Restaurant at the Hotel Matías
What to order: Ask about the La Mancha dishes of the day and eat on the terrace if the weather is good.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 38.96° N · 2.87° W
Sunday in the Ruidera Lagoons: waterfalls in the morning, kayaking in the afternoon.
A circular walk past four lagoons linked by waterfalls, La Mancha cooking at the Hotel Matías and, in the afternoon, two and a half hours of kayaking on Laguna Colgada.
Leaving from
Part of Lagunas de RuideraUnusual places to stay in Spain
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car1 h 15 each way
Walking5.5 km
DifficultyEasy
Cost€45–70 pp
Best timeApril – June · September – October
With childrenYes, from about 6 years old
BookingKayak and restaurant
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Albacete 1 h 15 by car
From Albacete via the N-430; from Ciudad Real, via Manzanares
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1
Circular route round the Rey, Colgada, Batana and Santo Morcillo lagoons
5.5 km circular walk from the Laguna del Rey
- 6 min on foot
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2
Restaurant at the Hotel Matías
Open at midday 13:00 to 16:00 · booking
Carretera de las Lagunas, km 0,8, 13249 Ruidera · +34 926 528 156
Restaurant €€Book - 6 min by car2,2 km
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3
Kayaking on the Colgada lagoon, the largest in the park
Report to Ruidera 15 min early · €24
+34 684 029 344
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Back home
In Albacete or Ciudad Real around 20:30
Approximate cost
About €45–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Circular route round the Rey, Colgada, Batana and Santo Morcillo lagoons
The Ruidera Lagoons deserve to be seen in two ways: on foot along the shore, where the water spills from one lagoon into the next, and from the inside, by kayak. This Sunday you do both, with a La Mancha lunch in between and without leaving the park. It is an hour and a half from Albacete and Ciudad Real, and about two hours from Toledo.
The day, hour by hour
8:30 · Set off. From Albacete, take the N-430; from Ciudad Real, drive to Manzanares and then the N-430 via La Solana. Before you leave, confirm the time of the afternoon kayak with Ruidera Activa on WhatsApp.
10:00 · Waterfall walk. Park next to Laguna del Rey and do the circuit round the Rey, Colgada, Batana and Santo Morcillo lagoons: 5.5 km, two and a half hours at an easy pace, with the waterfalls between lagoons. Take water and a cap.
13:30 · Lunch. At the restaurant of the Hotel Matías, on the lagoons road as you leave Ruidera: La Mancha cooking, a terrace and space for children. Open at midday from 13:00 to 16:00; book ahead.
16:15 · Kayaking on Laguna Colgada. Arrive at the Ruidera Activa centre, on Avenida de Castilla-La Mancha, a quarter of an hour early. Two and a half hours in all, with a practice session, waterfalls, a cave and an island. €24 (€16 for under-14s). Bring swimwear, water shoes and a change of clothes.
19:00 · Head home.
If there is no kayaking
Out of season, or if it is too cold to get wet, swap the kayak for the Cueva de Montesinos and the Quebrada del Toro, with a guide at 16:00: Don Quixote's cave and a canyon. With small children, the Miradores path, from the interpretation centre in Ossa de Montiel, shows you the lagoons from above in 3.5 km.
Distance5.5 km
Ascent97 m
Time2 h 30
Change the route
Outside kayak season, or in the cold: the cave with a guide at 16:00:
Montesinos Cave and Quebrada del Toro, with a guide
With small children: 3.5 km and the lagoons from above:
Miradores Trail, from the Ossa de Montiel interpretation centre
For a quick, cheap meal beside the Laguna del Rey:
La Perca Rosa Restaurant
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
La Perca Rosa Restaurant
What to order: At lunchtime, the daily menu; in a hurry, a combination plate such as the lamb chops or the rabbit with garlic; the paella, to order
Abrasador Restaurant at Los Batanes Campsite
What to order: The grilled meats, which are the house speciality.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Lagunas de Ruidera
From April to October, when kayaking is on. In spring the waterfalls carry more water; in July and August, set off early because parts of the walk have no shade.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Confirm the kayak the day before
The company does not publish a calendar: ask for the time on WhatsApp.
- 2Water shoes all day
The tufa on the shores is sharp and slippery.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does kayaking in Ruidera cost?
€24 for the long trip on Laguna Colgada, €16 for under-14s.
How long does it take to get from Albacete to the Ruidera Lagoons?
About an hour and a half by car, on the N-430.
Where can I eat on a Sunday in the Ruidera Lagoons?
At the Hotel Matías, which opens every day at midday, or at Perca Rosa, next to Laguna del Rey.
Can you do it with children?
Yes: the walk is easy and the kayak has a children's rate.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/lagunas-de-ruidera/itineraries/ruidera-waterfalls-lunch-kayak
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.