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Rural Roots
The Rural Roots Tours team in the white village of Alora, inland Malaga

Who you are booking with

About Rural Roots Tours

A family-run tour operator based in Álora, in the Guadalhorce Valley inland from Málaga — small-group wine tours and day trips, guided by people from the area.

In short

Rural Roots Tours is a small, family-run tour operator based in Alora, in the Guadalhorce Valley inland from Malaga, Spain. Founded in 2023, it runs small-group wine tours and day trips - never more than 8 travellers - guided by people born and raised in the area. Tours run in English and Spanish, include hotel pick-up, and can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before departure.

What it is
Independent tour operator (travel agency) — wine tours & day trips from Málaga
Founded
2023
Based in
Álora, Guadalhorce Valley, Province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain
Who runs it
A family from Álora. Guides Ramón and Raúl, driver Estella, plus a small local team
Area served
Málaga city and the western Costa del Sol, into the Guadalhorce Valley, Ronda, Caminito del Rey, Gibraltar and Morocco
Group size
Maximum 8 travellers; most days 2–6. Private departures on request
Languages
English and Spanish, both native level
How to book
Online at ruralrootstours.com or on WhatsApp at +34 614 403 054. Instant confirmation, free cancellation up to 24 h

We started this because the tours we saw weren’t ours

We grew up between the vineyards and white villages of the Guadalhorce Valley, an hour inland from the Málaga coast. For years we watched visitors get bussed to the same three photo stops and driven back to their hotels having met no one who actually lives here.

So in 2023 we built the day out we’d give a friend who came to stay: the family bodega with six barrels and no gift shop, lunch where the winemaker eats, a walk through Álora with someone whose family has farmed here for generations — and enough time to actually sit down.

We kept the groups small on purpose. Eight people fit around one table. Fifty do not.

The money stays in the valley

Our mission, in the words we use ourselves: to create seamless, unforgettable adventures that embrace authenticity, sustainability and personalisation.

In practice that means we buy from and pay the family bodegas, farmers and village restaurants directly; we keep groups small enough not to overwhelm the places we visit; and we book direct so the commission a platform would take goes to the people doing the work instead.

How we got here

A short history

  1. 2023

    Rural Roots Tours starts in Álora

    One van, one wine tour, and a network of family winemakers and farmers who agreed to open their doors to small groups.

  2. 2024

    Day trips added

    Caminito del Rey, Ronda, Gibraltar and the Morocco crossing join the wine tours — all kept to the same maximum of 8 travellers.

  3. 2025

    Pick-up along the coast

    Pick-up extended along the western Costa del Sol, from Torremolinos to Nerja.

  4. 2026

    Booking direct

    Full availability and the final price shown on our own site — so more of what you pay reaches the families we work with.

Meet the team

The people who'll actually be with you

Every tour is run by someone on this list. No sub-contracted guides, no scripts.

Founder & guide

Ramón

Born in Álora, family here for generations. Knows the winemakers by first name and tells you more about the valley than any guidebook. Guides in English and Spanish.

Guide

Raúl

Leads the wine tours and the Ronda trips. Grew up in the valley, spent years working with local bodegas, and handles the winemaker translations so nothing is lost.

Driver

Estella

Gets you from your hotel to the mountains and back on roads the coaches can't take. Knows every pick-up point on the coast and every shortcut inland.

What makes us different

Travel with people who know the place

Never more than 8

No 50-seat coaches. Small enough to sit down together at the bodega table.

Guides from the valley

Born in the Guadalhorce. They know the winemakers by first name, not from a script.

Family bodegas only

Small producers you can't book on the big sites, in villages the coaches drive past.

One price, all in

Pick-up, tastings, tickets and taxes included. Free cancellation up to 24 h before.

By the numbers

Small on purpose

2023
Year founded, in Álora
8
Maximum travellers per tour
2
Languages, both native — EN & ES

Where we operate

One hour inland is a different country

  • Málaga
  • Álora
  • Guadalhorce Valley
  • Ronda
  • Caminito del Rey
  • Gibraltar
  • Morocco
  • Nerja & Torrox

In their words

What travellers say when they get home

About the company

Questions people ask about us

Who owns Rural Roots Tours?

It's an independent, family-run operator based in Álora, in the Guadalhorce Valley inland from Málaga. It isn't part of a chain or a booking platform — the people who run it are the people who guide the tours.

Where is Rural Roots Tours based?

Álora, Province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. Tours start from Málaga city and pick-up points along the western Costa del Sol — Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola — and from Nerja and Torrox to the east.

When was it founded?

In 2023, with a single wine tour. Day trips to the Caminito del Rey, Ronda, Gibraltar and Morocco were added in 2024.

Is it a licensed tour operator?

Yes. Tours are run with licensed local guides and insured transport, and the business is registered in Spain.

How is it different from booking on GetYourGuide or Viator?

You can book us on those platforms, and many people do. Booking direct on our own site costs the same to you, but the commission the platform would take stays with the family bodegas and guides instead.

What languages are the tours in?

English and Spanish, both at native level. Tell us which you prefer when you book.

How do I contact Rural Roots Tours?

WhatsApp is fastest: +34 614 403 054, answered 24/7. You can also book online at ruralrootstours.com with instant confirmation and free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.

Ready when you are

Come and see another side of Malaga

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