Spanish Three Peaks Trek
Grab your trekking boots, we’re off to conquer three of Spain’s highest peaks!
Our adventure takes us to the Sierra Nevada National Park, where we’ll trek to the summits of three of Spain’s highest peaks, Veleta, Alcazaba, and Mulhacén – the highest peak in mainland Spain!
Following our arrival in Lanjarón, we’ll enjoy dinner and a briefing on the adventure ahead, and after a good night’s sleep we’ll be ready to spend the next 3 days taking on Los Tres Picos! Alcazaba is first on our list and the toughest of the three, with a steep climb to the summit plateau at 3,371m after a trek through the lush green valley of Siete Lagunas. Next up is Veleta, with a rough and rocky path to the summit at 3,394m. Our final peak is Mulhacén, mainland Spain’s highest at 3,482m, offering unbeatable views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range from the summit!
Crossing the Sierra Nevada is going to be a tough challenge, but the view across Spain’s mainland from its highest peaks will provide all the motivation we need!
43km
Approx. Distance
Tough (2)
Challenge Grading
5 days
Challenge Duration
Spain
Challenge Location
Challenge Highlights
Conquer three of Spain’s highest peaks including Mulhacén – the highest peak in mainland Spain!
Explore the Sierra Nevada National Park, the largest national park in Spain
Trek through lush valleys rich in flora and fauna
Push your boundaries and ascend over 3000m in three days
Challenge Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart UK
We depart the UK for Spain and transfer to our hotel. Here we enjoy dinner and a good night’s sleep before starting our challenge in the morning!
Day 2 - Alcazaba (3,371m)
We make an early start today in preparation for the toughest day of our challenge – the ascent of Alcazaba, located to the north of Mulhacén. We climb up steadily to the Alta del Chorrillo and follow the south ridge for an hour, before following the eastern traverse of Mulhacén to Siete Lagunas. There may still be perennial snow patches to cross here.
Siete Lagunas is a beautiful place – a lush green valley with seven lakes surrounded by dramatic peaks. After replenishing our water supplies in the cool waters, we ascend the valley before tackling a steep scree gully that leads to the summit plateau. Alcazaba takes its name from the Arabic word for fortification or fortress, and we’ll soon understand why!
After taking our photos at the summit, we make our way back down the mountain. We then tmake our way back down the mountain to Siete Lagunas and out to the bus for our transfer back to the hotel.
Trekking distance – approx. 16km / 8.5 hours
Day 3 - Veleta (3,394m)
Following breakfast we make the transfer from Lanjarón to the Hoya de la Mora, located at 2,500m. From here the day begins! We start our ascent of the north ridge of Veleta, the third highest peak in mainland Spain. The trekking is rough and rocky, and our journey to the summit will take approximately 3 hours.
From the summit there are outstanding views in all directions, especially southwards where on a clear day we can see as far as Morocco! After we’ve taken in the views, we conclude our days trek with an ascent of Cerro de los Machos before making our way back down to the coach for our transfer back to the hotel and evening meal.
Trekking distance – approx. 16km / 8 hours
Day 4 - Mulhacén (3,482m)
After breakfast, we catch the National Park bus from Capileira to Mirador de Trevelez. From here we ascend the steep and rocky west flank of Mulhacén, the highest peak in mainland Spain. After reaching the summit, we can see the whole chain of the Sierra Nevada range (if the weather is on our side)!
We descend the long and gentle south ridge before catching the bus back to the hotel. This evening we will have a little time to relax before our celebratory meal.
Trekking distance – approx. 11km / 7 hours
Day 5 - Return to UK
We transfer to Malaga Airport where we depart for the UK and continue our onward journeys home.
Please note this is a complex itinerary and subject to change, including the timings and distances detailed.
Challenge Gallery
Challenge Inclusions
What's Included
- Return flights from London to Malaga
- Four nights hotel accommodation
- All meals on the trek, from dinner on day 1 through to breakfast on day 5
- Luggage transfers
- Local English-speaking guide/s
- Global Adventure Challenges Leader from the UK
- All first aid equipment and supplies for the group
- Bespoke challenge medal per person
- Dedicated Customer Care after registration, including comprehensive supporting documents to help you prepare and train
What's Not Included
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Alcoholic drinks
- Personal trekking kit (trekking boots, poles, etc)
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m interested... What do I do now?
You can register online below – payment of the registration fee is due at time of booking. All payment options and costs are explained below.
Once your registration is received we will get in touch with further information on what to expect from this awesome adventure! Your charity will also be in contact to discuss your fundraising.
Is this trip for me?
Absolutely! The trek is suitable for all abilities with the correct training. The minimum age for this trek is 18 years old (if you are aged between 14 – 17 years you must be accompanied by a parent or guardian). The one thing everyone will have in common is a great sense of adventure and the desire to help a charity. Whether you are taking part as an individual or as a team with friends, team spirit will be flying high on the challenge.
How fit do I need to be?
This challenge has been graded as Tough (2) on our challenge grading scheme, meaning the trek has been designed to be challenging but achievable as long as you
train beforehand. You will be trekking for 3 consecutive days, covering 48km and 3000m of elevation so good cardiovascular fitness is required – the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the challenge! Trekking training tips can be found on the Global Adventure Challenges website to point you in the right direction.
Our policy is to encourage and support as many people as possible to take part in our challenges. But they may not be suitable for all people due to restriction posed by limitation in mobility, physical or cognitive disability, pregnancy or other various medical conditions. If you have any doubts regarding your suitability for your challenge please contact our office to speak to one of the team.
What is the challenge grading scheme?
All our challenges are graded on a scale from 1 to 3 to indicate the level of difficulty, 1 being the lowest challenge grade and 3 being the most challenging. (1 = Challenging, 2 = Tough and 3 = Extreme).
Where will we stay?
We will stay in a hotel in Lanjaron for the duration of the challenge. The hotels are clean and comfortable, but may be more basic than what you are used to in the UK. Hotel rooms are allocated on a twin share basis.
Do I need specialist kit?
We will supply you with a kit list of what to take once you register to take part. Apart from some broken in trekking boots, waterproofs, and a sleeping bag/liner, you do not need any specialist kit.
Do I have to carry my own luggage?
You will be required to carry a day pack on each trekking day to carry items such as water, sunscreen, sun hat, snacks etc.
You will need a suitcase or large holdall for your main luggage which will be transported by vehicle to your hotel. During the trek you will be able to leave items you don’t require for the trek in your room at the hotel. We recommend that your main piece of luggage weighs no more than 20kgs irrespective of whether the airline has a higher baggage allowance.
Food Matters...
All meals will be provided from dinner on day 1 through to breakfast on day 5. We cater for most dietary requirements as long as we know in advance – just fill in the appropriate section on your registration form.
What support is there on the challenge?
There will be a strong support team with professional Global Adventure Challenges leader, as well as local guides. Full, comprehensive first aid kits will be taken and mobile telephones will be used to ensure your safety and security at all times.
Can I stay in Spain after the challenge?
Yes you can, but this is subject to us being able to amend your booking from our flights inclusive package to our ground only package. For further information on how our ground only packages work, please visit our guide to ground only challenges.
If you have already registered and would like to request a change to our ground only package, please contact customer.care@globaladventurechallenges.com.
What happens if I get tired?
There will be regular rest stops for drinks and snacks – there is no problem with you taking more rest stops should you need them.
How do I go about raising the sponsorship?
Once you have signed up you will receive a fundraising pack from your charity in order to make your fundraising as easy as possible. You will also receive a few tips and ideas from Global Adventure Challenges to help you on your way.
dates and costs
Payment Option A - Minimum Sponsorship
You pay the non-refundable Registration Fee to Global Adventure Challenges. This is used to administer the challenge, and to secure relevant permits. You then commit to raising the minimum sponsorship and send it to your chosen charity as you raise it - 80% of the minimum sponsorship MUST be received by the charity no later than 12 weeks* before departure. Failure to do so may mean non-participation in the challenge. Your chosen charity will decide when the remaining 20% should be received - this is a normally a couple of weeks after your return to the UK - proof of pledges may be required. The Challenge Costs will be paid for you by your charity out of the sponsorship raised. Do try and raise as much as you can, as every penny you raise over the minimum sponsorship will be retained by your charity too!
*For the challenges listed below, 80% of your minimum sponsorship must be received by your charity no later than 6 weeks before departure:
• Snowdon at Night Trek
• Hadrian’s Wall 25KM Trek
• Peak District Trek 25KM
• Ben Nevis at Night Trek
• Yorkshire 3 Peaks Trek
• Hadrian’s Wall Trek
Payment Option B - Self-Funding
This option enables you to fund the entire challenge yourself, which means you do not have to commit to raising a set sponsorship. You pay the non-refundable Registration Fee to Global Adventure Challenges. You will then be required to pay the challenge balance no later than 12* weeks before the challenge date. Although no fundraising is required, we do strongly encourage you to support a charity of your choice and raise as much as you possibly can.
*For the challenges listed below, the challenge balance invoice is to be paid no later than 6 weeks before departure:
• Snowdon at Night Trek
• Hadrian’s Wall 25KM Trek
• Peak District Trek 25KM
• Ben Nevis at Night Trek
• Yorkshire 3 Peaks Trek
• Hadrian’s Wall Trek
2024
Registration Fee
£199
Option A - Minimum Sponsorship
£2,650
Option B - Self-Funding
£1,325
Single Occupancy Supplement (Optional)
£250
When?
2025
£199
Option A - Minimum Sponsorship
£2,800
Option B - Self-Funding
£1,400
Single Occupancy Supplement (Optional)
£275
When?
Get in Touch
If you need to know more before you take the plunge and sign up, don’t hesitate to contact us! Just complete the details below and we’ll get back to you with the information you need.