Sierra Nevada National Park
Designated in 1999 as Spain's second National Park, covering 86,208 hectares, the Sierra Nevada is home to an amazing diversity of flora and fauna. Rising from 1,000m to the peak of Mulhacen - at 3481m the highest mountain on mainland Spain - the range of habitats provides fertile ground for more than 2,000 plant species, 50 of which are unique to this area, as well as North African and Central European varieties.
50 unique varieties of butterfly, 37 coleopterons and 90 aquatic insects create an entomologist's paradise. Over 60 species of birds can be seen, including the high mountains birds of prey such as the golden eagle and the griffin vulture. The lower slopes are home to the golden oriole and the hoopoe. If you have time and patience you can also spot a wonderful variety of foxes, badgers, wild cats, snakes and lizards. However, the undisputed king of the high Sierras and the tourists' undoubted favourite is the horned mountain goat (Cabra montes). Flocks can be seen leaping from one impossible crag to the next and silhouetted against the sky as they stand proudly upon rocky pinnacles.
The whole area covers 171,829 hectares spreading from Granada and the Alpujarras to Almeria. A good map is therefore essential.
Contact Details: Centro de visitantes "El Dornajo" Ctra. Sierra Nevada Km. 23 18160-Güejar Sierra (Granada) Tel: 958 340 625
Oficina del Espacio Natural Ctra. de la Sierra, Km. 7 18191-Pinos Genil (Granada) Tel: 958 026 300 / 958 026 303 Fax: +34 958 026 310 E-mail: pn.snevada.cma@juntadeandalucia.es
Websites (in Spanish): Junta de Andalucia Website and http://sierranevada.andigena.org/
Opening Hours: 24/7
Entrance: Free
Getting there: By road from Granada: Autovía N-323 in the direction of Motril, exit Ronda sur, A-395 following signs for Pradollano ( ski station) - Veleta.
By Train: RENFE (Granada) Tel: 958 290 062
By Bus: Alsina Graells (Granada) Tel: 958 770 003, Andreu-Enazcar (Almería) Tel: 951 221 784, E. Autedía (Granada) Tel: 958 280 592, E. Liñán (Granada) Tel: 958 263 725
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