Hikes in Tabernas

The hike through the semi-desert of Tabernas leads to the film sets of numerous classic Westerns.

The Rambla de Tabernas has been the setting for several Hollywood movies and will guarantee you an impressive nature immersion.

One of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in Almería is the Taberna Desert Natural Park.

A circular tour organised to take advantage of some of the best original locations for such movies as "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly", "A Fistful of Dollars" and "For a Few Dollars More". Starts and ends at Mini Hollywood theme park.  The route also passes locations for "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

Attention! Route still in project phase not yet signposted.  Stage 4. LUCAINENA DE LAS TORRES - TABERNAS

Short excursion in the Desierto de Tabernas to the Lawrence of Arabia oasis - January 2025

ATTENTION! Route in project phase not yet signposted.  Stage 5. TABERNAS - GÉRGAL

WARNING! Route in project phase not yet signposted.  The Garrucha - El Rocío Trail comprises 27 stages.  

The "Desierto de Tabernas" near Almería is the only desert in Europe. It is and has been the backdrop for numerous films. The easy hike leads through the unique landscape of wildly rugged canyons.

In 1989, the so-called “Badlands” of the Paraje natural desierto de Tabernas were designated a “Zona de Especial Protección para las Aves” (ZEPA) bird sanctuary, and in 2016, they were also designated a “Zona de Especial Conservación” (ZEC) special conservation area. This geologically fascinating landscape is crisscrossed by deep, narrow erosion gullies. The scarce rainfall usually falls in torrential downpours, so the barren marl and sedimentary sandstone soil—with very little vegetation—cannot retain moisture; on the contrary, it is subject to increased erosion, giving rise to the characteristic desolate landscapes. The climate in the Tabernas Desert ranges from semi-arid to Mediterranean to cold temperate. In winter, temperatures can drop as low as -7° and rise as high as 48° in summer. With 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, only 200–250 mm of precipitation falls. Since the 1960s, the Tabernas Desert has frequently served as a location for film and commercial shoots, earning it the nickname “European Hollywood.”> Right at the entrance to Oasys Mini Hollywood, we cross Carretera Nacional 340a and begin our hike, heading slightly to the left on a gravel path marked in yellow and white. As we descend into the gorge, we pass under a power line after just a few meters. We cross a dry stream bed. As soon as the trail descends into a ravine, a path marked with wooden posts branches off slightly to the right, leading us into the wide riverbed of the 02 Rambla de Tabernas. We turn right and continue on a path that runs to the left of and parallel to the riverbed. At a ruin, the riverbed forks; we take the left-hand branch. After about 150 m, we leave the riverbed to the left at a wooden post and climb up through an erosion gully to another wooden post. Below on the left, we see the ravine we previously crossed in the opposite direction. A longer stretch of trail follows. Where we can see and hear the highway, we reach another gorge, the Arroyo del Verelecho. A detour follows: We walk a short distance to the right and then follow the path ascending slightly to the left until we reach 03 Poblado Western Leone. There is an admission fee to enter the faithfully reconstructed Western town. After the tour, we return and walk a short distance along the Arroyo del Verelecho. Where the Rambla de Tabernas riverbed joins from the left, we continue straight ahead, passing under the bridge of the Carretera Nacional 340a until we reach another fork in the trail, where we take the path that veers slightly to the right. At the palm trees on the left side of the dry riverbed, we turn right onto the path closed to vehicles and reach the so-called 04 Oasis de Lawrence de Arabia. At the fork in the oasis, we take the right-hand fork and return to the dry riverbed, where we keep to the left. At the next opportunity, leave the dry riverbed and head slightly left, passing palm trees and bridges. At a ruin, the trail turns right and continues through a very scenic side valley. We ignore a path branching off to the right, as well as the one at waypoint 05, El Cautivo. After a left turn, we reach a hilltop, where we turn left and descend into the ravine with the dry creek bed. We turn left again and follow the course of the creek. As soon as we see the trail we took on the way there and the highway behind it, we head right through the dry riverbed. Soon we see stairs leading out of the gorge; the trail that begins behind them leads to the starting and ending point 01, Carretera Nacional 340a.