Badlands: self-supported ultra-distance in Andalusia

Stage routesSpain

Badlands: self-supported ultra-distance in Andalusia

800 km through Europe's only desert. Fully self-supported: what you do not carry does not exist.

Ultra running · Self-supported · 800 km · 6 stages · 2 min read

What Badlands is like

Badlands made gravel ultra-distance popular in Spain: about 800 km across Granada and Almería, from the Guadix plateau and the Gorafe badlands to the Filabres range, the Tabernas desert, Cabo de Gata and the final climb into the Alpujarra.

The challenge is not climbing but water and heat: some sixty-kilometre stretches have no fountains, and the middle of the day means stopping in the shade.

Key facts

TypeUltra running
Distance800 km
Total climbing16,000 m
Start and finishGranada → Capileira
By bike6 days, 133 km a day on average
When to goLate August and September. In July the Tabernas desert goes past 40 °C at midday.
Pick your stages

From where to where?

The whole route is 6 stages. Pick where you start and finish: always in a stage town.

Usual: 6 days.

KEAGO MAP
ⓘ© MapTiler · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Route profile800 km · 6 stages
0 m1,000 m2,000 m123456

Altitude of each stage town; each stage's climbing is in its details.

6 days, 800 km and 16,000 m of climbing: about 133.3 km a day and 5 nights on the way.

  1. Granada → Guadix120 km · 2600 m D+Eat: La Peza
  2. Guadix → Gorafe y Los Coloraos140 km · 2800 m D+Eat: Gorafe: last shop before the desert
  3. Baza → Sierra de los Filabres150 km · 3500 m D+Eat: Springs in Bacares
  4. Filabres → Tabernas130 km · 2400 m D+Eat: Tabernas
  5. Tabernas → Cabo de Gata130 km · 2200 m D+Eat: Níjar
  6. Cabo de Gata → Capileira130 km · 2500 m D+Eat: Órgiva

Create your account and build Granada to Capileira in 6 days.

It is free and takes a minute.

  • Save the plan and pick up where you left off
  • Carry it on your phone, map and times included
  • Send it to your group with one link
  • Download the itinerary and the calendar
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How to plan it

You can ride it as a race or on your own in six or seven days, sleeping in hostels; the first half, Granada to Tabernas, takes three. It is planned backwards: first where the water and shops are, then the day's distance, and only then where to sleep.

The season is late August to September; in July Tabernas tops 40 degrees. Many village shops close in the afternoon, and camping is banned in Cabo de Gata.

Stages

  1. Granada → Guadix120 km · +2,600 mSleep: Guadix or bivvy on the plateau · Eat: La Peza, Guadix (24 h petrol station) · Cave quarter and cathedral
  2. Guadix → Gorafe y Los Coloraos140 km · +2,800 mSleep: Gorafe, Baza · Eat: Gorafe: last shop before the desert · Red badlands and dolmens
  3. Baza → Sierra de los Filabres150 km · +3,500 mSleep: Bacares, Serón · Eat: Springs in Bacares; carry 4 litres · Long climbs and clear skies
  4. Filabres → Tabernas130 km · +2,400 mSleep: Tabernas · Eat: Tabernas, 24 h on the N-340a · Desert and spaghetti western sets
  5. Tabernas → Cabo de Gata130 km · +2,200 mSleep: San José, Las Negras · Eat: Níjar, San José · Wild coves and flamingo salt pans
  6. Cabo de Gata → Capileira130 km · +2,500 mSleep: Capileira · Eat: Órgiva, Pampaneira · Alpujarra balcony and covered lanes

One stage a day, town to town. Approximate distance and climbing: every GPX varies a little.

Frequently asked questions

How long is Badlands: self-supported ultra-distance in Andalusia?800 km in total, with around 16,000 m of climbing.
How many days does it take?6 days by bike (133 km average per stage).
Where do people usually sleep?The usual overnight points are Guadix or bivvy on the plateau, Gorafe, Baza, Bacares, Serón, Tabernas. The stage table lists them section by section.
Where does Badlands: self-supported ultra-distance in Andalusia start and end?It starts in Granada and ends in Capileira. You can start or finish at any stage end.
When is the best time to go?Late August and September. In July the Tabernas desert goes past 40 °C at midday.
Is there a registration?Yes: it is organised by Badlands (organización oficial) and registration is at https://badlands.cc/.

In Keago this route becomes a plan: one card per stage with time and duration, the daily track, each night's accommodation with link and location, the meals, and both travel tickets where the whole group can see them. Everyone confirms and you know who is missing.

Create your account and keep building your Badlands: self-supported ultra-distance in Andalusia plan.

It is free and takes a minute.

  • Save the plan and pick up where you left off
  • Carry it on your phone, map and times included
  • Send it to your group with one link
  • Download the itinerary and the calendar
Create my accountI already have an account