Our stop at Sendanatura, near Arguedas in Navarre, was also a convenient opportunity to spend time in the unusual landscape around the Bardenas Reales. We used the external parking area for buses and motorhomes near the Sendaviva park. We were there out of season and were completely alone. Although the location felt a little isolated, we felt entirely safe, and nobody bothered us. It was very quiet and peaceful. There were a couple of spacious parking bays, but the ground was very uneven. This was not a problem for us, although levelling blocks may be useful depending on where you park. Parking was completely free, and the only facilities we found were rubbish bins. There was no drinking water, electricity or motorhome waste-disposal point. The main advantage was the location, very close to Sendaviva and its nature trails.
Sendanatura is a special nature experience offered by Sendaviva, the wider nature and amusement park of Navarre. It is designed for days when the main park is closed, allowing visitors to explore its natural trails at a quieter pace. Instead of concentrating on rides and shows, the experience focuses on walking routes, wildlife and native vegetation. The idea is to discover a different side of the park, with time to observe the surroundings rather than following a busy schedule of attractions. Access is available only on selected dates, so it is important to check the official calendar before travelling. The official website currently lists admission at €8 per person, with children under two admitted free, although opening dates and hours vary with the season.
The story of the wider site began with Sendaviva, which opened in 2004. It was developed as a family attraction combining an amusement park, wildlife areas and educational activities connected with nature. According to the park’s published information, it includes around thirty attractions and more than 800 animals belonging to approximately 200 species. Animals from different continents can be observed in specially designed habitats, and the park has included species such as zebras, ostriches, lions, white tigers, bears, lynxes, lemurs and meerkats. Its programme has also featured birds of prey demonstrations, family shows and activities designed to help visitors learn about animals and the environment. The attractions range from rides intended for younger children to faster and more adventurous activities, including a bobsleigh, zip lines and seasonal water attractions. This combination means that Sendaviva is quite different from a traditional zoo: it was conceived as a place where wildlife, entertainment and outdoor activities are brought together.
Sendanatura gives the natural side of this project greater attention. Its routes allow visitors to walk through parts of the park while the regular amusement activities are not operating. The surrounding landscape is particularly interesting because Sendaviva stands on the edge of the Bardenas Reales, one of the most distinctive natural areas in northern Spain. The contrast between the green spaces along the Ebro and the dry, eroded terrain of the Bardenas is striking. Even though the Bardenas are sometimes described as a desert, they are better understood as a semi-arid landscape, shaped by limited rainfall, erosion and the particular geological composition of the region.
The Bardenas Reales cover roughly 42,500 hectares and were declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2000. They are also a natural park. Their terrain is made up of clay, gypsum and sandstone, which have been shaped by water and wind over long periods. The result is a landscape of ravines, flat-topped hills, plateaus and isolated rock formations. The best-known area is the Bardena Blanca, where pale soils and eroded formations create an almost lunar appearance. The Bardena Negra, by contrast, has more vegetation, including areas of Aleppo pine forest. There is also the El Plano plateau, which includes cultivated land and the Ferial reservoir. The area supports wildlife adapted to dry conditions, including birds of prey and other birds, as well as reptiles and mammals. The reserve is also important for traditional pastoral activities, and livestock routes have connected the Pyrenean valleys with the Ebro basin for centuries.
Arguedas itself has a long history. Archaeological finds suggest that the area was occupied during the Iron Age, and the remains of a Roman settlement have been found nearby. During the medieval period, Arguedas was an important fortified place in a frontier zone between the Muslim territories of al-Andalus and the emerging Christian kingdoms. The local history records that King Sancho Ramírez conquered the area in 1084. The castle stood on an elevated gypsum hill, using the natural cliffs and ravines as part of its defences. Its position helped protect the settlement and the surrounding agricultural territory at a time when control of the southern part of Navarre was strategically important. The fortification later lost much of its military importance, but the remains and the hill still form part of the historical landscape of the town.
Another distinctive feature of Arguedas is its cave housing. From the late nineteenth century, families with limited financial means excavated homes directly into the soft rock of the hillside. These dwellings could be enlarged as families grew, and the ground provided some insulation from the summer heat and winter cold. In 1940, the town had 52 cave homes. They were abandoned during the 1960s as residents moved into new housing, particularly in the neighbourhood known as Venecia. Some of the caves have since been made accessible to visitors, helping preserve the memory of a way of life that continued until relatively recently. They are a useful reminder that the history of this region is not only about medieval castles and natural landscapes, but also about the everyday lives of the people who adapted to local conditions.
A further point of interest is the Ermita de la Virgen del Yugo, situated on the Sierra del Yugo about five kilometres from Arguedas. The present building dates mainly from the seventeenth century, with construction continuing into the late seventeenth century. Its elevated position makes it a good viewpoint over the surrounding countryside, with the greener agricultural lands of the Ebro valley on one side and the dry formations of the Bardenas on the other. The area has long served as a stopping point for travellers, farmers and shepherds, and today it is also associated with walking and cycling routes.
For motorhome travellers, the free external parking near Sendaviva is useful if you do not need a full-service area. Its principal advantages are the peace, the generous spaces and the proximity to the park. However, the uneven surface and lack of facilities should be taken into account, and the isolated setting may not suit everyone. It is also worth distinguishing this parking from the separate motorhome parking product advertised by Sendaviva, which has different conditions and a charge. For us, the external parking was quiet, free and straightforward, and it provided a practical base for exploring Sendanatura and the remarkable landscape around Arguedas and the Bardenas Reales.