Today’s itinerary will take us to the highest peak in Sardinia: Punta La Marmora.
Located in the Gennargentu with its 1834 meters above sea level is one of the most panoramic points of the island.
To get there we will start from the nearest town, Desulo.
Desulo is a small town divided into 3 “villages”: Asuai, Ovolaccio and Issiria.
From here you can usually continue by car for another part until the Agriturismo Su Filariu at an altitude of 1370 meters above sea level and then continue on foot. Today we prefer to tell you the whole route on foot to let you fully experience the beauty of the Sardinian hinterland.
To get to the agriturismo you pass through the Passo di Tascusì (Tascusì Pass), from where you can see the majesty of the Gennargentu, with Bruncuspina (the second highest peak in Sardinia) in the distance.
As you can see the road offers crazy views and think that we are still in the lower reaches, far from the summit.
A few kilometers beyond the pass along this road and you’ll reach Agriturismo Su Filariu.
Here at Su Filariu you can enjoy excellent local dishes and benefit from a peaceful refreshment perhaps on your return from the excursion. From the drone the view of the place is even more beautiful and highlights the craftsmanship.
From here there will be only one road leading to S’Arena; here through an aerial shot you can admire it better.
Although Erba Birdes seems to be a beautiful refuge where you can make a stop at S’Arena before the final part, it is unfortunately abandoned and you can not stop if not for some photos; unfortunately the degradation and abandonment are compromising it.
From here begins the real trekking that in about 7 km will lead to the summit.
The first unpaved part is very easy, while the closer we get to the goal the more the slope will increase.
When you arrive near Arcu Artilai the road will turn into a real mountain path.
After passing Arcu Artilai no more mountains will separate you from the summit that you will begin to see in the distance.
One of the peculiarities of all the Gennargentu is to easily find wild cattle along your path and that will keep you company for some stretches; this is a true typicality of these places still a bit wild but precious for our ecosystem.
As we mentioned before, the path becomes more tortuous further on and the vegetation that you will encounter also changes.
After this part we will reach Arco Gennargentu at 1609 meters above sea level, which connects several routes in the area.
Only the hardest part is missing, but there are only about 200 meters of elevation gain that separate you from your goal and we are sure you can’t wait to look out from Punta La Marmora and enjoy it all. Maybe with a taste of the sea for the next stage.
The signs those of the past, which tell the lived experience and the passing years of this magical place, with unspoiled nature as we like!
If we haven’t convinced you yet, try to imagine it in winter with a sprinkling of snow… the landscape will take on yet another form! Sometimes magical for the place, because remember that we are in Sardinia!
We can’t help but thank our friend and collaborator, Federico Zammarano, for shooting us these beautiful photos of the place.
Route type: asphalt, dirt road and mountain trail
Water: drinking water is present all along the trail in the streams of water that flow along the path that leads to the summit
