Camino Refugio De Juanar - 4 Days

This Camino is a 3 night and 3 1/2 day event starting out from Mijas Pueblo, a perfect starting point for your Camino. You have lots of public transportation options and only 30 min away from the Airport. If you come by car, the city hall has build a large indoor parking just next to the starting point of the Camino, and you can park there for just 1 euro/day. Mijas pueblo is a charming place to spend a day or two before or after your Camino. You will find several very good restaurants, cafe´s and other attractions. We can recommend to stay at Opuntia Hotel Boutique - www.opuntia-hotel.com/

The Camino Castillo takes you on day 1 in total 13 km. from the charming white village, Mijas pueblo up to an old minor chapel just above the village, and the views from here are breathtaking. From there you will follow a trail taking you from the south to the west side of the Mijas mountain. It will be a day with "only" 550 gained height meters and not long in km., but also the first day in the mountains. If you prefer to take a longer/harder first day, we will provide you with an option reaching the peak of the Mijas mountain.

This day will be on rocky trails amongst pine trees, the views are amazing all the way until you exit the forest, just 150 meters from your first hotel, Alhaurin Golf Hotel. The restaurant of the hotel is located in an old charming Finca, and the hotel in a modern building with all necessary amenities. Here you will feel away from busy city life and the hotel has lots of small sofa corners, both inside and outside to enjoy a chat, a coffee or a drink.

Day 2 is a long 30 km., but not difficult day. The first 10 km. can however be taken with a shortcut in taxi, leaving the day on 20 km. All day will be spend on the south side of the Castillejos mountain with spectacular views of the mediterranean and the coastal cities, even the Gibraltar rock and the Rif mountains in Morocco are visible from here on clear days.

Just before reaching Ojén you will find yourself on a charming avenue with eucalyptus trees taking you down to the feet of Ojén, where you only need to climb the last hill up to your Hotel La Posada del Angel in the centre of the village. The hotel is a outstanding  petit boutique place and with absolute high standards, no doubts you will enjoy this place, before taking on the hardest and most beautiful day of this camino.

Day 3 starts with a tough 4 km. up hill through the forest, but from there you will be walking in the protected nature reserve, Refugio de Juanar and from one view point better than the other, this place is one of the most outstanding nature spots in all of Andalusia. The walk is only 15,5 km. but with 1200 hight meters and on smaller trails it can be more than you want to do, so luckily you find several shortcuts to make the day possible for all and no doubt, a fantastic experience even if you do the shortcuts and won´t have the same view points as if you hike the famous peaks of El Tajo Negro and El Cruz de Juanar.

The last 5 km. you descent in river valley towards Istán, where you will stay at the wonderful Hotel Altos de Istán, and here you find all you need, a bar and a nice restaurant, a spa and nature all around you.

The day after you will be picked up and taken back to where you started in Mijas pueblo, unless you prefer to go on your own from Istán.