Carros de Foc | Spain Pyrenees | Challenging hiking guide

Hike Carros de Foc in Aigüestortes National Park: 6 days, 61 km of challenging alpine trails with certified mountain guides through the Spanish Pyrenees.

Carros de Foc | Spain Pyrenees | Challenging hiking guide - guided hiking tour in spain-pyrenees-aigestortesiestanydesantmauricinationalpark

Tour Details

Description

Carros de Foc is a 61-kilometer circular route connecting 6 mountain refuges in Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. Created by park guards in 1987, the route traverses high mountain passes and glacial valleys over 6 days, with 4,660 meters of cumulative elevation gain. Terrain includes loose rocks, alpine environments, and steep ascents between refuges positioned at 2,000 to 2,500 meters elevation. The park hosts chamois and marmots among granite peaks, mountain lakes, and glacial valleys. Weather conditions change rapidly at elevation.

Tour Highlights

Itinerary

  1. Aigüestortes, the National park -

    A taxi will take us to the park entrance, we hike through an old glacial valley to the Estany Llong refuge. From there the trail climbs steadily through characteristic Pyrenean landscape, crossing some boulders and passing alpine lakes as we gain elevation into our first mountain pass. The descent will take us toward Refugi de Colomina.

  2. A world of lakes and electricity -

    A shorter but spectacular day.

    We will start the stage around beautiful lakes and old hydroelectric constructions. It will follow a couple of demanding mountain passes. Then, we will descend to Josep Maria Blanc refuge surrounded by a spectacular landscape and lakes where we will spend the night.

  3. Towards Sant Maurici lake -

    We will start the day ascending the Monestero pass. We will descend through the vast Monestero valley to the Ernest Mallafré shelter, where we will surround the iconic Sant Maurici Lake. The final climb will bring us up to Amitges shelter where we will spend this night surrounded by the spectacular Agulles d’Amitges.

  4. Easy day half way -

    We tackle Collada de Ratera navigating scree slopes and rocky terrain to reach the pass. The descent brings us into the spectacular Colomèrs cirque, a glacial valley dotted with dozens of mountain lakes. The landscape here is particularly dramatic.

  5. The work of the glaciers -

    Today we will go into the great Colomers Cirque. We will start the day ascending to Port de Caldes pass. We will then cross the Port de Rius to descend to the Restanca shelter. From here we will make our way up to Port de Rius to climb the Coll de Tumeneia. It will bring us to Ventosa i Calvell shelter.

  6. The highest crossing before the end -

    Our last day crosses the Collada de Contraix, the high mountain passes on the circuit. The terrain becomes rockier as we navigate loose rocks and scree slopes before descending into Aigüestortes valley. The trail demands careful footing on technical sections.

    We complete the circuit through the same glacial valley, finishing where we started at the park entrance after six days of sustained mountain.

What's Included

Not Included

Why Book With Made to Hike

This tour is led by a certified mountain guide verified through Made to Hike. All guides on the platform hold recognised certifications such as IFMGA, IML, or equivalent local qualifications. Bookings include secure payment processing, a money-back guarantee, and direct communication with your guide before the trip.

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