Climbing out of the high valley of Abla, the route follows the northern slopes of the Sierra Nevada across the gravel plateau of El Marquesado. The tracks roll through ancient olive plantations before plunging into the geological depression of the Hoya de Guadix. Here, the landscape warps into a surreal expanse of red clay chimneys and heavily eroded badlands. The hard-packed dirt tracks eventually cross the river near Fonelas, entering the raw heart of the Gorafe Desert. The finale follows a dramatic desert rim, passing prehistoric stone dolmens from the Bronze Age that overlook the deep canyon. The stage drops sharply into the village of Gorafe, where whitewashed cave dwellings are carved directly into the sheer clay walls.
