Hiking Southern Spain: Authentic Andalusia — Self-Launched
6 days · Andalusia, Spain
G Adventures charges £1,149
No-markup version: ~£520 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 6-day Andalusia hiking trip: cave-house stays in Guadix, ridge walks through the Sierra Nevada foothills and Sierra de Huetor, the cliff-hugging Caminito del Rey boardwalk, and a whitewashed-village finish in Canillas de Albaida with a Cómpeta winery tasting. Everything is bookable independently — Caminito del Rey tickets direct from the official site (~€10), ALSA buses and the Málaga–Granada rail line instead of a private vehicle, and small cave hotels, hostales and rural guesthouses instead of group hotels. Priced for a solo traveller using twin/dorm or single budget rooms; hiking is self-navigated with offline maps and marked trails (GR routes), no guide required.
Day-by-day
Arrive Granada, bus to Guadix and the cave country
Granada → Benalúa de Guadix
Land in Granada (or arrive by train/bus from Málaga, Seville or Madrid) and give yourself a couple of hours in the city — the Alhambra needs pre-booked tickets weeks ahead if you want it, otherwise the Albaicín lanes and a Mirador de San Nicolás sunset are free. In the late afternoon take the regional train or ALSA bus from Granada to Guadix (roughly 50-60 min, €8-10), then a short taxi or local bus the 5 km to Benalúa de Guadix. Check into a cueva (cave house) guesthouse — several families rent cave rooms on Booking.com for €45-70 a night, including the two-night cave stay that's the signature of this trip. Evening: menú del día or tapas in Guadix's Plaza de la Constitución, where a drink usually comes with a free tapa.
🚌ALSA bus or Renfe regional train Granada–Guadix ~€9; local taxi/bus to Benalúa ~€7
🛏Cave house guesthouse, Benalúa de Guadix / Guadix (double or twin room, ~£45-60)
- →Albaicín & Mirador de San Nicolás wander (free)
- →Guadix old town and cathedral square
- →Evening tapas on Plaza de la Constitución
Badlands ridge walk to Guadix and the Cueva Museo
Benalúa de Guadix – Guadix
Self-navigate the classic cave-dwelling circuit: from Benalúa follow the marked tracks up onto the eroded badlands (the 'Barrio de Cuevas' landscape that genuinely looks like Arizona), pick up the ridge path and walk roughly 8-10 km across to Guadix, with a viewpoint stop on the way. Download the track from Wikiloc (search 'Benalúa Guadix cuevas') and carry water — this is dry, shadeless country. Lunch in Guadix's historic centre, then visit the Cueva Museo (Cueva de la Luz / cave museum, €4-5 entry, open most afternoons) to see how the cave neighbourhoods were lived in. Bus or taxi back to Benalúa for the second night in the cave house.
🚌Walking day; local bus Guadix–Benalúa ~€2 (or €7 taxi)
🛏Cave house guesthouse, Benalúa de Guadix / Guadix (second night)
- →Badlands & cave-dwelling ridge hike (~10 km, self-guided on Wikiloc)
- →Benalúa viewpoint
- →Cueva Museo entry ~€4-5
Sierra de Huetor pine forests, then transfer south to the Axarquía
Benalúa de Guadix → Canillas de Albaida
Get up early and take the local bus or taxi up to the Sierra de Huetor natural park (north of the Sierra Nevada), or hike straight from Benalúa into the pine-covered foothills — marked GR/Sendero paths give panoramic ridge views with zero crowds. Aim for 3-4 hours of walking before the heat. Early afternoon: bus/train back to Granada, then the ALSA bus Granada–Málaga (1h45, ~€12-15), changing at Málaga or Vélez-Málaga onto the local Axarquía bus to Cómpeta/Canillas de Albaida (€3-5). Total travel about 4-5 hours. Settle into a rural guesthouse in Canillas de Albaida — whitewashed village, tiny plaza, views to the Maroma peak.
🚌Local bus to Sierra de Huetor ~€3; Granada–Málaga ALSA ~€13; Vélez-Málaga–Canillas bus ~€4
🛏Rural guesthouse / hostal, Canillas de Albaida (~£40-55)
- →Sierra de Huetor pine forest hike
- →Village evening in Canillas de Albaida
Caminito del Rey — the King's little walk
Canillas de Albaida → El Chorro / Ardales
The one thing you must book in advance: Caminito del Rey entry slots are released online (caminitodelrey.info, ~€10 plus €1.55 booking fee) and sell out in high season — grab a morning slot. Take the local bus or a shared taxi to Málaga/Vélez-Málaga and the Cercanías C-2 train to El Chorro (€4-5), or drive-share if you've hired a car. The 8 km route along the restored cliff boardwalks 100 m above the gorge takes 3-4 hours including the shuttle bus back from the north exit (included in your ticket). Bring your passport/ID — it's checked at the gate — and no bags allowed on the walkways. Afternoon: swim at the Embalse de Guadalhorce if it's warm, then train and bus back to Canillas.
🚌Axarquía bus to Málaga/Vélez ~€4; Cercanías C-2 Málaga–El Chorro ~€5 return
🛏Rural guesthouse / hostal, Canillas de Albaida (second night)
- →Caminito del Rey boardwalk entry ~£10
- →El Chorro gorge viewpoints
- →Swim at Embalse de Guadalhorce
Puerto Blanquillo pass and Cómpeta wine tasting
Canillas de Albaida → Puerto Blanquillo → Cómpeta
The big hiking day: leave on foot from Canillas de Albaida along the marked trail climbing through almond and olive terraces to the Puerto Blanquillo pass at 1,260 m in the marble-rich Sierra de Almijara — roughly 4-5 hours round trip with serious elevation gain, no shade, so start by 8am. Descend the ancient mule path through fruit orchards and vineyards into Cómpeta (about 2 km further). Reward yourself at a Cómpeta bodega — Bodegas Bentomiz, Bodega La Fábrica or the village's cooperative offer tastings of moscatel and dry whites for €12-18, bookable by email or GetYourGuide the day before. Local bus or €8 taxi back to Canillas for your last night.
🚌On foot; optional local bus/taxi Cómpeta–Canillas €2-8
🛏Rural guesthouse / hostal, Canillas de Albaida (third night)
- →Puerto Blanquillo pass hike (~12 km, self-guided)
- →Cómpeta white village
- →Local winery tasting ~€15
Down to the coast and out
Canillas de Albaida → Málaga
No need for a €90 taxi: take the morning Axarquía bus down from Canillas via Cómpeta to Torre del Mar or Vélez-Málaga (€3-5), then the frequent coastal bus or Cercanías to Málaga María Zambrano (€3-4), from where the airport train runs every 20 minutes (€2.30). If you're flying from Granada instead, bus back up via Málaga or Vélez (allow 3-4 hours and ~€18). Leftover time? Café con leche and churros by the harbour in Málaga before your flight.
🚌Axarquía bus to Vélez/Torre del Mar ~€4; coastal bus/Cercanías to Málaga ~€4; airport train €2.30
🛏—
- →Málaga waterfront and market (if time allows)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£520 | £1,149 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £629 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£520
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Hiking Southern Spain: Authentic Andalusia — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £520 per person for 6 days in Andalusia, Spain. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,149 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £520 — a saving of roughly £629 (55%) per person.
How long is the Andalusia, Spain trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Andalusia, Spain.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a hiking, adventure, culture trip through Andalusia, Spain, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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