Heading out from Moratalla, the track descends from the mountain foothills into the arid plains of the Llanos del Cagitán. Flat gravel and hard-packed limestone double-tracks cross an open landscape dotted with sparse scrub and dry farming plots. The route transitions into a steady climb across a chalky ridge known as the white pass, where the pale stone paths reflect the intense Murcian sun. Dropping down the other side, the trail enters the fertile agricultural corridor of the Segura River basin. The dry badlands disappear, replaced by dense, irrigated orchards of lemon and orange trees. The stage runs parallel to the river before finishing in Archena, a historic spa town famous for its natural hot springs and riverside date palms.
