Western Pyrenees Tour PC2
Navarra and Huesca
Based on 10 nights self-drive independent tour in Spain
The essence of the Pyrenees in Navarra and Aragon.
From the verdant hills which rise up from the Bay of Biscay this adventure will quickly whisk you up into the high, rocky Pyrenees. Through eastern Navarra with its dramatic gorges and immense native woodlands the route will take you, via the desert landscapes of Las Bardenas, to some of Spain’s most spectacular National Parks including Ordesa & Monte Perdido, Posets-Maladeta.
There are lovely villages and towns to discover; Urdax and Ochagavia in Navarra, medieval Uncastillo, Ainsa, Alquézar and Huesca itself. Of course the mountains are the star, with fantastic walking, scenery and wildlife throughout, but here you’ll also find delicious regional dishes and fine local wines and a surprisingly rich architectural heritage – a real treasure trove, full of Romanesque gems.
- Tour Highlights:
- Baztan valley & Basque coast
- Irati forest & Gorges of Lumbier & Arbayun
- Las Bardenas Reales & Medieval Uncastillo & Sos
- Castillo de Loarre & Mallos de Riglos
- Superb birdwatching & wild flowers
- National Parks Ordesa, Monte Perdido & Posets-Maladeta
- Delicious Somontano wines, cheeses & mountain fare
£1175 p/p
* Indicative mid season prices for 10 nights (including car hire – flights not included). Ferry-drive based on 2 people from £1325 p.p. for 10 nights in our suggested hotels.
Day 1 & 2 – North West Navarra
- Valleys of Baztan & Bidasoa – lost in time
- Picture-postcard villages of the French Pais-Basque
- Hondarribia, San Sebastian, Biarritz & St Jean de Luz
- Ride the train to the peak of La Rhune, stunning views
- Head south for vineyards, castles & don’t miss Pamplona
Day 3 & 4 – North East Navarra
- Irati forest – immense native woodlands
- Lumbier & Arbayun, stunning gorges with vast resident vulture colonies
- Ochagavia & Isaba; Ori, your first 2000m mountain
- Wonderful cheeses from Roncal & Ossau-Iraty
- Roncesvalles, start for the Camino de Santiago
Day 5 & 6 – Zaragoza & Las Bardenas
- Spaghetti-western desert landscape of Las Bardenas
- Romanesque delights of Uncastillo & Sos del Rey Católico
- Castillo de Loarre & Mallos de Riglos
- Monasterio de Leyre & Castillos de Javier y Olite
- Birdwatching, mountain biking, trekking…
Day 7 & 8 – Huesca, Valle de Tena
- Stunning glacial scenery in the Tena Valley
- Reindeer, bison, bears and more in La Cuniacha
- Castillo de Loarre & Mallos de Riglo rock formations
- San Juan de la Peña monastery, the spiritual heart of Aragon
- Huesca, the tiny capital with a gastronomic side
Day 9 & 10 – Ordesa, Monte Perdido, Sierra de Guara
- Moorish Alquézar & Christian Ainsa – two charming medieval villages
- Ordesa & Monte Perdido – Spain’s first National Park
- Sierra de Guara – cut through by dramatic gorges
- Delicious local Somontano wines
- Superb bird watching. Lammergeyer centre in Ainsa
The itinerary includes the following:
- Accommodation in our listed hotels – 2 sharing 1 std. double ensuite, B&B
- Economy 4dr car hire
- Regional guide book
- Personal Travel App including highlights, weather forecast and restaurant suggestions for all areas en-route
- Instructions to find all accommodation
Not included:
- Flights – but we are able to advise
- One-way car hire charges, where applicable (see your quote email)
- The following car hire extras – these can be added at pick-up point
- extra driver
- child seats
- GPS
- Garage parking where applicable (mostly city stops) – please ask us about parking charges
Getting there
A point-to-point itinerary, this route is best enjoyed flying in to the Basque Country (Biarritz or Bilbao) and back from either Tarbes or Zaragoza – though it is possible to arrange the tour flying to and from any one of those airports. Ferry travel to and from Bilbao also available.
The best options for flights are:
- From Stansted: Biarritz with Ryanair / Zaragoza with Ryanair
- From Gatwick: Bilbao with Vueling or Easyjet
- From Manchester: Bilbao with Easyjet
- From Dublin: Bilbao with Aer Lingus / Biarritz with Ryanair
Please note that hire cars must be returned to their country of origin. It is therefore usually convenient to fly into and back from airports within the same country.
NB: Flights are not included
- Ferry: if you wish to bring your own car, classic car or motorbike we can include the ferry crossings as part of the package
Getting around
For passengers travelling by air we will include a hire car as part of the package. Normally we include a 4 door economy class car but please let us know if you would like something different.
We will provide full instructions to arrive at each hotel, complete with GPS co-ords, as well as a touring map of the area
…. Perhaps after 40 years as a confirmed Francophile, my allegiances are changing.
We enjoyed the mix of scenery and variety of activities it engendered. As always, the hotels were excellent and their owners delightful.
Travelling East from Bilbao we enjoyed a range of fabulous scenery and the different activities it engendered: walking in the mountains, paddling in the sea, driving through desert landscapes and meandering through interesting villages
The route was expertly mapped out with all the information we could possibly need and the choice of hotels excellent: each one offering something very different but all the hosts welcoming and keen to share their knowledge of the local area.
We travelled with Casas Cantabricas last year and were so impressed we returned to them.
A great holiday, discovering rural Spain and villages/mountains.
Really interesting to be able to drive between destinations in our own vehicle. Driving was easy and the people we met were really nice.
