Discover the full sweep of the Pyrenees on the GR11, also known as La Senda Pirenaica, a spectacular long-distance mountain trail crossing northern Spain from the Atlantic coast at Irun to the Mediterranean shores of Cap de Creus. Spanning 850km (520 miles), the GR11 threads together wild valleys, high passes and remote uplands, offering a continuous journey through some of the most dramatic and unspoilt mountain landscapes in Europe.

Staying largely on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, the GR11 is best suited to experienced mountain hikers with good fitness and confident navigation skills. This guidebook presents the route in 47 stages of 7–31km (5–19 miles), with the trail also divided into four sections to allow the GR11 to be tackled as shorter treks. Along the way, walkers pass through key Pyrenean regions and protected areas including Navarre, the Valles Occidentales, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Posets-Maladeta Natural Park and Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu.

• 47 stage-by-stage route descriptions covering the full GR11 from Irun on the Atlantic coast to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean
• Clear, step-by-step directions for the GR11 supported by 1:100,000 mapping for each stage
• Route summary table and stage facilities planner to help plan daily distances, rest days and resupply along the GR11
• Detailed accommodation information for villages, refuges and trail-side stops along the GR11 route
• Practical planning advice specific to hiking the GR11, including terrain, conditions and logistics
• Notes on local flora and fauna encountered along the GR11 across the Spanish Pyrenees
• Downloadable GPX files for the entire GR11 to support digital navigation on GPS devices and smartphone apps

Plan and walk the GR11 with confidence and experience the scale, solitude and variety of the Spanish Pyrenees with this authoritative guidebook to one of Europe’s great long-distance mountain trails.

GR11 / La Senda Pirenaica - Quick Facts

Trail name: GR11 / La Senda Pirenaica
Location: Spanish Pyrenees, northern Spain
Designation: Long-distance mountain trail
Distance: ~850km / 520 miles
Typical duration: 6–8 weeks (full route)
Start: Irun (Atlantic coast)
End: Cap de Creus (Mediterranean coast)
Route format: Linear long-distance walk; four sections also provided for shorter treks
Stages: 47 stages, 7–31km (5–19 miles) each
Navigation: Well-defined trails with 1:100,000 mapping and GPX files
Terrain: Mountain passes, valleys, forests, high uplands, national parks
Difficulty: Challenging – suitable for experienced mountain walkers with good fitness
Best season: Summer (July–September) to avoid snow and severe weather
Accommodation: Villages, refuges and mountain hostels along the route

Author Highlight

“As the crow flies, the Pyrenees stretch a little over 400km from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, but a long-distance hiker goes about 800km from one side of the mountain chain to the other. In between the two extremities, there are magnificent landscapes with a variety of trails. The GR11 is one of the trails which crosses the whole Pyrenees, staying on the Spanish side of the border, which is marked by the Pyrenees. It provides a very varied and scenic route through magnificent, high mountains, which are often remote and deserted.”

- Tom Martens, author of Trekking the GR11 Trail

Map key
Overview map
Route summary table
Mountain safety
Preface
Publisher's Dedication
INTRODUCTION
Geology
National and natural parks
From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean
The GR11
Weather and when to go
Plants and wildlife
Mountain weather
Getting there
Getting back
What to take
Language and culture
Accommodation
Camping
Water
Using this guide
The GR11
CABO DE HIGUER – ZURIZA
Getting to Cabo de Higuer from Irún
Stage 1 Cabo de Higuer to Bera (Vera de Bidosoa)
Stage 2 Bera to Elizondo
Stage 3 Elizondo to Puerto de Urkiaga
Stage 4 Puerto de Urkiaga to Burguete (Auritz)
Stage 5 Burguete to Hiriberri (Villanueva de Aezkoa)
Stage 6 Hiriberri to Ochagavía (Otsagabia)
Stage 7 Ochagavía to Isaba (Izaba)
Stage 8 Isaba to Zuriza (GR11)
Stage 8a Isaba to Zuriza via Peña Ezkaurri (GR11.4)
ZURIZA – PARZÁN
Stage 9 Zuriza to La Mina
Stage 9a Zuriza to Puente de Santa Ana (GR11.1)
Stage 10 La Mina to Refugio de Lizara (GR11)
Stage 10a Puente de Santa Ana to Refugio de Lizara (GR11.1)
Stage 11 Refugio de Lizara to Candanchú
Stage 12 Candanchú to Sallent de Gállego
Stage 13 Sallent de Gállego to Refugio de Respomuso
Stage 14 Refugio de Respomuso to Baños de Panticosa

Stage 15 Baños de Panticosa to San Nicolás de Bujaruelo
Stage 16 San Nicolás de Bujaruelo to Refugio de Góriz
Stage 17 Refugio de Góriz to Refugio de Pineta (GR11)
Stage 17a Refugio de Góriz to Refugio de Pineta (GR11.9)
Stage 18 Refugio de Pineta to Parzán
PARZÁN – LA GUINGUETA D’ÀNEU
Stage 19 Parzán to Refugio de Biadós (Viadós)
Stage 20 Refugio de Biadós to Puente de San Jaime (GR11)
Stage 20a Day 1: Refugio de Biadós to Refugio d’Ángel Orús (GR11.2)
Stage 20b Day 2: Refugio d’Ángel Orús to Puente de San Jaime (GR11.2)
Stage 21 Puente de San Jaime to Refugio de Cap de Llauset
Stage 22 Refugio de Cap de Llauset to Refugi de Conangles
Stage 23 Refugi de Conangles to Refugi dera Restanca
Stage 24 Refugi dera Restanca to Refugi de Colomèrs (GR11)
Stage 24a Refugi dera Restanca to Refugi de Colomèrs (by Port de Caldes, GR11.18)
Stage 25 Refugi de Colomèrs to Espot
Stage 26 Espot to La Guingueta d’Àneu
LA GUINGUETA D’ÀNEU – PUIGCERDÀ
Stage 27 La Guingueta d’Àneu to Estaon
Stage 28 Estaon to Tavascan
Stage 29 Tavascan to Àreu
Stage 30 Àreu to Refugi de Vallferrera
Stage 31 Refugi de Vallferrera to “Refugi de Comapedrosa
Stage 32 Refugi de Comapedrosa to Arans
Stage 33 Arans to Encamp
Stage 34 Encamp to Refugio de l’Illa
Stage 35 Refugio de l’Illa to Refugi de Malniu
Stage 36 Refugi de Malniu to Puigcerdà
PUIGCERDÀ – CAP DE CREUS
Stage 37 Puigcerdà to Camping Can Fosses
Stage 38 Camping Can Fosses to Núria
Stage 39 Núria to Setcases
Stage 40 Setcases to Beget
Stage 41 Beget to Sant Aniol d’Aguja
Stage 42 Sant Aniol d’Aguja to Albanyà
Stage 43 Albanyà to Maçanet de Cabrenys
Stage 44 Maçanet de Cabrenys to La Jonquera
Stage 45 La Jonquera to Els Vilars
Stage 46 Els Vilars to Llançà (GR11)
Stage 46a Els Vilars to Llançà (via Espolla and Rabós)
Stage 47 Llançà to Cap de Creus
 
APPENDICES
Appendix A Sources of information
Appendix B Glossary
Appendix C Stage facilities planner

Seasons

June to October for the Central Pyrenees. Spring and autumn would be possible in the Basque Country and near the Mediterranean.

Centres

The route goes from the Atlantic Ocean at Irun on the French-Spanish border and passes through many small villages in Spain and Andorra.

Difficulty

alpine-style mountains, crossing passes up to 2700m where there is rough, steep terrain to traverse. It is at the upper end of walking difficulty. Early season, with snow on the high passes, would require mountaineering skills.

Must See

The Basque country, Anayet lakes, Ordessa and Monte Perdido National Park, Aiguestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, the Maladeta range, Andorra, Cap de Creus Natural Park.

August 2024

Stage 33

June 2024

Accommodation update Stage 3

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