La Caravana
Granada, Spain
Casabayacas
- Caravan for 2 from £40 per night (read our low price promise)
- One double bed
Suitable for children of all ages
Not suitable for pets
Overview
This is soul-deep peace. Sitting in rocking chairs, with the fragrance of citrus trees and wild herbs rising in the warm evening air as goat bells ring in the valleys. The La Caravana camp is simple, rustic and spectacular. The caravan is bedroom and kitchen, both colourful and comfortable, still with an air of their 70s origins. Just 10 metres away is the bathroom hut and 30 metres off is the spring water pool, shared with the guest house, the only other building you can see. The covered porch and the hammock are perfect for lazing in the summer sun and looking out at the 1800m peak of the Sierra Lujar, but why just look when you can explore?
Half an hour along the streambed takes you into the hippy town of Orgiva, with some great local eateries and second hand markets on Sundays. You can drop down into Bayacas itself and see the tree of life mural, to which each citizen contributed a ceramic leaf. Ancient Moorish water channels, known as acequia, lead off into the hills in all directions and the more adventurous can have a guide take them clambering and scrambling down the Rio Verde. An hour away (unless there are goat jams on the roads) is Granada, where you can see the incredible Alhambra Palace and try the hammam baths, finally seeing those expensive towels in their natural habitat.
In winter, you can be playing in the snow on the higher slopes of the mountains and having a drink on the beach in the same day, via a stopover at one of the regions iconic villages, with their white stone walls and conical roofs. Last, but far from least, is the Sierra Nevada National Park on your doorstep. La Caravana is just ten minutes from the edge of the park, where you can hike miles of trails in the company of nobody but the local ibex. When you do eventually return home, you can graze on the nuts and fruit of Casabayacas’ sprawling land and maybe cool off with a dip in the in the pool before dinner.
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check in: 3 pm
- Check out: 12 midday
- The caravan is not suitable for wheelchair users and not for guests taller than 2 metres
- Mobile phone signal
- WiFi available around the pool (30 metres from the caravan)
- Sleeping arrangements
- One double bed
Cooking
- Gas hob cooker
- Refrigeration in the bathhouse
- Cooking equipment provided
Washing
- Private bathhouse (10 metres from caravan) with flushing toilet and shower
- Both cold and hot running water
- Toiletries provided
Heating, lighting & bedding
- Solar lighting
- Bed linen and towels provided
- Plug sockets available
- Hot water by gas geyser
- Gas heater
Entertainment
- Books in the caravan
Getting there
Latitude: 36.922349 Longitude: -3.413017
El Molino de los Alamos, Bayacas, Spain
By car
Car hire recommended due to remote location.
Once landing at Malaga airport, follow the direction to Malaga and then follow Almaria and Motril. Keep driving pass Nerja, Herradura and Almuñecar, follow the direction to Granada. This road goes more inland. Then follow and go through Orgiva, las Alpujarras. In Orgiva you follow the direction to Pampaneira Trevellez. When you pass a little petrol station on your right, followed by a bridge, there will be a roundabout. Take the first exit to the right direction of Pampaneira, Trevellez. After 10 minutes you will see the sign of Bayacas at your right hand side. Take this road and go down till you see many cars parked.
Follow the road over a little 'bridge', directly after the bridge take the sand track on the left. After 300 metres you will find the entrance to Casabayacas on the right. You will see a ceramic sign with Molino de los Alamos in a natural stone wall under a tree (a bit further up than the sign 'House of light'.) There you will drive in till you see the owners' cars. Phone the owners when you're there or if you need any help along the way.
Parking is next to the bathhouse
By public transport
The nearest train station is 60km away
Orgiva bus stop is 5km away and Bayacas bus stop is 1km from the space but runs only twice a day
Orgiva is a 30 min walk on the way there downhill and on the way back is 45 mins uphill
The owners can pick guests up from the bus stop in Orgiva and charge 5 Euros.
Food & Drink
At Casabayacas
Basic food such as pasta, rice, herbs and oil are provided. The owners also sell organic eggs and olive oil.
Local shops
The nearest shop for basics is Orgiva which is in walking distance
Pubs & restaurants
Pizzaria Almazara (5km) - Nice outside garden that offer good pizzas and great other options
Baraka (5km) - Very good Moroccan restaurant
El limonero (5km) - Cheap menu that offers very good food
Mora Luna (20km in Mecines Fondales) - Small pizzeria with great views and very kind owner
Activities
At Casabayacas
Helping out on the farm
Playing table tennis
Enjoying the swimming pool
Places to visit
Orgiva (15 minute drive or 30 minute walk) - an attractive town with a colourful weekly market, all kinds of shops, cafes and restaurants. Many nationalities have made their home here and there is a thriving alternative scene. In Summer, there are flamenco shows, open air cinemas and free concerts to enjoy.
There are 3 second hand markets (rastos):
-Orgiva - every 1st and 3rd Sunday in the month
-Almuñecar - every Sunday till 2 pm
-Nerja - every Sunday till 2 pm
Granada (1 hour drive) - the city is famous for its Moorish neighbourhoods, the Albazin and Sacremonte. Moorish architecture reaches a peak in the world famous palace, the Alhambra, which is a must for any visitor to Granada. The city centre is a maze of small streets and cosy palm-lined squares. In the evenings there are flamenco performances, especially in Sacremonte. The city attracts top performers from all over Spain.
O Sel Ling, or Place of Clear Light - a Buddhist retreat centre for meditation and relaxation. Less than an hour drive from Bayacas at an altitude of 1600 meter, you will find total tranquility.
Outdoor & active
This area is the perfect place for walking. You don't have to drive to get to the beautiful countryside as you are already in it! From half an hour to a whole day, there is everything from gentle strolls to energetic hikes up 10,000 ft peaks, it is all here. As a day trip you can hike to the top of the Mulhacen, the highest mountain in the Iberian Peninsula.
A great experience is the descent of the Rio Verde (1 1/2 hour drive), a light green river with jungle-like vegetation. With a guide you descend the river by jumps, natural water slides, swimming and abseiling but you can also just visit for a swim and a picnic.
The azure blue Mediterranean Sea is just 45 minutes away by car or bus. The coast is known as the Costa Tropical and enjoys a subtropical climate. There is an abundance of exotic flora like mango trees and beautiful flower plants all year round. The small towns along this part of the coast are attractive and unspoiled with plenty of opportunities for shopping or relaxing in one of the many beach bars and restaurants. Between the towns are many completely wild beaches, if you feel like exploring.
Meet your hosts
Meet Yvonne
Yvonne started the business to give other people the chance to enjoy their beautiful piece of land and the jaw dropping surroundings. They've been renting out the caravan for 6 years now and also own a holiday house. Yvonne has 3 friendly dogs that she adores and also has free range chickens, she also takes great care of her garden which is surrounded by olive, citrus trees and mountains.
Wildlife & Environment
All the electricity comes from solar power and the water the owners use is from the mountains where as the drinking water is from a spring. The waterstream that passes through the house and land is part of the irrigation channels that was built by the Moors over 700 years ago and yet it still works perfectly today! The owners store this in two large pools; one is covered for domestic use, the other doubles as a swimming pool and for irrigating their land. Every two weeks, they empty the pool to water their trees, clean and refill it with fresh water.
The land at Casabayacas is organic with all different kind of fruit, nut and olive trees. Depending on the season, guests can pick figs, grapes,oranges, lemons, avocados and the list goes on! You can hear the beautiful song of the oriol and nightingale or the cheerful talk of the bee eater and at night you can watch a sky full of stars and the Milky Way.
Our guests say...
Yvonne and Chris were the perfect guides for a local, intimate experience of Andalucía. A unique, lasting impression created by sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Mountain views from the porch or the pool. The eerily unfamiliar dawn, evening and nocturnal choruses of birds, insects and amphibians. Fresh morning dew and a cool stream fed dip. Oranges, lemons and avocados picked by our own hand. Wild herbs, goat herds and friendly dogs. And all this before we had even left the camp for a snowy national park, warm beaches, river hikes and towns and cities saturated in culture and history. Unusually, considering our list of destinations yet to be explored, we both felt La Caravana was much deserving of a return visit to embellish our magical snapshot.
21/04/2019Dan
It was an absolute delight! What can beat picking lemons, oranges and avocados from the nearby trees, soaking in the hilly views and walking through a moonlit garden by the song of nightigales. We also walked through fragrant pine woods to the snowy peaks of Sierra Nevada and swam in the sky blue waters of the Mediterranean sea. We walked through the wondrous Alhambra in Granada and enjoyed some lovely food and relaxed and very friendly vibes at the local picturesque town of Orgiva. At the caravan we were entertained by happy chickens roaming around and sometimes eating from our hands and three very friendly dogs. The owners, Yvonne and Chris, were wonderful and very helpful, gave us a lot of advice on local secluded beaches and beautiful walks. They were the perfect guides for the local area and we didn't need to rely on any other source of information.
17/04/2019Lianka from Canopy & Stars
What a magical spot! Back to basics amongst lemon, orange, avocado and almond trees. The sun comes across the front of the caravan just in time for your morning coffee. The caravan itself is much bigger than I anticipated and was very comfortable. The hosts were super friendly and the area was quiet and a buzz with nature. The local town was big enough to be interesting and offer good food. We explored Granada and the coast from there but to be honest, I enjoyed returning to base most. It was a delight.
12/04/2019Danielle
Make yourself comfy in the original unique rocking chairs on the terrace in front of your own hide away in the form of a cozy caravan. Take in the fantastic views and picture yourself in paradise. Run around with the chickens or enjoy the pool filled with fresh mountain water. For an outing visit Orgiva market with its many stalls of eco friendly produce. And make sure you visit Rio Verde to practise barranquismo (adventure sports).
22/08/2018Bernadette van der Heijden for Canopy & Stars
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Booking Terms
Canopy & Stars low price promise
Book with us in confidence knowing you won’t find that place cheaper elsewhere. All of the prices we display are set and matched by our Owners. (In this world of foreign currency, we do have to say 'subject to exchange rates' for some of our European places.)
What does ‘from price’ mean?
Our ‘from price’ is based on a four night stay in low season and designed to help you to compare different prices across our collection. Some of our Owners vary their nightly rates and check in days throughout the year, so it may differ from the rate quoted below the calendar. It is quite common (although by no means universal) for places to charge a little more in peak season or for shorter stays, to cover changeover costs. Consider booking longer stays during the cooler months if you’re looking for the lowest nightly rates.
Agency Terms & Conditions
Except where otherwise specified, we Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd Company No 09088366 of Merchants House, Wapping Road, Bristol, BS1 4RW act only as an Agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. Sawday’s Canopy & Stars is part of the Alastair Sawday’s Group of Companies. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into or for any services or arrangements you purchase (“Booking(s)”) or for the acts or omissions of any supplier(s) or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any Booking. For all Bookings, your contract will be with the supplier of the Booking in question, and in most cases this will be the owner of the property you’ll be staying at (“Owner(s)”). When making your Booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the Owner of the Booking. Your Booking with us is subject to these Agency Terms & Conditions and any specific booking conditions of the relevant Owner(s) you contract with. The Owner’s booking conditions may limit and/or exclude the Owner’s liability to you.
You may decide to make more than one Booking with us at the same time. The price charged in total for more than one Booking will always equal the prices charged separately for each individual Booking. All Bookings are available to be purchased separately at the same price as they are when more than one Booking is made. This means that any multiple Bookings do not constitute a package as defined in the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.
By making a booking, you agree that:-
- you have read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
- you consent to our use of your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy;
and
- you are over 18 years of age and where there may be age restrictions in place, you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age.
The Canopy & Stars online booking system enables Guests to make Bookings 24 hours a day. A Booking is confirmed on receipt of a 25% non-refundable deposit for all Bookings with check in dates of more than 10 weeks away. For all Bookings that have a check in date of less than 10 weeks before check in, payment for the Booking will be required in full and the entire Booking will be non-refundable. The Canopy & Stars telephone booking line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. When using the online enquiry form, for those Properties without online booking, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the Booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm). Online or email enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment. Therefore, if possible, we do recommend that you book on the Canopy & Stars website using the online booking system.
1. Booking and payments
1.1 In order to confirm your chosen Booking, you must pay a non-refundable deposit as required by the Owner of the Booking in question (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of the date of your check-in).
1.2 Your Booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Owner will exist when we receive payment of the deposit and send you a booking confirmation on the Owner’s behalf. This booking confirmation will normally be sent out within 24 hours in the case of email and seven working days in the case of post, and will contain the details of your Booking and of payments made and due. If you have not received your booking confirmation within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk). Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately. As we act only as booking Agent, we have no responsibility for any errors in any documentation except where an error is made by us.
1.3 Where a deposit has been paid, full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in date and a reminder will be sent to you two weeks prior to this date, where applicable, by email. We automatically take the balance payment using the same card as used to make the deposit payment. It is your reponsibility to advise us if we should use a different card and to contact us by telephone (0117 204 7830) to arrange for alternative payment method. If the balance payment does not successfully go through as there is a problem with your card, such as it expiring, then we will contact you to try and take alternative payment. If we have been unable to take payment after two weeks of the balance due date, then with regret, we will notify the Owner who may cancel your Booking.
1.4 Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Owner concerned, all monies you pay to us for a Booking will be held on behalf of the Owner(s) concerned.
1.5 Credit Card payments are processed via Alastair Sawday’s Publishing Co. Ltd who provide merchants services facilities to Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd.
2. Cancellation and Amendment by You
2.1 Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk) and will be considered and responded to within one working day of receipt. You are also advised to confirm all changes to our Customer Services Department by calling 0117 204 7830. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your Booking prior to travel. Whilst we will always try to help, we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met.
2.2 Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the booking conditions of the Owner of your Arrangements. The Owner may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Arrangements and will normally increase closer to the date of departure). The Owner may charge cancellation or amendment charges in accordance with its own booking conditions, however for the sake of convenience only, we have outlined the Owner’s charges at clause 2.3 and 2.4 below. Please note that these are the Owner’s own cancellation and amendments charges, not Canopy & Stars’, and therefore the Owner may vary their charges as they wish, without notice to us. The correct charges will be notified to you at the time of your cancellation or amendments.
2.3 Owner’s General Cancellation Charges:
2.3.1 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your deposit being forfeited, as all deposits are non-refundable.
2.3.2 All monies paid for a holiday (deposit and balance) are non-refundable within 10 weeks before check in date.
2.3.3 Cancellation of any holiday after it has been paid in full and at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, will result in forfeiture of your deposit (or an amount equivalent where one was not paid as the holiday was paid in full) and the balance being returned to you.
2.3.4 Cancellation insurance is available but will be a third party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way.
2.4 Owner’s General Amendment Charges:
2.4.1 Alterations to your Booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time alterations will be treated as cancellation. All alterations are subject to availability and may incur a £30 adminstration fee.
2.4.2 Differences in the total amount payable resulting from alterations will be refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price and paid by you in the case of increases in price.
Special note: Generally Owners will charge the above cancellation and amendment charges, however we must stress that these are a guide only and charges may differ from those shown here depending on the Owner. The exact charges will be notified to you by the Owner at the time of cancellation and/or can be found in the Owner’s own booking conditions which are available from the Owner on request.
3. Changes and Cancellations by the Owner
We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Owner needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Arrangements or to cancel them. We will also liaise between you and the Owner in relation to any alternative Booking offered by the Owner but we will have no further liability to you.
4. Complaints
Because the contract for your Booking is between you and the Owner, any queries or concerns should be addressed to them. In the event that you have any complaint about your stay, please notify the Owner as soon as possible. If you don’t follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Owner to investigate and resolve your complaint and so make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Delays may also mean that amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced. Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also contact us as we appreciate all feedback. It’s important to us and the Owner to know that you’ve enjoyed your stay or if anything could have been improved.
5. Pricing
Canopy & Stars reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time on behalf of the Owner. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices.Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur.
6. Information & Accuracy
The information and prices shown on this website are varied from time to time and may change between the time you first view a property and make a Booking. You should check that all the details are as you expect prior to making a Booking. It is always possible that, despite our best efforts, some of the properties (including the features and extras available) may be incorrectly described and/or priced. If we discover this is the case after you have made a Booking, we reserve the right to contact you with details of the correct information and/or pricing and will give you the option to:
(1) proceed with the Booking based on the correct information and/or pricing, which may require the payment of an additional amount by you;
OR
(2) subject to availability, change your booking dates to dates when the pricing can be honoured ad so no additional charge to you. In the event that a lower price can be offered for alternative dates then the difference would be refunded;
OR
(3) cancel the Booking. If we do not receive your instructions within 5 days of contacting you, we reserve the right to cancel your Booking without liability to you.
7. Our Responsibility for your Booking
Your contract is with the Owner and its booking conditions apply. As Agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Booking. Our responsibilities are limited to making the Booking in accordance with your instructions and acting properly in accordance with our legal duties as an Agent. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Booking that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of your Booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the Booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.
8. Pets
Not all properties accept pets. If you wish to take your pet on holiday, please advise us before booking and we can check whether pets are accepted at the property. You must obtain the prior consent of the Owner before taking any pets to the property. A nightly charge may be made by the Owner for each pet and additional terms may apply.
9. VAT
Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable, the tax is included in the advertised holiday rental price.
10. Visa, passport and health requirements.
Unless you tell us otherwise, we assume that all members of your party are British citizens who hold or will hold full British passports valid for the entire duration of the Arrangements you chose to purchase. Information on visa, passport and health requirements, where given and applicable, is so given on this basis. Requirements may change and you are therefore strongly recommended to check the up to date position with the Owner of the Booking, Passport Office, appropriate embassy or consulate or your doctor as applicable in good time before the commencement of your holiday.
11. Insurance
You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance you purchase is adequate and appropriate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details and take them with you on holiday.
12. Special requests
If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements, cots or room location), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Owner, but unfortunately, we can't guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.
13. Group Bookings
Not all Owners accept Bookings for a single sex group (for example, a stag or hen party). Guests wanting to make such a Booking should check with us beforehand to enable us to check whether the Owner is prepared to accept the Booking. We will then advise you accordingly. In event that an Owner does not accept this type of Booking then it is with regret, that the Booking may be cancelled and cancellation fees may apply. It is the Guest’s responsibility to enquire with Canopy & Stars and/or check on our website beforehand to make sure that this type of booking is permitted.
14. Maximum Numbers
Please note that except by prior arrangement confirmed in writing, only the number of persons specified on a booking confirmation may occupy a property. Most owners reserve the right to refuse admittance or revoke a booking if this condition is not observed and you are unlikely to receive any refund.
15. Your Responsibilities
Please note that you have a contract with the Owner of the property. As such you are under a responsibility to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner whilst staying at the property with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their property. You are responsible for informing the Owner of any losses or damage to the property as soon as possible. Please note that you will be liable to pay the Owner for any losses or damage to the property caused by you or a member of your party (except reasonable wear and tear). Some Owners will also require damage deposits. You must also leave the property by the check-out time specified on your booking. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period and/or refuse any future bookings from you. Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner. In addition, the Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property. As agent, we will have no liability to you in these circumstances.
16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and conditions have been drafted in accordance with and are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any and all disputes arising out of these Agency Terms & Conditions.
17. Discrepancies
In case of a discrepancy between these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Agency Terms & Conditions shall prevail.
18. Validity clause
In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Agency Terms & Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Agency Terms & Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.
Yvonne and Chris were the perfect guides for a local, intimate experience of Andalucía. A unique, lasting impression created by sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Mountain views from the porch or the pool. The eerily unfamiliar dawn, evening and nocturnal choruses of birds, insects and amphibians. Fresh morning dew and a cool stream fed dip. Oranges, lemons and avocados picked by our own hand. Wild herbs, goat herds and friendly dogs. And all this before we had even left the camp for a snowy national park, warm beaches, river hikes and towns and cities saturated in culture and history. Unusually, considering our list of destinations yet to be explored, we both felt La Caravana was much deserving of a return visit to embellish our magical snapshot.
21/04/2019