8-day Pyrenees Trail (GR-11) Walking Holiday (Part 2)

Meet our guides during the welcome dinner in Torla. They will explain the logistics of the tour, check your equipment and solve any doubts you might have about technical parts of the walks and how to deal with personal challenges.

Spectacular start of the week, with a gradual ascent through the Great Canyon of Ordesa to the Circo de Soasa, where the waterfall Cola de Caballo attracks all attention. The challenging route follows the more scenic route via the Faja de Pelay. At the end both routes come together during the ascent to the mountain hut Goriz. You will have to take some extra clothing, sheets and toothbrush with you in your rucksack today. The bulk of your luggage is transported to the next accommodation in Pineta.

Challenge: 13 km, 6-7 hrs, 1180 m ascent, 330 m descent

Moderate: 12 km, 5-6 hrs, 880 m ascent, 190 m descent

Today's route is very varied and scenic, with a bird eye's view across the Añisclo Gorge, and a long ascent and very steep descent on both sides of the Añisclo pass (2450 m), giving way to the Valle de Pineta, where you can chose to stay in a mountain hut OR the luxuous Parador de Bielsa (supplement of 96 euros p.p.). The very steep descent can be avoided by doing the moderate route through the Añisclo gorge, where you will be picked up in Nerin

Challenge: 16 km, 8-9 hrs, 880 m ascent, 1750 m descent

Moderate: 17 km, 5-6 hrs, 180 m ascent, 1070 m descent

The Balcón de Pineta and the Northern face of the Monte Perdido can best be seen by ascending to the Llanos de Larry and follow a wide grassy ridge past de Pico Comodoto; a long walk but very rewarding walk with gradual ascents and descent that make it doable. The walk can be shortened by picking you up at the first village en route, 8km before Bielsa.

Challenge: 22 km, 7-8 hrs, 880 m ascent, 1050 m descent

Moderate: 14 km, 5-6 hrs, 880 m ascent, 770 m descent

In the morning you walk to Parzán where you left the GR-11 yesterday, or start at end of landrover track in Ordiceto and only to the final bit of the ascent to the Pass de los Caballos (2314 m). Say goodbye to the karstic massif of Monte Perdido, and enter a more bucolic landscape, molded by humans during ages of transhumant husbandry. The mountain huts Biadós integrates completely into this landscape. Cars cannot reach this place so the main luggage is transported to Benasque, where you will stay tomorrow.

Challenge: 22 km, 6-7 hrs, 1580 m ascent, 1000 m descent

Modertae: 14 km, 5-6 hrs, 730 m ascent, 1000 m descent

As you move from one valley to another, via the Puerto de Chistau (2592 m), the granite rocky moles of the Bachimala and Posets are come into view, in the hearth of the Natural Park Posets-Maladeta. We follow the river Estós through a wide glacier valley down to Benasque, a lively hub of mountain sports lovers.

Challenge: 21 km, 8-9 hrs, 900 m ascent, 1360 m descent

This last day you can chose again to take the 4x4 taxi half way up, to the lakes of Coronas walk, or walk all the way. The last bit of the ascent is quite technical and dificult as you have to cross large boulder fields, but again the reward is a spectacular view across the high mountain range including the Aneto peak. Last overnight stay in the mountain hut LLauset. No luggage transfer.

Challenge: 17 km, 8 hrs, 1500 m ascent, 360 m descent

Modertae: 8 km, 4-5 hrs, 740 m ascent, 360 m descent

Early start today as we have to descent in 1 hrs to the carpark Llauset where a taxi is waiting for us at 8.30 am in order to arrive in time at the bus station in Pont de Suert to catch the first bus to Barcelona. If you have left your car in Torla, you can order an extra private transfer (not included).

Challenge: 3,5 km, 1 hrs