Epic Expedition

TransAndalus

The grand circular bikepacking Expedition around Andalucia.

A 2,197 km mountain-bike and bikepacking journey through Spain's most diverse southern region, linking Atlantic wind, Mediterranean light, white villages, desert landscapes, high sierras, olive country, wetlands, castles, Moorish heritage and one of Europe's richest food cultures.

2,197 km38,683 m+39 stages20-30 daysCircular routeDifficulty: High

Plan This Expedition Download GPX Explore the Chapters

Expedition snapshot

Route

TransAndalus

Region

Andalucia, Spain

Distance

2,197 km

Elevation Gain

38,683 m+

Suggested Stages

39 stages

Duration

20-30 days

Type

Circular Expedition

Difficulty

High

Best Season

March-June / September-November

Ideal Bike

MTB / Bikepacking MTB / E-bike

Start / Finish

Tarifa works as the symbolic start and finish

Terrain

Forest tracks, rural caminos, mountain pistes, gravel and quiet asphalt links

Andalucia in one great circle

Not a crossing. A full encounter.

TransAndalus is not a route you simply ride. It is a vast circular journey through the landscapes, cultures and histories that make southern Spain one of Europe's most powerful riding territories.

Over more than 2,000 kilometres, the route links all eight Andalusian provinces by rural tracks, forest roads, quiet lanes and mountain paths. It moves from the Atlantic wind of Tarifa to the Mediterranean light of Cabo de Gata, from the white villages of Ronda and the Alpujarras to the forests of Cazorla, the olive country of Jaen and Cordoba, the dehesas of Sierra Morena, the wetlands of Donana and the fishing towns of Cadiz.

This is not a straight-line crossing. It is a complete circle around one of Spain's most complex regions. Every chapter changes the rhythm. Every landscape changes the food. Every village adds another layer to the story.

Full Route Map

Andalucia in one real GPX circle

The map uses the uploaded TransAndalus GPX line. Start with the full circular route, then jump into the five chapters to understand how the Expedition moves from Strait to sierras, desert, dehesa, marshes and ocean.

Map logic

Real GPX route around Andalucia. Orange markers show the 39 suggested stages; chapter buttons zoom the map into the commercial ride sections.

Tarifa -> Ronda -> Alpujarras -> Cabo de Gata -> Sierra Morena -> Donana -> Tarifa

Real map tilesActual GPX line39 stage markers5 chapter zoomsKey place labels

The five Expedition chapters

Five ways Andalucia changes under your wheels

Chapter 1 / Stages 1-8

From the Strait to the White Villages

Tarifa to Jayena

8 stages / 436 km / approx. 11,265 m+

The expedition begins at the edge of Europe. Tarifa is wind, salt, kites, surf and the feeling of departure. Across the Strait lies Morocco; ahead, Andalucia opens in layers.

The first chapter moves through Campo de Gibraltar into Los Alcornocales, then climbs toward Ronda, Ardales and Antequera before reaching Jayena on the threshold of Granada's mountain country.

Character

Sea wind and Atlantic light / Cork oak forests and rural tracks / White villages and limestone ridges / Ronda and inland Andalucia / The first serious physical test

Culture

Tarifa / Strait of Gibraltar / Los Alcornocales / Jimena de la Frontera / Ronda / Antequera / Ventas de Zafarraya / Jayena

Food

Atun rojo de almadraba / Queso payoyo / Molletes de Antequera / Olive oil / Mountain stews

Ride this chapter

From the Strait to the White Villages TransAndalus chapter plate with route map, local images and stage notes

Stage 1

Tarifa to Algeciras

56 km / +1343 m

Wind, coast and the first views across the Strait.

Stage 2

Algeciras to Jimena de la Frontera

67 km / +901 m

Into the green world of Los Alcornocales.

Stage 3

Jimena de la Frontera to El Colmenar

40 km / +1206 m

Shorter, rural and already mountainous.

Stage 4

El Colmenar to Ronda

56 km / +1895 m

A hard day toward one of Spain's great cliff towns.

Stage 5

Ronda to Ardales

48 km / +1160 m

Calcareous ridges, reservoirs and inland silence.

Stage 6

Ardales to Antequera

50 km / +1980 m

A demanding stage through rock, elevation and history.

Stage 7

Antequera to Ventas de Zafarraya

66 km / +1576 m

A long transition between plains and sierras.

Stage 8

Ventas de Zafarraya to Jayena

53 km / +1204 m

Into the mountain gateway of Granada.

Chapter 2 / Stages 9-14

Alpujarras and the Descent to the Mediterranean

Jayena to Almeria

6 stages / 319 km / approx. 9,775 m+

This is one of the great transitions of TransAndalus: high villages, steep slopes, old acequias, Moorish memory and the long fall toward the Mediterranean.

Lanjaron, Capileira, Cadiar and Laroles bring the rider into altitude, terraces and luminous mountain light. Then the land dries, the villages scatter and Almeria arrives with sea air and tapas culture.

Character

High mountain villages / Moorish heritage / Terraces and acequias / Sierra Nevada atmosphere / Mediterranean descent

Culture

Lanjaron / Capileira / Cadiar / Laroles / Alpujarra architecture / Almeria old town

Food

Agua de Lanjaron / Jamon de Trevelez / Plato alpujarreno / Contraviesa wines / Almeria tapas

Ride this chapter

Alpujarras and the Descent to the Mediterranean TransAndalus chapter plate with route map, local images and stage notes

Stage 9

Jayena to Lanjaron

65 km / +1942 m

The gateway to the western Alpujarras.

Stage 10

Lanjaron to Capileira

40 km / +1914 m

A hard climb into one of Spain's most iconic mountain-village landscapes.

Stage 11

Capileira to Cadiar

42 km / +1168 m

White villages, silence and the high Alpujarra rhythm.

Stage 12

Cadiar to Laroles

30 km / +1164 m

Short, broken and intense between ravines and vineyards.

Stage 13

Laroles to Instincion

74 km / +1767 m

A major eastward transition into drier country.

Stage 14

Instincion to Almeria

68 km / +1820 m

The long fall toward the Mediterranean.

Chapter 3 / Stages 15-22

Volcanoes, Desert and Great Sierras

Almeria to Beas de Segura

8 stages / 430 km / approx. 8,958 m+

The eastern arc is the visual shock of TransAndalus: volcanic coast, desert ramblas, high sierras, altiplanos and the forested finale of Cazorla and Segura.

From Cabo de Gata and Agua Amarga, the route turns inland through badlands and dry tracks before climbing into Filabres, Baza, Bolera and the great mountain forests of northeast Andalucia.

Character

Volcanic Mediterranean coast / Arid ramblas and badlands / Remote interior tracks / High sierras and altiplanos / Forest finale in Cazorla and Segura

Culture

Almeria / Cabo de Gata / San Jose / Agua Amarga / Sierra de los Filabres / Baza / Embalse de la Bolera / Pontones / Beas de Segura

Food

Almeria seafood / Gurullos / Migas almerienses / Cordero segureno / Mountain stews

Ride this chapter

Volcanoes, Desert and Great Sierras TransAndalus chapter plate with route map, local images and stage notes

Stage 15

Almeria to San Jose

45 km / +398 m

A luminous ride toward Cabo de Gata.

Stage 16

San Jose to Agua Amarga

45 km / +678 m

Volcanic cliffs, coves and open sea.

Stage 17

Agua Amarga to Uleila del Campo

65 km / +1477 m

From dry coast into rugged interior.

Stage 18

Uleila del Campo to Bacares

44 km / +1675 m

A serious climb toward Sierra de los Filabres.

Stage 19

Bacares to Baza

55 km / +743 m

A descent into altiplano country.

Stage 20

Baza to Embalse de la Bolera

43 km / +713 m

Quiet tracks toward water and forest.

Stage 21

Embalse de la Bolera to Pontones

62 km / +1453 m

Height, pines and deep mountain atmosphere.

Stage 22

Pontones to Beas de Segura

71 km / +1821 m

A long traverse through the forest country of northeast Andalucia.

Chapter 4 / Stages 23-31

Sierra Morena, Castles and Dehesas

Beas de Segura to Aracena

9 stages / 588 km / approx. 9,711 m+

The northern spine is quieter, slower and more remote: olive country, castle towns, dehesa landscapes and long interior tracks far from the postcard south.

From the Segura mountains the rider moves through Jaen, Cordoba, Sevilla and Huelva: Banos de la Encina, Marmolejo, Villanueva de Cordoba, Fuente Obejuna, Alanis and Aracena.

Character

Olive landscapes / Castles and frontier towns / Long interior riding / Dehesas and holm oak country / Remote Sierra Morena atmosphere

Culture

Beas de Segura / Banos de la Encina / Marmolejo / Villanueva de Cordoba / Fuente Obejuna / Alanis / Almaden de la Plata / Aracena

Food

Extra virgin olive oil / Iberian pork / Game meats / Honey / Aracena and Jabugo ham culture

Ride this chapter

Sierra Morena, Castles and Dehesas TransAndalus chapter plate with route map, local images and stage notes

Stage 23

Beas de Segura to Aldeaquemada

78 km / +1497 m

From the upper Guadalquivir toward Sierra Morena.

Stage 24

Aldeaquemada to Banos de la Encina

79 km / +1245 m

A historic stage through passes and castle country.

Stage 25

Banos de la Encina to Marmolejo

53 km / +704 m

The relief opens and olive groves dominate the landscape.

Stage 26

Marmolejo to Villanueva de Cordoba

73 km / +1343 m

Tougher again between farmland and Mediterranean scrub.

Stage 27

Villanueva de Cordoba to Hinojosa del Duque

69 km / +743 m

Quiet riding through northern Cordoba.

Stage 28

Hinojosa del Duque to Fuente Ovejuna

43 km / +457 m

Open dehesa landscapes and historical memory.

Stage 29

Fuente Ovejuna to Alanis

60 km / +1278 m

Back into serrano profiles and long horizons.

Stage 30

Alanis to Almaden de la Plata

76 km / +1355 m

Sierra Morena in its pure interior form.

Stage 31

Almaden de la Plata to Aracena

57 km / +1089 m

Rolling wooded hills toward Iberian ham country.

Chapter 5 / Stages 32-39

Ham, Marshes and the Return to the Ocean

Aracena to Tarifa

8 stages / 429 km / approx. 3,966 m+

The final chapter descends from Aracena toward Huelva, Donana and the Atlantic, then follows salt flats, fishing towns, pine forests and ocean light back to Tarifa.

Moguer, Matalascanas, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Chiclana and Barbate return the route to sand, marshes, estuaries, sea birds, almadraba culture and the wind of the Strait.

Character

Dehesa and Huelva hills / Donana wetlands and dunes / Atlantic fishing towns / Salt marshes and estuaries / Final return to Tarifa

Culture

Aracena / Aroche / Moguer / Donana / Matalascanas / Sanlucar de Barrameda / Chiclana / Barbate / Tarifa

Food

Jamon de Jabugo / Gambas blancas de Huelva / Manzanilla de Sanlucar / Tortillitas de camarones / Atun rojo de almadraba

Ride this chapter

Ham, Marshes and the Return to the Ocean TransAndalus chapter plate with route map, local images and stage notes

Stage 32

Aracena to Aroche

50 km / +988 m

Dehesa hills and frontier villages.

Stage 33

Aroche to Valverde del Camino

84 km / +1462 m

A long day through Huelva's low mountains and oak country.

Stage 34

Valverde del Camino to Moguer

43 km / +165 m

The terrain softens and the Atlantic influence appears.

Stage 35

Moguer to Matalascanas

50 km / +137 m

Toward the dunes and pine forests near Donana.

Stage 36

Matalascanas to Sanlucar de Barrameda

29 km / +5 m

A special beach and marsh stage. Tide planning is essential.

Stage 37

Sanlucar de Barrameda to Chiclana

75 km / +297 m

Salt flats, estuaries and the light of Cadiz Bay.

Stage 38

Chiclana to Barbate

53 km / +394 m

Atlantic coast, pine forests and fishing culture.

Stage 39

Barbate to Tarifa

45 km / +518 m

The final ride along the ocean back to the Strait.

Complete stage list

Thirty-nine days of route logic

Stage 1 / Chapter 1

Tarifa to Algeciras

56 km / +1343 m

Wind, coast and the first views across the Strait.

Stage 2 / Chapter 1

Algeciras to Jimena de la Frontera

67 km / +901 m

Into the green world of Los Alcornocales.

Stage 3 / Chapter 1

Jimena de la Frontera to El Colmenar

40 km / +1206 m

Shorter, rural and already mountainous.

Stage 4 / Chapter 1

El Colmenar to Ronda

56 km / +1895 m

A hard day toward one of Spain's great cliff towns.

Stage 5 / Chapter 1

Ronda to Ardales

48 km / +1160 m

Calcareous ridges, reservoirs and inland silence.

Stage 6 / Chapter 1

Ardales to Antequera

50 km / +1980 m

A demanding stage through rock, elevation and history.

Stage 7 / Chapter 1

Antequera to Ventas de Zafarraya

66 km / +1576 m

A long transition between plains and sierras.

Stage 8 / Chapter 1

Ventas de Zafarraya to Jayena

53 km / +1204 m

Into the mountain gateway of Granada.

Stage 9 / Chapter 2

Jayena to Lanjaron

65 km / +1942 m

The gateway to the western Alpujarras.

Stage 10 / Chapter 2

Lanjaron to Capileira

40 km / +1914 m

A hard climb into one of Spain's most iconic mountain-village landscapes.

Stage 11 / Chapter 2

Capileira to Cadiar

42 km / +1168 m

White villages, silence and the high Alpujarra rhythm.

Stage 12 / Chapter 2

Cadiar to Laroles

30 km / +1164 m

Short, broken and intense between ravines and vineyards.

Stage 13 / Chapter 2

Laroles to Instincion

74 km / +1767 m

A major eastward transition into drier country.

Stage 14 / Chapter 2

Instincion to Almeria

68 km / +1820 m

The long fall toward the Mediterranean.

Stage 15 / Chapter 3

Almeria to San Jose

45 km / +398 m

A luminous ride toward Cabo de Gata.

Stage 16 / Chapter 3

San Jose to Agua Amarga

45 km / +678 m

Volcanic cliffs, coves and open sea.

Stage 17 / Chapter 3

Agua Amarga to Uleila del Campo

65 km / +1477 m

From dry coast into rugged interior.

Stage 18 / Chapter 3

Uleila del Campo to Bacares

44 km / +1675 m

A serious climb toward Sierra de los Filabres.

Stage 19 / Chapter 3

Bacares to Baza

55 km / +743 m

A descent into altiplano country.

Stage 20 / Chapter 3

Baza to Embalse de la Bolera

43 km / +713 m

Quiet tracks toward water and forest.

Stage 21 / Chapter 3

Embalse de la Bolera to Pontones

62 km / +1453 m

Height, pines and deep mountain atmosphere.

Stage 22 / Chapter 3

Pontones to Beas de Segura

71 km / +1821 m

A long traverse through the forest country of northeast Andalucia.

Stage 23 / Chapter 4

Beas de Segura to Aldeaquemada

78 km / +1497 m

From the upper Guadalquivir toward Sierra Morena.

Stage 24 / Chapter 4

Aldeaquemada to Banos de la Encina

79 km / +1245 m

A historic stage through passes and castle country.

Stage 25 / Chapter 4

Banos de la Encina to Marmolejo

53 km / +704 m

The relief opens and olive groves dominate the landscape.

Stage 26 / Chapter 4

Marmolejo to Villanueva de Cordoba

73 km / +1343 m

Tougher again between farmland and Mediterranean scrub.

Stage 27 / Chapter 4

Villanueva de Cordoba to Hinojosa del Duque

69 km / +743 m

Quiet riding through northern Cordoba.

Stage 28 / Chapter 4

Hinojosa del Duque to Fuente Ovejuna

43 km / +457 m

Open dehesa landscapes and historical memory.

Stage 29 / Chapter 4

Fuente Ovejuna to Alanis

60 km / +1278 m

Back into serrano profiles and long horizons.

Stage 30 / Chapter 4

Alanis to Almaden de la Plata

76 km / +1355 m

Sierra Morena in its pure interior form.

Stage 31 / Chapter 4

Almaden de la Plata to Aracena

57 km / +1089 m

Rolling wooded hills toward Iberian ham country.

Stage 32 / Chapter 5

Aracena to Aroche

50 km / +988 m

Dehesa hills and frontier villages.

Stage 33 / Chapter 5

Aroche to Valverde del Camino

84 km / +1462 m

A long day through Huelva's low mountains and oak country.

Stage 34 / Chapter 5

Valverde del Camino to Moguer

43 km / +165 m

The terrain softens and the Atlantic influence appears.

Stage 35 / Chapter 5

Moguer to Matalascanas

50 km / +137 m

Toward the dunes and pine forests near Donana.

Stage 36 / Chapter 5

Matalascanas to Sanlucar de Barrameda

29 km / +5 m

A special beach and marsh stage. Tide planning is essential.

Stage 37 / Chapter 5

Sanlucar de Barrameda to Chiclana

75 km / +297 m

Salt flats, estuaries and the light of Cadiz Bay.

Stage 38 / Chapter 5

Chiclana to Barbate

53 km / +394 m

Atlantic coast, pine forests and fishing culture.

Stage 39 / Chapter 5

Barbate to Tarifa

45 km / +518 m

The final ride along the ocean back to the Strait.

Choose your TransAndalus format

Whole circle, one chapter or supported eMTB

TransAndalus is long, serious and modular. Epic turns the GPX into a real trip: stage rhythm, accommodation logic, resupply, transfers, charging, support and a format that matches your group.

Full TransAndalus Expedition

20-30 days

The complete circular ride around Andalucia.

For riders who want the whole journey: all five chapters, all eight provinces and the full physical and cultural arc.

Plan this format

TransAndalus Chapters

5-9 days per chapter

Ride one chapter now. Return for the next.

Each chapter can be sold as a standalone Expedition for riders with one week, repeat Epic customers and groups wanting scale without 30 days away.

Plan this format

TransAndalus Highlights

7-10 days

A curated version of the most iconic landscapes.

Tarifa and Ronda, Alpujarras and Almeria, Cabo de Gata and Cazorla, Sierra Morena and Aracena, or Donana and Cadiz coast.

Plan this format

eMTB TransAndalus

Modular eMTB Expedition

More range, more comfort, more support.

Daily charging logic, battery-aware alternatives, secure accommodation, luggage options and backup plans for remote stages.

Plan this format

Who it suits

Strong MTB riders, experienced gravel or MTB bikepackers, riders comfortable with multi-day navigation, heat, wind, remoteness and mechanical self-reliance.

Not ideal for

Beginner cyclists, road bikes, casual leisure riders, unsupported riders in summer heat or anyone without off-road experience.

Season

March to June and September to November are the strongest windows. Inland Andalucia can be brutally hot in summer; higher mountain sections can be cold in winter.

Terrain

Forest roads, rural caminos, gravel tracks, mountain pistes, livestock paths, quiet asphalt links, coastal tracks, sandy or tidal sections and rocky climbs.

Logistics

Because it is circular, TransAndalus can start in several places. Tarifa is the emotional start, while Malaga, Granada, Almeria, Sevilla, Cordoba, Cadiz, Huelva and Jaen can work for access.

Bike setup

Hardtail MTB or full-suspension MTB, robust tubeless tyres, bikepacking bags, navigation device, power bank, repair kit, water capacity, sun protection and offline maps.

Andalucia as fuel

The food changes with the land

On the coast, the ride tastes of tuna, sardines, prawns, salt and Atlantic fish. In the mountains, it becomes jamon, stews, migas and local cheeses. In olive country, everything is marked by extra virgin olive oil.

In Sanlucar, the route meets manzanilla and the food culture of the Cadiz coast. In Aracena and Jabugo country, Iberian ham becomes part of the landscape itself.

This is not a route where food is an afterthought. It is part of the Expedition rhythm: ride, arrive, eat, recover, repeat.

Download GPX

Download the TransAndalus GPX

Use the GPX to explore the full circular route, study the chapter structure and start planning your own version of the Expedition. For ride planning, always check current trail conditions, weather, accommodation availability and local access restrictions before departure.

Download GPX Start planning with Epic

Ride Andalucia in one great circle

This is TransAndalus. This is an Epic Expedition.

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