About Us

About Altiplano Tipis

It was always a dream to discover a new life abroad. It took a little time to find our goal, searching Greece, Italy and Brazil. But after returning from Brazil in January 2007 we decided to explore Spain. So we packed our bags and our spaniel Beau and headed south in our tiny Fiat Punto.

We toured Catalonia, Valencia and continued south. We stayed at a friend's flat in the picture postcard village of Frigilliana near Malaga, where we could venture east and west in search of possibilities. This area itself was beautiful but mountainous. As Andrew suffers from vertigo unknown to us until we ventured up the hair pins bends we decided this could not be the place for us!!

We discovered the Granada province and the area around Guadix and fell in love with the dramatic landscape, the cave dwellings and the openness of the area. We travelled to Aracena near the Portuguese border rich with cork oak and chestnut trees. Amazing displays of wild flowers carpeted the fields. But we were drawn back to Granada, and to the area around Baza where we rented a quaint cave dwelling while we explored the various properties on offer. Within a couple of weeks we had found an ideal cave reform just a few minutes’ walk from where we were staying. It was in a beautiful setting close to Al Jatib the cave hotel, to Baza, Lake Negratin, Zujar's hot springs and the Seirra's north and south of us. Not only that but it was a blank canvas an opportunity to create something unique within the cave structure itself with nearly 4 hectares of land. Here we have been able to create an eco friendly environment as possible. Not only is cave living naturally ecological, living within an earth structure keeps the rooms cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Our water is solar heated, and our pool is free from harmful chemicals.
Our waste water runs through a filter system which then feeds the surrounding garden and organic vegetables and fruit trees. All the products we use such as cloths wash, washing up liquids, shampoos, shower gels are all biodegradable. We recycle all our plastics, cardboard, paper, tins etc and compost all our organic waste.

We share our home with two spaniels and two cats. Lady, a feral cat who decided to take up residence and then produced Rocky her beautiful ginger kitten! Beau our working cocker spaniel who travelled with us to Spain and Louis another spaniel I found abandoned in the campo at 12 weeks old, and who immediately became part of the family.

And so after many months of hard work we have created an eco-holiday destination at Altiplano Tipis we offer an alternative holiday experience where you can stay in one of our three beautifully crafted North American Indian style Tipis or in our charming cave dwelling studio apartment in the stunning valley of the Rio de Baza.