Ronda — Secret of the Tajo
Uncover the hidden Moorish secret staircase in El Tajo that decided Ronda's fate during the 1485 siege. Decipher clues across the gorge to expose the forgotten escape route and its guardians.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1485, as the Catholic Monarchs' forces closed in on Moorish Ronda, the defenders clung to one desperate secret: a hidden staircase carved into the sheer walls of El Tajo gorge
Ronda, 1936: the bridge, the ravine, the whispers of war
In 1485, as the Catholic Monarchs' forces closed in on Moorish Ronda, the defenders clung to one desperate secret: a hidden staircase carved into the sheer walls of El Tajo gorge. Descending 231 perilous steps from the Casa del Rey Moro to the Guadalevín River below, this water mine was their lifeline—supplying water under siege and offering a clandestine exit for the king. But the Marquis of Cadiz discovered it, sabotaged the wheel, and starved the city into surrender, ending centuries of Moorish rule. Legends whisper that not all was revealed. Encrypted symbols along the gorge hint at a concealed chamber holding the king's final orders—or a cursed artifact that doomed the Moors. Modern explorers report ghostly echoes from the depths, as if the secret demands to be unearthed. Assemble at the gorge's heart. Solve the riddles linking Ronda's ancient monuments to decode the path. Outwit history's veil, descend the forbidden stairs, and expose the Secret of the Tajo before it claims another soul.
A game, a guided tour and a city guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living city guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding step by step as you walk.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
« « Nothing is more hateful than war, but nothing is more just than a necessary and legitimate war. » »— Miguel de Unamuno, Spanish philosopher
Ronda, between abyss and tragedy
Perched on dizzying cliffs, Ronda is a city whose history is carved into the rock. The spectacular Puente Nuevo, spanning the Tajo, a 100-meter-deep canyon, was the scene of tragic events during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Republicans, and sometimes Nationalists, were thrown into the void, a brutal method of execution that left its mark and even inspired Ernest Hemingway for his novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1940), although the action takes place elsewhere, the image of the precipice is strongly associated with Ronda.
Hemingway's presence in Ronda, during his wartime reports, is not a myth. Fascinated by bullfighting and Spanish culture, he stayed in Andalusia, visiting conflict zones. Accounts of executions in the Tajo, reported by the press and local testimonies, fueled his imagination and that of other writers. This painful past, where Ronda's natural beauty contrasted with human cruelty, remains an indelible part of its legacy, a poignant reminder of the horrors of war and the secrets it leaves behind.
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
The Vertigo of the Tajo
Cross the spectacular Puente Nuevo and let yourself be carried away by the majesty of the canyon, a silent witness to a turbulent history.
Forgotten Memory
Track down clues hidden in the cobbled streets and old stones to reconstruct the diary of a brave journalist.
Hemingway's Shadow
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere that inspired one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, imbued with Ronda's beauty and brutality.
The Tajo holds secrets that only time reveals.
Track the truth before it's lost forever.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
Vous avez joué à le secret du tajo? Rendez-vous dans l'email reçu après votre partie pour laisser un avis vérifié.
Your turn to play
Unravel the enigma of the Tajo, cross the shadows of history, and unmask the forgotten traitor. Your investigation will reveal a little-known part of the Spanish Civil War. Will you be up to the task of exhuming the truth?
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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