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ACTIVE TRAVEL

Active travel has found its place in Malaga and the Costa del Sol, attracting many young companies. If you're planning to engage in active sports with no previous experience, they can be of real help, since these activities can be dangerous if you don't take the necessary safety measures. They provide adequate insurance, qualified instructors, and equipment.

The number of tourists interested in active travel is growing by the season. They make quite a heterogeneous bunch: couples, friends, families, or individuals planning their dynamic getaways to different locations where they can be in contact with nature in Malaga. Thanks to the influence of foreign companies, the province is also being used for corporate teambuilding activities.

The wild and mountainous areas in Malaga's hinterland are apt for a wide range of outdoor activities. The steep terrain in Sierra de las Nieves makes a good setting for canyoning. The latest route to join existing ones was the so-called “Sima del Diablo” (Devil's Pit), along the Genal River from Ronda to the Costa del Sol. You can also go rappelling in the pools and waterfalls of the Almanchares River, down the southern slopes of the Sierra Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama, down the Guadalmina River in Benahavís, or down the Cañón de la Buitrera, near El Colmenar, in the Sierra de Grazalema.

Sierra de las Nieves and Sierra de Grazalema are the best places to go mountaineering in Malaga. Many international travellers come to climb El Chorro, in one of the best mountaineering areas in the Iberian Peninsula. The Guadalhorce River has carved a spectacular one-kilometre gorge in the limestone, featuring elevation gains of up to 250 metres. It's a real challenge for mountaineers. The area is also good for trekkers, who can follow different trails, depending on their fitness and training.

Spelunking or caving –exploring caves– can also be done in Malaga, where you can walk along the dark galleries carved by water deep into the mountains. The most spectacular cave in the province is Cueva del Gato, in Ronda, within Grazalema Nature Park. Other caves worth visiting are Marbella's Cueva de Nagüeles and Igualeja's Cueva de la Fuensanta, on the southwest border of Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park.

If you're a speed lover, Malaga has many beautiful spots that can be reached on quad bikes, off-road vehicles, or mountain bikes. Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park and the Genal Valley are perfect doors to the Mediterranean forest. Active travel companies have designed roads with different difficulty levels in these areas. The Costa del Sol's natural settings can also be visited on horseback.

Some of the activities can be done on the coast. Maro-Cerro Gordo is an ideal place for scuba diving, for instance, as it's a rocky protected natural space where water is crystal clear. The western coast and Torremolinos, especially Los Álamos, are meeting points for kitesurfers and windsurfers. Other popular water sports in Malaga are rowing and kayaking. They surely afford original views of the sea.

There are options to catch a bird's eye view of Malaga Province, too: hang-gliding, parachuting, paragliding, or even hot-air ballooning. The weather and terrain have turned Abdalajís Valley into one of the most popular paragliding and hang-gliding places in Spain. But it's not the only spot where you can fly in Malaga, since Mijas, Nerja, and Fuengirola also feature adequate settings. Likewise, in Ronda you can take hot-air balloon tours over the sierras.

Active holidays in Malaga:

• Water: scuba diving, rafting, canoeing, boat drives, kitesurfing, windsurfing, rowing, kayaking
• Land: off-road drives, mountain biking, horse riding, canyoning, mountaineering, spelunking, quad biking, trekking, birdwatching
• Air: hang-gliding, parachuting, paragliding, hot-air ballooning

Active travel companies and associations in Malaga:

• Born to be wild (Marbella). Website: www.borntobewild.es.
  E-mail: info@borntobewild.es. Telephone: (+34) 952 781 006 / (+34) 606 454 431.
• Exploramas (Mijas-Costa). Website: www.exploramas.com.
  E-mail: info@exploramas.com. Telephone: (+34) 952 477 951.
• Dsevents (Benalmadena). Website: www.dsevents.es.
  E-mail: info@dsevents.es. Telephone: (+34) 952 378 794.
• Travelmasters (Marbella). Website: www.travelmasters.es.
  E-mail: events@travelmasters.es. Telephone: (+34) 952 839 900

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