ORDESA NATIONAL PARK EXPLORER

www.colletts .co.uk/ordesa

enquir ies@col letts .co.uk

01799 513331

Exploring the jewel in the crown of the Pyrenees. Hiking at its most dramatic for intermediate walkers.

At a glance A superb week exploring the dramatic and extensive Ordesa & Monte Perdido National Park offering you a superb twin-centre holiday either side of a night in a remote mountain refugio. This itinerary showcases this UNESCO World Heritage Site in all its glory – and includes the lesser-visited but just as stunning Anisclo Canyon. You will venture into the rugged, high mountain wilderness of both canyons where you will find a stunning landscape dotted with mountain lakes and spectacular views. Your luggage will be transferred between the two hotels leaving you free to immerse yourself in your sensational surroundings. This really is hiking in the Pyrenees at its most dramatic! The holiday price includes accommodation, breakfast, three course dinner with wine (7 nights), packed lunches (6 days), return transfers to and from Zaragoza – and all transport to and from the walks.

Dates & Prices 23 - 30 June 2019 £875 Single Supplement £125 7 - 14 July 2019 £875 11-18 August 2019 £875

Prices are based on two people sharing a double or twin room and sharing a dormitory bunk room in Refugio Goriz. Please note that there are no single rooms available at Refugio Goriz. This is a Sunday to Sunday itinerary. Unfortunately, the option to self-drive is not available on this holiday. Grade : Moderate Ascents/Descents : 380m to 920m each day Walking Time : 4 ½ to 7 hours each day Terrain : Way-marked paths which can be steep, rocky and loose underfoot. Some short sections are very steep and

may be considered by some to be exposed. Previous hiking experience, surefootedness, a good head for heights and a good level of fitness are essential. If you are in any doubt whether this holiday is suitable for you, please call the office on 01799 513331 or email enquiries@colletts.co.uk and we will be happy to discuss the route in more detail with you.

Included in the price • Accommodation –

- 3 nights in the 3* Hotel Palazio, Nerin - 1 night in Refugio Goriz, located at 2200m - 3 nights in 2* Hotel Bujaruelo, Torla

• Breakfast each day (buffet breakfast in the hotels; basic breakfast in Refugio Goriz) • Packed lunch each walking day (6 days) • 3 course evening meal, wine included (7 nights) • Detailed route notes • Transport to/from the trailheads each walking day • Transfers to/from Zaragoza Airport or Zaragoza ‘Delicias’ Rail Station.

If interested in visiting Barcelona at the start or end of the holiday, consider the high speed AVE train to and from Zaragoza Delicias. Journey time – approx 90 mins. See www.renfe.com for train times.

Not included in the price • Flights & Insurance

The Itinerary

Day 1 (Sun) – Arrive & Settle in After being picked up from Zaragoza, you will be transferred (2 ½ hours) to the delightful 3*Hotel Palazio, our base in the remote village of Nerin for your first three nights. Settle into your room after a quick check-in. Dinner shall then be served at 8.30pm in the hotel restaurant where an informal welcome briefing will take place between courses.

Day 2 (Mon) – Anisclo Canyon Walking time: 4 ½ - 5 hours, Ascent/Descent 380m - Today is spent hiking in the depths of Añisclo Canyon: a truly spectacular location with sweeping forests and immense cliffs that dominate the deep gorge, where crystal clear waters from Monte Perdido flow. The picturesque cascades have carved out deep natural pools, which are home to mesmerising waters varying from jade green to intense emerald. Overnight : 3*Hotel Palazio, Nerin

Day 3 (Tue) – Mondoto Peak Walking time: 3 ½ - 4 ½ hours. Ascent/Descent 680m - After exploring the depths of the Anisclo Canyon yesterday, today we head upwards and climb the dominant peak of Mondoto, which seemingly peers over and into the 1000m canyon. Rest assured, the route is not difficult but the views will take your breath away! Overnight : 3*Hotel Palazio, Nerin

Day 4 (Weds) – Cuello Arenas to Refugio Goriz Walking time: 5 ¾ - 6 ½ hours. Ascent 920m - Today we ascend to the huge grasslands of Cuello Arenas and on to the stunning Cuello Gordo, where the jaws of the Arrazas canyon open up before us. Our route then traverses a natural balcony high above the Ordesa Canyon to Refugio Goriz nestled at the foot of Monte Perdido and Soum de Ramond. Overnight : Refugio Goriz. You will sleep in mixed sex dormitories, and your evening dinner will be provided by the refugio - which serves a basic but nonetheless adequate three course evening meal (wine will be provided). Refugio Goriz is very remote and you will need to carry your own personal belongings for the overnight stay in the refugio.

Day 5 (Thurs) – The Ordesa Canyon by the Fajas Petazals and Racun Walking time: 4 ½ - 5 hours. Ascent 200m / Descent 950m - Today we leave Refugio Goriz and descend beside the Cola de Caballo waterfall before joining the Camino de las Cascadas on the canyon floor – as it meanders alongside a succession of small stepped cascades. Soon the high altitude wide and grassy pastures give way to ancient pine and beech forests. Our route then embarks on a beautiful balcony path at the foot of yet more immense cliffs, following the Faja Petazals and Los Canarellos. It then opens out into the imposing Cotatuero Cirque, the centre-piece of which is a dramatic waterfall. For those seeking a longer route, from here it is possible to extend the route by following the Faja Racun on to the Cirque de Salaron at the foot of the impressive Tozal del Mallo. Either way, the route finishes with a beautiful section of descent through pine and beech forest to the canyon floor at Pradera. You will then make the short transfer (25 mins) to the picturesque village of Torla by national park shuttle bus where you will spend the next two nights at the Hotel Bujaruelo. Overnight : 2*Hotel Bujaruelo, Torla. Your luggage will have been transferred from Hotel Palazio to Hotel Bujaruelo

Day 6 (Fri) - Cuello Alto del Brazato & the Ara Valley to San Nicolas de Bujaruelo Walking time: 6 ½ -7 hours. Ascent/Descent 960m - From Torla our walk today climbs up to the Collado del Cebollar. Whilst not in the heart of the Ordesa Canyon itself, it is nevertheless one of the most beautiful panoramic mirador lookouts there is; perfect for appreciating the depth and breadth of the canyon. Outstanding views of the secluded and picturesque Bujaruelo valley can also be enjoyed from here. Overnight : 2*Hotel Bujaruelo, Torla

Day 7 (Sat) - Faja de Pelay and Ordesa canyon Walking time : 7 - 8 hours. Ascent/Descent 800m - Today you will make the short journey back into the Ordesa canyon on the national park shuttle bus. The final walk of the week is a true classic. This stunning high-level walk begins with an intense ascent to a breathtaking mirador (lookout) high above the canyon floor. It then continues along a natural – at times narrow - balcony which has been formed by millions of years of erosion. Once on the faja, there unfold magnificent views of the Ordesa canyon far below, Refugio Goriz, Monte Perdido and the Brèche de Roland. After the exhilaration of the faja, you will meander back along the valley floor through delightful forests of beech, pine and fir, with time to enjoy the cascades which you bypassed on Day 5. Overnight : 2*Hotel Bujaruelo, Torla.

Day 8 (Sun) - Departure Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and time to pack. The transfer to Zaragoza will depart at around 1pm.

Please note – this is a sample itinerary and it might be subject to slight variation.

The Ordesa National Park Explorer with Collett’s

Notes Your 'Ordesa National Park Explorer' will be spent at your own risk as part of an autonomous group, in which each member of the party is responsible for their own safety and has a duty of care to their fellow walkers.

The following is an explanation of the status of our organised 'Ordesa National Park Explorer' - which we refer to as organised, not guided.

Our 'Ordesa National Park Explorer' is a series of self-guided walks which are made available to you on a basis of goodwill so that you might enjoy a route you might not otherwise have undertaken if you had visited the area independently. It represents nothing more than the opportunity to go out on a beautiful walk in the company of like-minded individuals.

It is a fact that mountains, mountainous areas and activities undertaken in them are associated with personal injury and death. By coming to such areas, you are exposing yourself and your party to the possibility of personal injury or even death. In such an event, Collett's Mountain Holidays will not be held responsible for your interest in mountainous areas and your involvement in mountain pursuits, which can occasionally have tragic consequences.

In these days of litigation it is important you know that you (and each member of your party) join us on this holiday at your own risk as part of an autonomous group, in which each member of that group has a duty of care to the other. This is no different from the responsibilities you have on a casually arranged weekend walk with friends or family in the UK.

Our walk organisers all have experience of the mountains, some more than others. Some may have qualifications relevant to mountain activities, but they are not qualified mountain guides. We recruit and train our walk organisers in line with a Health & Safety Policy, which is based on Risk Assessments and recognised mountain safety procedures. Not being professionally responsible for you on our organised itineraries does not mean we ignore safety, nor does it make us exempt from owing a duty of care to each person who joins us on an organised itinerary.

Your safety is paramount and we therefore take our own measures to maximise safety. We do this in line with legal requirements pertaining to duty of care. We apply codes of practice to the procedures carried out by our outdoor staff. We assess, manage and communicate risk. We try to make people aware of the importance of mountain safety and to highlight their responsibilities when part of a group.

Our codes of practice should not really be taken into consideration or relied upon by you when deciding to join this 'Ordesa National Park Explorer', for at the heart of our procedures are basic mountain safety measures, which should be undertaken by every individual when preparing for a day in the mountains.

Finally, during your holiday with Collett's Mountain Holidays you act at your own risk on any ideas, information and opinions you might acquire from our walk organisers or from material prepared by us to help you get the most from the area.