Trip Ref #9406
DURATION
4 nights
LOCATION
France
ANNUAL LEAVE
3 days off work
GROUP SIZE
Up to 8 people
MEETING POINT
Luz St Sauveur
ACCOMMODATION
Classic
Hostel · Mountain hut · Guesthouse
DIFFICULTY
Challenging
You’ll need to be in good shape and capable of hiking between 15-20km each day with a pack on your back and gains of as much as 1000m.
Cross the border between France and Spain over the highest pass on the Santiago de Compostela trail (2200m) and through Roland’s Breach (2804m)
Visit two of the most spectacular locations in the Pyrenees, Gavarnie and the Ordesa Canyon
Sleep in remote mountain refuges and wake each day surrounded by gorgeous Pyrenean scenery
Day 1
Luz St Sauveur
Head to the quaint mountain village of Luz St Sauveur, a place steeped in history and surrounded by beautiful scenery. Check into your comfortable hostel and meet your host for a briefing about the adventure ahead followed by dinner with the rest of your team.
Day 2
The Bucharo Pass (2200m)
Hiking
8-9hrs · 10km · 1450m up · 1200m down
From the gorgeous village of Gavarnie, trek deeper into the Pyrenees and cross the border into Spain via the Bucharo Pass (2200m.) After a picnic lunch, descend to the mountain village of Torla (1000m) - it's a long descent but there will be plenty of time to recover with dinner and a good night’s rest at a local refuge.
Day 3
The Ordesa Canyon
Hiking
7-8hrs · 12km · 1000m up
After breakfast, head toward the glacially carved Ordesa Canyon, part of the spectacular Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. From the plateau at the bottom, climb the steep ascent to the viewpoint at the Mirador de Calcilarruego - a natural balcony hanging 600 metres above the canyon floor - before continuing to the next refuge, this one sitting 2200m above sea level.
Day 4
Breche de Roland
Hiking
7-8hrs · 15km · 1250m up · 1450m down
Cross the Millaris Plateau and climb to the famous Breche de Roland, or Roland’s Breach (2800m,) a natural gap in the border, 40m across and 100m high. Re-enter France and begin the long descent back to Gavarnie where your transfer will be waiting to take you back to Luz for the evening.
Day 5
Home time
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your guesthouse before heading home or onto your next adventure in this beautiful region.
Included
Guides
Local, English speaking, certified guide
Accommodation
2 nights in a mountain refuge, 2 nights in a hostel
Meals
Munch on tasty food throughout
Transfers
From the start point and back again
Not Included
Travel to and from the start point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Visas where required
Day 1
Hostel · Mixed dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Mountain hut · Mixed dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Guesthouse · Mixed dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Breakfasts will be basic but filling, usually featuring bread, jam and tea/coffee, and cakes in Spain. Dried fruit is often available and you can always bring a bag of oats if you like muesli. Lunch will be a picnic and dinners are excellent - three and sometimes even four courses. Expect soup before your main meal and sometimes cheese and then dessert. If you have any dietary requests, let your host know in advance and they will do their best to accommodate them.
What is the accommodation like?
Luz St Sauveur
You'll stay at the comfortable Gite Le Regain in Luz St Sauveur, a charming and traditional house nicely renovated as a hostel. The guesthouse offers small dorm rooms, each with their own bathroom.
The Pyrenees
You'll sleep in mountain refuges in lovely locations. First up will be the Refuge Lucien Briet in the centre of Torla where you'll stay in a comfortable dorm with a communal bathroom. This will be followed by Refuge Goriz in a large dorm with a separate toilet block and cold showers outside.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Luz St Sauveur
Any time before 18:30 on Day 1
Ends
Luz St Sauveur
09:00 on Day 5
Transfers
Your adventure begins at your accommodation in Luz St Sauveur on Day 1. Get any flight which suits your travel arrangements provided you arrive in Luz by the evening on Day 1. Your guide will meet you at around 18:30 to brief you before the hike starts the next day.
We recommend you fly into Lourdes Airport (LDE) - which is the closest airport - or Toulouse Airport (TLS). From Lourdes Airport, there are buses to the train station and from there, connecting buses to Luz. From the airport to the train station takes around 45 minutes by car, and from the train station to Luz takes around 30 minutes; allow a little longer by bus.
From Toulouse Airport there is a shuttle bus to the train station and then regular trains to Lourdes (takes around 2 hours). From Lourdes train station, you can then get the connecting bus to Luz or a taxi for around 60€.
Your adventure will officially end at 09:00 back in Luz St Sauveur. We then suggest you then make your way back to the airport - again either Lourdes Airport (LDE) or Toulouse Airport (TLS) are the best option. Your host can help you arrange this after booking.
Travel options
The closest airports are Lourdes (LDE) or Toulouse (TLS.)
What about all the carbon?
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What do I need to bring?
- Comfortable walking boots or shoes (3 or 4 seasons, broken in)
- 3 season sleeping bag
- Camping/inflatable pillow
- Two walking poles
- Fleece
- Waterproof jacket (or a big plastic poncho)
- Waterproof over trousers
- Lightweight puffer jacket for the evenings in the higher refuges
- Warm gloves and hat (for early starts)
- Sun hat or peaked cap
- Sunglasses
- One pair shorts
- One pair lightweight walking trousers
- Two T-shirts (anything but cotton, wool is best as it is quick to dry and doesn’t smell. Synthetic is also fine – it smells but it is quick to dry)
- Good quality walking socks
- 40-60 litre rucksack
- Lightweight towel
- Waterproof rucksack cover or waterproof bags to keep your things dry
- Sunblock for face and lips (Factor 50)
- Personal First Aid kit (plasters, Compeed for blisters, paracetamol)
- Roll of toilet paper
- Water bottle or Platypus-type hydration system – 1.5 to 2 litres
- Penknife
- Head torch
- Survival blanket (light foil blanket to keep injured people warm).
- Camera
- Snack bars/dried fruit/chocolate
- Waterproof map case
- Earplugs (there are always snorers)
- Buff (good for blocking out light and noise while sleeping, keeping your neck warm, holding your hair etc.
- Swimsuit (your guide will do everything they can to find swimming opportunities!)
- Mobile phone
- Personal medicine if required (please inform your guide in case of emergency)
Extra Night in Luz
Payable Before Departure
Extra Night in Luz
… Per Night
Everything was great!
Sian was incredibly helpful in answering any questions before, during, and after the trip! She is lovely. Mandy, our guide, was fantastic and really catered each day to the needs of our group. The guesthouses we stayed at exceeded expectations and the food was delicious. It was a fantastic trip and I loved every second.
You'll need to be relatively fit and able to handle uneven terrain. If you can walk 15-20kms a day on unsteady terrain and do the same the following day you should be able to manage this hike comfortably.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
The weather is usually warm, if not hot, but it can get stormy in late July-August. The weather is generally most stable and best for walking between September and October.
Any excess luggage can be safely left at your accommodation on Day 1.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.
Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
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