Granada Geopark: Guadix, Gorafe, Orce and Galera by motorhome

Clay deserts, cave houses, more than two hundred dolmens and some of the oldest human remains in Europe. The Granada high plateau, a UNESCO Global Geopark, is a million-year journey in about 600 km.

Itinerary

1. 1

   MálagaStart

   Pick-up in Málaga and motorway towards Granada.

   

2. 2

   Granada+125 km

   Granada: a good first night and a tapas dinner before heading up to the plateau.

   

3. 3

   Guadix+60 km

   Guadix and its cave quarter: homes dug into the clay, with white chimneys among the hills, the cathedral and an interpretation centre inside a cave. Some caves are guest houses.

4. 4

   Mirador del Fin del Mundo+10 km

   The End of the World viewpoints, between Marchal and Beas de Guadix, look over badlands, fairy chimneys and ravines that seem to belong to another planet.

   

5. 5

   Gorafe+40 km

   Gorafe: the Megalithic Park, with more than 200 dolmens spread across the ravines, and the red-clay «Gorafe desert».

6. 6

   Orce+90 km

   Orce: the Prehistory and Palaeontology Museum explains the Venta Micena and Barranco León sites, with remains over a million years old, among the earliest evidence of humans in Western Europe.

   

7. 7

   Galera+10 km

   Galera: the Bronze Age Argaric settlement of Castellón Alto, the Iberian necropolis of Tútugi and, in the village museum, the Galera mummy, one of the best preserved in European prehistory.

   

8. 8

   Málaga+280 km

   Back to Málaga via Baza and Granada to return the motorhome.

Tips

• The End of the World and Gorafe viewpoints are reached on dirt tracks: not possible with the motorhome. Park in the village and walk up, or join a 4x4 tour from Guadix.
• The Orce museum and the Galera sites have short opening hours: call before you go.
• The plateau is at almost 1,000 m: winter nights are very cold.

Best time

Spring and autumn. The equinoxes are the recommended time to visit Castellón Alto.