Outdoor adventures · Alpujarra Granadina

Horse Riding in the Alpujarra

Guided rides from Bubión in the Poqueira gorge on old bridle paths, acequias and drovers' routes of the Sierra Nevada: two-hour hacks from €50 and day rides from €105 (2026).

About Horse Riding in the Alpujarra

Bubión, the middle village of the Poqueira gorge, has been a base for riding in Sierra Nevada since the 1980s. Rides follow ancient bridle paths and drovers' routes, many dating from Moorish times or earlier, along with the terraces and acequias, irrigation channels, that they cross. On clear days the views reach the Mediterranean and the mountains of Morocco.

Sierra Trails, riding here since 1987, offers two- and three-hour hacks and day rides of five to seven hours with a picnic of local produce, plus short breaks and week-long trail rides. Routes change with the season, from almond and chestnut terraces in the lower Alpujarra to pine and oak woods and high pasture in summer. Cabalgar Rutas Alternativas, in Bubión's Barrio de la Ermita, runs half-day to multi-day routes in the natural park for groups of four or more.

Sierra Trails charges €50 for a two-hour hack, €65 for three hours and €105 for a day ride, plus IVA (Spanish VAT); extra hours cost €15 (2026). Riders must be competent and balanced at all paces outdoors, and weight limits are 75 kg for intermediate and 90 kg for experienced riders; beginners should ask about suitable short rides. The stables open all year, weather permitting, and rides must be booked ahead. Alsa buses from Granada stop in Bubión.

Spring and autumn are best; summer rides go higher to escape the heat. Wear long trousers and boots with a heel, and bring sun cream and water.

Horse Riding in the Alpujarra in pictures

Wide dirt trail through pine woods below rocky crags, Horse Riding in the Alpujarra, Bubión

Riders on grey horses crossing high mountain pasture, Horse Riding in the Alpujarra, Sierra Nevada

What you’ll find

Car parkParkingFree
Guided activityGuide or instructor (€50–€105)Book
Horse ridingGuided ride (€50–€105)Book
Picnic areaPicnicFree
Shuttle or busPublic transportBuy
ViewpointScenic viewpointFree

Nearby places to visit

The stables are in Bubión (0 km), and the other gorge villages, Pampaneira and Capileira, are 1 and 2 km away along the valley. On foot, the La Cebadilla and Poqueira Gorge Circuit from Capileira (2 km) explores the same valley on mule paths and acequias, and the Mulhacén Ascent from Hoya del Portillo starts 3 km above the village for those who want the highest summit in mainland Spain. Trevélez and its Vallejo Ham Museum are 10 km east along the winding Alpujarra road, a good lunch stop after a morning ride.