Sleeping in a Mongolian Dwelling in the Jerte Valley: This is the First Unique Accommodation in Extremadura
On January 27, 2021, El Jardín de las Delicias started operating as a unique tourist establishment in Extremadura, located in Casas del Castañar, in the ecological cherry orchard of the Jerte Valley. It is the first one to achieve this designation in the autonomous community, a new category introduced by Law 6/2018, which modified the Law for the Development and Modernization of Tourism in Extremadura of 2011.
The new 2018 law defined these unique establishments as exceptional ones or those with special characteristics or morphology that do not allow them to be classified within the other types defined in the law. And indeed, El Jardín de las Delicias is exceptional and has a special morphology. The complex consists of three yurts or gers, the typical circular dwellings used by Mongolians in the steppes of Central Asia. It is a great opportunity to stay in homes that have been designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Mongolia since 2013.
The two project leaders, Leticia and José, fell in love with these unique dwellings after watching a documentary on La 2 around ten years ago, and from that moment on, they started pondering how they were made, whether they could be purchased here in Spain... "We also began to research the symbolism and meaning that yurts possess," Leticia tells us, who is also the president of TuJerte, the Jer Valley Tourism Association. The assembly and disassembly of these dwellings represent the ancient myth of Chaos and Order, present in all nomadic cultures of Central Asia, and is also a representation of the entire universe as a microcosm.
The ger has existed for over 2,000 years in Mongolia, and it is common for the inhabitants of these Central Asian lands to set it up and take it down up to four times a year to find pastures for their herds. Upon its inclusion in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, UNESCO highlighted its handcrafted construction, which requires the joint effort of a family or community. Men carve the wood, and, together with women, they paint it, sew the canvases, and create the felt that composes the structure. Those who make them are highly respected in the community, and the processes of assembling and disassembling them are always carried out with family involvement, allowing children to learn how to do it by observing adults. One of the most special parts of the ger is its crown, an open circular structure in the roof that allows ventilation and the entry of sunlight. This crown often takes the shape, influenced by Buddhism, of the Dharma Wheel and is the most durable element of the dwelling, passed down from parents to children.
El Jardín de las Delicias has successfully brought a piece of Mongolia to Spain thanks to these original yurts (ger) from the eastern country, handcrafted with painted wood and adorned with traditional motifs, covered with canvases and felt, their pillars, their walls made of a flexible frame of wooden rods, their floor coverings... Inside, they are a color explosion and come with all amenities, such as climate control, private bathroom, bed, television... Those who have tried them say they are incredibly comfortable.
Each yurt also has a private garden on a 200-meter plot, as the complex is situated in a large ecological estate with cherry trees and other fruit trees, the ideal location for these unique constructions that can also boast of being an ecological and bioclimatic construction, thermally and acoustically insulated, as well as energy-saving.
Such a level of perfection has required effort, investment, and dozens of permits for its owners; from the land reclassification to an architectural project, passing through urban planning permits, from the Jerte Valley Municipal Association, from Tourism... Not to mention all the necessary works to provide services to the estate (such as drinking water, sanitation, electricity...) and furnish the constructions. "Everything inside the yurt is custom-made for it, so the cost is incredible," explains Leticia. That is why currently only two of the three available yurts on the estate are operational (one for two people and the other for three); the third is finishing up its final touches.
Finally, Leticia and José's delightful garden came to light after 10 years, during which they were gradually investing in their yurts what they earned from a rural house and an apartment they own in the area. A few days ago, this unique establishment was awarded one of the Tourism Awards given by El Periódico de Extremadura, in collaboration with the Alcántara City Council and also received a visit from the Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Sports of Extremadura, Nuria Flores Redondo. Their owners hope that soon they will also be able to welcome clients from outside the autonomous community once mobility restrictions due to the pandemic are lifted. But despite the pandemic, this type of accommodation is ideal during these times. "We do not want to offer what everyone else offers. We want to do it in a very exclusive, very private way, where you come and don't have to be rubbing shoulders with anyone. Each yurt has a 200-meter plot with its private furnishings..." explains Leticia.
And space is not the only thing they offer. This vast garden seeks to reconnect the guest with nature, something you can do both in the estate and in the surroundings, with the famous Garganta de los Infiernos or the Monfragüe National Park relatively close by. They also offer astrotourism experiences, which are quite trendy, or kayaking or 4x4 tours in the area. But if you prefer not to leave the garden, they offer massage services and natural therapies...
They are about a 15-minute drive from Plasencia, on the N-110 road. Km. 390.3 of Casas del Castañar, Cáceres. More info at www.eljardindelasdelizias.com and 605 82 93 29/630924479.