Los Cahorros
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The gorge of the Río Monachil is one of the most beautiful, popular and easiest hiking routes in the whole province of Granada. The gorge itself is known as Los Cahorros. It is very popular with climbers and day-trippers alike, due to its proximity to the city of Granada.
Los Cahorros is a mid-mountain limestone area, made up of formations that are younger than the higher peaks and are subject to more erosion. The biologist Dori Domínguez explains that due to the scarcity of soil, human intervention and the altitude here, a number of shrubs, such as willows, poplars, rushes and esparto fields, thrive alongside the riverbed in the V-shaped valley of the Río Monachil. This unique vegetation in turn gives rise to the rich wildlife, such as birds, amphibians and mammals, such as the wild boar and Spanish ibex.
The route begins in the village of Monachil. Leave your car by the river or get the 183 bus from Granada (operated by the company Liñan). Cross the bridge and take the path on the right hand side. The path starts off paved, passing through farms and fruit trees. You will pass the La Almunia del Valle B&B and reach the Cortijo de la Umbria soon after.
Here you can enjoy fantastic views of the city of Granada and the valley of Río Monachil.
The trail leads down towards the river where you can enjoy the spectacular vertical cliffs, the narrow stone steps and the rich natural surroundings. The narrowness of the path forces visitors to crouch or to crawl along certain parts of it. Built upon a water pipe, it goes through the Túnel de las Palomas, which links the two walls of the gorge forming a natural cave with a number of climbing routes.
Los Cahorros’ 63 metre-long suspension bridge is probably one of the best known and most popular attractions in the area, together with the Cumbres Verdes and La Silla del Moro. The bridge was first built over 100 years ago, but it has been continually renovated to guarantee the safety of our visitors.
This area is very popular amongst rock climbers, who have marked out several upward routes on the steep rock faces of the Río Monachil gorge.
ROUTE INFORMATION
Regions: Sierra Nevada
Towns: Monachil
Route length: 9.5 km
Estimated duration: 4 hours
Altitude on departure: 813 metres
Maximum altitude reached: 1134 metres
Gradient: 394 metres
Ecosystem: Mid-level mountain
Recommended season: All year round
HIKE RATING SYSTEM
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- Itinerary and route
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- Effort needed
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- Severity of natural surroundings
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- Level of difficulty for walking
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