Hiking To Dorgali And Cala Gonone
Trekking through the wild, seldom-visited trails in Sardinia reveals some of the best long-distance hikes in the Mediterranean. The best hikes are south of the Cala Gonone. Here, the hiking trails wind inland, tracing the ridge of the Flumineddu River, flanked on the other side by the Sopramonte massif. Hikes along this trail wind through uninhabited lands, but following the road leads travelers to the unmatched sight of a majestic mountain landscape.
There are two-long distance hikes highly recommended by Stefano Ardito, author of Backpacking and Walking in Italy. The first one takes hikers on a two- to three-day hike from Gala Gonone to Gala Sisine. The hike starts by tracing the coast and then starts to veer inland up the Sisine canyon. The trail leads to the lonely church of San Pietro and then down to Baunei.
The second hike described by Ardito is shorter, albeit requires more outdoor skills. It starts at Dorgali, following the Flumineddu River. After two hours of hiking, the trail will lead into the Gorropu Gorge and ends at Baunei. Hikers who wish to explore the gorge will need mountaineering skills and equipment such as a small dinghy to traverse the small lakes and get to the center of the gorge.
Gather information before embarking on a hike. There are guided walks and excursions in Sa Domu De S’Orku, a nondescript structure near the turnoff for Urzulei. Here there is a bar and a shop, plus the Societa Gorropu, an informal hiking center where you can research routes, look at maps, and get advice from the staff on going about the hike.
