The 3 Peaks Challenge in Spain
Tackle 3 back-to-back summits on this tough traverse in the Sierra Nevada, including mainland Spain’s highest peak
Duration
5 nights
Annual Leave
5 days off work
Group Size
Up to 14 people
Season
June-Oct
Location
Sierra Nevada
Meeting Point
Malaga Airport
Classic Accommodation
Lodge · Hotel
Customer Reviews
4.9
Difficulty
Challenging
…
…
Scramble to the top of Mt Mulhacén (3482m), Pico del Caballo (3011m) and Mt Veleta (3395m), through Andalucia’s secret mountain range
Bed down in a high-altitude mountain lodge, your Sierra Nevada basecamp
Get lost while tapas-hunting and soaking up the musical heritage of the ancient Moorish city of Granada
Day 1
To the mountains
Get picked up at Malaga Airport (or train station) and be whisked off into the Sierra Nevada mountain range. You will climb up to the small village of Pradollano where you'll bed down in a nearby mountain lodge at an altitude of 2500 metres. Time to enjoy the sunset this evening whilst getting to know your fellow travellers.
Day 2
Pico del Caballo
Hiking
The adventure begins! From the Mountain Lodge you'll take a short shuttle bus up to 2900 metres, from where the trek to the first 3000m peak of the trip, El Caballo, begins. Along the route you'll pass the oldest and highest mountain refuge in Sierra Nevada, Refugio de Elorrieta, located on a spectacular ridge with stunning views to the Mediterranean coastline.
Day 3
Mulhacén
Hiking
Today you will climb Mulhacen peak, the king of the Sierra Nevada! The highest mountain peak of the Iberian Peninsula at 3482 metres is famed for its craggy appearance and its variety of endemic plants and butterflies. Taking again the shuttle service, today's route will be somewhat more demanding than yesterday's but you'll arrive with a good acclimatisation base. The trek crosses beautiful turquoise glacial lagoons until reaching the final uphill section. Once at the top the reward is views of Granada, the Mediterranean and on a clear day you can even make out the coast of North Africa.
Day 4
Veleta
Hiking
Today's summit, Pico Veleta, is the second-highest peak in the Sierra Nevada and the third highest in Spain. The walk begins direct from the lodge and passes several glacial lagoons and snowmelt waterfalls. Return to the lodge in the afternoon for a well-deserved last dinner together in the mountains.
Day 5
To Granada
Hiking
With the three highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada behind you, head down from the mountains and stop for a short (approx 4km) walk at the hanging bridges of Cahorros de Monachil. You’ll then head back to Granada - an ancient Moorish city is steeped in history, its old town squares are the perfect spot to while away an evening sampling traditional tapas and listening to music floating amongst the rooftops.
Day 6
Back to Malaga
You’ll have time to explore the many winding streets of Granada before a transfer back to Malaga airport for your journey home.
Included
Guides
Expert, English-speaking, qualified mountain guides
Accommodation
4 nights in a mountain lodge, 1 night in a hotel
Meals
All meals apart from dinner in Granada
Transfers
Transfers from and to the airport
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Some meals as described
Visas where required
Day 1
Day 2 – Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
What is the food like?
Expect traditional Andalucian food throughout. While staying at the lodge you'll grab breakfast before heading off each day - there will be a wide range of homemade bread, cheeses, honey, cakes and cereals and muesli to fuel you up for the morning. A packed lunch of sandwiches, fruit and nuts is provided for the daytime and a delicious mountain meal including soup, pasta, a protein and vegetable-based dish, bread, cheeses and desserts.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Mountain Lodge
You will spend 4 nights in the Albergue Universitario Sierra Nevada situated in the outskirts of Pradollano. This mountain lodge sits at 2500m and is used in the winter for ski touring and in the summer for hikers. Rooms are mixed dorms with bunk beds, blankets and pillows are provided and there are shared bathrooms with hot showers. There is a restaurant and a comfortable lounge for socialising.
Granada
In Granada, you'll stay in a centrally located 3-star hotel in twin-share rooms. You will stay in the Hotel Anacapri or an alternative of similar quality.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. This is only available for the night in Granada and not at the lodge. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Malaga Airport
14:00 at the airport on Day 1
Ends
Malaga Airport
13:00 at the airport on Day 6
Transfers
The host will provide 1 group transfer pick-up in Malaga on Day 1. This is scheduled for 13:00 at Malaga Train Station, and then 14:00 at Malaga Airport hours in order to coincide with as many flight options as possible at the time of writing. Your host will reconfirm the exact pick-up time with you prior to travel.
At the end of the trip, your host will provide 1 x group transfer from Granada back to Malaga Airport, to arrive at Malaga Airport at approx 13:00 hrs. It is recommended to book flights that depart after 16:00 if planning on joining this group transfer.
Travel options
There are direct flights to Malaga from major airports across the UK and Europe.
To make your own way from Granada to Malaga, there are frequent bus or train connections (the journey usually takes between approx 1.5 - 2 hours).
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What do I need to bring?
BAGS
Soft overnight duffel bag or rucksack for left luggage to be left in Capileira and transferred to Granada
Daypack (30-40 litres)
Waterproof liner for kitbag or rucksack/drybags
CLOTHES
Lightweight waterproof and windproof jacket
Breathable wicking layers
Fleece jacket or similar
Buff or neckscarf
Lightweight trousers/shorts/skirts for hiking
T-shirts
Underwear & socks
Swimwear for hotel
Sunglasses
Sunhat
Gloves
Something to sleep in
Hiking boots (worn-in)
Lightweight sandals/flipflops for refuge
SLEEPING
Pillowcase
OTHER
Universal travel plug adapter
Power bank or solar charger
Passports (and visas)
Travel Insurance documents
Suncream
Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
Quick-dry towel
Alcohol hand-gel
Face mask
Headtorch or torch
2 x reusable water bottle (x1 litre)
Water purification tablets/treatment system
Cash for the refuges: We suggest EUR30-40 for drinks and snacks
OPTIONAL
Earplugs
Energy bars and snacks
Trekking poles
Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
… Per Person
Walking Poles hire
Payable Before Departure
Walking Poles hire
…
Walking Poles hire
Payable Before Departure
Walking Poles hire
…
Single Room in Granada (post trip)
Payable Before Departure
Single Room in Granada (post trip)
… Per Night
Twin/Double Room in Granada (post trip)
Payable Before Departure
Twin/Double Room in Granada (post trip)
… Per Night
The Sierra Nevada range is worth packing your boots for an exciting and insightful journey to the top of Spain. Our guide, Jaime, was excellent; friendly, helpful and attentive. Our group was great and easily gelled. The final day in Granada to celebrate was a terrific way to end the trip. Good experience, definitely worth the journey to southern Spain!
A really excellent trip with so much packed into only five nights!
The Sierra Nevada was a fascinating and different place to hike and it was great to reach the summit of Mulhacen, the highest peak in mainland Spain. The group all got on really well and our guide was fantastic.
Granada was a great place to unwind and explore after the mountains too!
This was a fantastic trip. Jamie's local knowledge and hospitality was beyond what you would expect of a guide. The walks were of good length and taking in some beautiful scenery. Couldn't recommend this trip enough!
This trip was a brilliant action-packed few days, extremely well organised and well led by Jaime who was fun, energetic, kind and very knowledgeable. It was a big challenge for me and was hard work, especially at altitude and sometimes freezing temperatures, but the views at the top and sense of achievement was well worth it! It was great to also wander around Granada at the end. I thoroughly recommend it!
Brilliant MBA trip. Guide Jamie was fantastic, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Challenging walks but doable. Mountain lodge was comfortable, sitting in a group having a drink was a nice end to the day. Lovely last day to explore Granada too.
Highly recommend this trip - the guide was amazing and had everything sorted to perfection. Never had such a great trip, amazing walks and lots of fun and laughter.
Challenging trip but that's exactly what I wanted! Jamie was a very knowledgeable and fun guide and the whole group had a fab time. Everything was organised very well and I didn't have to worry about anything. Transfers, packed lunches and 3-course dinners were definitely a bonus! :) Oh and hot showers! As not always available in mountain huts ;)
An amazing few days in the mountains with a wonderful group of people and a guide, Jaime, who exceeded our expectations in every way. I can honestly say there is nothing I would change on the trip.
An epic adventure in the Sierra Nevada with a fantastic group of people, mind blowing views, dizzying highs, beautiful flora and fauna. So many highlights but the stand out one had to be our guide Jamie. Absolute legend of a guy with amazing knowledge of the local area. Jamie went above and beyond to make this an unforgettable experience. Muchas gracias Jamie, vamos que no vamo! Dave
Amazing trip, great bunch of people and really enjoyed the challenge and duration of the hikes. Jaime was a fantastic guide and went above and beyond what I would normally expect from an organised tour.
It was such a great trip! Our guide, Jaime, was incredible - he was kind, caring, thoughtful and so knowledgable of the mountains, environment and wildlife. He always made sure we had enough water, were feeling okay and on the super tricky terrain he made sure we felt safe. 100% recommend.
What a trip! Between lunar landscape and magic lagoon every hike was special and different. And thanks to the guide, Jaime, you'll never stop learning about those beautiful mountains, their flora and their fauna. It was a challenging experience but in the best way!
This trip was awesome! Having never been on a trip like this before, and travelling on my own, I was a bit nervous before arriving, but our group got on so well right from the start. Out guide Jaime really looked after us, making sure that no-one was struggling with the pace during the hikes but also making sure that those at the front of the group still had a challenge! He was clearly passionate about nature and the outdoors and was always pointing out interesting plants and animals while we were walking. We were really spoilt when it came to food all week, with 4 courses for dinner at the refuge! The restaurants we went to were all great and the evening in Granada at a restaurant overlooking the city was a perfect ending to an amazing few days in the Sierra Nevada. Take me back please!!
Thank you so much to Much Better Adventures and Jaime our local guide for an epic 4 days hiking in Sierra Nevada! The hiking was the right level - challenging but doable. Jaime was really supportive on any difficult parts which made such a difference. He set a great tone for the trip and we’re so appreciative of that - it made it an amazing holiday. The scenery was beautiful and we were surprised how often we had the mountains to ourselves. The food at the refuge and other hotels was excellent and we had a lot of fun with the rest of our group. We’re already at looking for our next MBA trip in 2023! From Jemima and Tash
Had a brilliant time up in the mountains,tough hikes,beautiful scenery, plenty of good food,a nice group with a bit of craic,and a brilliant guide in Jaime,fun times.
Thank you MBA for a fantastic trip! Jaime is a very capable and personable guide and looked after the group well. There were only five of us plus Jaime, so it was quite a relaxed atmosphere, and we enjoyed having a drink and playing cards together at the refuge. The scenery was fantastic, especially lower down as the mountain summits are quite stark, and I enjoyed seeing the mountain goats and little birds such as redstarts and wheatears.
The walks up the mountains were demanding, with about 1,000 m of ascent each day, but not technical, and there was only one vertigo-inducing part on La Veleta where we needed to hold onto a chain, and Jaime was able to help me with that part.
The only complaint I had was having to take a full bag up to the refuge- with the extra weight, I found it harder than climbing the summits. The options for vegetarians and vegans were also limited, but I find that's often the case in Spain.
Overall, it's a great trip. If you're thinking of doing it, my recommendations are- pack as light as possible, take suncream and lip balm, and stay on an extra night or two in Granada.
This is a great and highly recommended trip for anyone that likes a do-able challenge. The hiking was tough at times, but anyone with a good level of fitness should be able to do it. I think the categorisation of 'challenging' is about right.
The landscape and scenery were absolutely stunning, and the weather was clear blue skies every day. Loved the time spent in the refuge, and the guys there prepared a different meal for me as I'm vegetarian. Jaime, our guide was a really good guy. A great mixture of relaxed, yet responsible, knowledgeable and intelligent but also liked to have the craic. Lots of laughs...😀 Always felt on his wavelength and never felt like we were just another bunch passing through.
The vegan / vegetarian options are very limited outside of the refuge - but this is more of a present time cultural thing. I think the trip offers great value for money and the hotels we stayed in were of a really good standard. Not sure if I would have preferred to go straight from the mountains back home to keep the chilled vibe... That said, Granada was really nice too - as was the last meal in a beautiful restaurant overlooking the city.
Had a great bunch of travelling companions with whom I felt very relaxed and comfortable.
These trips always remind me how people across different cultures, times and language are essentially all the same. Even the smallest nuances of worldview, humour, insecurities, hopes and fears etc, we all share... Loved it.
Fantastic trip, Jaime was a great guide, giving us lots of local knowledge and ensuring we gained the most from the experience. A beautiful part of the world I would not have otherwise visited and the opportunity to climb the tallest mountain in Spain!
Superb trip! Jaime was a great guide, very friendly and a wealth of local knowledge.
Great trip, would recommend. Jaime the guide was fab, knowledgeable and organised. I'll definitely use MBA again.
A great few days, our guide Jaime was excellent, and the summits provided spectacular views. The pace was enjoyable with plenty of time to relax in the evenings, and there were some great detours to little rivers and traverses to keep things interesting! Would definitely recommend this trip, the final night in Grenada was a nice touch to give the legs a break before heading back to Malaga.
I personally enjoyed the company of my guide & my newly made friends we had fun playing cards in the downtime & motivated each other in the hard times. Summits are well worth it & the accommodation was good. I’m a bit picky with food but always enjoyed the breakfast. Theres also some food you can buy at the refugee if needed 🍕. MBA is a company I always enjoy travelling with & the people I meet are great.
This was an amazing four days of pretty hard trekking, amazing part of the world with some great scenery.guides where fab and logistics where easy.
Fabulous trip, first MBA one we've done together, love the way time is maximised, no moment wasted. Excellent local mountain guide! Highlight was summitting Mulhacen but more generally the group was a pleasure to meet as well. Being an experienced trekker I thought it was border-line moderate/challenging rather than challenging - not technical and minimal scrambling. We'll be joining more MBA trips in future
Fantastic trip with excellent guides Victoria and Jaime who looked after us very well. Fun group of fellow travellers and we felt a great sense of achievement at the end of each day’s hike. Lovely hotels on the first and last night and the refuge in the mountains was a fun experience for me.
What a trip! The experience of being in the Sierra Nevada range is one I’ll never forget The guides were superb and great fun The trek was challenging but so rewarding Hitting that 3rd peak felt such an accomplishment And Granada is a stunning place to end
This was a fantastic trip! The guides were exceptional, very professional and most importantly, great fun. The scenery was spectacular and summiting the 3 peaks felt a rewarding challenge every day, I would highly recommend it!
My first hiking trip couldn’t have been better. Incredible scenery, insightful & passionate guides and a real sense of achievement from completing this challenge in Sierra Nevada.
This was an excellent, and well organised trip. The guides (Victoria and Jaime) were very knowledgeable, friendly, and knew the mountain range really well. The mountain views are stunning, and each day ends with drinks and food on the terrace of the mountain refuge.
The Sierra Nevada mountains are stunning. The guides Victoria and Jaime were fantastic. The hiking was challenging but great fun. Would strongly recommend this trip.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 116kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
This trek requires a good level of fitness and some previous experience hiking in mountains is useful. You must be capable of hiking all day (8-10 hours) up paths of moderate difficulty with steep sections. The walking is relatively straightforward, but the long climbs will make the going quite tiring. The views along the way make the journey more than worthwhile. 'High altitude' is usually considered anything over 2400m, so you are likely to feel some of the effects of altitude on this trek as each mountain climbed is over 3000m. The guides will set a steady pace to ensure a safe ascent and to give your lungs a chance to get used to the altitude.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Although the refuge has the option to buy bottled water, we advise against it to reduce the use of plastic in the mountains. You can choose to be provided with cold water that needs treating. There is a wide range of products available these days which are more effective than traditional purification tablets - some trekkers like to use UV handheld devices such as a Steripen but other options are available.
June to October generally provides stable mountain hiking conditions with sunny and warm days and usually under clear blue skies. Temperatures will likely sit at approx. 20°C while hiking but can be considerably lower in the mornings and evenings, even as low as 0°C at night. Rain is rare but the odd short afternoon storm is possible and it can feel very exposed and windy at times.
Your main bag will be collected from the hotel in Capileira on Day 2 and transported to your hotel in Granada for you to be reunited with on Day 5. Your host asks that this luggage is in a small soft packable duffel/rucksack or similar rather than a large suitcase. You will set off on the trek with a rucksack carrying just your essentials for your time in the mountains - likely a spare change of clothes, something warmer for the evenings as well as toiletries and a spare pair of light shoes to use at the refuge.
For current advice about travelling in Spain, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.
Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.
Our team of Adventure Hunters create exclusive adventures with highly vetted, specialist hosts. We only work with independent, local in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. See here for more info about the local teams we partner with.
TRIP DEPARTURE DATES
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