Wild Blue
Excitement, euphoria, enthusiasm, and fervour.
gliastra, on the eastern side of Sardinia, is synonymous with paradise. A sea of unique landscapes between aqua blue waters and spectacular cliffs, irresistible to both hikers and climbers.
Mother nature’s variety takes us from the sea to the hills and right on up to the mountains of Gennargentu, the main mountain range of the island.
From here you can see a cliff overlooking the sea, the scent of myrtle and juniper, rocks as sharp as knives and almost unreachable coves, covered with white stones and shells.
There are some places that we think exist only in movies or in dreams that vanish in the morning at the sound of the alarm clock; but then comes the day that fills our eyes and swell our hearts for real.
The Selvaggio Blu is all this and more, so much more than you can imagine; a hike among the most difficult for the form of the landscape and its steep climbs, and among the most fascinating for the views, for the adventure, and for an experience that gets under your skin.
Are you ready to go on the most incredible trek of your life? Here you will find all the information you need to prepare for it and make it an incredibly enriching experience.
Ogliastra
Land of the sea, Sardinia has never had a true seafaring tradition, the first fishermen who arrived on the island were from Campania and here they found only shepherds with their flocks and women intent on making cheese.
Ogliastra still remains a Sardinian region where sheep farming has roots in every family, amid a land which is impervious and inaccessible to all but them, that of the Supramonte, the complex of mountains that dominates this region; they know every single cave, passage and tunnel as they have looked after their flocks here for hundreds of years.
Its sea and its idyllic coves are now one of the most popular destinations for thousands of tourists, especially in the summer months when they fill the boats with regular departures from nearby Cala Gonone or the hundreds of motorboats and rafts whizzing around offshore. A chaos that becomes peaceful only at night.
It is difficult to truly enjoy a piece of paradise like that, you might say. Yet, there is a way and we will tell you about it in this article
The Selvaggio Blu (Wild Blue)
Traditions remain and secrets are handed down from father to son despite the changing times. They are small family treasures that even today some of the locals have made available to climbers and hikers from all over the world, guiding them through areas that are difficult to travel alone, to discover hidden canyons, caves, breathtaking views and remote beaches.
There are two active cooperatives in the area that offer multi-day tours, making use of the expertise of alpine guides who come from every region of Italy, departing from Santa Maria Navarrese and returning to Cala Sisine with an impeccable organization to make the hike feasible that would otherwise tax your physical endurance, if not your very survival; it is a severe test. If this seems exaggerated, try finding yourself without drinking water for several days, lost in the mountains …
The Selvaggio Blu (Wild Blue)
Traditions remain and secrets are handed down from father to son despite the changing times. They are small family treasures that even today some of the locals have made available to climbers and hikers from all over the world, guiding them through areas that are difficult to travel alone, to discover hidden canyons, caves, breathtaking views and remote beaches.
There are two active cooperatives in the area that offer multi-day tours, making use of the expertise of alpine guides who come from every region of Italy, departing from Santa Maria Navarrese and returning to Cala Sisine with an impeccable organization to make the hike feasible that would otherwise tax your physical endurance, if not your very survival; it is a severe test. If this seems exaggerated, try finding yourself without drinking water for several days, lost in the mountains …
Wild life
The name of the trek is certainly suggestive and finds inspiration in the form of its landscape, but not only. Despite the many conveniences offered by local co-ops, facing the Selvaggio Blu requires a strong spirit of adaptation and a great connection with nature.
There are no fields, almost never. This might cause you anxiety initially, but it will prove to be one of the greatest gifts of this adventure: disconnected, returning to live in the here and now. An inner journey extraordinarily nourishing for the mind and soul.
The climbs are tough and the terrain difficult, the soles of your boots will have long stories to tell upon your return. The light is strong and very hot and for this reason the trips are offered only during two seasons: spring and autumn, leaving out the hottest months. There are no showers or toilets, dinner is served on wooden tables and makeshift benches and you sleep on the ground, on stones or earth depending on where you are. In a tent but also – and above all – under the stars.
Everything is studied in detail and the groups that travel the Selvaggio Blu can count on a logistical service which has been carefully designed to enable hikers to travel many kilometres with only a small backpack on your shoulders all the way to the night camping areas. There you are joined by jeeps or motorboats carrying your personal luggage, tents, food and water for the evening.
Dinner is cooked on site, under the stars, cooked on a grill. You will get to try all kinds of delicacies, everything that you would like to try from these places: suckling pig, kid meat, fresh fish, and all accompanied by a good glass of wine and their inevitable homemade myrtle, something that – I assure you – you will remember for always.
The Crystal Clear Sea
Cala Luna, Cala Mariolu, Cala Sisine, Cala Biriola, Cala Goloritzè, Cala dei Gabbiani. The small coves of Ogliastra are synonymous with paradise, between aqua blue waters and imposing cliffs; these are all names you will surely have surely already heard of and fantasized a lot about.
To fall in love with them just search them on Google, then try to imagine what it means to experience them in one exclusive spot, at dawn, when every noise sleeps and the light is gentle. It is a magical moment, which gets inside you and that only the Selvaggio Blu can give you.
Many of the stages are organized immediately behind these pretty coves, where you will arrive tired and a little sweaty from the trial and you will be greeted by the clear, fresh water, which will wash away all fatigue and the aches and pains. Give yourself a bath at sunset, in the silence of the evening that slowly descends: it will be unforgettable.
The Crystal Clear Sea
Cala Luna, Cala Mariolu, Cala Sisine, Cala Biriola, Cala Goloritzè, Cala dei Gabbiani. The small coves of Ogliastra are synonymous with paradise, between aqua blue waters and imposing cliffs; these are all names you will surely have surely already heard of and fantasized a lot about.
To fall in love with them just search them on Google, then try to imagine what it means to experience them in one exclusive spot, at dawn, when every noise sleeps and the light is gentle. It is a magical moment, which gets inside you and that only the Selvaggio Blu can give you.
Many of the stages are organized immediately behind these pretty coves, where you will arrive tired and a little sweaty from the trial and you will be greeted by the clear, fresh water, which will wash away all fatigue and the aches and pains. Give yourself a bath at sunset, in the silence of the evening that slowly descends: it will be unforgettable.
The Grotta del Fico
The long journey through the rugged Supramonte can only end with a visit to one of the incredible wonders of this small piece of land: the Grotta del Fico.
So renamed for the beautiful fig tree that stood in front of its entrance, swept away years ago by a storm, it can only be reached by sea or by abseiling and its entrance is about 7 meters above sea level.
The first speleologists arrived here in 1957 and made the acquaintance of the many monk seals that lived in the area , though unfortunately today they are no longer found on the coasts of Baunei.
Without venturing into the siphons and the rooms accessible only by speleological experts, inside the cave a safe tourist route has been set up for everyone, young and old, which will lead you to discover the hidden treasures of this place, between stalactites and stalagmites. To be left literally speechless!
Described by many as an island within an island, Ogliastra is synonymous with nature. It is an earthly paradise, an area that is still highly uncontaminated, where flora and fauna are the masters.
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