Woods and Calanchi in Basilicata.

From the Sassi of Matera to the Pollino Park.

A tour through the ancient woods and calanchi of Basilicata, following in the footsteps of Carlo Levi and bandits. Basilicata charms you slowly. It becomes a part of you with the leisureliness of a littorina train that takes you from Bari to Matera across the Lucanian countryside, past great cultivated expanses where your gaze becomes lost following the contours of the merging hills. It is a different pace: slow, you have to get used to it, get in tune. Wind, rustling leaves, majestic birds of prey, the endless yellow, at times violent, of the fields, the impenetrable darkness of ancient forests, bare rock, the bold, colourless land of the calanchi, enormous prehistoric traces of a time that has devoured ... Small towns, genuine, simple lives.

Duration: 7 nights

Grade: moderate/high

self guided

guided tour fee and dates on demand

DAY 1
Individual arrival in Matera and accommodation in a hotel. A guided tour of the Sassi in the afternoon. Typical dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 2
Matera hills
Distribution of the bicycles and start tour. Skirt San Giuliano Lake and make a detour towards Grottole, across beautiful hills covered with wheat. Accommodation in an agritourism, dinner and overnight stay.
62.7 Km route with a short, but steep climb at the end.
Grade: easy

DAY 3

The Lucanian Apennine

Cross the Basento Valley, which takes you to the inland mountain in the Park of the Small Lucanian Dolomites. Cross the first woods until you reach Accettura. After settling in at the Hotel dinner is recommended at the restaurant “da Mario”.

Distance: 50.8 km. Moderately difficult route with a climb at the end to reach Accettura.

DAY 4

The Dolomites
A round trip in the heart of the Park of the Small Lucanian Dolomites with tough climbs, dense woodlands and great bird’s-eye views. Climb at leisure towards Pietrapertosa, set in sandstone at a height of 1000 metres, and return to Accettura crossing the dense Wood of Montepiano.

DAY 5

The Calanchi Valley

Enter the valley of the Agri River, going from the fresh woods to the barren calanchi, fascinating evidence of the process of erosion of the atmospheric agents on the clayey soil. Visit Aliano, one of the towns of exile of Carlo Levi, who wrote “Cristo si è fermato ad Eboli” (Christ stopped in Eboli). In the town you can visit his house in exile and the museum of the peasant civilization. There is a unique view over the Calanchi. Head for Tursi to stay in the Rabatana, an ancient town, which is now almost uninhabited. Dinner and overnight stay.

Distance: 79.2 km. Moderately difficult route with short climbs to reach the inhabited towns.

DAY 6
Towards the Pollino

After visiting the Sanctuary of Anglona, continue through the orchards of the Ionian coast and start climbing towards the woods and peaks of the Pollino, the largest National Park in Italy. Dinner and overnight stay in Terranova.

Distance: approximately 85 km. Moderately difficult course with a strenuous 10 Km climb at the end.

DAY 7

On the peaks of the massif
Perhaps the most demanding, but also the most fascinating part of the tour. Enter the woods of the massif after a difficult climb and go through small villages and great valleys until you reach the towns of San Severino Lucano and Viggianello. Dinner and overnight stay at a warm, cosy inn.

Distance: approximately 48.3 km

Grade: high.

DAY 8
Breakfast and end of services.

Characteristics:

2008 departures:
on Saturdays from April to October

The fee includes

• 7 nights in double room
• 5 dinners
• luggage transfer
• technical assistance and aid
• road book and information

Excluding:

• Luggage/medical insurance and minivan following (available on request)
• drinks
• lunches and 2 dinners
• entrance fees
• tips
• personal extras
• everything, which does not come under the heading “the fee includes”

Extension of the tour on request: You can extend the tour by 2 nights with one stop on the peaks of the Pollino and the other at the sea in  Maratea. Individual fee for the extension:          € 150.00 (2 nights + luggage transfer).