
Canyons to Coast Adventure in Northern Spain
Hike, bike, SUP, canyon and kayak your way around the undiscovered provinces of Asturias and Cantabria
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking guidesHotel
6 nights in a 4-star hotel in LlanesMeals
All breakfasts, 5 lunches and 2 dinnersTransfers
Airport transfers and everything in betweenEquipment
Kayaks, SUPs, e-bikes, canyoning gear and all safety equipmentSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small nā sociable groups of up to 14 like-minded, active and outdoorsy peopleā¦
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What's it like?






























Kayak down the stunningĀ RĆo DevaĀ and SUP along the dramatic cliffs and secluded bays of the Atlantic Coast
Slip and slide your way through the Picos de Europa, tackling natural water slides, abseiling down waterfalls and jumping into clear pools
Hit the trails of the spectacular Cares Gorge, hiking through rocky tunnels in the shadow of imposing peaks
Pedal a coastal section of the iconic Camino de Santiago on e-bikes, before cooling off in the pool at your base on the Costa Verde
Key Information
Day 1
Welcome to Asturias!

Your host will meet you on arrival at Bilbao Airport and transfer you to Llanes, a charming port town nestled on the rugged Costa Verde. Meet up with the rest of your group for a dinner and chat through the adventure ahead with your host.
Day 2
Kayak down the Rio Deva

Kayaking
Kickstart your adventure with a kayak descent of the spectacular River Deva, set to a stunning mountainous backdrop beneath the jagged jaws of the Picos de Europa mountain range. Tackle the exciting but manageable rapids in twin sit-on-top kayaks, with some easygoing paddling needed on the calmer stretches. Tuck into a picnic on the banks of the river and grab a dip if you're brave enough - the water has come straight from the Picos and is rather fresh! Enjoy dinner back in Llanes.
Day 3
SUP the Atlantic coast and go caving

Stand Up Paddleboarding
Caving
Swap the river for the sea today, heading along the coast near Llanes on a paddleboard. This stretch of shoreline is home to a series of cliffs giving way to scallop-shaped sandy beaches. Sea conditions will dictate where you head to find the calm waters - your guides know all the best spots and will provide instruction to anyone who hasn't been paddleboarding before. Tuck into a picnic lunch on the beach and enjoy a swim in the sea before going underground in the afternoon, as your guide leads you into some of the best limestone caves in Spain. Hike and crawl through a subterranean world, past amazing rock formations.
Day 4
The Cares Gorge path

Hiking
Tick off an iconic and famous hike today. The Cares Gorge Trail is a spectacular path cut into the limestone of an imposing ravine, perched 300m above the RĆo Cares and surrounded by 2000m+ peaks. Drive into the heart of the Picos de Europa, finding the trailhead at CaĆn to set off on the narrow trail. Wind through small tunnels carved out of the rock and across bridges that hang over the abyss, while the river rages below and mountain goats watch from above. Finish up this memorable hike at Poncebos.
Day 5
Bike along the Camino de Santiago

E-bike
Hop on an e-bike at the small village of Buelna to pedal along the coast, discovering wonderful beaches, reaching clifftop lookouts and witnessing the spectacular Bufones de Pria - a natural phenomenon unique to this area, jets of seawater spout from holes and cracks eroded in limestone cliffs. You'll cycle along a section of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, passing pilgrims on their way. Finish up in Llanes for another post-adventure dinner and maybe a drop of rioja or a cold sidre.
Day 6
Canyoning in the Picos

Canyoning
Your final day of adventuring is a barnstorming one: head back into the Picos de Europa to explore this unique landscape from a totally different angle. Slip on a wetsuit, clip into your helmet in and spend the day leaping into natural wells and pools, slaloming along carved rock water slides, whizzing along zip-lines and abseiling down waterfalls. Your guides will instruct you and keep everyone safe along the way. Cap off a memorable day and toast an epic week of wild adventures with a visit to a local cider brewery for a typical Asturian dinner, washed down by plentiful amounts of sidre - the region's most famous tipple.
Day 7
Adios Asturias

The adventure comes to an end today as your host drives you back to Bilbao Airport in time for your onward flight home. If you are lingering longer in Spain, the Asturian and Cantabrian coastlines have some incredible beaches, good surf and laid back bars and cafes to discover.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Bilbao Airport
13:00 on Day 1
Ends
Bilbao Airport
12:00 on Day 7
Transfers
Please arrive at Bilbao airport by 13:00 on Day 1 in order to join the group transfer from Bilbao Airport to Llanes for your first night. On Day 7, your host will provide a group transfer from Llanes back to Bilbao airport, dropping you off at approximately midday.
If you are arriving/departing at different times, on different days or flying to/from alternative airports (Asturias Airport or Santander Airport) your host can arrange private airport transfers for an additional charge, subject to availability. Please see Optional Extras for prices.
Travel options
Bilbao Airport is accessible via various direct flights from the UK and mainland Europe. Flights from outside of Europe are typically indirect.
Bilbao, Asturias and Santander airports are all an hour or two away from Llanes and have public transport options between them.
UK travellers with a bit more time (and possibly a vehicle) on their hands can travel to Asturias using the popular Portsmouth-Santander ferry route. Rail travellers can get to the start of this trip via Bilbao's main railway station - Bilbao Abando - which is well connected to various major cities in Spain. It is possible to travel from the UK to Llanes all the way by train, transiting through Paris and Hendaye in France, and Bilbao.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 ā Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?

Breakfast at the hotel in Llanes is a sumptuous buffet that always gets rave reviews. Breads, pastries, baked treats, cereals, fruit, meats and cheeses. Lunches will be sandwiches and snacks to be enjoyed on beaches, riverbanks, clifftops and mountainsides, depending on the day of the trip. You'll have a traditional Asturian dinner on your first and last day with an array of local dishes to choose from. The other four dinners have been left out of the trip price to allow you to explore the bountiful food options in Llanes - which is particularly renowned for its seafood and pinchos (northern Spain's version of tapas).
Vegetarian, vegan and most other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?

Hotel Finca La MansiĆ³n
You have a single base for your whole trip, allowing you to settle in and enjoy downtime at the end of each of your big adventure days. You'll be staying at the 4-star Hotel Finca La MansiĆ³n in Llanes, a picturesque port town on the Asturian coast surrounded by beaches and blessed with history, culture, great seafood and a mountainous backdrop. The hotel has traditional rustic decor, an outdoor pool, garden and sun terrace. There are mountain views from many of the rooms, and the breakfast buffet is brilliant. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bathroom.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking.
This trip has been rated as Moderate
All of the activities on this trip can be done without any previous experience - you'll have expert guides to show you the ropes and help you navigate the kayaking, canyoning and SUPing. The cycle ride along the Camino de Santiago is best enjoyed if you feel comfortable riding an electronically assisted bike off-road, so you should feel at home on a bike though no technical mountain biking skills are needed. The hike along the Cares Gorge walk is an easy one - it's mostly flat, so it's manageable by anyone who can handle walking for a few hours. The trail is narrow in parts with a steep drop on one side, so those with an extreme fear of heights should be wary, but it's really quite a relaxed hike managed by people of all ages and fitness levels. There may be the option to extend the hike for those who would like to.
The weather in this part of Spain can be very changeable, so be sure to pack for all weathers. Mainly it tends to be dry and sunny on the south face of the Picos (where you'll be doing the Cares Gorge hike and the canyoning). June and September are cooler months to visit, while temperatures i July and August can rise above 30Ā°C/85Ā°F.
Unvergessliches Abenteuer in Asturien und Kantabrien ā perfekt fĆ¼r Natur- und Aktivurlaub!
Meine Reise durch die weniger bekannten Provinzen Asturien und Kantabrien war einfach ein Traum! Von der ersten bis zur letzten AktivitƤt ā Wandern, Mountainbiken, Stand-Up-Paddling und Kajakfahren ā war alles perfekt organisiert und hat mir die unglaubliche Vielfalt dieser Region gezeigt.
Obwohl ich eigentlich etwas Hƶhenangst habe, war die Wanderung wirklich gut machbar. Die Route war sicher und wurde auf mein Tempo abgestimmt, sodass ich mich jederzeit wohl gefĆ¼hlt habe. Die Ausblicke Ć¼ber die grĆ¼nen HĆ¼gel und die wilden KĆ¼stenabschnitte waren einfach spektakulƤr! Ein weiteres Highlight war das Stand-Up-Paddling in ruhigen Buchten ā das GefĆ¼hl von Freiheit auf dem Wasser war unvergleichlich.
Ich kann diesen Trip jedem empfehlen, der eine Mischung aus Abenteuer und atemberaubender Natur sucht, ohne auf Komfort oder Sicherheit verzichten zu mĆ¼ssen. Ein echtes Paradies fĆ¼r Outdoor-Fans, abseits des Massentourismus. Ich freue mich schon darauf, eines Tages zurĆ¼ckzukommen!
Wow - that was fun!
I originally picked this trip because I wanted to hike the spectacular Cares Gorge, and that was my highlight. Or on second thoughts maybe it was the kayaking as we spun down the rapids (apparently I'm not very good at steering), or possibly the beautiful stalagmites in the cave. All the activities were so different, it is impossible to decide, but throughout our guides Carlos and Txetxu shared their love for the beautiful Asturia land, kept us laughing and encouraged us to stetch ourselves. I even found myself volunteering for the harder mountain biking route, and that is not something that I ever thought I would say. Great company, great week, I wouldn't change a thing.



Big adventure, amazing guides
While the activities were blast and the scenery amazing, the guides truly made this an unforgettable experience. They were knowledgeable about the region, fun to chat with, and took wonderful care of our group. From adjusting the schedule to pick the best adventures based on the weather that day to recommending great eats, offering options to make the days more or less active and prioritizing our safety and comfort, they were some of the best Iāve experienced.



Fantastic trip!
We had a fantastic time! Really fun activities, lovely team members, a nice hotel and the best guides! Thanks for an amazing holiday, Carlos and Txetxu and thanks for having us, Asturias!



Perfect Adventure
Amazing trip! We loved the food, the activities, the group, the guides, the hotel ā¦

Fantastic 5*
From start to finish this trip was super well organised with two of the best guides I've had Carlos & txetxu , and I've been on a few adventures. The attention to detail and meticulous care made the trip extra special. They really went above and beyond . The activities were fun and varied and just enough to push you . The food was high quality and super tasty and the hotel clean and comfortable. Highly recommend



A fantastic mix of adventures
A brilliant trip from start to finish, with guides that really enjoyed their job, and made sure that everybody in the group was having a good time. The activities are a great mix, with each of us on the trip seeming to have their own personal highlight. For me it was the e-biking, and that's despite having only ridden a bike once in over 20 years. I would highly recommend this holiday to anyone who wants a trip with a bit of everything. My one recommendation is to learn at least some basic Spanish before you go, as I knew none and needed to rely on my fellow travellers at times.
Great fun, excellent instructors
I had a great time. Instructor team all were friendly and keen to ensure everything went well. I was a solo traveller and the other random people, from all around the globe, gelled together quickly, which added to the success of the trip. The Picos are stunning. Iād highly recommend this trip.
Fab Holiday
Really enjoyed this trip! It has a good mix of different activities, good food, enough downtime to relax at the end of the day and great guides supporting with each activity. I would recommend this trip to anyone looking for a fun week away in a beautiful part of Northern Spain. A good sense of adventure is required and the activities are challenging enough for someone with reasonable fitness levels, without being too difficult to enjoy. The guides are really knowledgeable and make everything fun. A great introduction to group activity holidays!

