Sierra de Grazalema

The Sierra de Grazalema catches Atlantic weather funnelled inland and records the highest rainfall in Spain, over two thousand millimetres a year in places, which is why a range in Andalusia is green: beech and oak in the valleys, and a relict forest of Spanish fir, the pinsapo, surviving from before the last ice age on the shaded high slopes. It became Spain's first biosphere reserve in 1977. The Garganta Verde is a gorge four hundred metres deep with a cave at the bottom and a large griffon vulture colony on its walls; access needs a free permit and is closed in the nesting season. Whitewashed villages including Grazalema, Zahara and Benaocaz sit around the park's edges.

What you actually see

• The Garganta Verde - a gorge four hundred metres deep with vulture colonies.
• The pinsapo forest - relict Spanish fir surviving on the high slopes.
• The white villages - Grazalema, Zahara, Benaocaz and Villaluenga.
• The griffon vultures - one of the largest colonies in Europe.

When to go

Spring for green hills, water in the gorges and flowers; autumn for clear light and comfortable walking. The restricted trails including Garganta Verde and the pinsapar are closed from June to mid-October for fire risk and in nesting season.

Honest expectations

The best walks require free permits obtained in advance from the park office, and the number issued daily is limited. Several trails close entirely for months each year. Rain here is real and can be heavy in winter and spring.

Nearby

Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema village are within the park; Ronda and Setenil lie east.