Spanish Offroad tour –
far from asphalt
Spain- the perfect country for motorcycle trips
Spain is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula. Its territory includes also the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. Due to its wide, sandy beaches and mild climate, Spain is one of the top holiday destinations. The eternally shining sun and warm sea are an ultimate invitation to relax. The Spaniards always amaze others with their cultural diversity and open attitude when interacting with the tourists – they are energetic, friendly and full of optimism people.
This charming country is not only full of friendly people, but also beautiful sandy beaches and mountains. Spain abounds in many kilometres wonderful, winding mountain trails offering unforgettable landscapes and just excellent weather for riding a motorcycle.
The history and culture of Spain is as fascinating as its nature. Eight centuries of the presence of Arab-Muslim culture on the Iberian Peninsula changed the face of this part of Europe. When visiting this country, you also need to taste its traditional cuisine. Spanish cuisine consists of culinary traditions from as many as 6 different regions. Each of them is characterized by the use of slightly different ingredients and has been influenced by other parts of the world.
Costa Blanca, which is a combination of the mountainous terrain of the Sierra Aitana contrasting picturesquely with green lowlands covered with fir forests and cliff-lined coastlines. This area is in every way a motorbike enthusiast’s dream come true. During the day, you can take hundreds of turns on mountain passes with breathtaking views. During this trip we will also be passing through the Costa Calida – that’s Spanish for Hot Coast. Among the flora, agaves, prickly pear and fig trees stand out.
This motorbike trip has the character of a round trip
We sleep in a different place every day, and eat our meals in bars and restaurants along the way. Our guests decide which of these places to choose – we only provide our recommendations. We carry our luggage on motorbikes with us. Accomodation is booked earlier. The road has few variants and thanks to it we always reach a hotel on time.
The route is about 1250 km long. In over 90%, it runs off the asphalt, so it is not constant and there may some of the sections may be temporarily closed, e.g. due to hunting or impassable after heavy rains. However, it is not a problem, since we can quickly set the optimal detours.
Less than 10% of the route is paved – asphalt or concrete slabs. The remainder is gravel, rocky or clay roads. We will ensure that each day is varied and exciting.
The level of difficulty of the tour can be described as medium. Much of the route leads over loose stones, is bumpy and very winding in places. It requires, above all, the ability to ride the motorbike comfortably in a standing position and to operate the clutch, gas and brake with precision.
We try to make the tour as attractive as possible, and at the same time accessible to a wide range of motorcyclists. However, the most important thing is safety. Therefore, we reserve the right to verify the skills of each participant on the first 40 kilometres of the tour. If we feel that the level of difficulty is too high for someone and that they pose a danger to their own or other participants’ health, we will ask them to return to the hotel base. If the availability of our motorbikes allows it, we will make available, free of charge, another road motorbike to explore the scenic corners of Spain from the perspective of the asphalt.
Main attractions
The main attractions of an off-road trip are simply the fact of being away from the paved roads and having a chance of a close contact with nature and the ever-changing landscape.
The off-road riding gives you a big thrill and can be described as a certain challenge, impossible to experience on the asphalt roads. Each overcome obstacle on the road fills a rider with a great satisfaction. Moreover, the expedition is full of beautiful views, emotions and adventure which will make each participant remember it for a long time. The planned route is very diverse. It leads mainly through the mountain sections, but it is also full of riding through the olive groves, vineyards or riverbeds with even short sections leading along the beach.
trip formula
This motorbike trip has the character of a round trip
We sleep in a different place every day, and eat our meals in bars and restaurants along the way. Our guests decide which of these places to choose – we only provide our recommendations. We carry our luggage on motorbikes with us. Accomodation is booked earlier. The road has few variants and thanks to it we always reach a hotel on time.
The route is about 1250 km long. In over 90%, it runs off the asphalt, so it is not constant and there may some of the sections may be temporarily closed, e.g. due to hunting or impassable after heavy rains. However, it is not a problem, since we can quickly set the optimal detours.
Less than 10% of the route is paved – asphalt or concrete slabs. The remainder is gravel, rocky or clay roads. We will ensure that each day is varied and exciting.
The level of difficulty of the tour can be described as medium. Much of the route leads over loose stones, is bumpy and very winding in places. It requires, above all, the ability to ride the motorbike comfortably in a standing position and to operate the clutch, gas and brake with precision.
We try to make the tour as attractive as possible, and at the same time accessible to a wide range of motorcyclists. However, the most important thing is safety. Therefore, we reserve the right to verify the skills of each participant on the first 40 kilometres of the tour. If we feel that the level of difficulty is too high for someone and that they pose a danger to their own or other participants’ health, we will ask them to return to the hotel base. If the availability of our motorbikes allows it, we will make available, free of charge, another road motorbike to explore the scenic corners of Spain from the perspective of the asphalt.
ROUTE DETAILS
day 1.
The first day is arrival time in Alicante and transfer to the hotel in Calpe. On this day, we will give the participants the soft bags that we will use while riding the motorbike and at the same time take the suitcases to store them safely. We will familiarise ourselves with the motorbikes and how to assemble the bags. If arrival time allows we will also go to the beach or to the summit of Ifach, a 332 m rock towering over the town and which is also the smallest national park in Spain.
day 2.
Calpe – Yecla
190km, 9 hours of riding
We will start our adventure quite early, around 9:30am, just after breakfast and packing on our motorbikes. The first dozen or so kilometres we take the access route to the charming village of Altea, characterised by low-rise buildings and traditional architecture. Turning right, we will drive to Guadalest, full of beautiful nooks and crannies, which is the epitome of peace and tranquillity. We will ride through the valley of the river of the same name. This section verifies the participants’ skills. It is slightly more difficult than the rest of the route, and by the fact of riding through the river valley, it is also the most changeable. After heavy rains, the agitated water can take up parts of the road and force detours. After a visit to the dam at Gaudalest, we will drive up into the mountains, where we have a beautiful view of the neighbouring peaks, the azure reservoir at the dam and the slightly more distant sea. We will cut through the Sierra de Aitana mountain range. Continuing mainly on mountain roads between rocky peaks, we will occasionally be forced onto tarmac, but these will not be long stretches. Closer to the finish of this section, the terrain flattens out a little, but its attractiveness does not diminish.
day 3.
Yecla – Moratalla
180 km, 9 h of riding
We will spend the beginning of the day amidst landscapes characteristic for this region. We will see short, isolated mountain ranges a few kilometres or more apart, with flat as a table in between. It makes an incredible impression. We will have a delicious lunch in the town of Jumilla, one of Spain’s oldest appellations, famous for its wine production. After lunch, we’ll drive up St Anne’s Mountain, where we’ll start one of the most scenically beautiful sections of the whole trip. For several tens of kilometres, we will follow a well-maintained, winding gravel road cut into the slope of two mountain ranges. We will also cross two intermittent streams. At the village of Calasparra, where wheat, olives and almonds grow among the vineyards, the terrain will flatten out and offer some respite, but this is not the end of the attractions. Before the overnight stay, we will once again ascend the mountains, this time the Sierra de Moratalla, where we will be somewhat shaken by the exceptionally numerous stones. Crossing an unnamed pass at 1,000 mnpm, with the sunset approaching, a long descent will bring us to the overnight base.
day 4.
Moratalla – La Almudema
220 km, 9 h of riding
It will be a very long day’s ride, but with the possibility of reducing the route to 160 km. It all depends on the pace and the will of the group. Long mountain stretches, between numerous rocky peaks, will be interspersed with rides through flat valleys covered with numerous orchards and crops. We will visit beautifully situated villages in the middle of nowhere, far from civilisation, where there won’t even be any reception on the phones, and where we will eat a fantastic steak for reasonable money. We will then descend into the vast valleys where the driving pace will be faster. During rainfall we may encounter some mud there, but this should not be a barrier for us. Then one more mountain range, after which we will have to decide whether to take a short cut. I will tell you on the spot how many groups decided to ride the whole way.
day 5.
La Almudema – Puerto de Mazarron
230 km, 8 h of riding
After a tarmac stretch of several kilometres to start the day, we will enter one of my favourite sections on the route. We’ll be surrounded by not-so-high, sharp hills that enclose us on all sides, stretching to the horizon. A whole host of incredibly twisty gravel roads have been laid out along them. In this area, we can forget about straight sections; the road will be twisting, rising or falling all the time. The driving is demanding, but the views are fantastic. After a while, we will enter a dried-up river bed, which we will follow for several kilometres. The flat, rocky bed meandering between rocks amid lush vegetation is very impressive. We will then return to the hills where, after hundreds of bends and climbs, we will suddenly descend to the historic town of Lorca, where we will have lunch. We will continue through the mountain range, but this section will be largely tarmac, and then we will say a brief farewell to the mountains. Again entering the bed of a periodic river, we will arrive at a beautiful beach where we will relax to the soothing sound of the waves. Continuing along the shore will take you to perhaps the most photogenic spot on the route. The path will lead us to a stretch of wall of unknown destination, which cuts into a picturesque cove. The view from above of the bay surrounded by cliffs and motorbikes standing on this narrow wall will etch itself in your memory for a long time. The place, although very pretty, is awe-inspiring due to the considerable height and narrow width of the wall, so not everyone dared to take a photo there.
day 6.
Puerto de Mazarron – Yecla
230 km, 7 h of riding
This section will also be long, but will be by far the flattest. This time we will spend most of the day on gently rolling terrain with fairly fast roads between countless olive groves, vineyards or solar farms. The average driving speed will be noticeably higher and the ride will be extremely easy and enjoyable. Of course, it will not be the case that we will skip driving through the mountains altogether, because, after all, we came here for them. However, they will be exceptionally few and short on this day.
day 7.
Yecla – Calpe
200 km, 6 h of riding
The last day of riding is once again a little shorter than before. Although we mostly go around the same towns as on the first day of the trip, our chosen route is a different one – a little easier and faster. The ride continues through the mountains, parks and the Spanish forests, but we will often experience the pure pleasure of riding on the well-maintained roads. The part of the route near Guadalest stays the same as the previous one, but the landscape around the area is so beautiful that we are almost sure that no one is going to complain. After all, the same distance traveled the other way creates a different riding experience. According to our plan, we arrive in Calpe at around 4 p.m. and go straight to the car wash. After tidying up the motorcycles, we head to the hotel, where we will deliver your suitcases and take our bags. Later that day we all meet at our farewell evening during which we can plan more trips with Motofiesta!
day 8.
We meet in front of the hotel a few hours before the departure. After that, a comfortable bus takes the participants to the airport, where the Spanish off-road with Motofiesta officially finishes.
Dates and prices
Dates:
15th – 22nd of April 2023
The price is 1400 EUR / rider
The price includes: airport transfer for suggested flight, accomodation with breakfast, renting a motorcycle with the luggage bags, a guide on a motorcycle, planned route, travel insurance.
The price does not include: plane tickets, meals except for breakfasts, motorcycle fuel, your own expenses
ROUTE DETAILS
fun facts
● The name of the country, España, is derived from the word “Ispania” which means “Land of the Rabbits.”
● Spanish language is one of the 5 top most spoken languages in the world.
● The Spaniards brought potatoes, tobacco, tomatoes, cocoa, corn and many more products to Europe.
● Spain is the biggest producer of olive oil in the whole world and produces on average about 44% of the world’s supply of olive oil each year.
● Madrid boasts an average of more than 300 days of sunshine per year.
● Spanish is the official language in 23 countries in the world.
● In general, a person born into a Spanish-speaking family is given a first name followed by two surnames, the first being the father’s family name and the second being the mother’s family name.
● In Spain, people greet each other and say goodbye with a kiss on each cheek. They usually touch their right cheeks together and make a kissing sound, then repeat the process on the left side.
● You can hear a whistled language in The Canary Islands! In 2009, the language was included in the UNESCO list.
● The iconic Chupa Chups lollipops come from Spain (the name comes from the Spanish verb “chupar” – “to suck”). They have been around for over 56 years!
● La Tomatina is a Spanish tomato battle. It takes place every year on the last Wednesday of August.
● Spain is the largest banana producer in Europe.
● The national delicacy of the Spaniards is paella, and they call tortilla … an omelette.
