Wilderness Travel 2017 Catalog of Adventures

Across the Pyrenees AN INSIDER’S JOURNEY FROM PAMPLONA TO BARCELONA

DAN HELLER

Our hikes bring us to the best settings in the Pyrenees, including magnificent Ordesa National Park. PHOTO: MIKEL BILBAO

HIGHLIGHTS • Hike in breathtaking Ordesa National Park, with its sheer limestone canyons and network of dramatic fajas (trails) • Discover hidden stone-built villages and high trails all across the Spanish Pyrenees • Stay in charming and historic mountain inns • Savor northern Spain’s wonderful gastronomy, from jamón serrano to grilled Pyrenees lamb • Enjoy Barcelona’s exceptional artistic and architectural heritage DETAILS • 9-day trip begins in Pamplona and ends in Barcelona • 8 nights hotels • All meals included except 3 dinners

The peaks of the Spanish Pyrenees soar above a realm of ancient oak and fir forests, stone

bridges, and villages linked by shepherds’ paths. Our hiking journey traces an arc across the best trails in northern Spain, exploring verdant valleys where the ancient Aragonese dialect is still spoken, heading up to craggy alpine heights where mountain goats scramble, and rambling along the back lanes of

“The hikes were beautiful—each one was beautifully designed to allow us to experience a variety of landscapes. Thank you for a fantastic trip across the Pyrenees!”

SIMON REDDY

Europe, we savor 360-degree mountain splendor on our hike up to the Cola de Caballo, a waterfall just below the sheer face of Monte Perdido (11,000'). Days 4-6 Aiguestortes We find a serene landscape of jagged granite peaks, meandering streams, and crystalline tarns in Catalonia’s Aiguestortes National Park. One of our hikes leads us up a riverside trail amid granite rock formations to stunning Sant Maurici, where craggy peaks are mirrored in blue-green waters, and we enjoy a delicious lunch in a high mountain refuge. Days 7-9 Andorra / Barcelona In Andorra, the tiny principality nestled in the peaks between France and Spain, our ridge trail brings us to medieval Bescaran, graced by a Romanesque bell tower. After a pastoral hike in Catalonia’s green hills amid the sound of sheep and cattle bells, we head to beautiful Barcelona to explore its Old Quarter and Gaudi’s fanciful architecture. Depart on Day 9.

Mary Beth W., Fayetteville NY

DATES Jun 11-19, 2017 Jul 16-24 Sep 5-13 Sep 24-Oct 2

stone-built Pyrenean towns. Along the way, we enjoy fantastic local cuisine (both on and off the trail!) and meet the welcoming Basque, Aragonese, and Catalan people who make northern Spain so intriguing. Days 1-3 Pamplona / Ordesa National Park From Pamplona, we head into the Aragonese Pyrenees for a hike to Siresa, a mountain village of cobbled streets and splendid old stone houses. In Ordesa National Park, one of the most spectacular mountain settings in all

TRIP COST $4995 (11-15 members) $5395 (6-10 members) Single supplement: $480

TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 hiking days on moderate to strenuous trails, 3-7 hours a day, altitudes between 4,500-8,000 feet, van support

FOR MORE DETAILS ON OUR EUROPEAN TRIPS, VISIT WWW.WILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM/TRIPS/EUROPE 40