The Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, located in the province of Almería in southeastern Spain, is a 33,663-hectare peninsula of volcanic origin with many beautiful spots just waiting to be discovered! If you want to get to know a region of Andalusia that offers wild, unspoilt nature, this is the perfect horse riding tour for you! Without leaving Europe, you will discover semi-desert landscapes, palm oases, volcanic landscapes, small fishing villages and idyllic valleys. The Cabo de Gata maritime landscape is undoubtedly one of the best preserved in Europe. In addition, the climate is very pleasant, dry and mild, allowing for horse riding all year round (around 2,900 hours of sunshine per year). The climate is also the reason why the vegetation here is so unique – which is why this area has been designated a biosphere reserve. Explore the unique Cabo de Gata Natural Park on horseback, with its unspoilt beaches and hidden valleys inland. Discover breathtaking landscapes and small villages that remain unknown to most visitors. Get to know the hospitality of the people in this area. Our partner, who has been organising successful horse riding trips for 25 years, guarantees you high quality, which is also ensured by the fact that he leads the riding tours himself. Many areas in the nature park have also served as the back for numerous films – so follow in the footsteps of Indiana Jones, Lawrence of Arabia and others, and let yourself be enchanted by this region!
The film sets of old Westerns are the inspiration for the second ride. This combines Cabo de Gata, Tabernas and the Sierra Nevada. The Tabernas Trail: This extraordinary route offers the opportunity to discover three completely different ecosystems in just one week: the impressive Cabo de Gata Natural Park with its picturesque beaches; Tabernas, the only desert in Europe; and the majestic Sierra Nevada National Park, home to the highest peaks in the south. Enjoy the impressive natural landscapes on horseback at the rhythm of exciting gallops. A tour full of cultural riches, passing through the locations of famous films, villages influenced by the Muslims in the 11th century and mountains inhabited by free-roaming bulls. And, of course, a gastronomic journey where you can sample traditional Andalusian cuisine: tapas, salmorejo, fried fish, dogfish, special types of rice, grilled fish...
Get ready to experience an unforgettable adventure in an unspoilt natural environment!

Itinerary

Cabo de Gata Trail

Day 1: Arrival
Transfer to the hotel in San Jose, where you will discuss the upcoming horseback tour with your guide over dinner.

Day 2: San Jose - Genoveses Beach - San Jose
After getting to know the horses, you will ride through the western part of the nature park and pass the beaches of Genoveses, Monsúl, Media Luna and the legendary rock reef of the mermaids: these coastal sections are among the last untouched beaches of the Mediterranean with impressive white sand dunes. The large sand dunes have served as the back for several films. On the way, you will stop for a picnic near an old farmhouse. In the afternoon, you will ride into the valley ‘el tesorillo’. In the evening, you will reach the famous El Playazo beach with the castle of San Ramon. Overnight stay in the same hotel as the previous night.

Day 3: San Jose - Rodalquilar
In the northern region of the nature park are the mountains of the Sierra de Gata, which are home to ancient volcanoes, surrounded by a lunar landscape and unspoilt villages such as Los Albaricoques. On the roads of these villages, you will discover the locations where famous Western films were shot, including those by Clint Eastwood, Sergio Leone and several others. Today's picnic will be at a special place called
‘el cortijo del Fraile’. This is the place where the events that inspired the poet Federico García Lorca to write his work Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding) took place. Overnight stay in Rodalquilar.

Day 4: Rodalquilar - el Playazo - Cala Del Cuervo
Today you will explore the eastern part of the nature park. You will ride towards ‘torre de los lobos’ from where, weather permitting, you will have a view of the Sierra Nevada. You will have your picnic lunch by the sea. You will continue riding along narrow paths along the coast, past small towers and viewpoints that were once used for surveillance. On the way, you will stop for a picnic by the sea. In the evening, you will reach the famous El Playazo beach with the San Ramon castle. Overnight stay as on the previous day.

Day 5: Rodalquilar - Gold Mines - Rodalquilar
You will cross the interior of the old mines and climb up the gorges, which were once the only connection between the cortijos (farmhouses) located within the mountain range and the sea. In the Rodalquilar valley, you will discover rock faces that still hide some gold and visit the old mine that was in operation between 1933 and 1986. Overnight stay as on the previous day.

Day 6: Rodalquilar - Las Negras - Rodalquilar
You ride to Las Negras past gardens irrigated by the small river Rambla Las Agüillas. The pretty town centre of Las Negras is a cluster of white houses near the sea. Today's lunch is traditional paella and in the evening you will visit a good fish restaurant. Overnight stay as on the previous day.

Day 7: Rodalquilar - La Isleta del Moro - San Jose
Today, on your last day in this beautiful area, you will get a taste of everything again. You will ride along the coast, up into the mountains, have your picnic lunch by the sea and continue through beautiful palm tree areas. Overnight stay in San Jose.

Day 8: Breakfast and departure.
In some cases, riding on the beaches is only possible at a slow pace when there are bathers present (especially in July and August).

Tabernas Trail

Day 1: Transfer to the hotel in San Jose, where you will discuss the upcoming horse riding tour with your guide over dinner in the evening.

Day 2: Cabo de Gata Natural Park, San Jose, Munsul
After breakfast, you will saddle up the horse that will accompany you for the week. The beaches of Indiana Jones.
The trail ride takes you to the beaches of Genoveses, Mónsul and Media Luna, where scenes from ‘Indiana Jones’, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ were filmed.
After a picnic lunch, the riders return to San José through the Tesorillo Valley.

Day 3: San Jose, Rodalquilar
Today's destination is Rodalquilar in the north. The route crosses the Sierra de Gata and its lunar landscapes with craters of ancient volcanoes and stops in the small town of ‘Los Albaricoques’, where the famous scenes from ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ and ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ were filmed.
Picnic at El Cortijo del Fraile, one of the park's most iconic locations, where the events that inspired Federico García to write Blood Wedding took place.

Day 4: Rodalquilar and mines
The old gold mining route heads northwest through small gorges that were once the only link between the mountain farms and the sea. We cross the crater of the volcano that now forms the Rodalquilar Valley and pass a series of mineral walls where traces of gold can still be found. The route leads to the original mine workings, which were in operation between 1933 and 1986.

Day 5: Isleta del Moro, San Jose
The route back to San José winds along the coast, which is dotted with 18th-century watchtowers. The watchtowers were used to monitor the coast in case of pirate attacks.
Picnic on Los Escullos beach, next to San Felipe Fortress.
Transfer of customers and horses to Tabernas.
Western-style dinner at a local restaurant or BBQ on the terrace of Los Albardinales (weather permitting).
Overnight stay in Los Albardinales (Tabernas).

Day 6: Tabernas Natural Park
In the footsteps of Clint Eastwood.
In the heart of the Tabernas Desert, known as the Spanish Hollywood, we will explore canyons once travelled by legends such as Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach. The surroundings are reminiscent of Arizona and the Sonoran Desert in Mexico. In the 1960s, this place served as the back for the filming of the famous spaghetti westerns.

Day 7: Tabernas Natural Park
The oasis where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed.
Heading south, we follow the oasis canyon with its surprisingly small, scattered water channels until we reach the oasis where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed. From there, we head to Fort Bravo, where we gallop through the streets and watch the sheriff catch the bandits who robbed the bank.
Picnic in Fort Bravo, next to the Mexican town.

Day 8: Breakfast in a cafeteria near the Albardinales and check out of the hotel by 12 noon at the latest.

Subject to change!

Accomodation
You don't have to change accommodation every day on this ride. You spend the first two and the last night in San José and the nights in between in Rodalquilar.
On the Tabernas Trail, you also spend the night in Los Albardinales

Saddle & Tack: English or trekking saddles, with saddlebags for your personal belongings.

Experience: You should be confident in the saddle, be able to control your horse in all gaits and have trail experience, the terrain is sometimes demanding and the horses are sometimes led on steep passages. Riding time daily approx. 5-6 hours, 1 day 3-4 hours. Max. 90kg.

Horses: Approx. 15 good-natured and strong Hispano-Arabian and Andalusian horses.