Mountain Biking in the Alpujarras

Kilometres of open ground. A mountain biker's paradise..

Mountain biking and cycling are viewed as both serious sports and a relaxing pastime in Andalucia. It is not unusual to be overtaken by a group of lycra-clad cyclists tackling the steep mountain roads, or meet groups of mountain bikers riding the many superb trails and fire roads, particularly at weekends.

Not surprisingly, in a country with so many hills and mountain trails, mountain biking is such a popular sport and good quality all terrain, mountain bikes can be rented from us in Orgiva and can even be taken up into the mountains using our own specialized transport.
Guided riding by experienced guides and holiday accommodation are also readily available in the area.

In Spain as a whole, cycling is a popular competitive sport, with over 5,000 annual cycling races and events staged at all levels throughout the country. These include many professional races, such as the tour of Spain (la Vuelta, pronounced 'la Bwelta') held over three weeks in April and May and is the third most important world cycle race after the tours of France (Tour de France) and Italy (Giro d'Italia).

The Alpujarras were a curious and little known part of Spain, but are fast becoming more widely known. Set below the snow topped Sierra Nevada, the hills run east to west with a series of whitewashed villages clinging to the hillsides. For many years the Alpujarras were seldom visited due to difficulties with access. However there are now good roads throughout the region and there is an increasing year round influx of tourists.
Many foreign nationals have also made the Alpujarras their home with many old cortijos being bought and renovated as holiday homes.

The Alpujarras provide miles of walking and was voted in the top 20 walking regions in the world. The new Sulayr Way circular route around the top of the Sierra Nevada adds considerably to the interest being shown in the area.

The area is remarkably green throughout the year. This is due to the network of acequias that bring water down from the mountains in a complex series of channels to water the farmland and terraces lower down the hillsides. In spring, summer and autumn many of these channels are filled with running water. The acequias were built over a thousand years ago by the Moors who also cultivated the steep land using terraces. The combination of terraces, water and flat-roofed houses remind many people of the mountain villages of the Atlas mountains of Morocco.