The amazing weather meant that snow was fast disappearing, but our leader, Miguel, still found... Tim Shaw, 2019 See more reviews
As the snow did not arrive until the 3rd day we had 2 days' hiking and 4 days'... Veronica Smeaton, 2019 See more reviews
An enjoyable and interesting trip that gave us an insight into the local landscape and culture.... M and C Palmer, 2019 See more reviews
When we arrived in Rialp the area had seen no snow for more than a month, so the first couple of... Caroline Simmonds, 2019 See more reviews
This was a superb trip for me. As well as enjoying the snowshoeing I learned so much from the... Dave Young, 2018 See more reviews
We had a great week snowshoeing in plentiful deep snow, staying in very comfortable and... Steve & Dianne Fletcher, 2018 See more reviews
We had a great week snowshoeing in plentiful deep snow, staying in very comfortable and... Steve & Dianne Fletcher, 2018 See more reviews
This was a wonderful trip to the Catalan Pyrenees. The snow conditions were excellent - too much... Sonia Newman, 2018 See more reviews
This was my first snowshoeing trip and I enjoyed it immensely. The huge amount of fresh snow and... Andy LEWIS, 2018 See more reviews
This was a good snow shoeing holiday in the Catalan pyrenees.We had a huge amount of snow but... Beryl Bronner, 2018 See more reviews
Itinerary Expand all Day 1 Start Rialp. If you are unable to meet the group at the airport, the trip will begin in Rialp, a small village set at 725m altitude, with only 629 full time residents. Hotel Victor or similar Meals included: Dinner Day 2 Snowshoe the Santa Magdalena valley; informative afternoon session about the Pyrenees. A 10 minute transfer takes us to our start point, where Roní and Port-Ainé ski resort are linked, for a day exploring the Santa Magdalena Valley. Crossing deep forests and ridges we admire some of the highest peaks of Catalonia. The day finishes with a transfer back to our hotel (approx 20 mins), where our guide will provide you with more information about the Pyrenees area. For instance you will hear about Tírvia – a village destroyed during the Spanish Civil War, where the last Cathar was arrested. There will be time to explore this village on the following day. Distance: 6km/ Elevation gain: 450m/ Duration: 5 hours including breaks.Hotel Victor or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 3 Explore the La Coma Valley, crossing remote villages and through the deep forests of Les Bordes de Burg; visit local cheese producer. The scenic village of Farrera is just a 30 minute transfer and is a great location to begin our walk. Today our route takes us through the La Coma Valley. Here we find numerous 'bordes' or shepherd's huts, used to keep cattle and store feed. Traversing first deep forests, we pass through two small villages - Farrera and Burg, both of which have fewer than 100 inhabitants. This insight into a traditional way of life in the remote countryside is what makes this walk memorable. After the walk we transfer back to the Hotel. We will have time for a shower and a deserved rest before visiting a cheese producer, located in Rialp. We will have the opportunity to hear stories about how their products are made and of course try some of them, accompanied with traditional wines of Catalonia. Distance: 8km/ Elevation gain: 550m/ Duration: 6 hours including breaks.Hotel Victor or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Walk in the Espot mountains, wine tasting at the hotel. For the third snowshoe walk of the week we will be in the Espot mountains. Our aim is to reach the Rossell peak (2007m) located on the ridge between the Espot and the Escart valleys. The views from the summit are certainly worth the effort! Our path takes us through El Forcall, a forest of an outstanding beauty, where dwarf mountain pines and silver birches will lead our way. On the ground we can see alpenrose and common bearberry, along with juniper in the sunniest parts. The day finishes with a transfer back to our hotel (approx 20 mins) where we will have the opportunity to taste some of the local produce, including cheese and sausages from the Pallars Sobirà region, accompanied with wine from the south of Catalonia. Distance: 12km/ Elevation gain: 500m/ Duration: 5-6 hours including breaks.Hotel Victor or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 Free day for relaxation or optional activities such as skiing, visiting the Romanesque village of Son or taking a local bus to surrounding villages of Esterri d’Àneu or Sort. After breakfast the rest of the day is free to relax, explore Rialp, visit Son, a village home of a remarkable Romanesque church, or head to the nearby ski resort. Rialp is well connected to Sort and Esterri d’Àneu thanks to local bus lines. in Esterri d’Àneu you can find an interesting eco museum, set up in 1994 to promote the ecoconservation in the area while in Sort you have the opportunity to visit a museum called The Freedom Trail. It illustrates the story of thousands of people (Jewish, British airplane pilots for instance) who escaped from the Fascist regime during the World War II by crossing the Pyrenees. Your leader will be able to advise you of your options of how best to spend your free day. Hotel Victor or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Transfer to Planes de Son, on to Aiguestortes National park, pass Pla de la Font hut to Fogueruix Pass (2110m). After breakfast we head off to Planes de Son, our starting point today, passing by Son, a nearby village at 1390m famous for its Romanesque bell tower. On our way to the Fogueruix Pass at 2110m, we get into the Aigüestortes National park and can stop at the Pla de la Font mountain hut and crane our necks at some of the highest peaks in the area that tower above us. The pass itself lies between the Son Valley and the Espot valley. We descend via another route back down to the Planes de Son. Distance: 11.5km/ Elevation gain: 690m/ Duration: 7 hours including breaks.Hotel Victor or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 7 Circular walk across Port-Ainé forest and Orri peak summit (2439m). Today, our circular walk will take us to the summit of Torreta de l’Orri (2439m), a peak located at the top of the Port-Ainé ski resort. It represents the highest point we will reach during the week and from here we will be rewarded by breathtaking views of Catalonia, and of the other peaks of the Pyrenees. After having taken some moments to admire the beauty of the area we will follow a crest line to then continue into a dwarf-mountain pine forest called Duc. NOTE: Depending on weather and snow conditions this loop can be shortened to 9km and the elevation gain will be 371m. Distance: 14.5km/ Elevation gain: 480m/ Duration: 7 hours including breaksHotel Lo Victor or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 8 End Rialp Our trip finishes today in Rialp. Meals included: Breakfast
Mountain hotels Hotel Victor Our accommodation for the week is Hotel Victor in Rialp. This family‐run charming hotel was founded in 1903 and has been recently restored. All rooms are en suite and very comfortable. There is free Wi‐Fi access in the hotel. Meals are prepared using local produce giving a great insight into the traditions of the area. Victor's cuisine is very popular, so much that it has become the main reason for many people to come and visit the area. Single supplements are available on request.
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Reviewed February 2019 Tim Shaw Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Snowshoeing in the sun The amazing weather meant that snow was fast disappearing, but our leader, Miguel, still found some excellent routes. There were some enjoyable snowshoeing challenges, and outstanding views of distant peaks. Miguel also shared his passion for Catalonia and its history,food and wine. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The reward of fabulous views after a hard traverse uphill to Creu de l’Eixol. What did you think of your group leader? Very good. Flexible in choosing appropriate routes for the group members.
Reviewed February 2019 Richard Christian Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Not as expected Having previously been on trips snowshoeing in winter in Finland and trekking in the French Pyrenees during the summer months, I had an expectation of a snow filled adventure on this holiday. Unfortunately we were unlucky to have no snow! On another trip, blue sky and sunshine would have been great but it was not what we were expecting. To be fair, Miguel our guide did take the group snowshoeing on some ski resort pistes during the week and on the final day, after a bit of a drive, led us on a memorable trek through pine forests up to spectacular mountain views. The Hotel Victor was nice, clean , comfortable with very friendly staff. The breakfasts were very good and there was a good choice of three courses for dinner in the evening. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The best part of the trip was on the final day when we trekked through pine forests to a mountain refuge and the onwards up to a view point to see magnificent views on the distant peaks. The trip to the village of Sort to visit the jail where Allied Pilots etc escaped over the Pyrenees from France during WW2 was a moment for reflection. What did you think of your group leader? Miguel is a very enthusiastic, knowledgeable guide. He was very organised and we always felt that we were safe and in good hands. He is very passionate about the Catalan people and his evening talks about the history of the region, way of life and flora and fauna were very interesting. He has a great sense of humour and the evening routine of translating the menu for the next days dinner from Catalan to English was always a good laugh. There is no doubt that his humour made up for the lack of snow. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Do check a reliable site for the weather forecast for your trip and take the appropriate gear. Miguel will asses the fitness of the group on the first day and he will adapt the following hikes accordingly. Be honest with him if you find the first day hard. Our group of 8 were all experienced hikers and our treks were in the challenging range. Is there anything else you would like to add? Exodus can't control the weather so do check and be prepared for unexpected conditions. The area is full of trails with beautiful views.
Reviewed February 2019 Peter Sumpter Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Snowshoeing versus global warming, perhaps?! To state the obvious, snow is very much necessary on a trip such as this. So when the quantity is rather lacking and the quality is rather poor, the trip has the potential to disappoint. The departure date unfortunately coincided with a period of un-seasonably warm weather, such that the snow that had been present only a week or two before (see other reviews) had retreated well up the mountains. Although the group leader tried his best to find routes to make good use of our snowshoes, there was no way to produce the walks that I had anticipated. For me, the setting at the edge of the Pyrenees, the nice family run hotel, an enthusiastic and entertaining group leader, the cheese and wine tasting, and a very agreeable group of eight of us couldn’t compensate for that lack of snow. There was probably some great walking that could be done under the circumstances, but understandably the group leader was keen to find opportunities for us to use our snowshoes, even where that involved the edges of ski runs and rather thin and icy snow. From previous reviews, it’s clear that this trip usually delivers the expected experience. But my week in the Catalan Pyrenees was not usual – a week of full-on sunshine (great) that meant daytime temperatures in Dialp of up to 16C (not so great). And that was a pity. My rating of the trip is therefore primarily based on the snow conditions. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing the snowy peaks throughout the week would be the highlight. If pushed, then I’d say reaching the summit of the Espot mountains on day 4 was the most inspirational, with the views that were presented all around. What did you think of your group leader? Miguel is friendly, keen for all in the group to have a good experience and works hard, and that included accompanying us for much of our free day. He looks to adapt the activities to the weather / snow conditions and to the abilities of the group. He was perhaps a little too keen to push us, recognising that we were a reasonably fit group. That pushing did have its rewards, but it would have been good to be more involved in the decision making. Miguel is very passionate about Catalonia and imparts information on a variety of topics in the evenings (a little too detailed for me, at times!). Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Glorious quantities of snow are not guaranteed. Pack those layers – although in my case plenty of the winter clothing wasn’t required. You might wish to consider bringing more than the recommended 1 litre water bottle, given the time you'll be out and active - have both a flask and a bottle, perhaps. Take note of the activities detailed in the Trip Notes rather more than the general grading of a 3 (Moderate) activity level. There can be a significant amount of walking in snow and of elevation gain while doing so. Is there anything else you would like to add? Nope.
Reviewed February 2019 Veronica Smeaton Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Snow-shoeing in Catalan Pyrenees As the snow did not arrive until the 3rd day we had 2 days' hiking and 4 days' snowshoeing in a beautiful, remote area. Our guide, Miguel, was able to alter his planned routes to suit the vicissitudes of the weather and always provided us with scenic and culturally interesting hikes. Early evening talks were an exploration by Miguel of Catalan history, economy and culture with two opportunities to taste cheeses, sausages and wines of the area. The hotel was welcoming and provided an excellent selection of food. Rooms were warm and comfortable though corridors and the restaurant were often chilly. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? It is difficult to choose one but the climb up to the Pla de la Font mountain hut through the woods and the descent in which we each took a turn at leading the way was very memorable. What did you think of your group leader? Miguel was remarkable in his versatility at selecting routes to suit the weather. He inspired us with his love of and pride in Catalonia and managed to convey a vivid picture of life in remote areas, both past and present. He has a good sense of humour and was always very sociable with the group. Nothing was too much trouble and he was very aware of his responsibility for our safety and keen for us to enjoy experiences. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take plenty of warm layers which you can remove easily and stow in a rucksack. A good level of fitness is required as some routes are both long and challenging. Is there anything else you would like to add? It was a most enjoyable and informative trip with a largely cohesive group of people who were very positive about their experiences.
Reviewed January 2019 M and C Palmer Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees An enjoyable and interesting trip that gave us an insight into the local landscape and culture. Snow only truly arrived 2 days into the week and our leader Miguel adapted well, staying true to the themes of the itinerary and giving us good walks without snow and then in fresh snow of depths up to 3 feet. Note – some stamina is needed, especially in the deep snow! Local villages, remote valleys in a national park and peak summits were all sampled, together with insights into local history and culture such as the Freedom Trail escape route, and Catalan wine and cheese tastings. A very enjoyable week. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing the unspoilt beauty and power of the Catalan Pyrenees. What did you think of your group leader? A dedicated guide able to make decisions at short notice as the weather conditions necessitated a change of plan. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Read the Trip Notes, they give a good guide as to the walking level required.
Reviewed January 2019 Caroline Simmonds Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees From no snow to lots of snow! When we arrived in Rialp the area had seen no snow for more than a month, so the first couple of days were spent walking rather than snowshoeing. This was not necessarily a disadvantage because it enabled us to do longer walks to different villages and, at least on the first day, enjoy the sunshine! Then on Wednesday the snow arrived with a vengeance, so the snowshoes got thoroughly tested as well, often in deep virgin snow. I had no idea about the history or culture of the area and learned a lot from our leader, Miguel, during the week. The local wine and cheese sampling sessions he laid on for us were also much appreciated! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Enjoying the views and snowshoeing for miles without seeing any other people. What did you think of your group leader? Miguel is a very friendly and knowledgeable guide. On one or two occasions he headed off a little too fast (the group left my husband and me behind in a cafe on the first day - luckily we managed to work out where they had gone and catch up!) but 14 is quite a large group to have only one leader. He willingly gave up his free day to lead us on a very enjoyable additional walk, even if we did need to up the pace towards the end in order to catch the bus back to Rialp! He was also very flexible as the weather conditions required. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't expect this to be an easy trip, with or without snow - but it is a good combination of activity and culture in a really fascinating area.
Reviewed February 2018 Dave Young Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Snowshoeing, wine, cheese, culture and much more in the Catalan Pyrenees This was a superb trip for me. As well as enjoying the snowshoeing I learned so much from the group leader about Catalonia - its wildlife, history, language, culture and the current political situation. The remote mountain villages were charming and the scenery magnificent, especially after an unusually heavy snowfall. The hospitality everywhere was excellent and I especially enjoyed the local wines and delicious ewe's milk cheeses. The large glasses of brandy were also wonderfully warming after a cold day out in the mountains . What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Meeting a local cheese producer who had moved from Barcelona to make a new life for herself and her family in a remote mountain village. She now lives in a lovely large house with magnificent views across the valley and spends her days making the most wonderful cheeses. She is so passionate about my favourite food and richly deserves all the awards she has won for her produce. What did you think of your group leader? Miguel is very friendly, knowledgeable and always keen to improve his spoken English. Each day we snowshoed in a different area so that we saw as much as possible and experienced different types of terrain. We were fortunate in having excellent weather most days and an exceptionally heavy snowfall at the beginning of the trip. I loved all that deep, fresh snow but it made it very challenging for Miguel to re-plan routes to cope with much deeper snow than expected as well as a large and diverse group. In the circumstances, I think he did a great job. I agree with other reviewers that a smaller group would have been better, but then the cost per person would have been much higher. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Before booking, study the trip notes giving details of the proposed duration, distance and amount of ascent / descent each day to check the trip is appropriate for your level of fitness and experience of walking in steep terrain. Also, vegetarians should be vigilant. Although the meals were generally excellent, two dishes described as vegetarian actually contained pieces of chorizo and bacon. Is there anything else you would like to add? I especially enjoyed the variety this trip provided. It's an excellent combination of snowshoeing with a range of other activities and experiences.
Reviewed February 2018 Steve & Dianne Fletcher Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Plenty of snow in remote Pyrenees valleys We had a great week snowshoeing in plentiful deep snow, staying in very comfortable and welcoming hotels, particularly Hotel Victor in Rialp. The family there made every effort to accommodate our varied and various needs always with a smile. The fresh deep snow made it difficult for the group to complete the planned walks every day, but this really was not necessary - the pleasure of being out in untouched snow with no-one in sight all day was the thing. Miguel our leader had built several cultural extras into the programme which added considerably to the interest . What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Sun shining on deep untouched snow on the day walking above Son. What did you think of your group leader? Miguel had to cope with a combination of a group with diverse abilities and experiences in a week with more snow than usual which made logistics and completing the planned walks difficult. Given this he did a good job of trying to ensure that as many people as possible completed as much as possible of the advertised programme. He clearly loves his country (Catalonia!) and the mountains and went out of his way to share this enthusiasm with us. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Understand that the degree of challenge involved is very dependent on the snow and weather conditions. The depth of soft snow we had meant the effort involved was 50% to 100% more than in conditions of less or no snow. Also experience of walking in the hills in varied weather conditions is desirable. Be prepared for long days out in very cold conditions. Is there anything else you would like to add? The group size was too big - we had to walk in single file making it impossible for Miguel to talk to the whole group at the same time, and also slowed us down. More advice could have been given to inexperienced snowshoers.
Reviewed February 2018 Steve & Dianne Fletcher Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Plenty of snow in remote Pyrenees valleys We had a great week snowshoeing in plentiful deep snow, staying in very comfortable and welcoming hotels, particularly Hotel Victor in Rialp. The family there made every effort to accommodate our varied and various needs always with a smile. The fresh deep snow made it difficult for the group to complete the planned walks every day, but this really was not necessary - the pleasure of being out in untouched snow with no-one in sight all day was the thing. Miguel our leader had built several cultural extras into the programme which added considerably to the interest . What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Sun shining on deep untouched snow on the day walking above Son. What did you think of your group leader? Miguel had to cope with a combination of a group with diverse abilities and experiences in a week with more snow than usual which made logistics and completing the planned walks difficult. Given this he did a good job of trying to ensure that as many people as possible completed as much as possible of the advertised programme. He clearly loves his country (Catalonia!) and the mountains and went out of his way to share this enthusiasm with us. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Understand that the degree of challenge involved is very dependent on the snow and weather conditions. The depth of soft snow we had meant the effort involved was 50% to 100% more than in conditions of less or no snow. Also experience of walking in the hills in varied weather conditions is desirable. Be prepared for long days out in very cold conditions. Is there anything else you would like to add? The group size was too big - we had to walk in single file making it impossible for Miguel to talk to the whole group at the same time, and also slowed us down. More advice could have been given to inexperienced snowshoers.
Reviewed February 2018 Sonia Newman Trip: Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees This was a wonderful trip to the Catalan Pyrenees. The snow conditions were excellent - too much if anything, making some of the snowshoeing hard work. The food and drink at the hotels was great, allowing us to try local Catalan food. Our guide Miguel went out of his way to provide an interesting experience and impart his knowledge of the local area. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Walking up through trees on day three in the cold, snow everywhere, with the sun shining and with glimpses of high peaks was magical. What did you think of your group leader? The leader was excellent - an experienced mountain guide. He was very friendly and had a good knowledge of the history of the local area, taking us to interesting sites as well as the snowshoeing. He also arranged samplings of local produce and organised a night at a tapas bar on the rest day, which was fun. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Yes, the walking is up and down mountains and they will enjoy it more if they are fit and have experience of hillwalking.
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