School Blog

For those thinking of learning Spanish in Granada and hiking in the surroundings, the area around Granada often ranks highly as a choice of venues. One of the main attractions is the wide variety of landscapes that are available within a very short distance. It is an ideal area for combining a Spanish course with walking holidays.

The Sierra Nevada National Park and a lot of different natural parks offer wonderful views around almost every corner. Here you can select from a wide range of walking challenges from very easy to extremely difficult. In this area, especially in spring, there is an abundance of flora including vibrant indigenous flowers as well as rare orchids. The groves of olive, almond, orange and lemon trees offer a wide variety of new and ancient trees, some of them hundreds of years old. All year round our school offers guided walks in the afternoons.

In addition to a rich multicultural history, the Alhambra and other monuments, a student-driven nightlife, hiking in the nearby Sierra Nevada National Park offers a break from urban citylife. Spring is an excellent time for trekking tours. Enjoy the pale pink almond flowers, the snow covered peaks of Sierra Nevada and the mild sunny weather.

And if you prefer a tailor made tour with a professional guide check our combined programme Spanish & Hiking

Want to run through the snow capped mountains of Sierra Nevada, the southernmost region of Spain? Then participate in a Spanish course at our Spanish language school and enjoy hiking with us.

Also in 2020 we will surprise our students with beautiful hikes as a part of our weekly cultural programme.

Or have a look at our Spanish & Hiking package!

The Escuela Montalbán Team
 

The Alpujarra Mountains in springtime are the perfect destination to combine a Spanish course in Granada with hiking tours!

Its strategic location close to the Mediterranean sea beside the high mountains, which are declared as a National Park and Nature Reserve turns this region into the home of an authentic treasure of flora and fauna; in short, the perfect place for walking and hiking.

DESCRIPTION:
We'll drive to Güéjar Sierra and our starting and finishing point will be at an
altitude of 2,088 m.  The first part of the route will lead us to Peña Partida shelter (2 hrs.). From here you will have a privileged view of all the Sierra Nevada peaks. Then we keep ascending until we reach the entrance of the headwaters of the Lavaderos de la Reina.

In this area, you'll discover an idyllic landscape made up of waterfalls and small lakes. We'll have lunch at the lowest part of this glacial valley. We will spend two hours in the lower part, visiting the area, eating and contemplating this stunning scenery. We'll then take the route back to the Peña Partida shelter.

We recommend carrying water; we also recommend hiking sticks, sunglasses, trekking shoes, sun cream and a hat. Three layers of clothes, including a windstopper and warm clothes. We'll be at 2,600 m altitude it is necessary to bring gloves. A windstopper is useful for the hills.

Participants should take nuts, dried fruits, and sandwiches for our picnic in the countryside.

KEY FACTS:
Length: 17 km
Duration: full day
Highest point: 2,690 m
Accumulated height difference: 768m ascent
Difficulty: Medium-High. Requires resistance due to its long itinerary and high altitude.
Departure time (Granada): 7:30 am
Arrival time (Granada): 7:00 pm

Los Cahorros is a hiking trail in the lower hills of the Sierra Nevada. It's located in Monachil, a small village just 8 Kilometers from Granada's center.

Los Cahorros is a circular trail, that means you start and finish in the same place (near the restaurant). The trail is roughly 8 km long.

We can divide the trail into two parts: the first 2 km through the Los Cahorros gorge and the remaining 6 km where you have to walk up and down the hill to return to the village of Monachil. Theintoamous hanging bridges, the waterfalls swimming spots and the rocks you have to crawl under are all in the first part. The second part starts at the end of the gorge and consists of a return via a high limestone rock track.

Beautiful views, a cascading river that creates rock pools for swimming, narrow caves and tunnels that you have to crawl through or hang off the rock face, walking along the gorge and, of course, the famous hanging bridges made our day memorable and fun!

Do you love nature? Also in 2019 Paco is going to offer short hikes during the week. So students can enjoy the wondeful landscapes of Granada Province. This is a wonderful experience and a nice complement to your Spanish lessons in the morning.

So, bring your hiking shoes ... maybe the weather is fine and Paco organizes an excursion!

Granada, is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. The Alhambra has its own special beauty and charm that makes it the most visited sight in all of Spain. However, Granada, has apart from its rich history and culture, also a lot to offer to the nature lover. The nearby Natural Parks and National Park Sierra Nevada turn it into a true gem of a location for ecotourists, furthermore, its central position makes visits to other Andalusian regions a matter of a couple of hours tops. 

Sierra y Sol is a company from Granada that specializes in designing routes through the natural areas and parks of eastern Andalusia and in serving as guides for the visitors, showing them the cultural and natural heritage of the region. They offer a wide range of hiking routes, starting from an easy stroll that takes just a couple of hours, to a longer, a day or couple of days long trip, however, the focus is always the same, enjoying and discovering the great outdoors.

Have a look at their planned trips down here: Sierra y Sol

Hiking on the weekends
If you are looking for a full-day hike or a long weekend hike, you can take part in the guided hikes of the provider Sierra & Sol.

Under the direction of Teresa Madrona Moreno, day trips are offered on the weekends in the Sierra Nevada national park or in the natural parks of our province.

Scheduled hikes will start in autumn! For further information on prices and dates, please visit the Sierra & Sol website

This route literally translates to 'the washing place of the queen' and here you will hike through beautiful lush meadows that are fed by the mountain springs. The best time to visit is in spring when the mountain snow is melting, but it is possible to do the walk in summer and early autumn as well. Remember to check the conditions before you go – the area can still be snow-covered well into May or even June. The upper Lavaderos are at an altitude of over 2500m, so the walk is not accessible in winter without specialist equipment.

This is a long walk, but not particularly difficult, although there is a steady climb at the beginning, and you also need to clamber down some rocks beside the waterfall. There is no signposting, but the route is relatively easy to follow, apart from a short section around the Lavaderos, where you need to take special care in following the map and route description.

The walk starts around 10km east of Güéjar Sierra village. Access is a little difficult, as it involves driving along about 10km of unsurfaced, bumpy mountain roads. It is perfectly possible to get there in a normal car, but don't set out unless you are comfortable driving on this kind of road. From Granada, take the A-395 towards Sierra Nevada. Take the exit marked Pinos Genil, Güéjar Sierra, Dúdar, Quéntar and follow the road under the A-395 and across the river Genil. Turn right, and after 2.5km turn left for Güéjar Sierra.

When you enter the village (after 8km), take the right turn signposted Río Genil, Río Maitena. Follow the road round until you get to a set of wooden signs for accommodation and places of interest. Bear left, marked towards Sierra Nevada, Río Genil. At the next junction, turn right (signed towards Maitena, Charcón, Sierra Nevada). Just after you leave the village, take the left turn marked towards Camping Cortijo Balderas. After 2km, the road narrows, with a big rock on the right-hand side. Straight after this, turn right. The road is marked as "no entry", but don't worry about this. The road descends to the river, and a little while after this turns into a dirt track. Keep to the main track, following the signs for cyclists. Keep going until you reach a chain across the road, where the walk starts. In total, from the turn-off to the chain it is about 12km.
This walk is not accessible by public bus.

For guided hiking tours combined with a Spanish course visit our course section.