Gravel Bike Adventures
Imagine discovering the kind of deserted backroads that gravel bikers dream about; with stunning views, pretty villages and all the details taken care of for you. Come and find out why Andalucía is gravel’s best kept secret.
Find your perfect Spanish gravel bike trip within Pure Mountains’ range of centre-based holidays and point-to-point tours, with options for guided and self-guided adventures. All the details are on this page, but in summary, we offer:
Centre-based:
- The Essential Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Holiday offers quintessential gravel riding, with the Pure Mountains lodge as your basecamp. Choose between guided and self-guided options.
Point-to-point:
- The Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour explores the north and south faces of the Sierra Nevada range and the undiscovered Sierra de Gádor. Choose between guided and self-guided.
- The Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour is an other-wordly riding experience. Choose between two riding grades and between guided and self-guided.
- Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour is the ultimate gravel challenge: a guided, high-altitude adventure culminanating in Europe’s highest rideable mountain pass.
The Essential Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Holiday
“The routes were epic and included Gucci gravel and the rougher stuff. We were on our own with only goats and the occasional cow for company, the views were big, the weather was warm. It was truly amazing cycling. If you want a gravel adventure I highly recommend.” Google Review by Sarah Bryson, 2024.
The guided and self-guided formats of the Essential Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Holiday by Pure Mountains are both based at our beautiful mountain lodge. Our Dates & Prices page shows when each type of holiday is available.
On this centre-based, ride-in, ride-out adventure, you’ll explore the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. This area is criss-crossed by a wonderful network of gravel roads.
Your routes will include spectacular wilderness passes, magical forest roads, beautiful valleys and traditional villages. There will be demanding climbs and exhilarating descents. You’ll pass through a variety of micro-climates on the way. The average day is about 50km to 60km, with 1000m to 2000m of climbing. We can adjust these, if you would prefer a more or less challenging trip. Being centre-based, unlike a point-to-point bike trip, you’re not under time pressure to get to the next place and you don’t have to unpack and pack more than once!
The surfaces range from fine to chunky gravel and some tarmac/asphalt. We recommend a gravel bike with at least 40mm tyres. A good alternative is a hardtail mountain bike.
On the guided trips, our professionally-qualified guides specialise in tailoring the rides to your abilities, which they can do because of the small group size and their intimate knowledge of these mountains. Our guest to guide ratio is a maximum of four to one, which our guests love.
Essential Sierra Nevada Gravel Itinerary
This itinerary may be varied according to the time of year, current conditions and guests’ riding experience.
Day 1. Arrival.
Arrive Málaga airport. Transfer to the lodge accommodation. Bike assembly, with a helpful bike mechanic on hand. Briefing from your hosts and guides. Dinner at the lodge.
Day 2. Route 1.
Descend through the village of Bérchules and then head towards Mecina Bombarón on asphalt. You then ride north up a wildly scenic gravel road to approximately 2000m. From here follow the beautiful ‘pista forestal’ all the way around the mountains before a final descent to the lodge.
39km. 1140m of elevation. 20% tarmac, 80% gravel.
Day 3. Route 2.
Today you descend to the village of Bérchules and then ride towards the head of the magnificent Bérchules valley. Once on the high road, you ride west and south along gravel trails that flow in and out of the forest until you crest the high point of 2000m. Then you make your way down to the village of Juviles and carry on down to the quaint hamlet of Lobras. From here you head up towards Bérchules and back to the lodge.
53km. 1800m of elevation. 20% tarmac, 80% gravel (including some gorgeous singletrack).
Day 4. Route 3.
Today begins with a transfer to the village of Válor where you start the day’s main climb through the charming, but steep, village. This road soon turns into gravel and you keep pedalling up to 2000m. Here you turn westwards and follow a contouring, and astonishingly dramatic, mountain gravel road, all the way back to the lodge.
44km. 1480m of elevation. 99% gravel.
Day 5. Route 4.
Today you ride down through Bérchules and on to Cádiar, our little local town, famous for its wine fountain. From here, you follow a rambla or dry riverbed east through dramatic wild west scenery, with sandy cliffs that are home to numerous bird colonies. A climb takes you south and up into the Contraviesa mountains. Trails through olive and almond groves eventually descend back down to Cádiar. From here you climb back to the lodge.
56km. 1860m of elevation. 20% tarmac, 80% gravel.
Day 6. Departure.
An early transfer to Málaga airport.
Essential Sierra Nevada Gravel. What’s Included?
- On guided trips:
- four days of professionally-guided rides, with a ratio of one guide to four riders.
- vehicle support to carry extra food and water, kit and spares and to offer a lift if needed.
- On self-guided trips:
- four days of detailed GPX routes to load onto your navigation device/phone (we can help with this), trip notes and personalised briefings.
- On all trips:
- Five nights’ accommodation at the Pure Mountains lodge.
- Delicious food. Full board: all breakfasts, picnic / packed lunches and evening meals.
- Beer and wine at the lodge, including Pure Mountains real ales.
- Málaga airport transfers (pick up 16.00, drop off 10.00).
Essential Sierra Nevada Gravel. What’s Not Included?
- Flights/train to Málaga
- Bike / e-bike rental
- Total Bike Care Package
- Tips
Discounts
If you do not need airport transfers, there is a €40/£35 ‘no transfers’ discount per person.
For groups of six people, there is a discount of 60% on the price of the holiday for the group organiser. For a group of seven this rises to 70% and for eight to 80%.
Non-cyclists and 13 to 17 year olds are welcome and pay 75% of the holiday price.
Essential Sierra Nevada Gravel. Dates & Booking
Click below to see Dates & Prices. Prices are based on two people sharing a room. If you come on your own, we may allocate you a room with another guest of the same sex. You can guarantee that you will have a room to yourself by paying a 20% single room supplement.
The Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour
“Outstanding gravel trip in Sierra Nevada… Extremely well organised and supported…Good hotels and mechanical support…Great variety of trails of the right length and grade; and very competently and safely guided…A great riding experience with truly amazing views.” Google review by Tim McM, 2025.
Explore some of the most beautiful mountains in Europe on this Pure Mountains gravel bike tour. Ride the most spectacular routes of the north and south sides of the Sierra Nevada, La Alpujarra and the mighty Sierra de Gádor. This is our home turf and our meticulous research and endless scouting mean that we can take you to places way off the beaten track.
Choose between guided and self-guided tours.
Read a first-hand account of the inaugural Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour on our blog!
Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour Highlights
- Endless wilderness gravel roads.
- Deep forest and exposed mountain sides.
- Echoes of the desert, with dry riverbeds and dramatic cliffs.
- Beautiful, traditional white villages.
- Remote, traffic-free tracks.
- Handpicked boutique accommodation.
- No van transfers, except on arrival and departure day.
- While you’re riding, we take care of everything else.
Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour; The Route & The Riding
This is a linear 230km tour, with 5280 metres of climbing. The route is roughly 90% medium to chunky gravel and 10% quiet tarmac/asphalt. You can ride this route with a rigid gravel bike, but we recommend at least 40mm tyres. A great alternative is a hardtail mountain bike. This is a relatively high-altitude tour, which makes it ideal for spring through to autumn. You will be in remote areas.
Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour Itinerary
Day 1. Arrival
Transfer from Málaga or Almería to the village of La Calahorra, tucked in at the foot of the northern slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Your baronial but bike-friendly hotel has views of the magnificently imposing castle, which has been used as a filming location, from westerns to Game of Thrones.
Day 2. Stage 1
Your first ride takes you north through the Guadix high plains, towards the Sierra de Baza. You ride on a mixture of gravel and quiet tarmac, through the windmill fields, and then climb to a ridge. From here you descend to the village of Gor, where two bars offer coffee-break opportunities. From Gor, a wildly-scenic climb takes you to the high point of the day at 1800m. From here you descend back to the plains and pedal through the village of Huéneja, to your surprisingly high-tech, stylish hotel at the foot of the mountains.
Distance 65km. Climbing 1190m.
Day 3. Stage 2
After a nutritious breakfast, you ride out of the hotel and straight onto a wonderful gravel track that heads upwards and south west into the Sierra Nevada mountains. You’ll be skirting the border of Granada and Almería Provinces as you climb to the Puerto de la Ragua pass at 2000m. Here you cross definitively into Almería Province as you head south and east along the wild Sierra Nevada ridgeline. After the day’s high point of 2290m, you wind your way down to the lovely little town of Laujar de Andarax. You’re now in La Alpujarra, the south-facing foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Home for the next two nights is a welcoming, family-run hotel just on the edge of Laujar.
Distance 57km. Climbing 1400m.
Day 4. Stage 3
Today you’ll ride a jaw-dropping loop around the mighty Sierra de Gádor. You head south east from Laujar and through the village of Fondón before starting to climb through forests, on perfect gravel, up to the high point of 1600m. From here, you wind your way around the mountain and back to base in Laujar.
Distance 55km. Climbing 1280m.
Day 5. Stage 4
Your last day’s ride is a stunning journey through desert-like scenery, as you ride west through La Alpujarra, crossing back into Granada Province. After breakfast, you head west from Laujar and ride through remote villages before reaching the small town of Ugíjar around lunchtime. From here, a stiff but beautiful climb, followed by a breath-taking descent and a wild dry riverbed ride, take you to your last night’s destination, a beautiful rural inn just outside of the village of Cádiar. We recommend a celebratory drink on the terrace as you watch the sun set over the peaks and valleys of the Sierra Nevada.
Distance 53km. Climbing 1410m.
Day 6. Departure
Transfer back to Málaga or Almería airport.
Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour. What’s Included?
- On guided tours:
- Four days of professionally-guided rides.
- 4×4 vehicle support. Your luggage is transported in the support vehicle, which is on hand to provide water, cold drinks, spares and moral/physical support, if needed. You only need to carry a day pack.
- Five nights’ accommodation, all meals (breakfast, packed lunch, dinner).
- Málaga airport transfers.
- On self-guided tours:
- Four days of detailed GPX routes to load onto your navigation device/phone (we can help with this), and a detailed dossier covering all aspects of the itinerary, including emergency contact details.
- Five nights’ accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, with recommended lunch and dinner options.
- Luggage transfers from each accommodation to the next.
Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour. What’s Not Included?
- Flights/train to Spain
- On self-guided tours, transfers from your airport/station to the start point of the tour, and back from the end point, are not included, but we can help you to arrange these. Most guests arrive in Málaga, but Almería is another option. You can also catch a train to Guadix, which is a 20 minute taxi ride from the start point of the tour. We can also arrange for your bike bag/box to be transported from the start point to the end point.
- Bike/e-bike rental
- Tips
Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour. Dates & Booking
The Sierra Nevada Gravel Bike Tour runs from the beginning of March to the end of June, and from the beginning of September to the end of December. Click below to see Dates & Prices. If you have a group of four or more, please contact us to arrange dates to suit you.
Prices are based on two people sharing a room.
The Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour
“Over five memorable days, we had ridden over 300km of some of southern Spain’s finest gravel trails. We’d climbed more than 6000 hard-earned metres and flown down some of the best gravel descents I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing… A fantastic experience that will bring back happy smiles in the future whenever we think about it.” Olly Townsend, editor, Gravel Union, 2026
Prepare to be astonished by this elemental, point-to-point gravel tour of southern Spain’s Gorafe desert and Granada Geopark. Meticulous research and endless scouting by the Pure Mountains guides mean that we can show you places way off the beaten track. You wouldn’t find these routes and accommodations under your own steam! Choose between Epic and Adventure grade itineraries, and between guided and self-guided tours.
Gravel Union joined the Epic grade tour in February 2026. Read an in-depth account of editor Olly’s experience (in some epic conditions!) or watch his inspiring video.
Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour Highlights
- Breathtaking desert badlands and mountain scenery, sculpted by nature over millennia. This other-worldy location is a UNESCO Geopark: geographical areas with sites and landscapes of international geological significance. It is also home of the venerated Badlands ultra gravel bikepacking race.
- Exploring remote, cinematic and wild landscapes.
- Unique cave-dwelling experience in Gorafe.
- Riding endless gravel roads, from valley floors to exposed ridgelines.
- No van transfers, except on arrival and departure day.
- While you’re riding, we take care of everything else.
Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour; The Route & The Riding.
This is a circular gravel route; about 85% medium to chunky gravel and 15% quiet tarmac/asphalt. You can ride this route with a rigid gravel bike, but we recommend at least 40mm tyres. A great alternative is a hardtail mountain bike. This is a relatively low-altitude tour, which makes it ideal for autumn through to spring. You will be in remote areas, so planning is important.
We offer two itineraries: Epic and Adventure. Epic is for fit, ambitious gravel riders. Adventure is for riders who may be getting into gravel riding, or looking for a more relaxed tour, with more time to enjoy their surroundings. For both itineraries you can choose guided or self-guided.
Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour; Epic Grade Itinerary.
Day 1. Arrival
Transfer from Málaga/Almería airport to the frontier vibes village of Gorafe, which sits below an astonishing escarpment. You’ll spend the night in a lovingly-restored, bike-friendly cave complex. There is space and tools to build your bike. The tour is circular, so you can leave your bike boxes/bags here. If you’ve rented a car you can leave it here for the duration.
Day 2. Stage 1
Having slept soundly in the silence of your cosy cave, you ride up a stiff climb and onto a huge plateau. Soon, you enter the classic Gorafe Desert route of Los Coloraos. On this cinematic 25km loop, you ride among towering cliffs, which display a myriad of colours. After Los Coloraos, there’s an unforgettable ride, on a mixture of champagne and scrumpy gravel, through the almond groves and oak trees, to Gor. You’ll stay in a beautifully-restored mill on the banks of a river, at edge of the village, run by a welcoming Anglo-Spanish family.
Distance 63km. Elevation 1240m.
Day 3. Stage 2
You ride south east from Gor on a beautiful, quiet tarmac road. After 10km, you start to climb on a magnificent gravel track, through the forested Sierra de Baza, to high point of just over 2000m. From here, you descend for over 20km to your boutique casa rural near the village of Caniles.
Distance 62km. Elevation 1160m.
Day 4. Stage 3
You head north from Caniles on a mixture of wonderful gravel and very quiet tarmac roads. Your climb to 1100m at km23 is rewarded by wonderful views of the Negratín reservoir. You then descend on a challenging gravel track, follow a river north and pedal through endless olive and almond groves towards Hinojares. You stay at a family-run hotel on the edge of the village. There is an incredible mixture of wilderness, desert and farmland today, with more descending than climbing, but there are some challenging climbs!
Distance 71kms. Elevation 1140m.
Day 5. Stage 4
Today is an epic adventure. It typifies the wonder of gravel riding, as you mix forest and desert panoramas. You leave Hinojares and head south, up and over a forested mountain range with views of the badlands, canyons and ridgelines. Next, you descend to the valley floor and then enter the Gorafe desert proper. The scenery is extraordinary and, though relatively close to villages, you will feel deep in the wilderness.
Tonight you stay again in the caves in Gorafe. Home from home!
Distance 60km. Elevation 1460m.
Day 6. Departure
Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour; Adventure Grade Itinerary.
Day 1. Arrival
Transfer from Málaga/Almería airport to the frontier vibes village of Gorafe, which sits below an astonishing escarpment. You’ll spend the night in a lovingly-restored, bike-friendly cave complex. There is space and tools to build your bike. The tour is circular, so you can leave your bike boxes/bags here. If you’ve rented a car you can leave it here for the duration.
Day 2. Stage 1
This is an experience like no other. Having slept soundly in the silence of your cosy cave, you ride up a stiff climb and onto a huge plateau. Soon, you enter the classic Gorafe Desert route of Los Coloraos. On this cinematic 25km loop, you ride among towering cliffs, which display a myriad of colours. After Los Coloraos, there’s an unforgettable ride, on a mixture of champagne and scrumpy gravel, through the almond groves and oak trees, to Gor. You’ll stay in a beautifully-restored mill on the banks of a river, at edge of the village, run by a welcoming Anglo-Spanish family.
Distance 49km. Elevation 1030m.
Day 3. Stage 2
You ride north from Gor on a quiet tarmac road. After 2km, you head east on gravel through the almond groves. In the village of Baúl at km12, you cross the magnificent gorge on an iron bridge and join a vía verde, a converted railway track. You follow the vía verde gently downhill all the way to km40, just beyond the cathedral city of Baza. From here you head to your boutique casa rural, just outside the village of Caniles.
Distance 43km. Elevation 310m.
Day 4. Stage 3
You head north from Caniles on a mixture of wonderful gravel and very quiet tarmac roads. You continue pedalling through olive and almond groves towards your family-run hotel with a great restaurant, on the edge of the village of Hinojares. There is an incredible mixture of wilderness, desert and farmscapes today, with more descending than climbing.
Distance 58kms. Elevation 800m.
Day 5. Stage 4
Today is an epic adventure. It typifies the wonder of gravel riding, as you mix forest and stunning desert panoramas. You leave Hinojares and head south, up and over a forested mountain range with views of the badlands, canyons and ridgelines. Next, you descend to the valley floor and then enter the Gorafe desert proper. The scenery is extraordinary and, though relatively close to villages, you will feel deep in the wilderness.
Tonight you stay again at the restored caves. Home from home!
Distance 58km. Elevation 1330m.
Day 6. Departure
Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour. What’s Included?
- On guided tours:
- Four days of professionally-guided rides.
- 4×4 vehicle support. Your luggage is transported in the support vehicle, which is on hand to provide water, cold drinks, spares and moral/physical support, if needed. You only need to carry a day pack.
- Five nights’ accommodation, all meals (breakfast, packed lunches, dinner) and welcome drinks on arrival day.
- Málaga airport transfers. If you do not need airport transfers, there is a €40/£35 ‘no transfers’ discount per person.
- On self-guided tours:
- Four days of detailed GPX routes to load onto your navigation device/phone (we can help with this), and a detailed dossier covering all aspects of the itinerary, including emergency contact details.
- Luggage transfers from each accommodation to the next.
- Five nights’ accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, with recommended lunch and dinner options.
Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour. What’s Not Included?
- Flights/train to Spain.
- On self-guided tours, transfers from your airport/station to the start point of the tour are not included, but we can help you to arrange these. Most guests arrive in Málaga, but Almería is another option. You can also catch a train to Guadix, which is a 20 minute taxi ride from the start point of the tour.
- Bike/e-bike rental
Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour. Dates & Booking.
The Spanish Badlands Gravel Bike Tour runs from beginning of October through to end of May (it’s too hot from June to September). For self-guided tours, we can arrange a tour around dates that suit you, within these months.
Click below to see Dates & Prices of guided tours. To open a new guided tour, we need a minimum of four riders. If you have a group of four or more, please contact us to arrange dates to suit you.
Prices are based on two people sharing a room.
Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour
“An absolutely outstanding experience from start to finish. Brilliantly guided, exceptionally well organised in every way, fantastic cycling, stunning scenery and very good value…An amazing cycling experience.” Google review by Joe McKenna, 2023
Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour Highlights
Highlights of this unique, expertly-guided, high altitude, point-to-point gravel tour of the Sierra Nevada mountains from local experts Pure Mountains include:
- Epic riding on endless gravel roads, through a variety of microclimates, with views of high plains, snowy peaks and the Mediterranean sea.
- Exploring both the north and south-facing slopes of this scarcely-visited mountain range, where you are more likely to see a flock of vultures than other riders.
- Staying in hidden white villages, where time stands still and the stars shine brightly in deep, rural darkness.
- Enjoying local food and wine.
- The jewel in the crown: conquering the other-worldly Veleta Pass; at 3269 metres above sea level it’s Europe’s highest rideable pass.
- Riding into the captivating city of Granada, beneath the Moorish Alhambra palace.
- While you’re riding, we take care of everything else.
Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour; The Route & The Riding
This is a challenging mountain gravel route; about 80% light to chunky gravel riding and 20% quiet tarmac/asphalt roads. The total distance is 242 kilometres, with 6830 metres of climbing. The daily distances are not huge, but there is a lot of climbing and riding at high altitude. We will be in isolated, high areas. We only offer this as a guided tour, as the terrain is too remote to explore on your own. You need to be a fit, experienced cyclist. We recommend a gravel bike with at least 40mm tyres. A good alternative is a hardtail mountain bike.
Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour Itinerary
Day 1. Arrival
Transfer from Málaga airport to Huéneja, and settle into your designer hotel with strong eco credentials. Over dinner in the renowned restaurant, we will talk about the adventure ahead of us.
Day 2. Stage 1
From Huéneja, we ride up into the wilderness and follow an undulating gravel road, traversing forested mountainsides, with glimpses of the endless high plains to the north. At 2100m, we crest the mountain pass of Puerto de la Ragua, which leads us to the south-facing side of the range, known since Moorish times as La Alpujarra. We descend to the pretty village of Mairena, where tonight’s accommodation is a stylish take on the traditional Spanish hotel, with a great restaurant.
Distance 44km. 1180m of elevation.
Day 3. Stage 2
From Mairena we climb up to a spectacular gravel road at 2000m. From here, we have views of the highest peaks, the Mediterranean and, on a clear day, the Rif Mountains of Morocco. We follow this road in and out of several valleys and finish at a lovely, small hotel in the village of Bérchules. We will enjoy a hearty dinner and a few drinks on the terrace.
Distance 61km. 2020m of elevation.
Day 4. Stage 3
We climb up through Bérchules on gravel and wind our way up to 2000m and a superb view of Mulhacén: mainland Spain’s highest peak. Then we have an exhilarating and challenging gravel descent before a lovely asphalt/tarmac ride into Trevélez: Spain’s highest village and world centre of jamón serrano. Then we take a stunning gravel road into the spectacular Poqueira valley. We stay in a charming hotel in Capileira, chosen by National Geographic as one of Spain’s most beautiful villages. An early night is advisable!
Distance 55km. 1600m of elevation.
Day 5. Stage 4
This is the queen stage!
Today we head up from Capileira, climbing gradually on tarmac/asphalt and then gravel, into the famous lunar landscape of the Veleta pass. At 3269m, this is Europe’s highest cyclable pass. It used to be Europe’s highest driveable road, but was closed to vehicles when the area was declared a National Park in the 1990s. Crossing it by bike will be a memory to last a lifetime. We then have a truly epic tarmac descent, on quiet roads, to the valley bottom. Then we climb, briefly, to the town on Güéjar Sierra and onwards to the delightful village of Pinos Genil. From here we follow the River Genil, all the way into Granada, by way of a wonderful, gently descending, gravel cycleway.
On arrival in the centre of Granada, at the Fuente de la Ninfa in a shady park, we are rewarded with cava and nibbles to ease our weary bodies and to celebrate the end of our amazing adventure.
Distance 81km. 2180m of elevation.
Day 6. Departure
Transfer to Málaga airport.
Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour. What’s Included?
- Four days of professionally-qualified guiding, with two guides per group.
- 4×4 vehicle support. Your luggage is transported in the support vehicle, which is on hand to provide water, cold drinks, spares and moral/physical support, if needed. You only need to carry a day pack.
- Accommodation in charming, rural hotels, followed by a city-centre Granada hotel.
- Full board: all breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, except dinner on the last night.
- Málaga airport transfers.
Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour. What’s Not Included?
- Flights/train to Málaga
- Bike / e-bike rental
- Evening drinks
- Tips
Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour. Dates & Booking
Europe’s Highest Gravel Bike Tour is a astonishing experience, but it isn’t for everyone and it’s not easy to organise. The tour can run only in June, September and October; there is too much snow on the Veleta pass to cross in winter and spring and it’s too hot in July and August. To open a new guided tour, we need a minimum of six riders. If you have a group of six or more, please contact us to arrange dates to suit you.