The most expensive journey

is the one you regret

not taking.

dates

start: Monday, February 10, 2020, near Denia, Spain

end: Thursday, February 20, 2020, near Benidorm, Spain

per-person cost estimates (usd)

scout fee

$1200 per person

airfare

As of early October, 2019, the per-person cost of a round-trip flight to Valencia, Spain is…

$525 from New York (15 hours one way)

$860 from Las Vegas (17.5 hours one way)

$1050 from Vancouver (13.5 hours one way)

$1050 from Calgary (16.5 hours one way)

When you arrive at Valencia's Manises Airport (VLC), you'll be a mere two-hour drive from our first accommodation. But we urge you to stay a couple nights in Valencia, because its historic center is well worth visiting. We recommond the NH Hotel Las Ciencias, a short walk from Valencia's modern architectural wonder: La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. If you’ve never been to Barcelona, however, you should consider making Barcelona's El Prat Airport (BCN) your arrival or departure point in Spain. Barcelona's many marvels include the spectacular cathedral La Sagrada de Familia. From Barcelona, you can train south to the city of Denia, rent a car there, and drive 45 minutes to our first accommodation. Once you commit to joining us, we’ll consult with you about these and other travel opportunities for your time in Spain before and after we hike together.

accommodation for 10 nights

(including buffet breakfasts each morning)

$470 per person, double occupancy

$575 per person, single room

dining out

$400 per person (9 dinners, and 2 lunches on rest days)

car rental for 10 days

$180 per person (based on 2 people sharing), plus $200 for gas (total $280 per person)

cultural tour

$50 per person

subtotal

Based on round-trip flight from Las Vegas:

$3260 per person (double occupancy), $3365 per person (single room)

Based on round-trip flight from Calgary:

$3450 per person (double occupancy), $3555 (single room)

additional costs

medical insurance, trip insurance, accommodation and meals before and after our trip together, trail-lunch ingredients purchased for you

actual costs

Your airfare will depend on the airline you choose and when you purchase. The accuracy of our USD cost estimates will depend on ever-fluctuating exchange rates. Our scout fee will not change.

booking & payment

You are responsible for booking and paying for your flights between North America and Spain. We will book your accommodation for you, and you will pay for it through us, but you’ll pay only what we’re charged. All other costs—rental car, meals, etc.—you’ll pay directly. That’s what makes this trip affordable: There’s no markup on any of your expenses.

securing your reservation

Tell us you’re interested. We’ll send you questions about your hiking experience and fitness level. Let's follow up with a phone conversation. If you and we agree you can comfortably handle the Costa Blanca trails at a pace that's compatible with our group, and you're ready to commit, we'll give you the transfer details for our bank. Sending us the $1200-per-person scout fee via e-mail transfer is the first step to securing your reservation. If you wire the scout fee to us, make it $1225, so the wiring fee is covered.

commit before January 7, 2020

Your scout fee, plus the full cost of your accommodation, is due January 7, 2020. That's just one month before we begin hiking together in Spain. The sooner you commit, however, the sooner we can establish a full group of hikers, giving everyone ample time to confidently reserve flights. We'll send you a receipt as soon as we receive your deposit. We’ll keep you posted as hikers commit to joining us.

cancellation & refund

Your scout fee is partially refundable. If you cancel on or before January 7, 2020, $800 is refundable. If you cancel on or before January 31, $400 is refundable. As of February 1, 2020, your scout fee is non-refundable. Your accommodation deposit is fully refundable if you cancel on or before January 31, 2020. As of February 1, 2020, your accommodation deposit is non-refundable. If you cancel on or after that date, we will—on your behalf—try to obtain a refund for your accommodation deposit. Whether or not we're successful will depend entirely on the goodwill of the hoteliers. A full refund is unlikely. Even a partial refund is uncertain.

choose one:

(a) whopping price of a tour company

(b) guesswork, mistakes & wasted time on your own

insurance

We require you to buy emergency hospital and medical insurance to cover you while you’re hiking with us in the Spain. Should an insurance company ask if you’ll be climbing or mountaineering while you’re there, you can honestly say “no.”

We also recommend you buy trip-interruption/cancellation insurance. For a small fee, it covers an emergency return to your home country. Your need to return could be due to a foreign affairs office traveler-safety advisory, for example. Or it could be due to a family emergency—if you are the primary caregiver. A reliable travel-insurance company is Allianz Global Assistance (800-461-1079 / www. allianz-assistance.ca/en). Ask them for details.

Bear in mind, if fewer than four people commit to our group trip by January 7, 2020, we’ll have to cancel it. No insurance policy covers that. So if you purchase your airfare before we confirm your group has at least four hikers, you must be confident you’ll want to continue with your own vacation in Spain for the same dates. We cannot refund your airfare. That's why we urge you to wait to book your flight until we assure you the trip is "a go."

rental car

Book through the consolidator AutoEurope (www.autoeurope.com). They’ll compare prices from all the prospective rental-car companies, then offer you the best deal. A distinct advantage of AutoEurope is that their rates—in addition to having the option of a no-deductible CDW (collision damage waiver)—always include insurance coverage for theft and third-party liability. We’ve rented through AutoEurope numerous times in various countries. Never were we able to find a better option on our own. We’ve also appreciated that AutoEurope agents have consistently provided excellent phone service. If you prefer to work directly with a Spanish rental-car company, we can—from personal experience—recommend Gold Car (www.Goldcar.es.en).

driving in Spain

If you’re comfortable and confident driving throughout North America, you should have no difficulty in Spain. It’s essential, however, that you or your partner be confident and capable motoring through aggressive, urban traffic and on twisting mountain roads. Though the cost of petrol (gasoline or diesel) is high in Europe, most European cars are quite fuel efficient, and the distances you'll be driving are shorter than is common in North America. So your total fuel expense will be lower than you might imagine.