The Tarifa kite guide

Tarifa sits at the southern tip of Spain, on the Strait of Gibraltar. The strait squeezes the wind between Europe and Africa, so it blows on more than 300 days a year and two calm days in a row are rare. That is why kitesurfers of every level come back year after year.

Tantrum ran its kite school here for over a decade. The school has closed. This guide is what we would tell a friend coming out for a kite trip.

Two winds, two kinds of day

The Levante blows from the east, off the land. It is the strong one: it blows night and day and can last for weeks. Because it comes off the land it is warm and the water close to shore stays flat, which makes it a good wind for nailing the water start.

The Poniente blows in from the Atlantic. It is cleaner, steadier and usually a little lighter, and it brings waves. The Levante rules the summer and the Poniente the winter, though both blow all year. There is more in the wind and weather in Tarifa.

Where to kite

Most of the kiting happens on Los Lances, a beach about 14km long and 500m wide that starts at the edge of town. Further west is Valdevaqueros, and beyond it Punta Paloma, about 10 minutes' drive from town. Read our guide to Valdevaqueros before you go.

In summer, parts of the beaches are kept for bathers and there are set zones for kite schools, so check the signs before you rig. Out of season the restrictions lift and the beaches empty. Along the coast there are shallow, flat lagoons, which are ideal for practising the water start before you head out to the open sea.

When to go

Any time of year. Summer is hot and busy, and it is mostly Levante. Winter is mild and quiet, and the steadier Poniente makes it the better season to learn. See Tarifa in the winter.

Days without kiteable wind

Some days are flat calm and some are simply too strong. Those are the days for surfing, paddle boarding, wakeboarding or longboarding, all of which make you a better kiter. See no wind days in Tarifa.

Getting there

Gibraltar, Málaga, Jerez and Seville airports are all within reach, and winter flights are cheap. Car hire, buses and transfers are in getting to Tarifa. For evenings, see nightlife in Tarifa.

Learning to kite in Tarifa

There are plenty of kite schools in Tarifa. Before your first lesson, work through the free online kitesurf school, module by module. You will arrive knowing what your instructor is about to say, and your lesson time goes on flying the kite.