Walking in Sierra de Guara

Overview

Spend six full days hiking in Aragón, between the remote villages of Sierra de Guara Natural Park, a limestone landscape between the Pyrenees and the Ebro Valley. This is a natural adventure playground of rivers, such as the Rio Vero and its eponymous canyon, rocky limestone spires and ancient, sometimes abandoned villages. An eight-day walking holiday, you start and end your Sierra de Guara tour in Alquézar, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, staying in a mix of small casas and hotels en route.

Sierra de Guara Natural Park
Cave paintings dating from 3,000-5,000BC
Summit Tozal de Asba (1,438m)
Alquézar and Pasarelas de Alquézar walkway
Rio Vero Canyon

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Alquézar

Welcome to Alquézar, a picturesque hilltop village in Sierra de Guara Natural Park. Option for a short circular walk in the afternoon.

Optional walking for the day: 1.5h, 3km, ↑125m ↓125m
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Alquézar or similar in Alquézar

Day 2: Circular walks from Alquézar | 10-12km

The week begins with a circular hike from Alquézar. Follow the Rio Vero Gorge before ascending to the villages of Asque and Colungo. The longer option leads to some of the limestone caves in the area. The prehistoric cave paintings dating from 3,000 to 5,000 BC led to the region being declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998.

Walking for the day – Option 1 – Río Vero Gorge: 4h, 10km, ↑300m ↓300m
Walking for the day – Option 2 – Cave paintings: 6h, 12km, ↑550m ↓570m
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Alquézar or similar in Alquézar

Day 3: Alquezar to Lecina | 10.5-15km

From Alquézar, head deep into Rio Vero Canyon and cross the medieval Villacantal Bridge. The walk ends in the Medieval village of Lecina, with its traditional stone houses.

Walking for the day – Option 1: 4h, 10.5km, ↑410m ↓280
Walking for the day – Option 2: 5-6h, 15km, ↑530m ↓410
Accommodation: Hotel Rural La Choca or similar in Lecina

Day 4: Lecina to Paúles de Sarsa | 12km

From Lecina, the route ascends Almazorre, an old olive oil and a grain mill, before heading into the heart of Sierra de Guara, passing through the rural landscape around Paúles de Sarsa and its nearby villages. Enjoy panoramic views overlooking the Pyrenees.

Walking for the day: 4.5h, 12km, ↑340m ↓250
Accommodation: Albergue El Cóndor or similar in Paúles de Sarsa

Day 5: Paúles de Sarsa to Rodellar | 15-20km

Short transfer to the start of the walk in Las Bellostas (included). Reach the ruins at Letosa and have a refreshing drink at the bar in Otín. The gorges of Isuala and Mascún offer surprising rock formations. Optional descent to a lovely waterfall (1 hour extra) of the Rio Mascún.

Walking for the day – Option 1: 6h, 15km, ↑420m ↓730
Walking for the day – Option 2: 7h, 20km, ↑600m ↓950
Accommodation: Aparthotel Valle de Rodellar or similar in Rodellar

Day 6: Rodellar to Las Almunias | 11km

Today offers splendid views from the edge of Balcez gorge, a perfect place to stop for lunch while you watch the vultures soar above the valley, with the summits of the Pyrenees on the horizon and passing old stone bridges along the way.

Walking for the day: 4.5h, 11km, ↑600m ↓670
Accommodation: Casa Tejedor or similar in Las Almunias

Day 7: Rodellar to Alquézar | 15-18km

From Las Almunias de Rodellar, the route heads to Tranco de las Olas, Cautiecho Gorge and the southern side of Sierra de Guara and the picturesque village of San Pelegrin. It’s possible to shorten the route by descending to Radiquero. Last overnight in Alquézar.

Walking for the day – Option 1: 7.5h, 18km, ↑750m ↓675
Walking for the day – Option 2: 6.5h, 15km, ↑675m ↓600
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Alquézar or similar in Alquézar

Day 8: Departure

Departure or additional nights upon request.

What to expect

Accommodation

Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.

Click to view default hotels

Hotel Villa Alquézar (Alquézar)
Hotel Rural La Choca (Lecina)
Albergue El Cóndor (Paules de Sarsa)
Aparthotel Valle de Rodella (Rodellar)
Casa Tejedor (Las Almunias)

Walking in Sierra de Guara The Natural Adventure 10

Walking in Sierra de Guara The Natural Adventure 11

Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning and a packed lunch is provided on days three, four and six. Three-course dinners are also included on days three, four and six. On the days when no dinners are included, local restaurants are available in the area.

Difficulty and terrain

This tour is rated easy to moderate and moderate. Most days have two hiking options, and the longer days can be shortened (read more about difficulty grades).

We will provide detailed route notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.

More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.

When to go

This trip is available from March to June and from September to November. The best time for walking is in winter, spring and autumn when the weather is generally stable. July and August are avoided since the temperatures are very high.

The rainy months are April, May and November, with an average of one to two days of rain per week.

The flexibility of self-guided holidays means there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season. For more information, see our blog, Best time to go to Spain.

For more information, see our blog on the Best time to go to Spain.

Getting there

FCO up-to-date travel advice

Click to view travel options

By plane

Our recommended airport for this tour is Barcelona.

By train or bus

From Barcelona airport: Take a shuttle bus or train to Barcelona city centre (Sants Estació). Then get a bus from Barcelona-Sants to Barbastro (travel time 3 hrs). Check current timetables before departure at www.avanzabus.com. From Barbastro, you take a taxi to Alquézar (approx. 20 km).
From Girona airport: Shuttle bus from Girona airport to Barcelona-Estación Norte (travel time about 1h 15min). From Barcelona-Estación Norte, take a bus, metro or taxi to the main bus station (Barcelona-Sants). From there – bus to Barbastro.
From Reus airport: Bus from Reus airport to Barcelona city centre (Barcelona-Sants station). Shuttle service run by Ryanair. Bus from Reus airport to the train station in Reus, then train to Barcelona-Sants and bus from Barcelona to Barbastro. Bus from Reus airport to the train station in Reus and train to Barcelona-Sants. Then another train to Lleida/Lérida and bus from Lleida to Barbastro. Train timetables www.renfe.com.
From Zaragoza airport: Take a bus or taxi to the bus station in the city centre. There are regular bus services to Huesca, with connections to Barbastro. Check current timetables at www.avanzabus.com. From Barbastro, you take a taxi to Alquézar (approx. 20 km).

Inclusions

Included

7 nights in private en-suite rooms as per the itinerary
7 breakfasts
3 dinners
3 packed lunches
Luggage transfers when changing hotels (one piece per person up to 15kg)
Transfers on day 5
Access to a navigation app with the GPX tracks loaded
24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative

Excluded

Airfare and connecting land transfers
Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
Personal expenses
Drinks and snacks
Evening meals and packed lunches not mentioned as included in the programme
Drinks with evening meals
Any items not explicitly listed as included
eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)

Options, extras and supplements

If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
This holiday is not available for solo travellers due to the remote nature of the terrain
Arrival/departure transfers
Extra nights in Alquézar

Spain’s legal requirement for personal information

Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.

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Walking in Sierra de Guara

Overview