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Sierra de Grazalema

In 1977 it was designated a Unesco Biosphere reserve. The Sierra de Grazalema was declared the first national park in Andalucia in 1984 and is one of Spain's most ecologically outstanding areas. The park covers 51,695ha and is famous for its spectacularly rugged limestone landscape of cliffs, gullies, caves and gorges. The most impressive gorge is Garganta Verde, with its exceptional griffon vulture colony and rocky walls that tower vertically for 400m. Andalucia's largest cave system is also here, the Hundidero-Gato with its biggest cavern measuring 4km long and an entrance of 60m tall.

The region is well known for being the rainiest place in Spain, with an annual rainfall of 2,200mm, which means that the 1,300 Mediterranean plant species that have been registered here, many of them endemic and some of them are unique to the Sierra. There is a magnificent and well preserved forest of the rare Spanish fir, a relic from the Tertiary period, in the Sierra del Pinar on the slopes of Cadiz province's highest peak at 1,654m, El Torreón. Dotted around the sierra are attractive whitewashed villages, the one in the most dramatic setting being Grazalema, nestling between two rugged peaks, the Pico del Reloj and the Pico de San Cristóbal.

Around 3,000ha of the park is called an Área de Reserve, with the most fragile ecosystems, Spanish fir forests and black vulture colonies. Conservation measures are stricter than the rest of the park and visits are controlled in terms of dates and numbers. At times when fire risks are greater (July to September) walks to this area are closed. For walks in the rest of the park, except for Sendero Garganta Verde, you must go with an authorized Turismo Activo company (details from the information offices listed in our information section). For the rest of the year, you need to obtain permits from the El Bosque information office.

The principal rivers are the Guadalete, Guadiaro, Tavizna and Ubrique.

Fauna
The park is most noteworthy for its exceptionally rich birdlife, particularly raptors. One of Europe's largest colonies of griffon vultures is in the Garganta Verde, in the Sierra del Pinar, and along the Bocaleones river near Zahara. Other birds of prey are booted eagles, golden eagles, Egyptian vultures, Bonelli's eagles, rock buntings, red-billed choughs, rock thrushes and black wheateaters.

The park has a sizeable bat population that inhabits the region's numerous caves; hibernating in the Hundidero-Gato caves in winter there are thousands of Schreiber's bats.

Mammals in the park are Egyptian mongeese, badgers, foxes, genets, roe deer and, on the higher ground, Spanish ibex. The rivers are home to otters and water voles.

Flora
The valley sides are densely wooded with cork oaks, holm oaks, wild olive trees and pine forest, with an undergrowth of Mediterranean shrubs such as lentisk, strawberry trees and dwarf fan palms. Along the rivers like the Río El Bosque and streams are poplars, willows, alders, elms and oleanders. On rockier slopes are stonecrops and saxifrages.

Information
There is a Centro de Visitantes (visitors' centre) in Cortes de la Frontera (952 154 599), with information on geology, flora and fauna of the park. In El Bosque is the main park office (956 727 029), which has maps, walking routes and issues permisos (permits) for walks. The tourist offices in Cadiz (956 258 646) and Malaga (952 213 445) can also provide information. In Grazalema is an information office (956 132 225) that has walking maps and can obtain walking permits from El Bosque office for you.

Access
The park is easily accessible by car or on foot. The main roads crossing the Sierra are the A372 Ronda to El Bosque road and the A374 Grazalema to Ubrique road. The A373 links Ubrique with El Bosque on the western edge of the park. South of Zahara to Grazalema is the winding CA531, while the MA501 links Cortes de la Frontera to Benaoján. Villages nearby are Benamahoma, Benaoján, Cortes de la Frontera, El Bosque, Grazalema, Montejaque, Ubrique, Villaluenga dl Rosario y Zahara de la Sierra.