How It All Works…
The Bootcamp
The bootcamp itself starts on the Friday morning. Check in for the accommodation is from 1800 – 2200. If you’re going to arriving outside of these hours (especially into the night!) let me know before hand and we can sort something out with the keys.
Meals
We provide all meals from Friday – Sunday with the final meal being Lunch on the Sunday. The camp will finish at 1800 on Sunday with checkout from the accommodation at the same time, but if there’s wind and your flights not until later we’ll obviously be going kiting in the afternoon and you can leave your bags in our storage area.
Arriving
If you’re driving just check out the link below…hint if you click the link in your phone you can load it in google maps and just follow the dot all the way to the accommodation. Give me a ring or send me a text/Whatsapp at least an hour before you arrive so I can make sure I’m around to let you in, show you around and give you the keys. My numbers +34 650 138 090.
Click Here To View The Map In Full Screen
The First Day
On the first morning we’ll meet in the entrance to the apartment at 0800 in wetsuits ready for a morning swim. From there I’ll explain how the day will go.
Typical Day
Days start at 0800 and finish at 2000. We’ll generally do a few hours of practical stuff in the morning and then an activity in the afternoon, with a few hours off around lunch if you want to go and look around the old town or hit the beach. From 2000 each night, as I’ll busy myself preparing the next day of the camp, your time is your own.
Getting Here
A taxi from Malaga costs around 220 € and from Gibraltar around 60 €. Price is per transfer (not per person).
If you’re arriving by car then when you’re looking to park the car in Tarifa town watch out for yellow or blue curbs…these are restricted or paid parking zones respectively.
For information on hiring cars in Spain please see below.
Getting to Tarifa by Bus?
Buses are available from all airports and are very reliable, though in Summer it is a good idea to pre book your tickets. To check the bus times have a look here:
There is a bus direct from Malaga airport to Algeciras, from there it’s a simple case of a 30 min bus ride, with buses leaving every 30 mins or so (up until 2100) for Tarifa. Total cost from Malaga to Tarifa should be just over 20 €.
From Gibraltar there is a bus from La Linea bus station (5 mins walk from the airport) to Algeciras (these leave approx. every half hour) and a few direct to Tarifa. Total cost from Gibraltar should be around 5 €.
Payment
Full payment is due on the first day…cash appreciated but not essential!
Car Hire Tips – Malaga
Car hire in Spain can be very cheap and usually easy and fuss-free. There are a few hidden tricks and costs, but as long as you’re aware of them, and consider them as part of the overall cost there shouldn’t be any nasty surprises.
Malaga airport has many car hire places. If it makes you feel more secure, go with one of the big companies, Avis, Budget, etc. They’re all at the airport.
There are two big broker sites – doyouspain.com, arguscarhire.com – who deal with all companies located at or near the airport. You can find some really cheap deals on either site – some from around 3€ per day. The small companies that are located away from the airport are all only a few minutes away and have quick and efficient shuttle buses – so don’t let location distract you.
DoyouSpain is based in Spain and customer service can be tricky sometimes, but mostly we haven’t had any issues with them. ArgusCarHire is UK based and will usually match doyouspain in price –they have an online form on their website where you can enter a comparison price. So far, they’ve always matched the price of doyouspain.
Tricky, hidden costs
As the actual rental is often super cheap they make their money elsewhere…
Most Malaga-based companies have a full-empty fuel policy. They give you the car full of fuel, which you pay for, then you return it empty. They charge between 60€-120€ to fill the car, plus a service charge of around 30€. You can’t get around this, it’s just something to consider when you calculate the real cost. Some companies will give you the car full, take a fuel deposit and a service fee (non-refundable) and then return the fuel deposit when you return the car full. Basically, expect to pay around 100€ extra at the time for a small car, some you’ll get back, some not.
Insurance:
All companies offer full insurance as an optional extra. This means you will not pay any excess even if you damage the car. Most insurance costs are in the fine-print. They range from 4€-9€ per day, and most won’t charge more than 190€ for a long term rental. If you take this option, they basically don’t even look at the car when you return it.
You’ll be paying for a basic insurance in the quoted price of the rental. If you incur any damage with this option you will be required to pay an excess which ranges between 600€ and 1400€. Most companies take this amount as a deposit. In our experience, the rental companies don’t pay much attention to minor damage, but that can’t be relied on and you’ll need to make your own decision on insurance.
Check out your travel insurance to see if it will cover any excess payments. You’ll still pay the excess but your insurer will reimburse you – just make sure you get some form of paperwork to send with your claim. Also, depending on the tier of card you have, Visa or Amex may cover you for any excess incurred (if you book using that card). They don’t advertise it very well but Visa and Amex have some pretty good insurance built into their products and it’s worth checking them out. Either way if you don’t pay their optional insurance, expect to leave a deposit of between 600€ and 1400€.
Doyouspain.com offer their own full insurance, at a slightly cheaper rate. We’ve heard some dodgy stories about it, and you still pay the excess and then claim it back from them, so look carefully before taking this option.
But don’t take our word for it…No really!
Please note this is our opinion, based on personal experience only, and we can’t take any responsibility for any disappointing or plain bad car hire events, but our staff have successfully and happily hired through:
DelPaso, Record Go, Marbesol, 1-Rent-a-Car Malaga and Centauro.
Firefly has awesome prices but they have a service fee for call-outs, even if it’s not your fault. For example if the car breaks down in Tarifa they will charge 424€ to send a service vehicle even if it’s a mechanical fault. They also expect you to pay your own way back to the rental desk if you need to exchange vehicles.
Most other companies provide a very comprehensive, 24hr roadside assist package and will replace a faulty car at their own cost and without much drama.
You must produce a passport and driver’s license (and an International Driver’s License for some countries) for all drivers, plus a credit card in the name the booking was made in. They will not budge on this!
Lastly, the rental company staff get abused frequently by unhappy customers (most of whom haven’t been aware of fuel and service charges). We have found them to be very accommodating and extra-efficient to friendly, chatty clients….