5-days Picos de Europa Mountain Trek, the Anillo Vindio

After having arrived by public transport (not included) or private taxi (optional service) at the Lagos de Covadonga, you start your 5 day mountain trek at the National Park’s visitors centre in Bufarrera. Get used to your rugsack while you walk up past Lago Enol, through beech woods and bucolic ‘alms’ to reach the Vegarredonda refuge. Here you can leave the bulk of your luggage and walk further up to the Ordiales viewpoint, a fabulous natural balcony also burial place of the Marques de Vega de Sella, founder of the Picos de Europa National Park. 

Challenge: 8.6 km / 5.3 mi, 500 m ascent, 80 m descent, 3 hours. With extension Ordiales: +5.9 km / 3.6 mi, 300 m ascent and descent, 2.5 hours

An early start is highly recommended as today’s route is the longest route of this 5-day mountain trek. You’ll traverse high alpine areas between huge geological depression typical of limestone mountains, the so called dolines  (or “jous” in asturiano dialect). The terrain is very irregular and stony and there is hardly any shade before you descent to the idyllic Vegabaño refuge surrounded by an impressive beech forest. In this welcoming family-run hut you will enjoy a tasty and well-deserved dinner in good company.

Challenge: 14.8 km / 9 mi, 980 m ascent, 1150 m descent, 8 hours.

After yesterday's effort, today's route is more relaxed and penetrates into dense beech and oak forests populated by deer, foxes, wild boar, wolves and even some (very shy) bears (Oso cantábrico, Ursus arctos). Probably you will not see any 4-footers, but several types of warblers, buntings and woodpeckers will provide the soundtrack. Once you arrive at the valley of Valdeón, you’ll cross several villages where you can stop for a drink or a lunch, before finishing the last track to your hotel, located in the small village of Cordiñanes.

Challenge: 13.4 km / 8.3 mi, 300 m ascent, 800 m descent, 6.5 hours.

Today we’ve arranged a taxi transfer to the start of the walk in Caín, at the southern end of a spectacular gorge where a famous walking route has been sculpted out into the rock: la Ruta del Cares. After having followed the blue-green river for an hour through the gorge, the challenging ascent through the 'Canal de Trea' starts. You realize it was worth the effort when you reach the cozy refuge Vega de Ario, situated in an area with breathtaking views of the highest peaks and the Atlantic Ocean at the same time.

Note: If you you do not feel up to this last strenuous ascent and you want to skip the overnight stay in the mountain hut, you can follow the ‘escape’ route to Poncebos, at the end of the 12km spectacular Cares Gorge, and take a bus to Arenas de Cabrales. You will have to indicate it at the time of the booking and we will book a hotel for you in Arenas de Cabrales instead of the mountain hut, including dinner and breakfast.

Challenge: 17.5 km / 10.8 mi, 475 m ascent, 875 m descent, 6.5 hours

After having enjoyed again a beautiful sunrise from the refuge, you will do a short but nevertheless beautiful walk, mainly downhill and past Lake Ercina, back to the bus stop where you started your walk 5 days ago. There you will take the bus back to Cangas de Onís.

Challenge: 7.9 km / 4.9 mi , 100 m ascent, 650 m descent, 3 hours