Wild Blue trekking is considered the most difficult Italian trekking for length, isolation and technical difficulties, and for sure it is unique for its characteristics and beauty. In 5 days of walking, climbing and rappelling, we cover a stretch of Sardinian coast wild and charming where the sea will accompany us with its magical blue color.
Crossing without points of support where the complete food and water autonomy of the group is required. There are some easy climbing sections and some rappels. The differences in height are not excessive, but the difficulty of the terrain and the difficulty of orientation make sure that the stages are never short. Food and water deposits will be prepared previously (from 2 days before) along the route from the guide.
Defined as the most challenging trek in Italy, "Wild Blue" is perhaps the most original and beautiful. Suspended between the most beautiful Mediterranean sea and high cliffs, it offers a combination of landscapes and situations that can not be found elsewhere.
We move a few steps from home (we are not in fact abroad or who knows where ...) in an isolated environment where other people rarely meet and where there are no roads, houses or anything that recalls the human presence that are not ancient testimonies of the life of shepherds of goats (still in activity) and of the Tuscan charcoalers who worked here in the 60s. In the period between the two world wars, when the national railway network expanded, many woods were cut here to provide the best quality wood (holm oak and juniper) necessary for the construction of railway sleepers.
People with long experience of travels, mountaineering expeditions and explorations around the world have found it surprisingly fascinating and unique, and even for the normal hiker this itinerary has always exceeded expectations in terms of beauty, proposing itself as an almost philosophical experience that inexplicably goes beyond the simple walking with a backpack.
"An anti-stress, a panacea for the spirit and a return to the origins, appreciating discomfort and momentary hardships ... that make you feel incredibly good with yourself", so many have defined it after having traveled.
The program includes overnight stays at «belle etoile», in other words bivouacs without a tent or shelter.
Already on the morning of the second day you enter the philosophy of this trek that includes six days in which you live exactly like the boar! We need to find the right path, the natural shelters to spend the night, the hidden water of the few sources ... only food and water reserves to drink are prepared in advance by the guide. Apart from the first night, a swim in the sea will be always possible at the end of each leg.
Historical note and "quality assurance": in 1989 Wild Blue was born from the idea of Mario Verin, Peppino Cicalò and Pasquale Zucca, the Mayor of Baunei.
L'idea, per rimanere il più vicino possibile al mare, era quella di collegare una vecchia rete di sentieri largamente inutilizzati per anni e ora inghiottiti dalla "feroce" macchia mediterranea. I sentieri sempre usati dai pastori e quelli costruiti più recentemente dai "Carbonai" attraversavano il Supramonte in ogni direzione ma erano (e sono) molto difficili da identificare e seguire perché piccoli sentieri e per lo più ridotti a sottili tracce per le capre. Questo è forse il fascino più notevole di Wild Blue: doversi costantemente orientare in una natura potente e straordinaria dove l'unico punto di riferimento è il mare blu!
Experienced hikers and used to walking with a medium-heavy backpack (maximum 12 kg) but not too much can participate in the trek. In any case, it is a demanding route that presents mountaineering difficulties that can be overcome even by those who have never climbed, only if accompanied by a guide. The problems of orientation combined with non-trivial technical difficulties make it definitely the most challenging hiking route in Italy.
Program
-
1st Day
Transfer by bus or off-road from Olbia / Cagliari to Santa Maria Navarrese.
Dinner and overnight.
-
2nd Day
After breakfast, transfer by 4WD to PEDRA LONGA where the Selvaggio Blù trail begins. Following the path of the old shepherds and the charcoal burners, you climb up through the Mediterranean scrubland from the sea to reach an altitude of 800 m in the Ginnirco area. Always following the old paths with various passages made of juniper branches created by shepherds, we descend from 800 meters to the sea. Localities PORTU PEDROSU small natural fjord on the sea.
Accommodation for the night.
Duration: 7-8 hrs.
-
3rd Day
We continue trekking along paths with high cliffs overlooking the sea and visiting ancient sheepfolds now abandoned by shepherds. You get to CALA GOLORITZE ', a splendid beach in the Gulf of Orosei, where you can get ready for the night.
Duration: 5-6 hrs.
-
4th Day
After breakfast we leave for the hardest stage of the trek. It starts immediately uphill and, after several climbing and rappelling with technical steps, you arrive at BACU MUDALORU, where, after recovering the food, you get ready for the night.
Duration: 8-9 hrs.
-
5th Day
After having breakfast, we start for another difficult stage, even if not very long, which with some technical steps leads to the beautiful CALA BIRIOLA, where a magical atmosphere will accompany us for the night.
Duration: 6-7 hrs.
-
6th Day
Now the most technical stage awaits us, composed of several rappels, crossings and climbs that leads us to CALA SISINE, another beautiful beach in the Gulf of Orosei. From here in an off-road return to Santa Maria Navarrese where finally a comfortable bed and a table and chairs are waiting for us !!!
Duration: 7-8 hrs. Trasfer: 2 hrs.
-
7th Day
Transfer by bus or off-road from Santa Maria Navarrese to Olbia / Cagliari and return to home.
To get an idea of the places you can look at the
photo gallery of our last travel.
NOTES
The program can be modified or interrupted by the mountain guide due to the insufficient technical level of the participants or for meteorological reasons.
Technical / physical level required
Good walking training in the mountains is required.
Equipment
- Backpack 50/60 lt
- Sleeping bag of medium weight (0 / + 5 ° C). + polyurethane mattress
- Harness
- Locking carabiner
- Cord: lenght 2 m, diam. min. 7 mm
- Headlamp with charged batteries
- Provisions: cup, plate, cutlery.
- 1lt Bottle/thermos.
- Trekking shoes collaudate.
- De Fonseca long slippers or sandals or slippers
- 3 /4 T-shirts possibly white or, however, in pale color.
- Socks and pants (three spare parts).
- Bathing suit, pants, shorts.
- Cotton sweatshirt or light fleece.
- Light windstroke.
- Rain cape or poncho (also useful as an emergency shelter in case of night rain during the first 2 nights where there are no natural shelters; alternatively bring a 3x2m nylon sheet).
- 10 meters of thin string.
- Hat, sun cream ed sunglasses.
- Insect repellent.
- Towel.
- Required for toilet.
- Piccolo pronto soccorso
- Telescopic poles discouraged (not prohibited) given the nature of the terrain.
Included
- organization
- guide's fee
- two nights in hotel *** (double room), breakfast and dinner included (no drinks)
- food during the trek
- supplies (food and water) along the route made by sea before the departure of the trek
- transfers to land and by sea as scheduled.
NOT Included
- travels to and from Sardinia
- any extras in the hotel
- assicurazioni
All that not in "Included"
Registration deadline
30gg before departure.
Useful informations
- Cartography:
"Il Sentiero Wild Blue
Escursionismo impegnativo nel golfo di Orosei"
Segnavia Edizioni
Corrado Conca.
- Tourism Office:
Provincial Tourist Board Cagliari
Piazza Giacomo Matteotti
Tel:+39 070 66 92 55
- How to get
You can reach (with your own means) the port and airport of Arbatax which is 10 km from the hotel. The Hotel S. Maria has a minibus to get on request tourists from the port or airport of Arbatax (not from other ports or airports!).
Air flights (and ferries) also on Olbia and / or Cagliari + bus to Baunei-S.Maria Navarrese.
- Arrival Tirrenia ferries: from Civitavecchia h 6.00 – from Genova h 12.00.
- Timetables and ferry costs for Sardinia on http://www.traghettionline.net/.
- Bus timetable on http://arst.sardegna.it:8080/ - tel: 0704098324.
- Flights with Meridiana, Air Dolomiti, Alitalia, Ryan Air from the main Italian and European airports.
For informations and registration:
