Pyreneeën — Aigües Tortes
Along the most beautiful little lakes of the Pyrenees, with cosy Spanish mountain huts and a hotel with a pool at each end.
Facilitated by Mandala Travel
- Where
- Arties, Val d'Aran · Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, Spain
- How long
- 6 days
- Group
- 2–12 people
- Languages
- Dutch, English
The experience
Discover the unspoilt beauty of the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, in the Catalan Pyrenees. This beautiful nature area is known for its impressive mountain landscapes, crystal-clear lakes and green valleys full of flowers. An ideal destination for a family adventure, where you experience nature close up together, far away from the inhabited world.
You start this week in the village of Arties in the Alt Aran region, on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees. Here you stay in a nice hotel with a good breakfast and enough pleasant little restaurants nearby. The next day you meet the guide and the four-day hut trek starts.
The first day is a good climb of around 600 metres to the first hut, which sits beside a reservoir. In the afternoon you can walk further around the hut or take a dip in the fresh mountain water.
The character of this experience
What the facilitator has told us about their own trip. Anything they have not said is simply not here.
- Depth of the experience
- Simply enjoy natureJust being in nature and letting yourself be surprised by what you meet. Wonder, enjoy, let go. A moment away. You will be amazed at what that can do for you.
Who this is for
Said plainly, so you can rule it out as easily as rule it in.
- This side of the Pyrenees is very suitable for the beginning mountain walker
- Routes can be kept short or extended, because the paths are good and the hut network is large
- The varied surroundings make it extra fun for children
What's included
Included
- An extensive packing list and tips for physical preparation before you go
- 2 nights in small-scale, more comfortable hotels including breakfast
- Taxi transfer to and from the start of the trek
- An experienced Dutch- or English-speaking mountain guide during the trek
- 3 nights in mountain huts, in a shared dormitory
- Full board in the huts — breakfast, picnic and dinner
- Contribution to the VZR travel guarantee fund
Not included
- Travel to and from the start and end point of the trip
- Other meals and drinks
- Trail snacks such as bars, nuts and chocolate
- Travel insurance with mountain-sports cover (compulsory)
- Cancellation insurance (optional) and personal expenses
Meet your facilitator
Mandala Travel
15 years running experiences
Hanneke van Dal and Leopold Roessingh build small-scale, tailor-made mountain journeys — “slow down, wonder, connect”. For more than fifteen years they have organised trips in the Alps, Himalaya and Atlas, and they still sell every trip as a private departure shaped around the group rather than a fixed schedule. Leopold, who leads the leadership journeys, is co-owner of the climbing organisation Climbing Network; Hanneke develops the leadership programmes with outside facilitators.
Why you can trust this listing
- A person read this listing against a checklist before it went live. It carries the quality stamp only because it passed.
- Every photo above was confirmed as this experience, not stock photography.
- Your money is held in a third-party client account and released to the facilitator 1 day after the experience starts.
Practical details
Including the cancellation terms — visible before you book, not buried at checkout.
Meeting point
Arties, Val d'Aran, Spain. A taxi takes the group from the hotel to the start of the hut trek.
What to bring
Broken-in walking boots Warm layers and a waterproof shell — mountain weather turns quickly A daypack of 30–35 litres Water bottle, sun protection and a head torch
Accessibility
Graded beginner and very suitable for a first mountain trek. Routes can be shortened or extended. The mountain huts are basic, but the food is good and the sun often shines without it getting too hot.
Cancellation — Moderate
Full refund up to 30 days before the start date.
- More than 30 days before: 100% refund.
- More than 14 days before: 50% refund.
- Inside the last window: 0% refund.
Insurance to consider
Worked out from where this trip goes, how long it lasts and what the terrain is like. Insurance is yours to arrange.
Cancellation cover
Pays back what you cannot get refunded if you have to cancel or cut the trip short, for example through illness.
a.s.r. annuleringsverzekering(opens in a new tab)Medical costs abroad
Pays for a doctor or hospital outside the Netherlands. Your Dutch health insurance may not cover everything abroad.
a.s.r. reisverzekering (via Mountain Beat)(opens in a new tab)Rescue and repatriation
Pays for search, rescue and the journey home after an accident or illness. In remote or mountain areas a helicopter rescue can cost tens of thousands of euros.
NKBV Expeditieverzekering (membership required)(opens in a new tab)
The facilitator has not described the terrain yet, so this is based on the region and length only.
The insurance you actually need depends on your own circumstances, such as the cover you already have. Naturetreats does not sell or recommend insurance: check any policy against your own situation before you travel.