Biking Beyond – bikepacking in Andalusia’s Gorafe Desert

Bikepacking in Andalusia is cinematic. Picture gnarly, rugged landscapes and breathtaking mountain peaks in the Sierra Nevada, and gorgeous views of the Mediterranean Sea. The Gorafe Desert in Granada characterises the scenery; its striking canyons cut through the landscape to the west of the historic city of Baza. This desert is also referred to as ‘Badlands’, like the bikepacking race of the same name which runs 750 kilometres (466 mi) through Andalusia. Countless tales of adventure and heroic stories have emerged from this event.

Spain’s wild south is beautiful, but also rugged. It has many hours of sunshine and hot summers, but the off-seasons are very pleasant. Our Jack Wolfskin Influencers Adrian Howell ( instagram.com/adrianhowellcoach ), RocketRawrrs ( instagram.com/rocketrawrrs ) and Sami Sauri ( instagram.com/samisauri ) thought it just the place for a bikepacking trip. Sami was mainly behind the camera as they set off on their adventure to explore the Gorafe Desert’s beautiful, unique nature on their gravel bikes. They weren’t interested in pushing their personal limits, but rather experiencing Andalusia up close and personal and capturing its fascinating landscapes.

The result is this extraordinary round trip through the province of Granada in four stages. From Baza, the trio rode south into the hilly Sierra de Baz and headed to Gorafe village, the gateway to the desert. They continued through the small town of Dehesas de Guadix and along the Guadahortuna River to the plateau of Granada, where they found a rustic place to stay in the small town of Cortijo Nuevo.

The next day, the Embalse del Negratín, the third largest reservoir in Andalusia, brought some variety to the desert. The route led parallel to the reservoir’s eastern shore and through the heart of the UNESCO Granada Geopark, with breathtaking views of the reservoir and the rugged desert landscape beyond. That evening, the camp spot was the crowning glory: as the sun set, they arrived at a campsite with a magnificent view of the surrounding plateau. An unforgettably beautiful backdrop for the last night of this bikepacking trip.

Finally, only the way back to Baza remained for the three adventurers. After riding through the old town of Zújar with its Spanish flair and whitewashed houses, they made a detour to Jabalcón, the mountain at the gates of the city. From up here, they enjoyed the breathtaking view over the landscapes they had explored in the previous days.

If you’re intrigued, it’s easy to follow in the footsteps of Adrian, RocketRawrrs and Sami. The stages are short and easy to follow – even if you don’t ever plan on entering the Badlands race. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t underestimate the rugged landscape and the hot climate. Always take enough water and don’t forget to bring along spare bike parts and tools. There’s a well-equipped bike shop at the starting point of the Tour in Baza, but none on the way. The best time to travel is from April until June and September to October. In midsummer, it can get really hot.