What’s Bardenas Reales?
Spain, europe
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moderate
Year-round
Okay, so you HAVE to check out the Bardenas Reales in northern Spain! It's this crazy, unique desert landscape that feels totally out of place in Europe.
Think semi-desert badlands with bizarre clay and sandstone formations sculpted by wind and water. Seriously, the erosion is unreal! You'll see these crazy structures called "cabezos" that stick out like something from another planet.
You can totally drive through it! One popular route is the Carcastillo-Figarol road (El Paso), which then hooks up with the track that runs alongside the military shooting range. Yep, you read that right. Another option is the earth track that starts near the petrol station on the edge of Carcastillo and circles the firing range.
Just be warned: the area is pretty remote, and vegetation is super sparse. Most of the streams are dry too. Even though it looks barren, it's actually got a surprising amount of natural diversity!
Oh, and did I mention they filmed parts of "The World Is Not Enough" here? Talk about an epic backdrop! You can easily spend a whole day cruising around on the many tracks, but definitely bring water and supplies. It’s wild out there!
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