What to do · Guadix
Dolmens and desert of Gorafe
Information
- Price
- Routes on your own
- Duration
- 4 h
- Who it's for
- All ages; open-air routes
What it is
Gorafe holds one of the largest concentrations of dolmens in Europe: more than 240 Neolithic tombs spread over ten or eleven necropolises, depending on the source, along the edges of the River Gor ravine. A dolmen is a tomb of stone slabs set upright with another slab on top, originally covered by a mound of earth. Here there are many sizes and shapes, and the landscape around them is as striking as they are: the clay and sand badlands in reddish and pinkish tones that locally are called the Gorafe desert.
The Megalithic Park was created in 1998 to protect them. In 2011 the Megalithism Interpretation Centre was added, an underground building of more than 600 m² whose design imitates a tomb, with a chamber and corridor. It explains who raised the dolmens, when and how they lived.
The routes
There are three prepared routes on which you see more than sixty burials: Llano de Olivares, those of Conquín and those of Majadillos. They run through the necropolises on the edges of the ravine, in the open air and with the badlands in view. Nearby are also what the town council points out as landmarks of the municipality:
- Petroglyphs of the Cerro de la Mina. Five stones engraved about 4,500 years ago, the oldest in the province, with dancing human figures and depictions of the sun and moon.
- Los Algarves. A 12th-century Almohad fortress carved into a vertical wall more than 100 metres high, with a cistern, silo and dovecote cut into the rock.
Hours, price and how to get there
The Geopark gives 616 94 46 05 as the park's phone; neither the town council nor the Geopark publishes the interpretation centre's hours or price, so call before you go. From Guadix, by the A-92N and the turn-off to Gorafe, it is about 33 km and a little under 40 minutes by car.
When to go
In spring and autumn. In summer, at midday, the open-air routes become hard: set out early or go late, when the low light lights up the desert's colours. Gorafe is also a Starlight Foundation-certified Star Park, where astronomical observations are organised.
Tips
- Start with the interpretation centre With what it explains, the dolmens stop being loose stones in the field.
- Bring water and a cap The routes are in the open air, in a landscape with almost no trees.
- Stay for sunset The badlands change colour with the low sun, and at night the Star Park sky begins.
Frequently asked questions
How many dolmens are there in Gorafe?
More than 240, spread over ten or eleven necropolises depending on the source.
How far is it from Guadix?
About 33 km, a little under 40 minutes by car.
Do you need a guide?
Not for the three marked routes. For the interpretation centre's hours and possible guided visits, call 616 94 46 05.
