Starting and finishing in the picturesque village of Capileira, this walk takes you up one side of the Poqueira Gorge, and back down the other side. For much of the walk you have great views up to the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada, and as you get higher you can also look down to the Alpujarras below you. The walk takes you through scrubland, into a lush river valley and past grazing sheep and goats. And of course you will see the acequias – traditional irrigation channels – that give the walk its name. Near the start of the walk you also pass an abandoned village with a small hydroelectric power station.
Level The route is long, with a significant amount of climbing. Most of the route uses good paths and tracks, and is well-signposted. However, some sections are rocky (particularly on the path up to the Refugio de Poqueira) and you’ll need to cross several streams. To avoid some of the steepest climbing, just do the main loop without going up to the Refugio. This should save about 1.5 hours and avoid about 300 m of height difference.
When to go The best times to go are spring and autumn as in summer it can be very hot. In winter, there may well be snow on the higher parts of the route.
Water You can get water at the Refugio de Poqueira but make sure you take enough for the long climb up.
Location: Alpujarras, Capileira The hike starts from the village of Capileira.
Transport
To get to Capileira:
By Car: From Granada, take the E-902/A-44 towards Motril. Take exit 164 and take the A-348 towards Lanjarón. Carry on past Lanjarón and after about a further 8km turn left onto the A-4132, marked towards Trevélez (the turning is just after you enter Órgiva). Follow this road until you get past Pampaneira, then turn up to the left following signs for Bubión and Capileira.
By Bus: Capileira is served by Alsa services from Granada bus station (4 per day). Click here for more details.
