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British mountaineers and walkers have largely ignored the mountains of Spain's Sierra Nevada. With attractions such as the Alps and Pyrenees closer at hand, few have gone far enough south to discover these wild and barren peaks. With massive overcrowding and exploitation of the Alps, and increasingly of the Pyrenees too, many walkers and climbers are eagerly looking for new areas to try. The Sierra Nevada allows us to recapture the solitude and sense of adventure sadly lacking among the more popular ranges. The nature of these mountains is quite unlike the more famous ranges further north; there are no Matterhorns or Eigers here. The striking thing about the high Sierrra Nevada is the sense of space and the impression of vast scale. Although lacking the spectacular peaks of the Alps, there are wonderful mountain corries filled with sparkling tarns and jagged and pinnacled ridges.
Early autumn and the spring are ideal times to visit. The weather is cool enough for the lowlands, yet warm and dry enough for the high mountains. Snow will linger on the high peaks for much of the year. We run these popular trips from mid-May through to the end of November. We aim to cover all the main 3,000 metre peaks of the Sierra Nevada in one week by. Transport support is provided to ensure we are able to traverse the main sections of the range. The walking is quiet and unspoilt but a certain amount of resilience is required as it is remote and rough. This tour is quite strenuous and should be undertaken by strong hill walkers. Accommodation is either in secluded campsites in the mountains, private villa in Lanjaron or in mountain huts.

The trek can be tailored somewhat to the wishes of the group. Scrambling sections may be included or omitted as required. There are very expansive and dramatic views but in general no great head for heights is necessary. A gradual rise to the 3,000-metre level ensures altitude does not become a major problem.

4WD vehicles will take our camping gear and food to the first nights stop at the Caballo Hut. Thereafter we traverse the range and taking in the highest peaks in mainland Spain before dropping down to the very picturesque Siete Lagunas (Valley of the Seven Lakes). Here we spend two nights before descending to the highest village in Spain, Trevelez, for a celebration wine tasting in a local bodega. More information on the hills and mountains can be found in the excellent guidebook, "Walking in the Sierra Nevada of Spain" by Andy Walmsley (Cicerone Press).

A typical itinerary (weather dependent):
Day 1 - Arrive Granada/Malaga airport. Transfer to Lanjaron.
Day 2 - Walk up to a campsite near the Laguna de Caballo (2,800m).
Day 3 - Ascent of Cerro de Caballo (3,011m) and walk to Elorietta Hut via Tajos Altos. (5hrs)
Day 4 - Traverse Tajos de la Virgen, Veleta (3,398m) and walk down to Poqueira Hut. (5hrs)
Day 5 - Ascend Mulhacen (3,479m) and drop down to Siete Lagunas for overnight camp. (6hrs)
Day 6 - Ascend Alcazaba (3,364m) and walk along NE ridge. Return to campsite. (5hrs) Descend to Trevelez for wine tasting in local bodega. (3hrs) Transport back to Lanjaron.
Day 7 - Transfer to Granada/Malaga airport for flight home..

PRICE WITH ACCOMMODATION, ACTIVITIES AND AIRPORT TRANSFERS
€100 (approx £70) per person per day
Price includes:
Airport transfers, holiday activity as described, accommodation in villa, bunkhouse, hotel or mountain hut, local transport and backup vehicles, experienced Alpine and UK guides, gear hire if req'd (axe, crampons, helmet, harness, skis or snowshoes)