Discover the iconic Badlands region with Eat Sleep Cycle on our highlights tour curated to showcase the best of the incredible riding.
The adventure begins in the historic city of Granada in the shadow of the Alhambra palace. Journey east to the town of Gorafe and the desert that gives Badlands its name. Head to Tabernas Desert and discover the landscapes that shaped our imagination of the Wild West, and finish in style on the Mediterranean coast and the Cabo de Gata nature reserve.
This is a tour designed in colaboration with the Badlands team, we aim to share the best of the riding, food & culture of this incredibly varied region. Stay in carefully selected, unique accommodations, rated for the warmth of welcome & cultural experience instead of the number of stars. Enjoy a wealth of traditional food along the way and indluge in life, Andalucia style.
This tour is available on demand for groups of 4 or more riders, individual riders can also book a place on a scheduled departure.
Rated 2 out of 4 our Intermediate tours are designed for sporty people who are looking to enjoy some more challenging rides. E-bikes are available on all of our tours.
An optional group transfers leaves the Eat Sleep Cycle Málaga Cycling Hub at 10:00 for Granada. Rendevoux with your guides & fellow riders over a light lunch in Granada before getting set up on the bikes and heading out on our warm-up ride. Enjoy a flat(ish) 60 kms to the west of the city exploring the farmlands surrounding Granada. Soak up views of the Sierra Huetor & the Sierra Nevada mountains – our destination tomorrow! Enjoy a relaxed evening meal in Granada centre with the group.
Today’s loop ride heads deeps into the Sierra Nevada mountains. After a 5 km warm-up the road heads up our first big climb of the trip, a stunning trail taking us up to 1,700 m altitude and the Collado del Álamo. Descend a few hundred meters to the base of our second (shorter) climb of the ride, the Puerto El Purche (Collado del Muerto). A 10 km road descent is our reward. Take the path along the river Genil west back to Granada centre.
Today ride into Gorafe Desert, one of the most stunning landscapes in Europe. Take a morning transfer to our ride start in Gorafe, a village at the bottom of the Gor Canyon and considered the entrance to the desert. Descent to Los Coloraos, one of the most popular areas of the desert, owing its name to the predominant red colour and its similarity to the Grand Canyon. Pass through local villages and enjoy some respite on a short road section before heading back into the desert. The ride finish is spectcular – climb back up to Gorafe and see the Cerro de la Bandera. Soak up incredible views of the landscape you have spent the day within. After a good post-ride feed in Gorafe take a transfer south to Tabernas, our resting place for the next two nights.
Ride the Ramblas (sandy river basins) of the Tabernas desert, the desert is officially considered to be the only real desert on the whole European continent. These omnipresent sand covered gullies known as Badlands has been widely used as a set for films such as A Fistful of Dollars, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Conan the Barbarian or Game of Thrones. If time allows we’ll stop en route to visit Fort Bravo, a film location for many spaghetti western movies, with original sets, cowboy shows & wagon rides.
Tired legs will welcome a day which overall takes us downhill to the coast. Enjoy a long and soft descent from Tabernas into the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, the largest protected area of the European coast. This unique landscape, shaped by the erosion on the rocks solidified magma that flowed from the volcanic formations into the sea, is considered the ecological boundary with Africa. Enjoy a free afternoon in the village of Carboneras. Take a stroll along the beach, take a dip in the sea or enjoy the hotel facilities.
For our grand finale ride west across the Cabogata nature reserve. The terrain shifts from sandy tracks to small roads, dip in & out of white villages and emerge triumphant in Cabogata. Enjoy our last night by the sea sharing stories of amazing rides and planning the next adventure!
It’s time to say goodbye! An optional group transfer departs from Retamar at 10:00 for Málaga. We can also arrange private transfers to Granada, or to Almeria as required.
FULL SUPPORT
Enjoy full ride support from our professional guide team & support vehicle.
The ride support vehicle is stocked with natural ride nutrition, electrolytes and water, as well as a full set of tools to resolve any mechanicals. On selected days the support crew will serve a delicious picnic lunch in a scenic location en route. Enjoy local foods chosen to keep you feeling energized and healthy.
Eat Sleep Cycle guides are experienced riders from all walks of life united by a love of cycling who’ll help to keep the group safe, motivated and savouring the trip of a lifetime.
All guests will receive access to our digital Road Book and routes, giving everyone the flexibility to ride at their own pace.
Hotels shown are examples and are subject to change
Villa Oniria is a charming hotel in the heart of Granada, located in an old Nineteenth-century mansion which was renovated following the architectural guidelines of old Andalusian palaces.
Stay in the pretty village of Tabernas in this lovely family run rural house.
Relax overlooking Carboneras, enjoy cristal clear waters, glimpses of the island of San Andrés (a Biosphere reserve) and The Castle of San Andrés (a natural monument). Soak up panoramic views of one of the film sites of Lawrence of Arabia, see fascinating desert landscapes where tradition merges with the Moorish past.
The Hotel Carboneras Cabo de Gata is a refuge defined by its tranquility, enjoy a night at this cosy and comfortable hotel where you will discover the simple luxuries of life.
Finish in style at the 5* Cabogata Beach Hotel. Enjoy a room with a sea view, relax by the pool and celebrate a fabulous adventure completed!
Bike hire is not included in the tour. Add bike rental to the trip from €40 per day
This lightweight carbon gravel e-bike is almost identical to the non e-bike version, with the adition of a 300 W power unit weighing only 3.9 Kg. The Adlar has an autonomy of 1,000-2,000m of elevation, or constant use 1.5-2hrs. A range extender is available to hire for double the range. The bike has a Shimano GRX 1 x groupset.
An evolved race bike ready for the rough and tumble of grass crits, mud ruts or open gravel tracks. Enojy a Lightweight, durable carbon frameset with ample tire clearance and a SRAM Force 1 11-speed groupset.
The Rave is perfect for all-road, perfect for gravel and is desgined for speed. Enjoy a lightweight carbon frame with racey geometry and an electronic SRAM Rival XPLR groupset for full gear range and precision shifting.
Rafa is from Barcelona and has made the city of Granada his home. Alongside guiding Rafa works as a cycling coach. He rides both road and gravel and has probably climbed the Pico de Veleta more times than anyone else!
Fernando lives in the Montes de Málaga! He’s spent a career travelling extensively and working with the UN. A Malagueñan, Fernando rides MTB and road and continues to love to travel.
Home to the Montes de Málaga, the Costa del Sol and the almightly Sierra Nevada, Andalucia has a stunning variety of landscapes and beautiful towns and cities just waiting to be explored. Don't miss cultural gems such as the Alhambra in Granada, flamenco in Seville and el Punte Nuevo in Ronda. The warm Mediterranean climate makes this region the ideal location for year-round cycling.
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