A family yurt in the hills just outside one of Europe’s top watersports destinations

However you like to unwind, this is the place to do it. For the adventurous, Tarifa (Europe’s Mecca for watersports) is only 3km away and there is great walking, cycling and riding all around the area. Your hosts Saira and Denny have access to some private beaches about ten minutes drive away that are perfect for escaping the crowds. In a similar way, back at the yurts there are communal spaces for the sociable privacy for those seeking peace and quiet, even whale watching for nature lovers. There’s also great healthy food on your doorstep as Saira and Denny, the owners, have their own vegetarian restaurant in town, which makes use of some of their home-grown produce.
The three spacious yurts have huge double beds and divans which can be used as singles for the kids. You'll find them all made up with quality linen and fluffy towels waiting for you. The site as a whole is enclosed to keep animals out and kids in and the yurts are all lined and shaded to provide a cool refuge from the sun but let warmth linger on into the evenings. You can also roll up the sides to take in the view and the gentle sea breezes. They share two bathrooms with lovely hot showers and a kitchen hut equipped with all the utensils you could need. On lazy days, you have the option of a full breakfast cooked by a restaurateur.

• Esentials
• Getting there
• Eating & Drinking
• Things to do
• Booking terms
• Meet your hosts

The essentials

The important stuff

• Check in time is 4pm
• Check out time is 11am
• September, October & November is sporadic hunting season – they aren't allowed on the land but you may hear the odd shot that sounds too close for comfort!
• There is wi-fi across the whole farm

Sleeping arrangements

1 king-sized double, 2 sofas that can sleep one extra guest each at £12 per night per person (please call)

Kids & Pets

Children are welcome and pets are allowed by arrangement.

Surcharges

Extra guests £12 per night per person.

Cooking

• The communal kitchen for all three yurts contains all cooking equipment including:
• A gas oven & grill
• Crockery, cutlery, glassware
• Pots & pans
• Coffee percolators and teapots
• A gas fridge (one shelf per yurt)

Washing

• There is a cabin with two separate bathrooms, shared by all three yurts.
• Both bathrooms have hot gas-powered showers. Towels are provided.
• The two toilets are in the same cabin Paper, which must be put in the bin alongside the toilet to facilitate water drainage and eco-hand wash are provided. A washing machine is available at extra cost.

Heating, lighting & bedding

• LED and solar lights are dotted around and the yurts all have good lighting, but a torch might be worth bringing if you plan on nighttime stargazing walks

Entertainment

• There are loads of books and some bits and bobs
• There is wi-fi across the whole farm

Getting there

Yurts Tarifa, Suerte Tierra, Cañada de los Matatoros 11380

By public transport

The nearest train station is Algeciras and the nearest bus station is in Tarifa. The bus station is walkable, the train is 20kms away. Saira and Denny can pick up guests from the station for a charge of 5 Euros, but transport after that will depend on when they are going out.

By car

Saira and Denny would love to know when to expect their guests so please call, SMS or email with an ETA and they will try to be there to receive you.

To reach the property from the N340, one must enter Tarifa (on the Algeciras side), turn around and go back the way you came but on the other side of the road, towards Algeciras. If coming from Cadiz, pass the second entrance to Tarifa on the N340.

Some 200 metres after this entrance to the town, take the first turning on the right-hand side, it's labelled km85. On your way in, you'll see the km signs at the side of the road counting down to 85 as you head south. It takes you onto a paved military road.

After some 600m there is an unpaved track on the left. Do not pass the bridge and go uphill. Take this track on the left and follow for just over 1km.

Near the end of the track (it feels pretty long the first time but just enjoy the view and keep going!) on the left-hand side you will see a large, pale yellow house with a windmill and solar panels on the roof. This is part of the property.

The first entrance – with a wooden gate and a paved driveway - is marked with a reddish flower and is Saira and Denny's house (reception) and the yurt camp. The following entrance, with a metal gate and an unpaved drive is for the Casita. It is also marked with a red flower.

Eating & drinking

At Yurts Tarifa

Saira and Denny are trying their best to ensure that fruit is available from their own trees all year round. There are also fresh eggs, subject to the whims of the hens and jams and chutneys if the fruit harvest has been good.

On site, you have a couple of catered options:

Full breakfast for €7.50 per person or

an Arrival Hamper €20 on request

Pubs & Restaurants 

There are literally hundreds of places to eat and drink in Tarifa offering all kinds of different atmospheres. Here are a few of Saira and Denny's personal favourites:

Chilimosa - Saira and Denny's own vegetarian restaurant (so they might be a little biased) is a sweet little place in the entrance of the old town, on the right hand side after entering the Puerta de Jerez (the arch). They serve good value, tasty, all-natural veggie food for all tastes.

Surla – beach café for fruity breakfasts and Sushi in the evenings. Situated on the promenade on the outskirts of town, it´s a good place to refresh after a long walk on the beach.

El Picoteo – one of the best and least touristy places to eat really good Spanish food. Tapas at the bar are good value, or pay more to sit and eat a wonderful meal of fresh fish and delicious side dishes.

El Mirlo – for a meal in an isolated bay deep in natural park and minutes from the beach this is a real treat on a beautiful day

El Perbacco – tasty, homemade Italian food near the port – real homemade pasta is unbeatable.

There are several bars with live music notably the Eco center and the Almadenia with Flamenco on Thursdays.

Things to do

At Yurts Tarifa

From the yurts you can walk inland to cork forests or to the coast where you can see the remains of old military bunkers, deserted bays and spectacular views all the way to Morrocco. Or climb the hill to watch the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean.

In season, migrating birds can be seen from your yurt including: bee-eaters, several birds of prey and majestic storks. If you fancy getting a bit more hands on with the wildlife, then you can always feed the donkey. On rainy days, should there ever be any, there are games and books to read, the internet if you really can't bear to leave the world behind, a local cinema and shops, indoor tennis and courses in yoga and pilates.

Places to visit

Tarifa – historic old town, stunning beaches, wind and kite surfing capital of Europe

Tangier - Morrocco

Gibraltar – British enclave, still with red postboxes!

The white villages of Castellar, Vejer, Ronda, etc

Montenmedio – scultpure trail

Algeciras market – a mixture of typical local and Morroccan wares

Parque de los Alcornocales (cork forest natural park)

Outdoor & Active stuff

Around Yurts Tarifa are two great beaches, Punta Paloma and Bolonia, plus plenty of rolling sand dunes

Ask Saira and Denny about any (or all!) of the following:

Wind surfing

Kite surfing

Surfing

Horseriding

Scuba diving

Whale and dolphin watching

Rock climbing

Mountain biking

Birdwatching

Paragliding

Meet your hosts

Saira and Denny

Saira's parents bought this property in 1999 and started a bedouin tented camp / hostel with rooms in thehouse and the cottage. She and her partner Denny made their own home on a part of the property in 2003 and, as part of a dream to be based more on the land than in town, they began to adapt the original tented camp to provide much more luxurious accomodation and better amenities. Since then, her parents have returned to the UK and they have bought the property from them, making the farm Denny´s full time occupation.

Denny is a carpenter by trade and Saira has a vegetarian tapas bar & takeaway in Tarifa so the yurt project ties in well with the joint experience in creating beautiful things and attending to the needs of guests. They hope to become more and more self-sufficient over time and be able to live off the land as much as possible.

Wildlife & the local area

Yurts Tarifa is in one of the most important Natural Parks of the area (Parque Natural del Estrecho – of the Straight of Gibraltar) with the skies filled with migrating birds in season, plus the occasional sighting of Genet cats, mongeese, resident hoopoes, vultures, owls, bats, reptiles and insects of course, including some pretty impressive snakes if you´re lucky! A one hour walk takes you into the neighbouring Natural Park of Los Alcornocales (cork forests) and the hill provides views of the stunning coast and Marine Park where you can go horse-riding, whale-watching and all kinds of other outdoor activities.

Green stuff!

The smallholding is completely self sufficient with wind and solar power as well as having its own well water. Saira and Denny are gradually reforesting their land with native trees and planting as many fruit trees as possible. They grow some veggies and herbs, keep chickens to supply guests with organic ingredients during their stay and can offer home baked bread on request.

The site is undisturbed by light or noise pollution leaving you free to appreciate the awesome night skies and the enchanting sounds of nature.

The installations in the yurt camp are largely made from recycled and / or sustainable timber and Denny´s creativity has put great use to all kinds of other recycled and re-used materials. Wherever possible they have tried to keep their carbon footprint to a minimum without sacrificing quality or comfort.