Camp
Overview

Price: €2,495
Ages: 15 – 18 years
Duration: 13 days
Start and end: Barcelona

EPIC PYRENE EXPLORER
Challenge level: 8.5
Dates: June 29th to July 11th

Discover the wildest Pyrenees in 2 weeks in which you will walk through majestic forests of black pines and firs, you will bathe in lakes with turquoise waters, and will climb emblematic 3,000 meters high peaks.

Sleep under the stars and make friends from all over the world on this unique trip through the Alt Pirineu and Aigüestortes – Estany de Sant Maurici Natural Parks. This is an adventure where you will learn to navigate and fend for yourself in high mountain terrain.

Group limited to 15 young adventurers accompanied by 3 Pyrene guides. We will sleep in guarded and free shelters, in tents, and weather permitting, we will also bivouac under the stars. Support for the expedition will be carried out in Pyrene vehicles and public transport.

  • EPIC PYRENE EXPLORER – June 29th to July 11th
    2.495,00€

    15 in stock

    Reserve

Itinerary

DAY 1

Start: Barcelona Aiport
End: Pyrene basecamp (1,900m), Cerdanya Valley

Welcome to the Pyrenees!  Just this afternoon, we departed Barcelona and now stand at the Pyrene base camp in the beautiful Cerdanya Valley. We all feel the excitement and enthusiasm, the best mix of feelings to begin this 14-day-long adventure through the Pyrenees. We are 18 participants who arrived from all over the world, so we get to know each other with quick games, first laughs, and shy conversations in English, Spanish, and Catalan. After, we begin our first briefing, hand out rentals out, and double check our packing list. Tonight we look forward to a traditional Catalan meal at the camp, galets soup and potato omelet. Good food makes us feel a bit more at home despite the distance, the altitude, and the new faces.

DAY 3

Start: Engorgs Refuge (2,378m), Cerdanya Valley
End: Illa Refuge (2,488m), Andorra Valley

We begin to let go and gain confidence with our expedition mates, who are now friends. We woke this morning at Engorgs Free Refuge, some of us slept inside the shelter, while accompanied by a shrew that ate our oatmeal flakes around midnight. Others preferred to bivouac outside, under the stars…enjoying the breathtaking night sky. The Milky Way, the Big and the Little Dipper and Cassiopeia, and the many, many, more stars are amazing! Down at the creek we wash our faces with refreshing cold water, and realize the great adventure we are living. We eat breakfast with enthusiasm, today’s meal is porridge with oatmeal, walnuts, and bananas, which will for sure provide the energy we need to reach our next destination, Refuge de l’Illa in Andorra!

DAY 5

Start: Pal Village, Andorra Valley
End: Comapedrosa Refuge (2,260m), Andorra Valley

Only five days together, and it seems like we’ve known each other for a lifetime! We’re starting to have a more natural flow to our routine, we complete day-to-day tasks faster, and we set up the tents in 5′. Our backpacks are fully loaded with food again; yesterday we took provisions at Encamp Village, and our legs are a little bit soar today. This evening we will have dinner and sleep in the guarded refuge of Comapedrosa knowing tomorrow we will reach its summit at 2,943m. At the very top, we will be standing highest point in Andorra, it’s quite a natural spectacle. The refuge host, Margaret, helps us appreciate the area while she prepares dinner for us. Wouldn’t it be nice to take care of a mountain refuge?

DAY 8

Start: Amitges Refuge (2,365m), Aigüestortes National Park
End: Refugi Colomers (2,135m), Aran Valley

For a couple of days, we’ve been hiking the Aigüestortes National Park, and it’s been a festival for the senses! Lakes everywhere are surrounded by steep peaks 3,000 meters high. We know that what we are living is unique, so we try to capture this beauty to be able to describe it later to our family and our friends from high school. Happily we leave our large backpacks in the refuge and climb up to Bassiero Peak (2,903m); the views from up here are impressive; how easily we have climbed with so little weight! On our way back, we pick up our backpacks and head towards the Port of Ratera. Tonight we will camp in front of the Colomers lake, and tomorrow…embark towards the famous Montardo (2,833m), the Aran Valley awaits us!

DAY 11

Start: Conangles Refuge (1,550m), Barravés Valley
End: Restanca Refuge (2,138m) Benasque Valley

Aneto Peak is at the heart of our adventure for the next few days, it’s far from Mulleres Peak (3.010m), but we can appreciate its massive size. We follow the trail that brings us to Renclusa Refuge, enjoying the views of Aneto and Maladeta’s Glacier. After settling down in this charming refuge, we’ll do a technical briefing explaining all the details of tomorrow’s ascent to reach Aneto Peak (3.404m), the highest point of the Pyrenees mountain range. In addition, we look at the weather forecast, open mountain maps, and listen excitedly to our mountain guides’ instructions. It’s time to pack our backpacks again while trying to avoid unnecessary weight to allow the fitting of the crampons, harness, and ice axe. Tonight is an early dinner and bedtime, because tomorrow we’ll be hiking before the sun rises.

*Reaching the summit of Aneto can be tricky when considering bad weather and/or not ideal physical or mental conditions of campers. Because of that, we will plan a less demanding alternative route on this day in case the conditions are not ideal. 

DAY 13

Start: Benasque Village
End: Barcelona

We arrived in Barcelona by bus, the city is so hot in July! We all have a strange and misplaced feeling after having spent 14 days walking through the highest peaks of the Pyrenees. We will enjoy an ice cream at the famous Passeig de Gràcia while staring at Gaudí’s building La Pedrera. We will enjoy a nice walk through the city to old downtown where we will enjoy a celebration dinner and then a well-deserved bath at the beach. We admit our shared thought; we don’t want to go home, we give each other our phone numbers and Instagram accounts. Inside we hope of see each other again in some corner of the world. Who knows where. Are you ready for the next adventure?

Start: Barcelona Airport
End: Pyrene basecamp (1,900m), Cerdanya Valley

Welcome to the Pyrenees! Just this afternoon, we departed Barcelona and now stand at the Pyrene base camp in the beautiful Cerdanya Valley. We all feel the excitement and enthusiasm, the best mix of feelings to begin this 14-day-long adventure through the Pyrenees. We are 18 participants who arrived from all over the world, so we get to know each other with quick games, first laughs, and shy conversations in English, Spanish, and Catalan. After, we begin our first briefing, hand out rentals out, and double check our packing list. Tonight we look forward to a traditional Catalan meal at the camp, galets soup and potato omelet. Good food makes us feel a bit more at home despite the distance, the altitude, and the new faces.

Start: Engorgs Refuge (2,378m), Cerdanya Valley
End: Illa Refuge (2,488m), Andorra Valley

We begin to let go and gain confidence with our expedition mates, who are now friends. We woke this morning at Engorgs Free Refuge, some of us slept inside the shelter, while accompanied by a shrew that ate our oatmeal flakes around midnight. Others preferred to bivouac outside, under the stars…enjoying the breathtaking night sky. The Milky Way, the Big and the Little Dipper and Cassiopeia, and the many, many, more stars are amazing! Down at the creek we wash our faces with refreshing cold water, and realize the great adventure we are living. We eat breakfast with enthusiasm, today’s meal is porridge with oatmeal, walnuts, and bananas, which will for sure provide the energy we need to reach our next destination, Refuge de l’Illa in Andorra!

Start: Pal Village, Andorra Valley
End: Comapedrosa Refuge (2,260m), Andorra Valley

Only five days together, and it seems like we’ve known each other for a lifetime! We’re starting to have a more natural flow to our routine, we complete day-to-day tasks faster, and we set up the tents in 5′. Our backpacks are fully loaded with food again; yesterday we took provisions at Encamp Village, and our legs are a little bit soar today. This evening we will have dinner and sleep in the guarded refuge of Comapedrosa knowing tomorrow we will reach its summit at 2,943m. At the very top, we will be standing highest point in Andorra, it’s quite a natural spectacle. The refuge host, Margaret, helps us appreciate the area while she prepares dinner for us. Wouldn’t it be nice to take care of a mountain refuge?

Start: Amitges Refuge (2,365m), Aigüestortes National Park
End: Refugi Colomers (2,135m), Aran Valley

For a couple of days, we’ve been hiking the Aigüestortes National Park, and it’s been a festival for the senses! Lakes everywhere are surrounded by steep peaks 3,000 meters high. We know that what we are living is unique, so we try to capture this beauty to be able to describe it later to our family and our friends from high school. Happily we leave our large backpacks in the refuge and climb up to Bassiero Peak (2,903m); the views from up here are impressive; how easily we have climbed with so little weight! On our way back, we pick up our backpacks and head towards the Port of Ratera. Tonight we will camp in front of the Colomers lake, and tomorrow…embark towards the famous Montardo (2,833m), the Aran Valley awaits us!

Start: Conangles Refuge (1,550m), Barravés Valley
End: Restanca Refuge (2,138m) Benasque Valley

Aneto Peak is at the heart of our adventure for the next few days, it’s far from Mulleres Peak (3.010m), but we can appreciate its massive size. We follow the trail that brings us to Renclusa Refuge, enjoying the views of Aneto and Maladeta’s Glacier. After settling down in this charming refuge, we’ll do a technical briefing explaining all the details of tomorrow’s ascent to reach Aneto Peak (3.404m), the highest point of the Pyrenees mountain range. In addition, we look at the weather forecast, open mountain maps, and listen excitedly to our mountain guides’ instructions. It’s time to pack our backpacks again while trying to avoid unnecessary weight to allow the fitting of the crampons, harness, and ice axe. Tonight is an early dinner and bedtime, because tomorrow we’ll be hiking before the sun rises.

*Reaching the summit of Aneto can be tricky when considering bad weather and/or not ideal physical or mental conditions of campers. Because of that, we will plan a less demanding alternative route on this day in case the conditions are not ideal.

Start: Benasque Village
End: Barcelona

We arrived in Barcelona by bus, the city is so hot in July! We all have a strange and misplaced feeling after having spent 14 days walking through the highest peaks of the Pyrenees. We will enjoy an ice cream at the famous Passeig de Gràcia while staring at Gaudí’s building La Pedrera. We will enjoy a nice walk through the city to old downtown where we will enjoy a celebration dinner and then a well-deserved bath at the beach. We admit our shared thought; we don’t want to go home, we give each other our phone numbers and Instagram accounts. Inside we hope of see each other again in some corner of the world. Who knows where. Are you ready for the next adventure?

PACKING LIST

Download list

Here is the list of materials needed to carry out the Pyrene Explorer journey successfully. Follow these recommendations and check before starting the expedition that you have all the required material. Contact us if you have any questions about the items on the list, we will be happy to provide you with any details about sizes, materials, and where you can find them. It is important not to carry more weight than is strictly necessary, remember that the entire route is done on foot and that you carry all this material on your back during the expedition.

The backpack must have a minimum capacity of 60L, and once is packed, count that you must have about 20% free space left to be able to carry food, part of a tent, and contingency equipment.

OPTIONAL

PLEASE DO NOT PACK THE FOLLOWING

NEED TO KNOW

Includes

  • Full Board Accommodation, from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last day
  • Transportation with Pyrene vehicles and/or by contracting external taxi services or public transport to link stages, start or end the expedition.
  • Specific material to carry out the program
  • Monitoring 24 hours a day
  • Accident insurance

Does not include

  • Arrival in Barcelona before starting the expedition.
  • Return home from Barcelona at the end of the expedition.
  • For participants from outside the European Union, it does not include health insurance.

Information for participants from outside the EU

  • Must have a valid passport with a visa to be in the European Union during the duration of the expedition.
  • Must have a travel health insurance to cover cover illnesses that may occur during the expedition. The Accidents insurance is included with Pyrene coverage for all participants regardless of whether they are from the EU or from outside the EU.

ABOUT US

MISSION & VISION

The Pyrene programs are the result of more than 20 years of experience working in youth programs in the Pyrenees. In 2001, we rehabilitated an abandoned farmhouse in the Cerdanya Valley, and since then it has been our base camp. In our camps and expeditions, we discover peaks, lakes, and high mountain forests, cooperating with mates who will become new friends forever.

Pyrene’s mission is to create unforgettable and impactful experiences that will last forever and to do it safely. Although we know that overcoming challenges often means going through difficult times, we believe that the growth that comes with it and the satisfaction at the end of the journey is well worth it. Are you in?

OUR TEAM

Èlia Sicília
In basecamp manager

Sabadell 1985

Graduated in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, Master in Education and Alpine Skiing and Soccer Coach. Eager to experience other cultures and landscapes, I went around the world in 2013 and 2014. I joined the Pyrene staff in 2015 as an instructor and since 2016 as Camp Leader. After this experience, I decided to live in contact with nature and moved to Cerdanya Valley. Now the mountains are my home, and I love discovering them practicing trail running. In the winter months, I am busy being the Pyrene Ski Club Director.

Aitor Parra
Leader

Sabadell 1979

Graduated in History from the UAB and in Archiving. In 2008 I finished my university studies and started working at the Barcelona History Museum (MUHBA) as a curator and head of collections. Called by the Adventure and eager for change, I quit my job and set off to travel around the world for 1 year, traveling through South America, Oceania, and some corners of Asia. This unique life experience and love lead me to La Cerdanya, looking for nature and mountains. In 2015, already as a Mid-Mountain Sports Technician, I joined the Pyrene staff as monitor, guide, and Head of the Trekking 7×7 and Wild Adventure Camps. I love walking through forests, trails, and mountains, where I find freedom, strength, and inspiration. Lover of nature and travel, I already dream of my next adventure.

Ester Barber
Leader

Menorca 1999

Graduated in Primary Education with a Mention in Physical Education and the bilingual modality. I am an Instructor and Director of Leisure and Free Time, and I have the title of lifeguard. With the concern of leaving the sea behind and getting closer to the mountains, I quit my job as a Kayak guide and the Sports Camps in Menorca and began to walk and walk throughout the Pyrenees. I did my university internship in Bergen (Norway) and worked all summer ’22 at the Certascan Guarded Refuge (Lladorre). This gave me knowledge of the high mountains and many exchanges of stories with all the hikers. When I have free time, I like to read, go for a walk and also climb.

FAQS

We’ve been doing teen hiking trips in the last 15 years and out of all, this is our most challenging expedition. 13-day hike through the Pyrenees reaching mountain peaks over 3.000 meters is tough, but we believe that if you are a motivated and moderately fit teenager you are able to do it and, most important, enjoy it. We hike an average of 15 km per day, our longest hike being 20 km. Camp leaders and mates will always be giving a hand and making the challenge doable.

All the food, transportation, and necessities that you may have during the journey from the moment we leave Barcelona until the return at the end of the trekking are covered by the registration fee. In the “Relevant information” section you will find detailed everything that is included, what is not included, and other important information to take into account.

You can bring a maximum of €40 if you want to buy an ice cream, a soda or a souvenir when we pass through towns along the route.

The camp begins on Sunday at noon in Barcelona and finishes 13 days later, on Friday afternoon, in Barcelona as well.

TIME AND MEETING POINT IN BARCELONA – SUNDAY 29th JUN
We will have a first meeting point in Terminal 1 of Barcelona airport – Arrivals  (the Square) – at 12:30pm
We will have a second meeting point at the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona – at 1:45pm – https://goo.gl/maps/DntFFtMrK77AJrLJA
TIME AND PICK-UP POINT – FRIDAY 11th JUL
We will arrive in Barcelona at noon, have a farewell lunch and swim on the beach. Then we will go to Barcelona airport to accompany those who have to fly back home. Pick up will be at 4pm at San Sebastià Beach – at the Sports Park

We will sleep in guarded and free shelters, tents, and if the weather permits, we will also bivouac under the stars.

Every day we will post on our blog a short story explaining our daily adventures, with some pictures of the day as well. On Day 7 you will be able to talk over the phone with your child, participants will call their parents using trip leaders phones. If you have to contact your child urgently, you can call at anytime our office phone +34 659 642 794, and we will connect as soon as possible with the group.

During the camp we’ll be taking pictures of the activities. You’ll find them here.

A Pyrene staff member will be on Day 1 at Barcelona Airport welcoming and receiving students. Meeting hour is 2pm. If your child comes from outside Barcelona, arriving by plane or train, let us know and we will give you detailed information about how to proceed. Once everybody arrives, we will begin the adventure heading us by train to Cerdanya Valley in the eastern Pyrenees.

Two weeks before the start of the expedition we will call you in a virtual meeting to get to know each other, present the program, and answer any questions you may have.

Here you can find the packing list with everything you will need for the camp. If you don’t have some of the equipment you can use our rental service.

If you rent our material you will have it prepared at the base camp whenever you arrive. We have sleeping bags, backpacks, mats, and bivouac covers… of quality and specific for the activities that we will do. Rent the material you need by clicking here.

Luckily we’ve been running Pyrene teen expeditions and summer camps continuously since 2010. We have a high commitment with our students and trips were done even during the pandemic. Hopefully this summer our trips and camps will be running as usual! If for any reason we have to cancel any of our trips, yes, you will get your money back. In case you ask for a cancellation, you’ll get a 100% refund when cancelling prior to 45 days to the beginning of the expedition.

If you decide to cancel the reservation for any reason, you will recover 100% of the amount you have paid (both the down payment and the second payment) as long as you request the cancellation 45 days before starting the journey.

If you are a large or a single-parent family you benefit from a 5% discount. You must send us a photo of the card in each case to info@pyreneexplorer.camp.

You can make the second payment until 2 weeks before the start of the expedition.