waterways built by the Moors transporting mountain melt water down the valley, some of which stretch several kilometres.
Having fully taken in the breath-taking view and clear mountain air, leave Las Tomas following the fence until you spot a waymarking post. The path continues on crossing several streams, passing even more abandoned buildings and a handy information board detailing all the peaks in view.
Eventually the undulating path evens out and a gradual and steady descent alongside an Acequia takes you into a fresh pine forest.
Keep straight, branching off the road and onto a dirt footpath before re-joining the first rocky path passing the white hut and back into peaceful Capileira.
Top Tip: A fun alternative would be to combine this route with a summit attempt of Mulhacén. Though we’d recommend you spread this across two days and include an overnight stay at the Poqueria Refuge.
An all time favourite, this route would certainly make the list of our top 50 favourite hikes.
Not only do you pass through a Ghost Town and ruins of several farms, the incredible views of Mulhacén and the other 3000 meter peaks nearby is one you won’t forget.
Nature also plays a huge part in making this walk unforgettable, passing mountain goats, cows and endless fresh water streams.
Top Tip: Try filling your bottle with the fresh melt water running straight from the source in one of the many Acequia along the route. Delicious!
As a circular trail this route can be joined from which ever of the three villages you prefer, Capileira, Bubion and Pampaneira. The route we took begins on the outskirts of Capileira, to the south of the village.
Following a sign for Puente Chiscar bear right, descending down around the edges of the village passing another sign for Camino de las Higuerillas. Snaking down the valley the track soon narrows and eventually joins a stream. Following the water until you reach a slate marked ‘Bubion’, follow this over the small bridge.
The path eventually reaches the outskirts of Bubion where you see a sign ‘PR’. Pass the football pitch and you eventually arrive at the peaceful and quaint town square.
Top Tip: If you get lost in the maze of cobbled streets look for the church spire and that will lead you to the main square.
Unlike the other towns, Bubion isn’t bustling with tourists and coffee shops, it feels untouched and is a great spot to sit and have a packed lunch before carrying on into the much larger and noticeably busier, Pampaneira.
Head down past the church following a signpost for GR7 ‘Pampaneira’, weaving downhill you eventually reach the white buildings of the village.
Fun Fact: At nearly 9000km the GR7 is the longest hiking route in Europe and links Tarifa in Spain with Athens in Greece.
The bustling village is a labyrinth of streets and can be hard to navigate so when choosing your route make sure to head downhill until you reach the church courtyard and main square.
From here it’s back toward Capileira and the end of the circuit. With your back to the main entrance of the church, head towards the right corner and follow the covered street as it continues to the outskirts of the village. The cobbled street comes to a dead end, take the last right before the end and you’ll see a footpath. Continue on the undulating path, passing a boulder the size of a house and crossing a footbridge.
The path then becomes steep and loose before re-joining the lush grassland on the other side of the gorge. The trail continues up and along the valley with stunning views of the towns you’d just passed through on the other side.
Turn right in the wooded area heading down to a river, once crossed you’re on the home stretch, head uphill on the GR240 until you reach the outskirts of Capileira.
Winding through quaint grassland, pine forests, bustling villages and climbing steep rocky slopes, the diverse terrain means there’s never a dull moment on this walk.
There’s plenty of photo opportunities on this trail, passing through 3 traditional Andalusian villages as well as seeing them all from afar nestled amongst the stunning mountainous landscape.
A shorter circuit passing through the quaint villages of La Alpujarra, including sections of the famous GR7 Route.
As we were staying in Capileira we began at the top of the village. From Fincos Los Llanos Hotel follow the road as it gently climbs uphill out of the village towards Peña del Ángel. At the first sharp bend, marked by a heavily graffitied building continue straight onto a dirt track, fork right with the rocky outcrop, Peña del Ángel on your right.
Two towers, previously electricity pylons mark the next junction, meeting the GR7 which you could follow down to Bubion or…
Top Tip: Don’t join the GR7 just yet! Continue on straight towards a U Bend, this is a favourite spot for Spanish Ibex and also rewards you with incredible views on a clear day, reaching as far as Morocco.
If you took the detour, once you’ve taken in the views follow the U Bend down, passing to the left of a fenced building. With a few vertigo inciting drops the dirt path eventually joins the GR7. Follow it downhill until you reach the first buildings of Bubion.
Once you’ve reached the main road turn right and head uphill. Shortly after the Villa Tourista, a house with a fairly off-putting ‘Private Property’ sign marks the next step. Take the trail going between the house and garage, continue on as it forks left above a breezy orchard until you reach an imposing chestnut tree. Keeping right, the trail comes to an end as you arrive at Municipal Park on the outskirts of Capileira.
The short trail, that could be completed in a morning, offers incredible panoramic views of the Sierra Nevada. On a clear day the views may even stretch as far as the African Continent, with Morocco perched on the horizon.
With the chance to also test out a short section of the famous GR7 and enjoy a peaceful break in Bubion.
At 3479m above sea level, Mulhacén is a non-technical climb and a great introduction to altitude. Climbing Mulhacén from Hoya Del Portillo is a relatively easy hike with little technical or navigational difficulties. It is however a long day and many find it challenging physically.
Top Tip: Another of our all time favourite routes, we loved it so much we posted a step by step guide and video, check it out here!
The highest mountain in mainland Spain, offers panoramic and unforgettable views from the snowy summit. Mountain Ibex and peaceful ponies will keep you company as you climb the mighty mountain on rocky paths and trek through fresh pine forests.
If multi-day hiking or ‘thru hikes’ are more you thing, why not try out the GR7 & GR240.
Walking in Andalucía a guide book by Guy Hunter-Watts has 36 walks in and around Andalucía’s Natural Parks.
Alternative Guidebook option – Walking and Trekking in the Sierra Nevada: 38 walks, scrambles and multi-day traverses.
The weather in Las Alpujarras is similar to the lower lands of Spain, but generally milder.
Winter (Dec. – Feb.) see’s plenty of snow and cold temperatures, highs of around 12 degrees Celsius.
Spring (Mar. – May), temperatures begin to rise, with rain still frequently looming. An ideal season for budget travellers and great temperatures for hiking in Las Alpujarras.
Summer (June-Aug.) has the highest temperatures and prices! The most popular tourist season with very little chances of rain and highs of around 33 degrees Celsius.
Autumn (Sept. – Nov), temperatures begin to cool and another great season for budget travellers. Highs still reaching up to 30 degrees whilst lows generally around 10 degrees. However snow and rain become more frequent.
The best time to go hiking in Las Alpujarras is late spring and early summer. Temperatures are beginning to rise, whilst prices remain low for flights and accommodation.
We visited in March 2019, which was ideal as it was lovely and quiet whilst still being the perfect temperature for hiking. There were a few rainy days but that didn’t stop us exploring the villages.
Autumn is also a great time to go hiking in Las Alupjarras as temperatures start to cool and tourism begins to die down. So another perfect season for budget travellers.
If you prefer the heat of summer and don’t mind the heavy foot traffic from tourism then you’ll be guaranteed sun if you visit during the summer months.
Hiking in Europe during Spring, Summer and Autumn generally requires the same kit, unless you’re going in winter then it’s whole other ball game.
We put together a detailed hiking kit list for hiking the Alta Via 1 trail in the Italian Dolomites. Generally you will want to pack the same items and unless you’re doing a through hike, hiking in Las Alpujarras will require only a day pack to take with you each day.
If you’re going in winter you will need a lot more specific gear, such as ice axes, crampons and thicker jackets.
Things we always carry in our day packs: Water bottle, spare socks, waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm layer (eg fleece), gloves, hat, sunglasses, snack bars, emergency shelter and a small first aid kit.
If you want any more tips and advice or if you’re planning a hiking trip and want to tell us about it, get in touch through our contact us page or on social media.
We hope this inspired you and thanks for reading!
Nick and Eve
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