Southern Oasis

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If you picture Spain as a sun-drenched landscape dominated by brownish tones, the Los Alcornocales nature reserve will surprise you. Located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, near the Strait of Gibraltar, this expansive nature reserve looks like an oasis all year round.

Essentially a medium mountain range, the reserve offers a variety of attractive, low-difficulty hiking trails. The highest peak in Los Alcornocales is Pico del Aljibe, standing at around 1,100 meters. If visibility permits, visitors can enjoy spectacular views of large areas of the provinces of Cádiz and Málaga from the summit, including the Gibraltar enclave.

The rugged terrain and deep, narrow valleys trap humid Atlantic air, creating a cool, misty microclimate. This has enabled some of the last remaining primeval laurel forests on the European mainland to survive to the present day. The reserve is also home to one of the world’s largest cork oak forests (alcornoques).

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