EXCURSIONS
Excursions in Ogliastra: where to go?
Always new itineraries, excursions that are different every time, that wind through breathtaking panoramas immersed in the wildest nature of Sardinia. From the Tacchi d’Ogliastra Park to the slopes of the Gennargentu massif. From the Supramonte of Baunei passing through the imposing gorge of Su Gorroppu until reaching the Ogliastra coast. Which itinerary will you choose?
The Gorropu Gorge (Urzulei)
The Gorropu gorge offers one of the most evocative and unique images of the island. The walls of the Codula Orbisi and the Gorropu gorge, the mountains of the Supramonte of Orgosolo and the Mereu and Presenthu Tolu nuraghes, form a true natural amphitheater divided by the waters of the Flumineddu river. Once you reach the valley, you can admire the beautiful and famous lakes and the irregular walls of the gorge, which the fast and continuous flow of water has sculpted. Caves, waterfalls, rivers swollen by the rain, lakes, rocks animate an unreal landscape. At the last lake, at the bottom of the cliff and inside the natural amphitheater, you can enjoy the landscape of the Mediterranean scrub, the flowers and endemic plants and the presence of the golden eagle and mouflon. An off-road vehicle is a must and among other wonders, one of the specimens of Tasso, 600 years old, a National Monument.
The canyon entrance ticket costs €6 for adults (18 and older) and €4 for children aged 6 to 17.
Visit the official website for more information: gorropu.info
Photo by Nicolas Vollmer
The Su Marmuri Cave (Ulassai)
The Su Marmuridi cave in Ulassai is a 900-meter-long underground limestone cavity, 890 meters above sea level. It is accessed through a grandiose, imposing, cyclopean entrance, 34 meters deep, a staircase, 199 comfortable steps, leading to a lower part, which marks the beginning of the path. It inspires respect, ancestral fear for its majesty. Natural light does not filter for a long stretch, the rest is illuminated. A myriad of small basins, often filled with water, gigantic stalactites, stalagmites, organ pipes, rock cacti, majestic concretions in grandiose spaces, large halls with very high vaults. Small beetles and a colony of bats live here. Around a generous nature of woods, springs, waterfalls, tacchi, Mediterranean scrub.
The ticket for entry to the Su Marmuri Cave costs €12.
For more information, visit the website: www.grottasumarmuri.com
St. George’s Staircase (Osini)
On the wall of the vast limestone plateau of the “taccu” lies the Scala di San Giorgio, a very narrow gorge bordered by limestone and dolomitic walls and crossed by a narrow road from the nearby village of Osini. Once past the pass, the “taccu” opens up. The gorge is the result of a series of vertical fractures in the rock masses, and the fissure sinks for about 100 meters, known as “Sa Brecca ‘e Usala”. The climb up a path punctuated by steps to reach the summit is highly evocative, offering views of the Pardu River Valley. The origin of the name “Scala di San Giorgio” lies in the legend of St. George, who opened a passage in the rocks to pass through. The presence of karst phenomena, the many springs, the woods, orchids, nuraghi, caves, and sheepfolds make the place interesting; the majestic Surbissi nuraghe is definitely worth adding to the excursion.