Compare Canyoning, Trekking and Kayaking in Andalusia by Rug & Rock Adventures vs The Spanish Essence & Wellness in Granada by Iberian Escapes

Day 1: Arrival: Your first taste of Malaga

Meal: Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Almuñecar or Otivar

You’ll start the adventure on the outskirts of historic Malaga, meeting at the airport, before driving through the beautiful Costa Tropical landscape to where you’ll have lunch. From here, you’ll either head down to the sun-kissed coastal resort town of Almuñecar and stay there overnight, or climb into the hills above Almuñecar to stay at accommodation in the scenic mountain village of Otivar, along the ancient road called Sospiro de los Moros (“sigh of the Moors”) that connects Almuñecar with Granada, 80 kilometres to the north.

Day 2: Full Canyoning Day in The Rio Verde

Meal: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Alpujarras

Today is canyoning day! You’ll start with an early breakfast in beautiful Almuñecar, followed by a 2-hour drive to the end of the Rio Verde canyon. You’ll get your first sight of the sunlit green waters, deep rock pools and thundering waterfalls of this exceptionally beautiful (and understandably popular) part of Andalusia, your home for the rest of the day. Activities will include rappelling and swimming, and jumps and slides will be optional. All equipment will be provided and training given in situ. After a long, exciting day of abseiling, scrambling and splashing around, you’ll make our way to the scenic village of Capileira, deep in the picturesque Alpujarras region on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, where we’ll have dinner and spend the night.

Canyoning Experience: 6 - 8 hours.

Day 3: Trek the Villages Of The Alpujarras - Day One

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Trevélez

You’ll leave Capileira early, trekking upslope until we get to Hoya de Portillo (2160 metres) where the road runs out. Your 6-hour walk will take you across some of the most beautiful scenery of the Alpujarras region, with terrific views above and below. Your destination for the night is Trevélez, a beautiful settlement of whitewashed buildings in the traditional Alpujarras style - and one of Europe’s highest towns above sea level (1,486 metres). Upon arrival you’ll head to our hotel, where you’ll be based for the next two nights.

Day 4: Trek the Villages Of The Alpujarras - Day Two

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Trevélez

You’ll leave your hotel at 9am to take a 2-hour trek along the Trevélez river, enjoying the beautiful landscape, before ascending the road towards Siete Lagunas, under some of the Sierra Nevada’s highest peaks, rising above 1000 metres and crossing several barrancos (river valleys). After you cross the Rio Cula Perro, you’ll loop round and come back down the hillside until you find the Rio Trevélez and follow it back into Trevélez, where you’ll spend the evening.

Trekking: 6 - 8 hours.

Day 5: A Coastal Trek Along The Cabo de Gata

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Cabo de Gata

Welcome to Cabo de Gata - Andalusia’s largest coastal protected area, a designated UNESCO Biosphere reserve, and the only part of Europe with a true hot desert climate! (The average yearly temperature here is above 18 degrees Celsius.) After an early start in the beautiful whitewashed resort village of Agua Amarga, you’ll walk to Cala de Enmedio at the other side of the bay, a tiny beach with stunningly clear blue waters, fine golden sand and fossilized dunes leading into the sea. Then you trek to Cala San Pedro, a huge wide beach surrounded by rocky headlands and popular with off-the-grid communities, before ending your walk at Las Negras, a coastal fishing village named after the black stones from a nearby mountain that are scattered along the shoreline. Our home for the night is the Hotel la Isleta del Moro, where you all have dinner together tonight and will be based for the next two nights.

Trekking: 6 hours.

Day 6: Kayaking The Cabo de Gata

Meal: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Cabo de Gata

If yesterday’s walk made you want to leap into the water, today’s adventure will fulfil that wish - and then some. You’re kayaking along the coastline, taking in some of the most stunning beaches on this stretch of coast and arguably in the whole of Spain, including Los Escullos, Playazo, rounding the point at Faro de Cabo de Gata (lighthouse and promontory), the beach at La Fabriquilla, and finally the spectacular rocky outcrops of El Arrecife de las Sirenas, beloved by kayakers and scuba-divers. (Note: visiting El Arrecife de las Sirenas will be dependent on climate & sea conditions on the day.) Then it’s back to the Hotel la Isleta del Moro to relax for the evening.

Trekking: 6 hours.

Night: Hotel in Cabo de Gata

Day 7: Exploring Axarquia’s Villages / Highest Mountain

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Malaga

Today you get to choose your own adventure. You’re visiting Axarquia, a scenic and historic coastal region east of Malaga filled with towns that make up the “Costa Del Sol Orient”. You can collectively decide to explore the towns and villages of this region - or you can take the more demanding trek up La Maroma, the region’s highest peak (2,069 metres), surrounding ourselves with rolling pine tree forests, wild goats, eagles and falcons, and enjoying a view of the Sierra Nevada to the east and even Africa to the south. You get to choose!

At the end of the day, you’ll transfer to your hotel in Malaga for the night.

Walking: 4 - 6 hours.

Day 8: Leaving From Malaga

Meal: Breakfast

After a last breakfast together at the hotel, the trip comes to an end - but if time allows, you still have a little of the ancient city of Malaga to explore. It’s 2,800 years old, but is currently enjoying a new lease of life thanks to various reconstruction programmes and heavy investment in the arts & culture scene. Visit the port, the shopping precinct, the cathedral, or the famous Automobile & Fashion Museum. Explore its history with visits to the Gibralfaro Castle, the Alcazaba and the ancient Roman Theatre - or follow the footsteps of former resident Pablo Picasso. Dine on some of the best seafood you’ll find in Spain - and sample Malaga’s signature sweet wine.

Farewell, and see you next time!

Day 1: Airport Pick Up + Hotel Check In

Welcome to a city of fascinating history and beauty - Granada - one of Spain's most cherished treasures known as the "Moorish jewel." We welcome you, to explore this city of endless sunshine, the land of spirited literary heroes, the birthplace of tapas & fiery flamenco dancing, combined with an endless pampering session and a treat for the senses.

Hotel Alhambra Palace

Welcome to the most wonderful hotel in Granada - The 5-star Hotel Alhambra Palace. The oldest five-star hotel in Spain, with its 109 years of history, we can assure you will be transported to a world of unique art. Luxury from the moment you step into the reception of this breath-taking building. Here, at your Classic Twin Bedroom - with a room overlooking the lovely Alhambra Gardens and Granada town, you'll have an experience of a lifetime, with a promise you'll be treated like royalty (quite in the literal sense of the word). The Spanish royals such as King Alfonso XIII, King Juan Carlos I, Queen Sofia, and the new King Felipe VI de Bourbon have stayed at the Hotel Alhambra Palace. Additionally, the kings of Belgium, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, the Princes of Persia and Iran, the Duke of Windsor & the Prince of Wales among many others. And just to feed the most curious, other personalities such as the Dalai Lama, John D Rockefeller, and Stephen Hawking have also stayed.

Overnight: Granada

Day 2: One and Only Alhambra and Nasrid Palace Guided Tour

Meals included: Breakfast

During today, you will visit one of the most important monuments of the Nasrid Empire in the Iberian Peninsula, the Alhambra in Granada. Known as "The Jewel of Muslim origin" and one of the 'new' seven wonders of the modern world. It is listed as one of the most beautiful places on the planet and is the biggest tourist attraction in Spain. Its huge gardens and its different rooms reflect the legacy of the different religions and cultures that passed through Granada. This tour, inside the Alhambra, will be chaired by an official Tour Guide who will accompany visitors during the four hours of the visit. The Palace of Carlos V, the Fountain of the Lions, the Generalife Gardens and the impressive Nasrid Palaces are some of the jewels that compliment this architectural marvel and that you will surely fulfill all your expectations!

Overnight: Granada

Day 3: Your Own Perfume Workshop & Perfume Sensorial Experience

Meals included: Breakfast

Unlock your creativity! Smell the fragrance blotters and let your emotions guide you to create your own unique fragrance. Throughout the workshop, there will be a professional perfumer who will guide you and give you a theoretical introduction and first steps in your own perfume composition. There will be a variety of base formulas such as Cologne, Eau Fraîche, Oriental, Chypre and Fougère. You'll get to know and discover which raw materials are used in perfumery; how to compose your own formula and custom-made fragrance in combination with help from the perfumer, with the usage of the perfumer's tools, and knowledge of the exclusive rare and precious essential oils used in fragrances. We are sure, this will be an unforgettable one-of-a-kind experience for your senses!

Overnight: Granada

Day 4: Mind and Soul Tranquility Arab Bath Experience

Meals included: Breakfast

As we aim to be your hosts in this continuous and satisfying wellness experience in Granada, we invite you to discover the typical Arab Bath Sessions which aim to provide the state of calm and serenity necessary to connect with the inner you in a very decadent and unique setting. It's guaranteed that you'll experience pleasure and relaxation that, after caring for your body and awakening your senses, are the doors to inner equilibrium. We have scheduled a MIDRA 60' Arab Bath - which consists of an hour long Water Journey, full of serenity and tenderness. Traditional Kessa of 15' - a full ritual with purification on a hot stone bed & a relishing Relaxing massage of 30' - an exclusive massage using the essential oils which are the aroma of the hammam.

Overnight: Granada

Day 5: City Casual Tapas Tour – Morning

Meals included: Breakfast, Tapas

In the Morning: We have reserved, a real tapas experience for you! This tour consists not only of a simple Tapas Tasting, as you will see that going for tapas is much more than enjoying good food. It involves socialising, engaging with strangers in the most spontaneous way, chatting with the staff and ... eventually, enjoying your tapas! You'll surely get to test your Spanish language skills, since you need to fight for the waiter’s attention during peak hours. It’s all part of the fun. And when it comes to tapas we can’t agree more with the saying “the more the merrier”! This is a 3-stop walking tour around the iconic tapas bars of Granada where you will learn about the food culture behind the tapas, their origin and what sets apart the Granada tapas from the rest of Spain.

Unique Flamenco Live Show Experience - Evening

In the Evening: Olé! Be ready to be transported to a world of bright polka-dot dresses, clacking heels, and heart-stirring music in one of Granada's myriad of flamenco show venues. Since flamenco got its start in Andalucía it's become the most genuine manifestation of this unique form of art, which we can guarantee you'll feel welcomed into an intimate performance, right in the heart of the caves of Sacromonte!

Overnight: Granada

Day 6: Departure

Meals included: Breakfast

Today you are scheduled to be checking out of your hotel. Depending on your availability, feel free to explore and discover a little more of what Granada has to offer. Either going for a lovely walk downtown or simply spending your day relaxing by the towns square with a lovely glass of Andalusian Wine, enjoying the sunshine. Or, if you'd like any further experiences or tours, feel free to contact your Concierge - Iberian Escapes - we happy to assist at any time.  Since it's time to say goodbye - We believe you are now richer in experiences and emotions and have, hopefully, made unforgettable memories for the rest of your life. Promise yourself “I’ll be back” – as we will be waiting for you for your next adventure around the Iberian Peninsula.