PICOS DE EUROPA WALKING SELF-GUIDED TOUR
TREK IN THE 3 MASSIFS OF THE PICOS DE EUROPA ON YOUR OWN
Rumbo a Picos takes you into the wonderful mountain scenery of Picos de Europa National Park. This tour explores the Picos de Europa National Park with walks in the wild landscapes of the western, central and eastern massifs.
A self-guided tour where we help you to enjoy these undiscovered mountains with the best hikes in the National Park:
- The iconic peak “Naranjo de Bulnes”
- Fuente Dé and its incredible Cable Car.
- The amazing Cares & Urdón Gorges.
You will walk on your own resting assure that everything is arranged for you:
- Accommodation in charming hotels.
- Dinners to experience the gastronomy (food & wine) of the towns.
- All transport included.
- Walk instructions with one of our certified guides.
- Maps of the routes and GPS Tracks.
- Emergency hotline.
Definitely, this tour gives you all, the walking is one part of it, the cultural & environmental experiences are the others.
DIFFICULTY | MODERATE LEVEL
Be active and healthy. Exercise several times per week. Mountain experience required. Maximum gradient per day: 600-900 m. Daily distances: 10- 15 km. Terrain: Trails are good and well-defined with some scree. Walks every day for between 4.5 to 7 hours on mountain paths. |
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ROUTES | Hike to Naranjo de Bulnes 13Km ⇑900m ⇓900m
Hike along the Aliva Glacier Valley 12Km ⇑650m ⇓600m Hike to Horcados Rojos summit 12Km ⇑800m ⇓800m The Cares Gorge Path 12Km ⇓150m ⇓250m |
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EQUIPMENT REQUIRED |
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If you prefer to do this hiking trip with a Local Guide, click here to read more about our Trekking in the Picos de Europa
Day 1: Arrival in Santander or Bilbao
Day 2: HIKE TO NARANJO DE BULNES. ROUND TRIP. DISTANCE: 13 Km ⇑900m ⇓900m
We drive to Sotres Village and then the short distance to the tiny hamlet of Pandebano. Leaving our vehicle, we walk up to Collado Vallejo (1.500 m), where the huge monolith of the Naranjo de Bulnes (Pico Urriellu 2519 m) comes into view. This rust-coloured mountain is the famous iconic image of the Picos. We walk up to the very base of the mountain (2.000 m) where there is a refuge. We rest, eat packed lunch and the chance to see climbers attempting to scale the improbable sheer face. We retrace our steps to Pandebano where our transport awaits us to return to our hotel in Arenas de Cabrales. Dinner and Accommodation.
Day 3: HIKE ALONG THE ALIVA GLACIER VALLEY DISTANCE: 12 Km ⇑650m ⇓600m
Day 4: HIKE TO HORCADOS ROJOS SUMMIT AND CABAÑA VERONICA HUT. CIRCULAR ROUTE. DISTANCE: 12 KM ⇑800 m ⇓800 m
Today we walk the route from the Cable car to Horcados Rojos in glacier Circus Fuente Dé. The summit Horcados Rojos (2,506 m) is a magnificent balcony inside the Central Massif, accessible by its side NO. Along the way, we enjoy the essence of high mountains the Picos de Europa, vegetation adapted to the harsh climatic conditions, rocky landscape of sharp peaks, alpine birds, etc. On the way back, we will go to the singular Cabaña Veronica hut and back again to the cable car. Dinner and accommodation in Espinama.
Day 5: HIKE TOUR CARES GORGE + 4WD off-road. SINGLE ROUTE. DISTANCE: 12 KM ⇑150 m ⇓250 m
Breakfast. This gorge, with its narrow passes and gullies, is right in the heart of the Picos de Europa Mountains. The area’s stunning landscape affords unique views of the National Park.
Getting to know this route is a unique experience. The trail is narrow, surrounded by wild vegetation, with water ever-present. The river flows along the valley floor, it’s sound a constant companion in route. Now and again the path takes you through small tunnels carved out of the rock and across bridges that hang over the abyss. All the while, rocky mountainsides tower up on either side of the trail. The itinerary runs between Cain, in Leon province and Poncebos, in Asturias province. It runs parallel to the Cares, the area’s wildest river. The route covers 12 kilometres over easy terrain. The excursion starts in Fuente Dé where our off-road vehicle will be waiting for you. A wonderful scenic drive from Fuente Dé until Posada de Valdeón and Cain where your walking path starts. When you finish walking, our transport will be waiting for you in Poncebos. Transfer to Llanes, a lovely village on the coast with a great variety of restaurants, shops and bars. Dinner and accommodation in Hotel Paraíso***
Day 6: DEPARTURE
DATES AND PRICES 2020
Dates | Price per person |
May, June, 8th-30th September and October | Double or twin room – € 655
Single supplement – € 125 |
July, August, 1st-7th September | Double or twin room – € 780
Single supplement – € 150 |
If you are interested in joining this tour, ask for the dates. If you have around four or more people in your party, we can organise a private group departing on a date to suit you.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- 2 nights at Hotel Picos de Europa *** in Arenas de Cabrales.
- 2 nights at Hotel Nevandi ** in Espinama.
- 1 night at Hotel Paraíso **** in Llanes
- 5 Breakfast
- 4 dinners.
- All transport and listed activities. Airport transfers included.
- Maps and walk instructions.
- GPS Tracks.
- Emergency hotline.
- Insurances and taxes
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
- Picnic lunch. Can be purchased in the hotel or local shops.
- Dinner on the last night.
- Flights.
Ready to go?
BOOK NOWIf you need more information, please, fill in the form below. We will reply by email as soon as possible – usually within 24 hours.
Tour Reviews
We have just arrived home after a weeks hiking in the Picos de Europa with Rumbo APicos and we cannot recommend them highly enough. It was the best walking holiday that we have ever had. The whole team were well organised and really friendly and helpful. Our guide for the week Alejandro was fantastic. His passion for the region was infectious and he was full of interesting information about the history, geology, flora and fauna as we walked. We were a group of 6 and he looked after us very well. Every day he chose a different walk through the most beautiful landscapes which were all different from each other and we hardly met another person as we hiked. Alejandro took us to the top of peaks and down beautiful gorges with vultures circling overhead. We picnicked in high meadows surrounded by carpets of wild flowers.
We stayed in a lovely friendly hotel in Arenas de Cabrales which was comfortable with wonderful food every evening. The holiday was fantastic value and we will definitely be returning.
Thank you all at Rumbo A Picos
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