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Man doing Via ferrata in Alicante province, Spain.
Brand New!

Intro to Rock Climbing and Via Ferrata in Spain

4 nights
Moderate

Learn to climb and navigate via ferratas alongside expert guides on pristine limestone walls in the Sierra de Aitana

What's Included?

Activities & Certified Guides

All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking climbing and via ferrata guides

Accommodation

4 nights in a family-run pensión

Meals

All breakfasts, lunches and dinners

Transfers

Airport transfers and everything in between

Equipment

All of your climbing & via ferrata gear

Small Like-minded Groups

Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 13 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people
From

excluding flights
From

excluding flights

What's it like?

Man doing Via ferrata in Alicante province, Spain.
Aitana, Spain.
Female climber in Spain
Via ferrata, Alicante, Spain.
A woman climbing up the Via Ferrata
Hikers in the Aitana massif, Spain.
Rock climbing, Aitana, Spain.
Aitana massif, Spain

Escape to mountains by the Costa Blanca to learn and improve your rock climbing skills, nailing essential techniques like top-roping, abseiling and self-rescue

Traverse some of Spain’s most dizzying routes along dramatic rock formations, featuring slack lines, steep sky ladders and Tibetan bridges

Hike and scramble your way to the summit of Monte Ponoch, tackling its classic via ferrata for breathtaking views across the Mediterranean

Key Information

Day 1

To the Aitana massif

Aitana range, Spain.

Touch down in Alicante, meet your host at the airport, and enjoy the scenic transfer through the Guadalest Valley en route to your base for the trip, a family-run pensión. Settle in and dig into some tapas with your guides, and maybe head out on a short hike to Guadalest to stretch your legs. Your guides will talk you through the adventure to come and give a briefing on the climbing equipment and some initial rope skills. This evening there will be a welcome dinner at the pensión where you can tuck into home-cooked dishes and local wines.

Day 2

To the crag

Rock climbing in Spain

Climbing

3-4hrs

The climbing gets underway this morning, with a short drive to the crag, set in the stunning Sierra de Aitana. Your guide will organise the equipment, give you a full run-through of safety considerations, and get you warmed up. In teams you'll climb a variety of routes on a top rope, starting on easy routes followed by some abseiling techniques, learning communication protocols and self-rescue manoeuvres. Top rope is a very safe way of climbing and the perfect introduction method. If you were to fall from a route or need a rest, you simply hang from the rope at the point of the fall, where you can either resume the climb or be lowered to the bottom. The selected routes are all suitable to try out as a beginner and range from very easy up to intermediate grades. Most of the routes have plenty of good hand and footholds, but as you go up the grades your strength, technique and route planning will be tested. Pause for a picnic lunch and cold drinks from a nearby mountain hut before pushing your skills further in the afternoon, finally wrapping up with a sundowner as the sun sets behind the Bernia ridge. Then it’s back to the pensión for dinner and some well-earned rest after an epic first day.

Day 3

Epic day of Via Ferrata action

Via Ferrata in the Aitana massif, Spain.

Driving

2.5hrs

Via Ferrata

3-4hrs

Enjoy breakfast at the pensión before driving down towards the south of Alicante province to experience the two most popular via ferratas in this part of Spain. Their popularity stems from the quality of the installation and the varied sections of progress they offer along the ascent, with wooden bridges, slack lines, steep sky ladders, Tibetan bridges, and traverses on a series of dramatic rock formations. After tackling these two, you'll head to the nearby villages of Callosa and Redovan where more via ferratas await with four different sections to choose from according to personal and group abilities. You can start with a K2 level to warm up, moving on to a K3 section which is still doable for the vast majority of people, but the exposure to heights increases. There is an optional K4 level if you want to test yourself on the exciting upper section of the Redovan ferrata.
(See the FAQs below for information on how via ferratas are graded) Finally, enjoy a drink in this authentic village before heading back to the pension for a well-deserved dinner.

Day 4

Summit Monte Ponoch in the Aitana mountains

Aitana massif, Spain

Hiking

2hrs · 557m up · 557m down

Via Ferrata

3hrs

No need to drive anywhere this morning, as today's mission kick starts straight from the pensión. You'll be tackling a classic ascent to reach the summit of Monte Ponoch, known as 'The Sleeping Lion' mountain. After hiking towards the base from the pensión, you'll navigate the via ferrata on Monte Ponoch's southeast face; 280 metres of almost vertical but perfectly protected via ferrata following an old classic route opened by British climbers back in the 1950s. With a combination of via ferratas and scrambling to reach the summit you're rewarded with breathtaking views over this part of the Costa Blanca. Hike back down, completing a true mountaineering day out putting in practice all the skills learned on the previous days. For those looking for an extra hit of adrenaline, there is an additional scramble to reach a 55 metre abseil as part of the descent. Tonight you'll head out to dinner at a local restaurant for a farewell meal and drinks to toast the end of an awesome trip.

Day 5

Time to bid farewell

Aitana, Spain.

The adventure comes to an end today, after one last breakfast overlooking the Sierra from the terrace. Your host will then transfer you back to the airport in Alicante around midday.

The Area

map

Logistics

Starts

Alicante Airport (ALC)

15:00 Day 1

Ends

Alicante Airport (ALC)

12:00 on Day 5

Transfers

Your host will meet you on arrival at Alicante Airport at 15:00 and transfer you to your base at a pensión near Guadalest, which is about an hour away. If you are already in Alicante, your host can arrange to collect you at a location in the city. On Day 5, your host will provide a group transfer from the pensión back to Alicante Airport, dropping you off at around midday. We advise you to not book any flights which depart earlier than 13:00 on Day 5.

Travel options

Alicante Airport is accessible via various direct flights from the UK and mainland Europe. Travellers from North America will need to transit en route to Alicante in one of a variety of major hubs across Europe, depending on the airline you choose.

Day 1

Pension · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2 – Day 4

Pension · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 5

Departure day

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

What is the food like?

Paella, Spain.

Tuck into hearty breakfast buffets on the terrace at the pensión each morning, with fresh local orange juice, cereals, bread, cold meats, manchego cheese, and homemade cakes, plus local seasonal produce such as tomatoes, olives and avocados. Lunches will be picnic style with your guides' legendary triple-decker sandwiches prepared for you, with a variety of fillings. Dinners will be mostly Mediterranean-style home-cooked meals, with dishes such as homemade paella, lentil soup with oven-cooked peppers and onions on garlic and olive oil, lamb with sweet potatoes and prunes with rice, roasted veg and potatoes with garlic mayonnaise. Local red wine is included in all evening meals. You'll have an evening meal out at a local restaurant on the final night of the trip where you can try some more classic Spanish dishes.

Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for – please just request this on your passenger info form.

What is the accommodation like?

Pension Rincon de Pepe
Pensión Rincon de Pepe

Your base for the trip is in a charming, authentic local pensión nestled beneath the peaks of the Sierra de Aitana in a beautiful location. It's been a family-run place for generations, with a very welcoming vibe and homecooked meals out on the beautiful terrace. You'll stay in simple, same-sex twin-share rooms with ensuite bathrooms. The pensión is for the exclusive use of Much Better Adventures customers during the dates that this trip runs. There will be a self-training area set up at the pensión where you can practise rope work at any time, with installed belay points anchors and cables to practise away at your own pace during any downtime moments in the trip.

Upgrades

For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room throughout the trip can be booked for an extra charge - see Optional Extras for prices. Please note that private room upgrades are subject to availability, so please request this at the time of booking.

This trip has been rated as Moderate

This is an action-packed trip, so you'll need to be happy being out for the majority of the day, either at the crag for climbing or on the via ferratas. This trip will test your endurance and physical strength, as you'll be working your upper and lower body throughout. You'll also need a good head for heights. Whilst climbing experience is not necessary, it is advisable that you give indoor rock climbing a try beforehand or perhaps spend a day at your local bouldering centre. Doing some upper body conditioning in the run-up to this trip will help ensure that you are in good shape to tackle the climbing involved. An introductory training and safety briefing will be provided for the climbing, so this trip is suitable for first-timers as well as those with a bit of climbing experience who are seeking to improve. You'll be doing single-pitch climbs at the crag, with routes tailored to your specific ability and experience level.

You won't need any previous via ferrata experience, just a sense of adventure and good levels of endurance to keep pushing. Needless to say, this trip is not suitable for anyone with a fear of heights or who is uncomfortable being on exposed terrain. On the via ferratas, there is one guide for every three customers.

Please be aware that the itinerary is changeable and can vary from what is published on the trip page. The exact location and duration of each activity will be determined by the guide, and will be chosen based on the particular make up of a group i.e. the physical condition and ability of participants.

What if i need to skip an activity?

If you need to skip any part of this trip you are welcome to do so, however alternative activities are not available. You can enjoy some downtime at the pensión if you choose to skip any part out.

What will I need to carry?

You will need to bring along a day pack of 15-25 litres carrying personal items, water and waterproofs / additional layers on trips in the colder months.

Costa Blanca is the most visited winter climbing destination in Europe for a good reason. The winters here are some of the mildest on the continent, with climbers from all over Europe flocking to the Costa Blanca over the years to continue climbing in the winter months. The Aitana Massif is uniquely influenced by its combination of mountainous terrain and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.

October to November: The onset of Autumn brings milder conditions, with the odd rainy day but still plenty of sun. Daytime temperatures range between 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F).

December to February: This is the coldest period, with occasional snow on the higher peaks of the Aitana Massif. In the valleys, daytime temperatures hover between 10°C to 18°C (50°F to 64°F).

March to May: Spring gradually brings longer days and more sunshine, and the weather becomes drier. By May, the conditions are usually very summery with long stretches of sunny weather. Daytime temperatures rise steadily from 15°C to 23°C (59°F to 73°F) in March, reaching 18°C to 27°C (64°F to 81°F) by May. Nights are still cool in March but become warmer by late spring.

This trip is brand new

We’re still waiting to collect any reviews from other travellers on this trip. However, all our hosts go through an extensive vetting process to ensure that your adventure is awesome.

Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear

In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.

What's included?

  • All of your rock climbing and via ferrata equipment, as follows:
  • Harness
  • Helmet
  • Lanyard
  • Slings
  • Screw gate carabiners

What's available to hire

  • Climbing shoes

What do I need to bring?

BAGS

  • Main luggage pack
  • Small daypack (15-25 litres)

CLOTHES

  • Rock climbing shoes (see FAQ)
  • Breathable wicking layers with some stretch for climbing (shorts, leggings and t-shirts are all fine)
  • Fleece jacket or similar
  • Lightweight waterproof jacket with wind protection
  • Lightweight long sleeve tops
  • Casual clothes for downtime at the pension
  • Buff or neckscarf
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunhat
  • Underwear and socks
  • Something to sleep in
  • Hiking boots (no running shoes or similar soft sole trainers as they have no grip on rock)
  • Sandals (for leisure time, non technical)

December-February trips only:

  • Warm hat
  • Gloves
  • Light down jacket for colder evenings
  • Additional warm clothes for downtime at the pension

OTHER

  • European travel plug adapter
  • Power bank or solar charger
  • Passports (and visas)
  • Travel insurance documents
  • Ear plugs
  • Suncream
  • Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
  • Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc.)
  • Alcohol hand-gel
  • Reusable water bottle and/or bladder (x2 litre)
  • Energy bars and snacks - read our article on Best Hiking Snacks
*Requests for optional extras can be made after booking on your “My Bookings” page

Optional Private Room Upgrade

Payable Before Departure

Optional Private Room Upgrade

Private airport transfer - each way

Payable Before Departure

Private airport transfer - each way

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 37kg 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.

In Europe, via ferrata routes are graded based on their difficulty, with factors such as physical demands, exposure and technical skill required. Although there are variations in grading systems depending on the country, we use the Hüsler scale, named after the Swiss alpinist Eugen E. Hüsler. This is a widely used grading system across Europe. It ranges from K1 (easy) to K6 (extreme). "K" stands for "Klettersteig", the German word for via ferrata. The grades in this system are as follows:

  • K1 (Easy) Suitable for beginners. Mostly walking with short, protected sections. Few vertical sections, minimal exposure. Requires little to no climbing skills.

  • K2 (Moderate) Some short steep sections. May have a few vertical climbs with steel rungs or holds. Protection is good, with ropes or ladders. Minimal exposure.

  • K3 (Somewhat Difficult) Longer, more vertical sections. Increased exposure but still well protected. Requires good physical condition and head for heights.

  • K4 (Difficult) Steep and sustained vertical sections. High exposure. Requires good upper body strength and climbing skills. Sometimes fewer artificial holds.

  • K5 (Very Difficult) Very steep, sustained vertical or overhanging sections. High exposure with more demanding technical climbing moves. Limited artificial holds and protection. Requires excellent physical fitness and climbing experience.

  • K6 (Extremely Difficult) Extremely exposed, vertical or overhanging sections. Demands significant upper body strength and technical climbing skills. Few or no artificial holds, making the route very challenging. Best suited for expert climbers.

This trip goes up to a maximum of K4, which can be attempted on the upper section of the ferrata de Redovan. This section is optional, leaving the rest of the trip spread across K1, K2 and K3 sections.

You'll spend most of the day at the crag, heading there after breakfast a quick 10 minute drive from your pensión. You'll have 3-4 climbing guides depending on the group size, your guides will give you a run-through of the climbing manoeuvres and techniques that you'll be doing and will set up rope lines for the group to practice on, with varying levels of difficulty to cater to different ability levels within the group. In teams you'll practice rope climbing (top rope), followed by some abseiling techniques. Top rope is a very secure and safe way of climbing and is the perfect introduction method. If you were to fall from a route or need a rest, you simply hang from the rope at the point of the fall, where you can either resume the climb or be lowered to the bottom. You'll also learn communication protocols and self-rescue manoeuvres, and your guides are on hand at all times to help you with your technique and to step in if you get stuck at any point. The day is structured loosely to give you plenty of rest in between bursts of effort while testing yourself on the different routes at the crag. There is a mountain hut a short walk away where you can have a rest and grab drinks, or you can rest up at any point of the day at the crag watching your fellow adventurers attempt routes on the wall. The group will break for a leisurely picnic lunch, and there will also be sundowner drinks watching the sunset over the Aitana range. In total you'll likely be actually climbing for 3-4 hours depending on how you feel. You are welcome to do as much or as little as you like.

The selected routes are all suitable to try out as a beginner and range from very easy up to intermediate grades. Most of the routes have plenty of good hand and footholds, but as you go up the grades your strength, technique and route planning will be tested. Your guides will keep you updated with which grade route you are trying at any time, and will assess at all times which ones you are capable of tackling.

You will need to bring your own climbing shoes. If you don't have a pair already, these can be bought for around £30 from Decathlon or similar. You should buy those that fit comfortably in the shop - don't follow advice for them to be extra tight or a smaller shoe size than you would normally wear - your feet will swell with the heat on the trips in early Autumn and late Spring on this trip anyway, so finding a pair that fit like normal shoes and no tighter is important.

In the rare event in this part of Spain where the conditions affect the ability to climb or do via ferratas, your host knows the area incredibly well and can pivot to alternative activities. If for example, conditions on Monte Ponoch don't allow for the summit to be safely reached, you may do an extra half day climbing at the crag after a hike lower down in the mountain.

The tap water in Alicante province in Spain is safe to drink. You can fill up at the pension throughout your stay, taking bottles to the climbing crag and with you to the via ferrata excursions. We recommend bringing along 2 litres worth of carrying capacity in reusable water bottles and/or bladders.

There will be two main guides throughout the trip, both for the climbing day at the crag and for the via ferrata excursions.

This trip has a single-centre base, so your luggage can remain with you in your room while you head off for adventures each day.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion and are non-compulsory on this trip. Of course, if you feel that your guides provided an exceptional experience then you are welcome to tip as much as you feel is appropriate. You should factor in tipping 10% on top of the bill in any bars and restaurants during the trip.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

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 recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

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.

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Connect before you go

You'll be invited to join a WhatsApp group to get to know each other before your big adventure together. Full details

DEPARTURE DATES

March 2025

Wednesday 12th March 2025

to Sunday 16th March 2025
Guaranteed to run
New Trip Offer - Next 1 spot available at 10% off
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