La Axarquía, a region at the eastern end of the Andalusian province of Málaga, is a perfect area for hiking. Its landscape, marked by the Penibética mountain range, is varied and changing. In this expanse of territory, sea and mountains come together to create a diverse natural environment, perfect for hiking fans. Whether on foot or by bike, in this region of Malaga there is a wide range of itineraries with different levels of difficulty. Through these hiking routes you will be able to visit numerous towns in the area, famous for their popular architecture that dates back to the Muslim Middle Ages.
Saltillo
If you are looking for a challenging route, in an environment with striking landscapes, El Saltillo is for you. This 4-hour round trip itinerary covers a distance of about 10 kilometers. In the heart of the Sierras Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park, El Saltillo connects the towns of Canillas de Aceituno and Sedelia.
Known as El caminito del Rey de la Axarquía, the route is quite an adventure: during the itinerary, you must cross the Almanchares River ravine through one of the three largest suspension bridges in Spain.
We recommend that you do this tour through the official itinerary, which is the safest and the one that is best signposted. You will have to leave through the town of Canillas de Aceituno. If you come by car, you shouldn’t have much difficulty finding parking within the town. Go to the town hall of the municipality and from there to the water pipes of El Pilar.
The Maroma
This itinerary and that of El Saltillo converge at different points. The difference is that this route will take you to the highest peak in the province of Malaga. Once again we are faced with a route that involves some difficulty. Here you will travel a little further than on the El Satillo route, about 14 kilometers, and it can take up to 8 hours. As you can see, this is a real long-distance race, so make sure you are well equipped. We recommend that you avoid this route in winter, since in this season there are areas that can form very slippery compact ice.
This route owes its name to La Maroma which, as we have mentioned, is the highest peak in the province of Malagueña. With a height of 2,069 meters, getting there will allow you to enjoy a spectacular mountain landscape.
You can start this route, as in the case of El Saltillo, in Canillas de Aceituno. But we recommend that you avoid this start, since it represents great added difficulty due to the length added to the route and the great slope of the route, of about 1,500 meters. Instead, you can start this itinerary at the El Robledal Recreation Area. With this start we will reduce the slope to 990 meters to the top of La Maroma.
Birth of the Bermuza River
If you want to explore La Axarquía on a route with a more affordable difficulty, the itinerary to the source of the Bermuza River is for you. This is a much shorter route than the ones we have shown you previously, only about 3 hours long. In theory the route is 10 kilometers, but if you go with children or want to take it easy, you can reduce it to 3 kilometers in distance.
On this route you will not only see the birth of the Bermuza River, you will also cross interesting landscapes such as the Cueva de la Fájara. In times of heavy rainfall, the spring bursts in the area.
The starting point of this route is Canillas de Aceituno, where you must take the Canillas de Aceituno-Alcaucín paved lane, which derives from the entrance roundabout on the MA-4106.
Zalía Castle
If you want a route full of history, we recommend that you take the walk to Zalía Castle. It is a short route, which can be done in just half an hour. Its difficulty is also quite low, since it does not run through complicated terrain nor does it require excessive effort.
Zalía Castle is a fortification dating from the 12th century, which still preserves several of its original towers and walls. It is one of the oldest examples of defensive architecture in the country, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1985.
To begin the route we recommend that you start from the road that connects Vélez-Málaga with Alhama de Granada.
Patalamara Riverbed
We could not talk about routes in La Axarquía without talking about the Patalamara River itinerary. This is a demanding and long stretch of hiking, which you can cover in about 6 hours. It does not have large slopes, but it does have added difficulty due to the road conditions. This is a route full of rock steps, so we recommend that you be well equipped and, above all, with appropriate footwear.
The precautions will be worth it, since you will be able to enjoy a little-known route with great landscapes. Several small waterfalls emerge from Patalamara that you can see along the itinerary, in addition to the imposing Moreno Ravine, through which a stream emerges.
The route begins in the municipality of Torrox. Follow the main road towards Cómpeta and, between kilometers 7 and 8, in the place known as Puerto Pulido, there is a signposted lane towards El Acebuchal. Park the vehicle next to the facilities of the old Cómpeta light factory.
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