Story of the day

Monday 26 October · live from the riders on the spot

SuivreResets at midnight

Land and marine natural park, two continents 14 km apart

Parc Naturel du Détroit

Nearly 19,000 hectares straddling land and sea, from the head of Getares at Algeciras to the Cape of Gracia at Tarifa, facing Morocco.

The spot

The Parque Natural del Estrecho protects the southern tip of mainland Spain. Its total area is close to 19,000 hectares, split almost equally between a land strip of about 9,880 ha and a marine zone of about 9,247 ha. It runs along some thirty kilometres of coastline, from the cove of Getares on the Algeciras side to Cabo de Gracia on the Tarifa side. The park takes in the Isla de las Palomas, the sierras de la Plata and de San Bartolo, and the entire stretch of wild beaches between Bolonia and Punta Camarinal.

It is one of Europe's biodiversity hotspots. At sea, the convergence of the Lusitanian, Mediterranean and Mauritanian provinces makes the strait one of the richest areas on the Spanish coast: more than 1,900 plant and animal species recorded in the coastal strip. Seven cetacean species are regularly observed here: common, bottlenose and striped dolphins and pilot whales in year-round residence, killer whales and sperm whales in season. The orcas follow the bluefin tuna migration through the strait, mainly in July and until mid-August. The subpopulation, estimated at some forty individuals, is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

In the sky, the strait is a major migratory bottleneck. Around thirty species of raptors and soaring birds cross to Africa in spring and autumn (black kites, white storks, honey buzzards), along with some fifty passerine species. The best viewing is from the miradors set on the heights: Cerro del Tambor, Mirador del Estrecho, Punta Camarinal. Inside the park, several waymarked trails link coastline, sierras and viewpoints over Jebel Musa and the Moroccan Rif.

Protected natural area

What you'll see

Area

≈ 19,000 ha (9,880 ha on land + 9,247 ha at sea)

Notable wildlife & plants

7 cetacean species (orcas, dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales)
≈ 30 species of migrating raptors (kites, storks, honey buzzards)
≈ 50 species of migrating songbirds
1,900+ marine species recorded

Viewpoints

Cerro del Tambor
Mirador del Estrecho
Punta Camarinal

⏱ Cetaceans: July to mid-August · raptors: spring and autumn

Carpooling

Rides to Parc Naturel du Détroit this week

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Post the first ride

Dominant wind

No wind needed for hiking and wildlife watching · the ridge paths are exposed to the levante

Required level

All levels depending on the trails, from the flat coastline to the steep passes

Best season

All year · peak cetacean watching in July and August, bird migration in spring and autumn

Access

Several entrances: N-340 at Pelayo (Huerta Grande), N-340 towards Bolonia, port of Tarifa for the Isla de las Palomas

The local's tip

01For orcas, aim for July and the first half of August: that is the window when they hunt bluefin tuna in the strait.
02The Huerta Grande interpretation centre (N-340 km 96, Pelayo) is the best entry point for understanding the park.
03Several climbing and bouldering areas inside the park are closed from 1 March to 31 August for nesting, check the official orders.